Wisconsin Challenge Rides Besides the HHH and D-land Dare

[CyLowe97]

Many of us on the board know the HHH and the Dairyland Dare, but love finding out about these other rides in that area. Per the Horribly Hilly thread, CastIron posted the following about two other hilly rides in Wisconsin:

I am looking at The Brute (http://spreetouring.com/Brute%20Challenge%20Ride.html) and the Kicker (http://spreetouring.com/Kicker%20Challenge%20Ride.html) in the same general area and distances, however.

Are there more besides The Brute and The Kicker? Has anyone does these rides and can you give us some lowdown on support, routes, turnout, etc?

[nietsmas]

but those rides don't have fancy logos and websites ;)

[CyLowe97]

but those rides don't have fancy logos and websites ;)

It's true that most of us are easily distracted by shiny things.

[Hipcycler]

I'm now organizing a new event, and I bet you can guess the name....

The Hammer Time Hundred
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/Hipcycler67/Cycling/recursivehammer0001.jpg

[CyLowe97]

I'm now organizing a new event, and I bet you can guess the name....

The Hammer Time Hundred

If you organize and publicize it, they will come.

[iab]

LaCrosse is a long haul for us fibbers. And how dare you forget about the 2nd Annual BFNIC Spring Classic (& Vintage) being held in New Glarus.:mad: Entry is free and there is beer at the end (disclaimer: I haven't called the brewery yet, they could put the kibosh on using their parking lot, just sayin').

Then there is the Firehouse 50 http://www.firehouse50.org/sitenew/ . Not that much climbing but it is a timed event so you can cause yourself some pain if you choose.

[CyLowe97]

And how dare you forget about the 2nd Annual BFNIC Spring Classic (& Vintage) being held in New Glarus.:mad:

That has its own thread. Not that Hip has read it.... :rolleyes:

[Hipcycler]

That has its own thread. Not that Hip has read it.... :rolleyes:

...keep hawking me like this and I'll have to charge an appearance fee for any BIFNIC rides I show up at! :p

[CyLowe97]

...keep hawking me like this and I'll have to charge an appearance fee for any BIFNIC rides I show up at! :p

Appearance Fee? What do you think a BFNIC ride is? The Buick Open? The Pebble Beach Pro/Am?

No.

A BFNIC ride is like one of the majors. You get invited to The Masters or the US Open and you don't ask for an appearance fee. You show up and put in an effort above and beyond anything some silly appearance fee event could muster.

[Hipcycler]

Okay, okay, but hey, when you make the kind of money I make there is no such thing as a SILLY appearance fee!

...and does this mean either aham or recursive are going to win an ugly green jacket at one of your rides this season?

[jbmadtown]

Sorry I can't help you with the Brute or the Kicker. I've heard of them, but that's about it. You might look at club centuries that are done in the hilly areas, such as the Wright Stuff Century (www.bombaybicycle.org)

Also every year there is the L'Alpe Bl'huez Time Trial which is a 10 mile time trial up Mounds Park Road, most of the course is on the HHH route. www.alpeblhuez.com. It's in late May, here's the map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=976552.

There's also a citizens racing circuit through wisport. http://www.wisport.org. It's racing, but not as intense as normal racing circuits.

Wanna do distance? Check out the Great Lakes Randonneurs brevet schedule, they're based in Delavan (near Lake Geneva): http://www.glrrando.org/brevetschedule.htm

[Hipcycler]

There's also a citizens racing circuit through wisport. http://www.wisport.org. It's racing, but not as intense as normal racing circuits.

+1 on Wisport.
That's how I get my taste of racing in each season. They do a nice job.

