BlazingPedals

For all you midwest riders, it's coming up soon. How many are planning on going? Last year janmm got a nice pic of me on Bean Blossom Hill. I may be on my lowracer this year, even though with the gearing it has, I'll probably have to walk Mt Tabor.

JanMM

BP 2009:


The Saturday route will be new to all this year: They promise better roads and less traffic but More Challenging! I'll be on my V3 for it's first Hilly on Saturday and on our KHS tandem with wife/stoker on Sunday. Can't promise we won't walk up Mt. Tabor, too. Hopefully, we'll be on a Screamer on Sunday in 2011.

BlazingPedals

I was happy with the level of challenge before. Looking at this year's route for Saturday -- three miles out the first hill of note hits 24%? Yowwza! Not to mention 54 miles and 5200 feet of climbing.

The good news: I got the Rotor cranks put back on my highracer, so it looks like I'll have my hill-climbing bike to, er, climb the hills.

Retro Grouch 

I'm thinking that it's been 30 years since I've ridden the Hilly. I remember Mt. Tabor being steep enough for me and it's only 20%. 24 might be more per-cents than I want.

JanMM

That 24% climb is only a tenth of a mile. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway.

BlazingPedals

Apparently there is to be a recumbent gathering/photo-op at the start line, Saturday at 9:00 am. I suspect at that time, the roads will be positively clogged.

Oh, and the way they post those hill grades, that is a max grade. The hill is 0.1 miles long and the steepest part of it is 24% - maybe only for 5 feet, maybe for the whole shot. Either way, it sounds nasty.

indybiker01

Well run event.

The roads sunday were horrible. It was the Hilly Roubaix. With 7 miles to go my tire flatted so bad it could not be reused. I saw 2 flats prior to mine within a mile. No sag support after the mt tabor. I understand it may have been due to the windy narrow roads. We waited an hoir and the guys buddy rode back and got his truck. We drove back to the school. Too much gravel and debris after tabor. I still say bravo on the event. I will be back (with continental gatorskins for sunday).

BlazingPedals

I agree, the new route was a step backwards. I don't believe they did it for better roads, whatever that is supposed to mean. I think it's more likely the new map maker just tried to make it hillier. Only used my granny ring three times during the weekend though - once on Saturday, once on Tabor, and then on Water Tower Hill. Top speed was limited by clogged roads; traffic seemed much worse this year than any other year I can remember. The one good run I *almost* got was coming off Water Tower Hill, I managed to get into the mid-40s until I had to abort and was forced to brake hard for a van that was stuck behind some 12 mph rider. Now THAT would have been an impressive fly-by!

As much fun as it's been over the years, it's right at the edge of my driving range for a weekend event. Traffic around Indy gets worse every year, making the drive not only long but an ordeal; and I haven't had a good downhill there in years. They've gotten too big, the roads are rough, there's more cars... I'm just not having fun there anymore. So I'm seriously thinking of writing to the organizers and telling them that if this is the direction of the ride, I'll have to find another one.

JanMM

I was on 26x1.5" tires both days (V3 on Sat & KHS tandem on Sun) which greatly mitigated the sometimes rough and debris-strewn road conditions - don't remember ever seeing more flat-fixing at the roadside on a Hilly. The stretches of smooth roadway, such as the Morgan-Monroe roads and Old 37 north to 37, were in real contrast to the rougher sections.
Really big crowds this year - they ran out of chicken at the lunch stop!!! Lots of last-minute registrations and many fewer no-shows than typical.
Got up to 41 once on Saturday - frustrated on Sun being stuck behind a bunch of singles on the long downhill heading towards the lunch stop.

Saw this 'bent at the Hilly start/finish Sunday. Hadn't seen him out on the road.