Care to Join Me?
 

In June of 2008, I'll be riding in this event.

I have ridden it twice before (1988 and 1990) finishing in 1988 in a very unremarkable time of 12 hours, 23 minutes. It was the very first uber-challenge I took on as a cyclist, having just started riding seriously 8 months prior. My hi-top sneakers and toe-clips & straps were dead give-aways :rolleyes:. However, I did not finish last :D.

My second year riding it, I was a much better cyclist and did the first 75 miles in 3-1/2 hours, before withdrawing due to a back injury.

I am already plotting out my training for the next 8 months in anticipation of recording a good time on this. I'm even going to put my hat in the ring for the Planet Ultra King of the Mountains challenge out here in California just for the training.

Can I issue a challenge to all you clydes out there to join me on this epic journey? An exact date has not been published yet, although it appears to be on the first or second Monday of June. The only thing I'll guarantee is that you'll have a good time, whether you finish or not. There really is nothing else like starting a ride in a pack of 1,500 cyclists. Amazing.

So what d'you say?

I would, but I'm doing a tour in June.

I love event rides although I made a pack with myself not to do anything with death, agony, torture, Everest, etc. in the title. I guess I'll add "assault" as well.

But I have made a commitment (a friend is forcing me!) to ride Florida Hellweek in December 2008. I'll do yours if you do mine! ;)

Details?

It's way too early for me to commit, but I'm actually toying with the idea of doing one of the mountain rides in NC next year. Since they're "local", they're easy for me to attend. The tough part is the training...

Hmmm... since I want to do the 1200km in the British Columbia Rocky Mountains in July 08 this might provide me with the right taste of whats awaiting me.
SC is a few hundred miles away from Chicago, but this sounds like fun.

Don't be ridiculous. You can issue your challenge, but I will not be traveling halfway across the continent to ride my bicycle. That is what I do for fun in my evenings to stay in some semblance of reasonable condition. I travel half way across the continent to put my dogs down holes with critters in them, and then dig them up, something that makes sense!

Are you by chance trying to qualify for P-B-P?

LOL! I drive across country to hook my dogs up to a cart and go through gates!

Mark:

Here's the website for Hellweek - I did the Texas Hellweek several years. Had a great time.

The friend that did Texas with me moved to Florida. So we have it in our minds we are doing Hellweek but it's alot of mileage, more so than the Texas ride. Uncertain if I will ever be ready!!!

http://www.hellweek.com/gatorroutes.html

Yes it's 800 miles in 8 days... like I said, I maybe out of my mind!

Looks like fun. But that's alot of moola....I might have a hard time getting this past the wife...

Yeah - the Texas one was way cheaper - no fully supported - just a daily fee for the sag. We started and ended each day in Fredericksburg.

This is a fully supported ride so it's a "vacation". I need to start saving my cash now. if you do make it let me know so we can meet up! When you think about it - it's fairly cheap - it includes lodging as well as sag (but no dinner)... what better way to bring in 2009!!!!

Note this is the cost of 2007...

What's the Cost?
The fee is $1429 for single occupancy, and $1179 for double occupancy (see the Register page for complete details). If you pay after 1st December, there is a $100 additional fee. All fees are due not later than 15th December. We strongly recommend you secure your spot by making a $500 refundable deposit (refundable through 15 November).

What Do I Get For the Money?
You will get 8 nights lodging (27 Dec - 3 Jan), breakfast, lunch, road snacks, sag support, commemorative Gator Country wearables, a New Year's celebration, a nice suntan, and, most importantly, a great time touring central and southern Florida! Information on Night 8 lodging will be made available to all registered riders

Even though dinner is not included - it sounds like i go probaly go without dinner - they really feed you during the day!

* * *

We start each day with a home-cooked breakfast, featuring high-carb pancakes or waffles, toast, fruit, bagels, hot or cold cereal, coffee, milk, and juice. You can eat as much as you like...Becky will keep flipping pancakes until everyone pedals away.

We then break for lunch after 50-60 miles. Becky always has a nice place chosen for our midday meal. Served picnic style, she fires up the grill and prepares grilled cheese sandwiches, chili, spaghetti, hot dogs, burritos, soup, and a variety of other hot dishes. We also keep the regular stand-bys handy, like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and cold cuts. There's always some kind of salad, as well as dessert items.

We have two snack stops during the day as well, where we have fruit, cookies, sports drinks, water, Pop-Tarts*, muffins, Little Debbie snacks, and well-known sports nutrition products.

Riders are responsible for their own dinners. We have scouted each Gator Country stay-over town in advance, finding the best "feed zones." They're usually just a short walk away from our place of lodging.

*Now that's my type of sag stop!!!

That's my target to hit P-B-P in 2011.
I also would like to qualify for RAAM.. if I'm going to actually attend it is a different story.

But i've set my training program to be able to do the 1200km in less than 60 hours next year in July. In the wintertime I'm going to train on rollers if it's snowing outside.

Just qualifying for RAAM is a big deal! I crewed RAAM last year and I KNOW what the riders go through!

:eek:You go, man!! Good luck!! Too much time in the saddle for me.

I can only imagine right now what it must be to go through such a torture. I want to experience it and show my kids that with enough determination and training you can accomplish anything. You might not come in first, but you can make it to the finish line.

Mark,

I'm from back east in NC so this is tempting.

Getting a registration sounds tough, but keep me posted on the sign up date and I'll throw my hat in the ring for this. See you in the hills!

Perhaps the easiest way to get a registration is to join the Spartanburg Freewheelers. I did. Sometime in Jan/Feb, notices will be sent out with the registration codes to use on active.com.

If all else fails, I'll appeal to the director directly, with copies of my palmares and the fact I have successfully completed the Assault before plus all the riding/climbing out here in California.

If they really wanted it to be hell week they do this in August. I will be looking at this, but not sure I will be prepared to do 800 miles in 8 days by that time. Thinking I will bookmark the page and dial it up 2008/2009

That seems like a lot of effort, this would just be an excuse to get back to NC for a visit, not my cornerstone event next year :) . I'll try my luck w/ the active.com thing.

From the wording of their FAQ you will only get a number if you participated in one of their assaults (Mt Mitchell or Marion) in 2007 or are a member of their club by the end of 2007. Without one of those you will not have a number so you will not be able to signon to active.com. Even with the number, you have to be quick, there are more qualified to enter than slots available.

Good luck to everyone with their assaults, hell rides, death rides, and the like. I'm gunning for The Chelan Century Challenge next year.