[Porkchopwi]

While not in the same milage class as the HH or DD the Ride The Rock 100K in Ft. Atkinson offers up 60-some miles of racing in September as part of the WiSport series (last year anyway and it is on the tentative calendar for this year), I believe they also offer it it as a non-competitive ride.
Course was pretty flat with a slight grade in the final sprint that seemed much worse than it was...
Their site has links to a few more rides as well:
http://www.ridetherock.us/

[Bikelyst]

While not in the same milage class as the HH or DD the Ride The Rock 100K in Ft. Atkinson offers up 60-some miles of racing in September as part of the WiSport series (last year anyway and it is on the tentative calendar for this year), I believe they also offer it it as a non-competitive ride.
Course was pretty flat with a slight grade in the final sprint that seemed much worse than it was...
Their site has links to a few more rides as well:
http://www.ridetherock.us/


How likely is it they will throw the newly proposed races in the Wisport schedule...Portage County, Fon du Lac, and Crandon?

(Sorry I'm not trying to hijack this thread...)

Did you race at the Mellen race this past season?

[Porkchopwi]

Boy I wish I knew the answer to that question, but I really hope all three of those races materialize as they are all reasonable driving distances for me and I'll take a few more RRs on the sked anyday!
There are races that come and go each year. I haven't heard anything about those three through the grapevine, but I have my fingers crossed... Crandon could be kind of cool.

Yeah I raced at Mellen, that day was the highlight of my career so far... LOL. I assume you were there too?

[sekaijin]

Latecomer to this thread too ... bump. I forget to check the regional rides part of BF, I lurk mostly in classic & vintage.

Not exactly a challenge ride but check out Bike the Barns (http://www.macsac.org/bikethebarns/), a new ride with a great concept: bike to several farms west of Madison for gourmet dining on fresh organic food. 60 miles, 2 meals and 3 snack stops at farms.

Those who know Madison dining will appreciate that the breakfast is prepared by Cafe Soleil, one of Madison's top restaurants and a prominent actor in the national organic/locally grown food movement.

I am not an organic ag zealot, this just looks really appetizing as well as quite a bargain at $35. I missed the first one last year, hope to do it this year.

[voldemort]

Looks tempting. Gourmet food prep. Tasty. Any Wisconsin beer near the end of the ride? (organic would be great) I'm marking my calendar. The price is right, and its close enough for a FIB.:p

[Frunkin]

There's supposed to be a fondy race next year?
I knew there was a WCA crit there last summer, but havent heard anything about a wisport RR.

[Psimet2001]

Looks tempting. Gourmet food prep. Tasty. Any Wisconsin beer near the end of the ride? (organic would be great) I'm marking my calendar. The price is right, and its close enough for a FIB.:p

+1 - but I think all that cheese might really block me up bad.

[iab]

Latecomer to this thread too ... bump. I forget to check the regional rides part of BF, I lurk mostly in classic & vintage.

Not exactly a challenge ride but check out Bike the Barns (http://www.macsac.org/bikethebarns/), a new ride with a great concept: bike to several farms west of Madison for gourmet dining on fresh organic food. 60 miles, 2 meals and 3 snack stops at farms.

Those who know Madison dining will appreciate that the breakfast is prepared by Cafe Soleil, one of Madison's top restaurants and a prominent actor in the national organic/locally grown food movement.

I am not an organic ag zealot, this just looks really appetizing as well as quite a bargain at $35. I missed the first one last year, hope to do it this year.

This one looks real good, I'm in. I can't find info on 2008, any ideas?

[sekaijin]

I can't find info on 2008, any ideas?

I'll keep an eye out. Last year it was Sept. 29, it was a new event, and I don't think they started publicizing it until late August/early September. They called it "the first annual" and hailed it as a big success, so presumably it will be around the same time this year.

[Wiswell]

According to a ride report I read, it seems the "challenge" in this ride is resisting all the food.

Sekaijin, I certainly hope you "wimped out" and did not ride to work today in 4F.

[sekaijin]

Sekaijin, I certainly hope you "wimped out" and did not ride to work today in 4F.

