Great Lakes - Horribly Hilly Hundreds gone?

The web site is down, registration was to start mid Feb. I know they were looking for a new group to run it, but now it looks to be gone. Anyone have more details?

no new info, but i did notice the web site being down for about that last week. what is up?? i want this ride this year. later.

I know only as much as you that the site is down after promising to have registration opening soon. Hopefully this is just a technical problem and will be resolved soon because I was really looking forward to riding at this event.

I was just thinking about this ride earlier this week. I'll be interested un seeing what happens.

I just saw that the website is back up. Registration still to come. I rode this last year. Epic ride.

Sonnuva - same weekend as a family vacation the wife planned a year ago.

Sonnuva - same weekend as a family vacation the wife planned a year ago.

she got you headed off to NY for some off broadway productions?

Nah...Alabama for some beach house action with the extended family. To be honest I'm not much of a fan of the South, or the beach for that matter. I'd rather be killing myself on these climbs.

Thanks for the heads up on the site being back up. I want to do this ride, but it has filled up fast in the past.
I'm also worried about finding the time to train enough to enjoy the ride not just suffer to the end.

FYI they've finally announced that registration will open on March 1st at 10AM

I did check and it appears that the vacation is one weekend after the ride....*looking for other excuses*

I did check and it appears that the vacation is one weekend after the ride....*looking for other excuses*

so are you in? thinking about it? what? i gotta know. well, not really. i think i am in and will try to register. i think Cylowe was also interested in this ride? anyone else from the BFNIC? later.

iab should be signing up early. He volunteered last year so has first crack at registration. I'm planning on riding it again this year, but if I don't get in on registration, I'll volunteer.

It's an epic ride and a fantastic place to ride.

Hey Psimet, there are other rides. Dairyland Dare is in August and I think there is another one called the Tin Man Century out of Janesville or somewhere close to there. Plenty o' opportunities in the land of :beer:

I'm in. I'll try to register. If I can't end up riding because of shape, or my on-going saddle area issue then I can give my registration over to someone. I am sure I can find a taker.

I'm going to give it a shot. I'm planning for the 200k, with the 100K as the bad weather option.
Seems like some changes this year no chip timing, also no transfers according to the home page.

I'm going to give it a shot. I'm planning for the 200k, with the 100K as the bad weather option.
Seems like some changes this year no chip timing, also no transfers according to the home page.

I like the lack of chip timing change. As much fun as it is to know what time you got, there is that 'race mentality' that they want to eliminate from the route. Once people get the chip strapped on, it's like they think it's Paris-Roubaix. 1,000 people on the course for what is supposed to be a challenge ride, as well as a tour of beautiful countryside deserves better than everyone thinking they are racing one another. It will make a more relaxed atmosphere. Plus, no timing could help keep costs down, as well as the fact that 99% of folks have a cyclometer and can check their own times anyway.

And the transfers thing is interesting. So many people were selling spots for profit on e-Bay last year. Weird for a route that can be ridden at any time. I think the elimation of the chip timing will help ease some of the pressure for folks to get in officially. If it does fill up in a matter of days, as it did for 2006, they need plenty of volunteers. It's a cool scene up on top of Blue Mound no matter if you're riding or assisting. Many of the volunteers I talked to got there a day earlier to ride all or part of the course.

BTW, I did the 100k route last year with pretty limited flatlander training. The HHH kicked my tail but good. I'd like to do the 200k this year if I can get into decent shape. It's a LONG day in the saddle, but one that makes you dig deep down to keep going. Here's the ride report thread from last year (http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=204634&highlight=horribly).

awsome. i am and have been looking forward to this ride since reading your report last year. should be fun having you and Psi pull me up those hills! :) later.

For the 2006 HHH, I arrived at 5:00 am to hand out timing chips and worked the Hwy. K rest stop until the last rider on the road left at 5:00 pm.

They told me at the time they would let volunteers register early and I think I remember reading that on their site.

