Hi All,
I just returned from Ellettsville, In. This was my first time riding the Hilly Hundred. The ride is broken up into two fifty mile days and draws more than 5000 cyclists. And, I was the only track bike there. As far as I know, only one other guy has done the ride on a fixed gear, and one huge badass did it on a unicycle. The ride was a lot of fun, and the hills didn't disappoint. But, as many of you have experienced, it was difficult to find people to ride with, and I got a lot of funny looks. It really isn't my usual crowd. I would have drunk alone the entire weekend had I not found a couple of SS/MTBers.
I know there are a growing number of men and woman out there doing long distance and hills on their track bikes these days. But, many of us are shy about sticking out in the crowd. These rides are a lot more fun if you have friends to ride with. I would love to see small groups of track bikes getting together at these organized rides. Century rides offer a more relaxed approach to cycling. The "Hilly" is certainly challenging on a track bike, but if I can do it, I know there are other people out there that can do it. I would love to see a dozen or so track bikes at next years "hilly", camping out with skid comp's and trackstands in the parking lot, and, having fun in our unique way. It would be a great way for us to introduce and integrate ourselves to the larger cycling community. Just a thought.