You got that right. I can ride in the cold if there's no wind. Cold + wind seems to get into my inner ear, and my balance starts to get wobbly!

[recursive]

This morning, I used one of these: http://www.psolar.com/id5.html

Remarkably, it was actually too warm.

[Wiswell]

Huh. Maybe I should get one, then there would be warm air circulating. I have an ancient balaclava with a too-small hole. When the temperature gets below about 30 and I am out, I always feel like I am about to throw up from inhaling the cold air, but meanwhile, the rest of me is roasting.

There are informal challenge rides going on in Madison the next few days: riding outside in subzero with wind chill of -25. No charge to participate.

[sekaijin]

Here's another hilly WI challenge ride, the "Century of Hills" ride in Baraboo, 40 miles north of Madison, on July 7. Only $20 in advance / $30 same day registration.

www.moosejawmtb.com/default.htm

Interesting that there are little known bargain rides like this to be found ... the HHH, the DLD and the Wright Stuff Century are the ones that seem to be on the radar screen in Madison.

[sekaijin]

Finally, I want to put in a plug for a great Madison event I do every year, the Trek-sponsored Bike for Boys & Girls Club fundraiser. It gets about 400 riders including a lot of families and kids. It has 10, 30 and 50 mile routes, all of which start and end in downtown Madison.

It should be on Saturday, July 20 this year. It's a pretty good deal:

The ride ends with a big festive lunch party with free food and beer. Riders get a goody bag with an event tee shirt, water bottle and various other freebies. Also, for every $250 you raise in pledges, you get a $50 gift certificate to the Trek stores in Madison. (The registration fee is $50 which counts toward your pledge total.)

Those who ride with a team also get an event jersey designed by Trek (same designers who supply the Nike Cycling line). I’m captain of my company’s team, so you’re invited to ride with us.

Homepage for last year’s event: www.bike4bgc.com (http://www.bike4bgc.com)

50 mile route map: www.bike4bgc.com/pdf/06_B4BGC_50_Mile_Ride_Map.pdf (http://www.bike4bgc.com/pdf/06_B4BGC_50_Mile_Ride_Map.pdf)

Last 2 years I’ve done the 10 mile route with kids in tow. Here we are at the starting line. 10 miles hauling this rig is a decent workout!

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u259/sekaijin/Bike%20for%20the%20Boys%20and%20Girls%20Club%202007/Piicture014a.jpg

[dave342]

This morning, I used one of these: http://www.psolar.com/id5.html

Remarkably, it was actually too warm.

So recursive and Wiswell do you guys commute EVERY day to work? (rain,snow,-20 degrees,darkness) I know recursive bought a car last summer but dosen't take it to work, it just takes him to cycling events/races.

[recursive]

I drove to work one day so far this winter.

No good reason. Just didn't feel like riding, and it was a rest day on my training plan. It wasn't even particularly cold. Other than that, yes, every day.

[sekaijin]

Hey recursive, I think you passed me on State Street on the commute home today. I recognized your red spiky headgear from your old avatar. There you were skinny tires and all, riding like you were on clean pavement and I was the only one on slippery snowpack. Even with my studded tires at low pressure, they just kept slipping and sliding around.

[recursive]

Hey recursive, I think you passed me on State Street on the commute home today. I recognized your red spiky headgear from your old avatar. There you were skinny tires and all, riding like you were on clean pavement and I was the only one on slippery snowpack. Even with my studded tires at low pressure, they just kept slipping and sliding around.

That was me. I saw a couple of bikes on state street. Did you have a yellow jacket on? You should stop me next time you see me, assuming I can hear you over my headphones. :D I'll be wearing the spikes until the temperature regularly breaks freezing, which provides an excellent way to recognize me.