This is the first I am hearing about registration and needless to say I am not happy. Is 12 hours of work not enough to get a heads up? I didn't expect anything when volunteering but I hope people live up to their word. I have tried emailing the organization to voice my displeasure but the emails just bounce back. I am thinking it is not worth my time to ride in the event, let alone have any of my family volunteer.

iab... We are your heads up! Hopefully 1000 people don't cram active.com on Thursday morning. Just make sure to log in over there and it should be all good for you.

Yeah, quite inconsiderate of the organizers, but at least you're aware of the on-sale date/time. That may not help right now, but it's something, no?

I don't know, I am on the fence. I have ridden the 100k route on my own and will do it again (I have family in Madison, I can ride to the route and back again from where I stay). What's the registration fee, $50, for a couple of bananas and crappy t-shirt? Normally I don't look to get value out of a registration fee, they can use the money to promote the sport or the ride or put it in their own pockets, I don't usually care. I do value integrity, something the sponsors of this event clearly lack and I would hate to reward them with my money.

I agree the fee is stiff and I think HH has gotten a little too proud of itself, I'm going to stick with a different event that weekend. I'm not sure if it's worth the money and the crappy shirt just to get mixed up with a bunch of nuts who think they're in Paris-Roubaix, timing chips or no timing chips, they'll stick act like they're wearing them.

I think I'm going for the 100k. Not much of a climber. I figure I'll try this once. What's the worst that can heppen??.....don't answer that...

100k sounds like fun, but 200k sounds like pain. wait, is pain fun? i forget?

is this a weekend thing for you guys or a drive up and back thing? i may go up early, say friday, and hang out for the weekend. looks like a long drive for me. later.

aham, last year they had the gym at the local high school available to crash the night before. I did that so I could get up and only have to go a few miles to the start. After the ride and post-ride food at the park, I drove home. I was drained.

No details on the website about the gym being open, but hopefully they will get that information.

On the other end of the spectrum, I got up really (really) early to drive to Dodgeville for the Dairyland Dare, which starts about 20 miles west of the HHH. After that, I drove home. Very weary, but it wasn't too bad.

For the 2006 HHH, I arrived at 5:00 am to hand out timing chips and worked the Hwy. K rest stop until the last rider on the road left at 5:00 pm.

They told me at the time they would let volunteers register early and I think I remember reading that on their site.

This is the first I am hearing about registration and needless to say I am not happy. Is 12 hours of work not enough to get a heads up? I didn't expect anything when volunteering but I hope people live up to their word. I have tried emailing the organization to voice my displeasure but the emails just bounce back. I am thinking it is not worth my time to ride in the event, let alone have any of my family volunteer.


Nevermind. All is good, CyLowe97 PM-ed me a link for us volunteers. Only one hour before open registration - cutting it a little close but living uo to their word.

Has anyone gotten registered yet, I can't even get past the first page at active. I'll try later but for $65 I may pass and ride it on my own since I live in Mount Horeb I've covered all of the route before just not all in the same day.

I filled out the registration page for my brother-in-law but now it won't let me pay.

I think I'm through but the site is totally hogging down. It's stuck on processing my payment....:( Gives me confidence....NOT!

Going to active.com right now I get....

We are experiencing higher than normal volume and are therefore unable to process your request at this time.

Please wait several minutes and then try the following:
In your browser, please re-enter the URL and try again or,
In your browser, click Back, and try again or,
Close your browser window, open a new one and try again.

We apologize for this inconvenience.

Their server just might save me $65 here....

I had 3 or 4 browser sessions running on it and finally got through the process. I got a "COngradulations you are registered" but I have yet to receive a confirmation.

EDIT: AHA!!! "Your confirmation number is: 169........"

C Ya There SUCKAS!!! Shoot...I need to start riding....

Man their servers suck. It is not a lot of data and how many people are doing this, a few hundred?

Now I have a be patient while your payment is being processed. This may take up to 3 minutes. They right, I'll let you know in 3 hours.

It's like Ticketmaster on training wheels.

