Texas - What you riding in the HH

Prob will not get a chance to see any of you at HH, but what are you going to be riding, so I can keep an eye out?

--j.

When you get 12,000 bicycles together, they all start looking the same and looking for "the red one" is futile. With that in mind, I suggest we all get chicken hats to wear on our helmets for easier recognition: http://www.stupid.com/fun/CHAT.html

Anyway, I'll be on Ol' Yeller there in the avatar picture, starting at the back and staying there.

My avatoar is from last year's HHH. I will be riding the same red track bike with no name.

I'll be on a red/black/silver giant defy2 with look red look keo sprint pedals and smp pro saddle. But that's like saying i'll be in the corolla in traffic...

Will be on a silver litespeed with a yellow (blue sleeves) Gardere MS 150 jersey...

Cliff, you riding with anyone? I have a few guys getting together...

I plan to drive up from Lewisville that morning and ride my 2007 Scott CR1 Pro (dark carbon frame with yellow accents).

I'll be riding the white pony.

Will be on a silver litespeed with a yellow (blue sleeves) Gardere MS 150 jersey...

Cliff, you riding with anyone? I have a few guys getting together...


I know a few people who claim to be going, but expect them to find an excuse not to go between now and then. I won't be keeping last years pace though, not even close. Haven't done any long rides since the Ouachita Challenge in April. I may be lucky to survive.:lol:

I may bail this year. I just learned they're not letting bents start 5 minutes ahead, and I don't know that I want to be in a mass start with 12k idiots (present company excluded) who will just get in my way anyway and be unsafe. I hate to do it, though.

I hear you. Last two years I've seen care flight land. That's two years too many. I am trying to explain to my 3 first timer friends what the rules are:

-Always stay toward the front of a pace line
-hold your line
-go wide when passing, and check your blind spot.
-for goodness sakes make sure your bike is in very good shape to minimize mech probs
-when stopping, pull all the way over to the right and signal that you are doing so...

They think I'm nerdy for sending them these rules, but they haven't yet ridden with 12K riders...

First timers and you are putting them in a paceline? That's kinda dangerous isn't it?

They're not new to cycling, it is just their first time to the Hotter N Hell. They are used to pace lines and group riding, but what you tend to find at the HH100 are massive mini-pelotons, which is where many accidents happen. I tend to try and stay at the front of those if I'm in one.

one other rule,
don't expect to make any time in the first 5 miles. Expect delays and to
put feet down often.

I'm riding a black Scott CR1 Team and probably wear my St. Arnold jersey.

Just work it like traffic clogged on the freeway. If you try to tailgate (er, draft), get in too much of a rush, squeeze through tight spots, etc., you're asking for trouble. Just roll a long a few minutes and it all gets spaced out where you can ride like you want to.

I've talked to several different people in the last couple of weeks that admit getting out on the course to start early instead of going off the start line. One lady came in wanting new lights so she can see before it gets daylight. I mentioned the dangers of being out before tha pros and the fast 100 milers started. She just said "no biggie" I have done it for several years. I wished her luck.
Everyone, let your newbe friends know that the big wide run to Iowa Park goes down to two lanes within the first 5 miles without much warning. I've seen alot of bumps and bruises in that section of the ride.

Look 595 69 year old guy in a red jersey. 30-ish gal on a Scott CR-1 contessa most likely in an agressive frog jersey.

So, with all these warnings... is it any worse than the Hou-Aus MS150? I mean, I remember it being clogged, but never put my feet down in the first 5mi.

Just curious... I really want to ride the HHH, but it won't happen this year.

I'll be on a silver Windsor, white helmet and Texas: the Great State jersey. The best place to look for me will be at mile 98 - I'll be the guy with a beer in his hand. ;)

Good luck all. Looks like they're calling for scattered thunderstorms right now. Hope that improves a bit.

Yeah, we want general rain, not the scattered stuff. :)

White-Blue Centurion Dave Scott Ironman. Purple and Gold LSU jersey. GEAUX TIGERS!

I hear you. Last two years I've seen care flight land. That's two years too many. I am trying to explain to my 3 first timer friends what the rules are:

-Always stay toward the front of a pace line
-hold your line
-go wide when passing, and check your blind spot.
-for goodness sakes make sure your bike is in very good shape to minimize mech probs
-when stopping, pull all the way over to the right and signal that you are doing so...

They think I'm nerdy for sending them these rules, but they haven't yet ridden with 12K riders...

did you warn them they'll be walking the first mile?

I'll be riding a blue Trek Pilot and wearing a (bright!) yellow Houston Bicycle Club jersey. I'm driving up on Friday and am going to just camp out Friday night. Didn't feel like messing with a hotel this year.

--gordon

I made the dreaded mistake of starting about 4 blocks back on the start. It was my first HHH and a friend said we had to start further back to appreciate the spectacle. We didn't cross the START line until we had appreciated the spectacle for 45 minutes.

Then there was the time I started with the front wheel on the start line. There was still a gozillion people in front of me on the road after the cannon went off and a cast of thousands at the first two rest stops.

The best way to find people is to have a designated corner to meet on. Cell phones are also a tremendous help since it is dark when people start getting into position and all that is visible is a sea of helmets and bikes.

We'll be riding BOB---the Big Orange Burley. If you see it you can't miss it. Bright orange with a Softride beam for the stoker, plant bike superflash on back.