[sekaijin]

That was me. I saw a couple of bikes on state street. Did you have a yellow jacket on? You should stop me next time you see me, assuming I can hear you over my headphones. :D I'll be wearing the spikes until the temperature regularly breaks freezing, which provides an excellent way to recognize me.
Yes, that was me in a hi-viz yellow jacket, and yellow & black backpack. I yelled "recursive" but a little late, by then you were too far ahead of me to hear. I was pretty impressed how quickly you moved on that slippery stuff.

[recursive]

Yes, that was me in a hi-viz yellow jacket, and yellow & black backpack. I yelled "recursive" but a little late, by then you were too far ahead of me to hear. I was pretty impressed how quickly you moved on that slippery stuff.

Winter riding: I put my weight on the back wheel when starting from a stop, front wheel all other times. Especially turning. In general. Also, winter is when I first learned to skid my fixed gear. I have fun sliding around. Usually I do it in a controlled manner, but not always.

What bike do you ride in the winter? I'll be on the lookout.

[sekaijin]

Winter riding: I put my weight on the back wheel when starting from a stop, front wheel all other times. Especially turning. In general. Also, winter is when I first learned to skid my fixed gear. I have fun sliding around. Usually I do it in a controlled manner, but not always.

What bike do you ride in the winter? I'll be on the lookout.

My winter bike is a fairly generic-looking greenish-goldish 90s Schwinn Clear Creek hardtail mtb. Kind of like my other commuter (non-studded), the blue Mirada in the pic above.

You can spot me in the dark by the purple flashing lights in my wheels. I use a pair of motion-sensor valve stem lights I found at a garage sale.

[s.peterson]

Here's another hilly WI challenge ride, the "Century of Hills" ride in Baraboo, 40 miles north of Madison, on July 7. Only $20 in advance / $30 same day registration.

www.moosejawmtb.com/default.htm

Interesting that there are little known bargain rides like this to be found ... the HHH, the DLD and the Wright Stuff Century are the ones that seem to be on the radar screen in Madison.

Any idea if this ride is going to be done again this year? The web site only has info for last year.


EDIT: Never mind, they just updated the website.

[dannwilliams]

Looks like it is still on. I like the acronym...
http://www.wildsideveloclub.com/

[CyLowe97]

Looks like it is still on. I like the acronym...
http://www.wildsideveloclub.com/

This Baraboo Intentially Torturously Century of Hills ride is on July 12th. That's the same day as Ride Across Indiana!

Hmm... decisions decisions....

Anyone have a route profile of this B*TCH ride in Baraboo?

[s.peterson]

They had a map of last years route on the site until recently, it is not there anymore. It was not a very good map, it looked like someone marked up a paper map by hand and then scanned it and converted it to a pdf.

Anyway, it looked like a great training route, and relatively close to home, so I converted it to a Garmin course for use with my 305. I can email you the course file. It has the elevation generated by Google Maps, which is probably fairly accurate, but not nearly as accurate as riding the route and recording it. I don't know if a course file can be read by anything but a Garmin though.

[dannwilliams]

I can email you the course file.
I would be interested in the file also.
Dann

[CyLowe97]

They had a map of last years route on the site until recently, it is not there anymore. It was not a very good map, it looked like someone marked up a paper map by hand and then scanned it and converted it to a pdf.

Anyway, it looked like a great training route, and relatively close to home, so I converted it to a Garmin course for use with my 305. I can email you the course file. It has the elevation generated by Google Maps, which is probably fairly accurate, but not nearly as accurate as riding the route and recording it. I don't know if a course file can be read by anything but a Garmin though.

It would be good to see a rough sketch of the routes. Are you able to upload your data to something like MotionBased? I don't have a 305, but have been able to see other folks routes, course profiles, etc., when they upload them to such a site.

[s.peterson]

Motion Based won't let me upload it, it keeps telling me it is corrupted.

I can email anyone who wants it the gpx file, which will let you recreate the entire thing.

1. Go to bikeroutetoaster.com
2. Click on the Courses tab
3. Click on the browse button and point to the gpx file that I email you.
4. Click on the create course button
5. This will show you the route on google maps. Set metric or english on the right side panel.
6. Click on the summary tab and it will show you an elevation map.