I managed to get a charge on my credit card but without any confirmation I have no idea whether it went through or not. Perhaps it is time to check out the Dairyland Dare instead :mad:

Perhaps it is time to check out the Dairyland Dare instead :mad:

Unfortunately, registration for that is also through active.com

would you guys mind logging off so i can sign up? it seems if Active has more then five people trying to sign up at one time their system shuts down! thank you. :)

I just got done. What a ssslooooooowwwww server.

aham, you're on deck. a line has just opened up.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! - Brute force my friends. I ran 3 or 4 sessions at the same time and ran all of them until I started getting "you have already registered" messages. I'll probably have 4 charges on my CC, but I can work that out....

.....I hope.

Yeah you would think they would be able to run this thing a little better considering they HAVE to have bigger events than this going through active.

crap, i was all the way at the end and BAM................the screen of death. then work got in the way, but i am off to try again. later.

and............yes, finally, it goes through. so when do we start practicing? can i wear my BF SoCal Jersey? who's wheel do I grab? this should be fun. later.

I finally got through to the confirmation page. Now to see how many charges active.com has made to my card and how many I'll have to dispute. ;)

I finally got signed up for the 200K. I'll see you all there, or come up to practice early I'm usually free on the weekends.

<snip>who's wheel do I grab?<snip>

HAHAHAHAHAHA! You're probably in the best shape out of all of us right now. We'll be grabbing your wheel. Not a change from any other time though...:rolleyes: I've been practicing with 12oz curls and baby lifting (and some running during lunch ...shhhhhh don't tell on me).

Wow. That's a record - 5 hours 30 minutes to fill all the slots. :eek:

Now that everyone is confirmed, is anyone in the Madison/Mount Horeb area planning on training outside starting in April? I'll probably be riding sections of the course every week up until the big event and wouldn't mind a little company :)

Now that everyone is confirmed, is anyone in the Madison/Mount Horeb area planning on training outside starting in April? I'll probably be riding sections of the course every week up until the big event and wouldn't mind a little company :)
Gents from the 'burbs... when do we head up north for some training with Brigadier?

Gents from the 'burbs... when do we head up north for some training with Brigadier?
Whenever as long as he has a long tow rope....


...no, seriously....

Tryin to register for this thing was BRUTAL!!! Hopefully the ride won't be half as painful.

I'm just west of Milwaukee and plan on making a few trips out that way to train starting in about April. My wife worries about me going out there alone to train fearing no one would spot me if I got hurt so it would be sweet to at least go when I know others will be on the route. I know it would alleviate most of her fears. Keep us posted as to time and dates and I'll make it a point to say hello.

Gents from the 'burbs... when do we head up north for some training with Brigadier?

Saturday? Say, 8am I will pick you and Psi up?

I got like no hills around my house. I will have to be heading over to Starved Rock for some Hill Repeats to get ready for this baby. Hey, were there any hills at the Udder? You know we will be meeting up for that ride in early June :) later.

Tryin to register for this thing was BRUTAL!!! Hopefully the ride won't be half as painful.

I'm just west of Milwaukee and plan on making a few trips out that way to train starting in about April. My wife worries about me going out there alone to train fearing no one would spot me if I got hurt so it would be sweet to at least go when I know others will be on the route. I know it would alleviate most of her fears. Keep us posted as to time and dates and I'll make it a point to say hello.


There are usually several people on that route, it is well known, you will not be alone. Cell coverage on the other hand is minimal at best.

Saturday? Say, 8am I will pick you and Psi up?

I got like no hills around my house. I will have to be heading over to Starved Rock for some Hill Repeats to get ready for this baby. Hey, were there any hills at the Udder? You know we will be meeting up for that ride in early June :) later.

I have got a hill in Bull Valley that isn't long but it is steep enough to make your ears bleed.:) If you are interested, here is a 11 mile loop with 680 feet of climbing, not too shabby for Illinois. The one marked Hill 2 is the nasty one.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/10070

Great, I was looking forward to this since I missed registration last year and this year after reading about registration being in the middle of February for quite some time I checked the site somewhat regularly and then gave up on it. Now I find out the registration was in March and I missed it by a day.

Thanks HHH but I doubt I'll sign up next year considering the runaround this year.