I had planned to start with the "Keepers". When wifey registered and we decided on tandem she did the same, even though we only plan a shorter ride. Last year I started moving right off the start with no problems from the second block.

White/Black Look 555. I am looking forward to just seeing the masses.

Look for the naked guy.

I will be wearing my OU jersey on a red and black Giant.

We leave tomorrow. I can't wait!

I'll be wearing a white/red/black Tulsa Tough jersey on a blue Allez. First Hotter n' Hell, I'm stoked.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I can't even BEGIN to figure out why anyone would want to ride 100 miles in and around WF,TX at ANY time of the year, let alone in late August and especially with 12,000 other people, most of whom, according to most of the posts here, have almost no idea of what they are getting themselves into! Most of the posts on this ride are about bad experiences, a crash or two, and a ton of rules that I'm sure are pretty important for most of the 12k to know about and almost any experienced rider would already understand and follow anyway!

That ride has always sounded to me like a good one to be too busy to go to.....which is why whenever I get tempted I head for the Hill Country.....if I'm gonna be hot and ride 100 at least it's gonna be in a pretty location with hills and trees! Sorry for raining on the parade but this ride makes NO sense to me what-so-ever!....riding in the WF area has to be at least a boring as riding out here in Sulphur Springs!

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....I can't even BEGIN to figure out why anyone would want to ride 100 miles in and around WF,TX at ANY time of the year, let alone in late August and especially with 12,000 other people, most of whom, according to most of the posts here, have almost no idea of what they are getting themselves into! Most of the posts on this ride are about bad experiences, a crash or two, and a ton of rules that I'm sure are pretty important for most of the 12k to know about and almost any experienced rider would already understand and follow anyway!

That ride has always sounded to me like a good one to be too busy to go to.....which is why whenever I get tempted I head for the Hill Country.....if I'm gonna be hot and ride 100 at least it's gonna be in a pretty location with hills and trees! Sorry for raining on the parade but this ride makes NO sense to me what-so-ever!....riding in the WF area has to be at least a boring as riding out here in Sulphur Springs!

Maybe you should try it to get an idea of how fun huge rides are instead of thread sihtting? :notamused:

I'm riding my '86 Bianchi Pista (they were still lugged Columbus, celeste, made in Itally back then).

Will be in a Tarckbike jersey.

+1 for PurpleFender. Everyone I personally talk to who's done the ride has nothing but good to say about it.

My first HHH, my first century. Been training my butt off & think I'm ready. Really looking forward to it - see y'all there!

Maybe you should try it to get an idea of how fun huge rides are instead of thread sihtting? :notamused:


I didn't know what expressing one's opinion was called, thanks for the information.

Come ride a 100 in Gillespie County and see what's really fun....better yet, come do Hell Week with us sometime and you can see what fun is back to back to back to back to back to back to back to back!

I've seen WF and done rides with over 5000 riders, wasn't very impressed by either....personal opinion, sorry I rained on your parade and I hope you have a great time out there.

I WAS set to do the 25th version but when my two riding buds cancelled at the last minute I said to myself..."why would I want to drive 180 miles to ride a 100 miles in and around WF when I can go to Fredereicksburg, enjoy nice roads with real hills and not have to share the road with some idiot who should probably still be riding with training wheels!" So sorry, won't be doing it, have fun for me.

Well, you bring up a couple of good points. But consider, that there's a fair number of us that like flat areas, and don't like a mess of hills. In fact, that may be what makes HH100 so big. Really strong riders seem to seek out challenges, and that means hills. But that's not really the majority of riders, either. A lot of ride organizers forget that little fact.

I will admit that if it was called the "Wichita Falls 100" and there were 50 people that rode it every year, I probably wouldn't bother. A lot of the attraction is that it IS a big deal with a cool name. I can go ride in traffic anytime. I can go ride hills anytime. I can ride around by myself anytime, and in fact, do it most days. But riding with 12,000 other people is something I don't get to do every day, and that's one reason I liked going up there last year.

As far as riding around Wichita Falls, I find beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I ride around in town and the semirurual outskirts of the suburbs here every day, and that's about all I see. I enjoy getting out in the open country like that. I've been to Austin and a fair number of places down that way, and enjoyed it. But I've enjoyed riding around and driving through Wichita Falls, too. By the way, I rode in the Sulphur Springs ride a year and a half ago, and enjoyed that ride, too. It was my first metric century, HH100 was my first century, and it's not coincidence that they are both flattish rides.

Hey Stephen, Nice reply! And you TOO brought up some interesting points....nothing wrong with a flat century! I do one every year on the last Saturday in September or first Saturday in October....103 miles with a total of 350 feet of climbing!...it's round and round Mackinac Island up in Michigan. I'll stand somewhat corrected on the WF comments and glad that you enjoy the ride....as to the SS ride, I've never done it!!! In addition to not being excited about WF, neither am I excited about riding around here! I think I've been chased by every dog in Hopkins County and have grown pretty tired of it! I used to come over to Dallas at least once a week just to ride WRL and would ride it every time I had to go over there on business...I guess the heat, poor roads, and dog-chase problems have made me grouchy! Y'all knock 'em dead out there and have a good time!

too many accidents and bottles all over the road and a thousand little unkindnesses done by many of the riders. This was my 4th in a row, and I don't think I'm going back.