Let me know if anyone wants the gpx file.

[stahr]

How did you create the course? I've ran into this myself with some rides I created off mapmyride. I'd like a copy of the course too. Did you try importing/exporting it in SportTracks and then uploading to MotionBased?

[s.peterson]

I created the course on bikeroutetoaster. I tried uploading it using motion based agent. I don't use sports tracks, so no I did not try that. If you can take my course and upload it, go right ahead. I need you to p.m. me your email address so I can attach the file to it. Email thru BF does not allow attachments.

[dannwilliams]

I use Accent on Mac with my Garmin. It imports this file and puts it on a map, shows elevation profile, everything. Looks great. Can't wait to ride this come summertime. Thanks s.peterson
Dann

[Psimet2001]

305 software for PCs suck all around. I hear great things about Ascent, but alas my father told me in 1983 that Macs were toys for artists to play with...not tools to crunch numbers with and that would eventually lead to their obsolesence.

Might have had something to do with the fact that he was making monitors for PCs (well....I can't say who ;) ) at the time.

To this day I have an adverse physical reaction when I see an apple.

[s.peterson]

I use Accent on Mac with my Garmin. It imports this file and puts it on a map, shows elevation profile, everything. Looks great. Can't wait to ride this come summertime. Thanks s.peterson
Dann

Your welcome. It does look like a nice ride, and if all this snow ever melts, I will get up there and ride it.

[sekaijin]

This one looks real good, I'm in. I can't find info on 2008, any ideas?

Bump: Bike the Barns (http://www.macsac.org/bikethebarns/), the 60-mile ride with gourmet rest stops at Madison-area farms, is on for Sat. 9/27 this year.

This is one I don't want to miss:

"Tour Dane County's beautiful farm country and visit three Community Supported Agriculture farms. Your ride will be fueled with gourmet local food, including breakfast, snacks, and a three-course lunch prepared by Underground Food Collective, Café Soleil and other star cooks from our local food system--all included in the $35 registration fee."

Sounds good to me!

[stahr]

http://www.hellweek.com (http://www.hellweek.com/)

I hadn't heard about this one until I got my latest Bombay newsletter, but check out Cheese Country Hell Week if you really want a challenge. It appears to cover some of the same territory as the DD and the Kicker as each day is based out of Richland Center.

[sschilli]

The QuadruPedal Century is May 4th 2008.
This will be year five for this fine ride. It's the event that got me into ride organizing - back before I knew any better.

It is set in Dairyland Dare Country (or is the Dare in QuadruPedal Country???). At any rate it is a pretty hilly course. Routes include 35, 55, 85, and 100 miles. There are plenty of rest stops, plenty of food, plenty of support, and plenty of riders. Last year we hit about 260 riders. This year should be 350 for sure.

The cost is $45 if preregistered and all that goes to the Iowa County Humane Society. The day of ride cost is $55. Get yourself signed up (on http://www.zapevent.com) by 4/12 to get your free T-shirt.

[sschilli]

Many of us on the board know the HHH and the Dairyland Dare, but love finding out about these other rides in that area. Per the Horribly Hilly thread, CastIron posted the following about two other hilly rides in Wisconsin:



Are there more besides The Brute and The Kicker? Has anyone does these rides and can you give us some lowdown on support, routes, turnout, etc?

I did the Brute last year and my wife and I are signed up again for this year's ride. It's such a nice area and such a pretty ride. Last year there were probably 60 riders for the Brute. The Kicker didn't happen last year, but is scheduled to run this year. The support was excellent. The route had some killer climbs, but most were long grinders. I found myself climbing for 30 minutes or more followed by 10 minute descents. I'd get a good sweat going on the way up and get dried by the wind on the way down. Nice!

Sign up is on the spreetouring.com website.