Is Hillyman going to the Hilly Hundred? (long)
09-13-02, 02:57 PM
#1
I am a lonely visitor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Posts: 2,630
Bikes: Michelle Pfieffer, the Carbon Fiber Wonder Bike: A Kestrel 200 SCI Repainted in glorious mango; Old Paintless, A Litespeed Obed; The Bike With No Name: A Bianchi Eros; RegularBike: A Parkpre Comp Ltd rebuilt as a singlespeed.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Is Hillyman going to the Hilly Hundred? (long)
The plans have been made. My buddy BJ and I are going to ride down to the Hilly Hundred again this year. We have won the "Most Miles Ridden to the Hilly" award twice, in 1998 and 2000. Each time we spent a week on the road, riding with loaded panniers and camping along the way.
This year we have some potential competition for the prize. BJ's brother-in-law (we call him "Hardball") has announced that he will ride to Bloomington from somewhere in Ohio. If he makes it, he will better our distance by about 100 miles.
I've been doing some work to put my touring bike ("the Bike with No Name") in shape for the ride. It was serving as my main scoot while "Michelle Pfieffer the Carbon Fiber WonderBike" revisited the factory for a small repair and a fresh coat of paint. So, I had taken the racks off of my tourer.
I hung the racks back on the frame and replaced a bent handlebar. As long as I had the handlebars off, I strung new cables and housings for both brakes and derailleurs. Then I mounted a new handlebar bag up front.
Yesterday I threw a bunch of stuff in the panniers and strapped some more to the rack just to simulate touring conditions and went out for a 30 mile shakedown cruise. Everything worked well, though I decided to angle the handlebar bag upward a couple of degrees.
Yesterday morning my college student nephew emailed me. He said that he was listening to an MP3 of Limp Bizkit's cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." He knows that I'm a fan of the Floyd and thinks I should check out the Bizkit thing. Well, that put the song in my head.
I was lugging along through the old Ordnance Plant, alone, singing out loud. "Did they get you to traaaaaaaaaaade/ Your heroes for ghos....GACK!" I'll never know what kind of bug I swallowed. It felt like a June Bug or maybe one of those giant South American cockroaches when it hit the back of my throat. I mean it was huge! It went in too deep to spit out and I had no choice but to choke it down. I had to chase it with half a bottle of water just to get rid of the sensation that it was lodged behind my Adam's apple and still crawling.
That'll teach me to sing.
The rest of the ride passed without incident until I was three blocks from home. I was riding legally, keeping safely to the right side of the road. I signalled my right turn and started into it when some young girl in a black Jeep pickup came around the corner behind me and cut me off. I grabbed two handsful of brake to keep from plowing into her. Her windows were open. I yelled, "Hey! HEY! WATCH IT!" Just to wake her up. She must not have liked getting yelled at. She turned her head and yelled back, "Hey! Hey! Get off the road!" Or something equally mocking and ignorant. It was amazing. She went from dumbass to smartass just by opening her mouth. I got her license plate but decided against calling the police. If I see her again, though, I may need to have a talk with her.
Well, I'm looking forward now to a week on the road. And yes, Hillyman, I will be at the Hilly Hundred Weekend in Bloomington, Indiana October 4, 5, and 6. You can quit nagging now.
This year we have some potential competition for the prize. BJ's brother-in-law (we call him "Hardball") has announced that he will ride to Bloomington from somewhere in Ohio. If he makes it, he will better our distance by about 100 miles.
I've been doing some work to put my touring bike ("the Bike with No Name") in shape for the ride. It was serving as my main scoot while "Michelle Pfieffer the Carbon Fiber WonderBike" revisited the factory for a small repair and a fresh coat of paint. So, I had taken the racks off of my tourer.
I hung the racks back on the frame and replaced a bent handlebar. As long as I had the handlebars off, I strung new cables and housings for both brakes and derailleurs. Then I mounted a new handlebar bag up front.
Yesterday I threw a bunch of stuff in the panniers and strapped some more to the rack just to simulate touring conditions and went out for a 30 mile shakedown cruise. Everything worked well, though I decided to angle the handlebar bag upward a couple of degrees.
Yesterday morning my college student nephew emailed me. He said that he was listening to an MP3 of Limp Bizkit's cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." He knows that I'm a fan of the Floyd and thinks I should check out the Bizkit thing. Well, that put the song in my head.
I was lugging along through the old Ordnance Plant, alone, singing out loud. "Did they get you to traaaaaaaaaaade/ Your heroes for ghos....GACK!" I'll never know what kind of bug I swallowed. It felt like a June Bug or maybe one of those giant South American cockroaches when it hit the back of my throat. I mean it was huge! It went in too deep to spit out and I had no choice but to choke it down. I had to chase it with half a bottle of water just to get rid of the sensation that it was lodged behind my Adam's apple and still crawling.
That'll teach me to sing.
The rest of the ride passed without incident until I was three blocks from home. I was riding legally, keeping safely to the right side of the road. I signalled my right turn and started into it when some young girl in a black Jeep pickup came around the corner behind me and cut me off. I grabbed two handsful of brake to keep from plowing into her. Her windows were open. I yelled, "Hey! HEY! WATCH IT!" Just to wake her up. She must not have liked getting yelled at. She turned her head and yelled back, "Hey! Hey! Get off the road!" Or something equally mocking and ignorant. It was amazing. She went from dumbass to smartass just by opening her mouth. I got her license plate but decided against calling the police. If I see her again, though, I may need to have a talk with her.
Well, I'm looking forward now to a week on the road. And yes, Hillyman, I will be at the Hilly Hundred Weekend in Bloomington, Indiana October 4, 5, and 6. You can quit nagging now.
__________________
Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people. --H. Richard Niebuhr
Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people. --H. Richard Niebuhr
Last edited by RegularGuy; 09-13-02 at 03:13 PM.
09-13-02, 09:47 PM
#2
I see you!
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 79
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
WOW! A week on the road. That sounds like fun! Okay, the bug down the throat was a little gross. But it sounds like you and your friend will have a blast!
09-13-02, 10:16 PM
#3
WallaWalla!
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Walla Walla, WA
Posts: 823
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I'll never know what kind of bug I swallowed.
Mmmmm .. touring, nothing better.
__________________
Jeff
Jeff
09-15-02, 12:16 PM
#4
I am a lonely visitor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Posts: 2,630
Bikes: Michelle Pfieffer, the Carbon Fiber Wonder Bike: A Kestrel 200 SCI Repainted in glorious mango; Old Paintless, A Litespeed Obed; The Bike With No Name: A Bianchi Eros; RegularBike: A Parkpre Comp Ltd rebuilt as a singlespeed.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally posted by Rotifer
Describe the taste, we could probably figure it out.
Describe the taste, we could probably figure it out.
Truth be told, the bug bypassed teeth, tongue and tastebuds and went straight to the back of my throat.
__________________
Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people. --H. Richard Niebuhr
Religion is a good thing for good people and a bad thing for bad people. --H. Richard Niebuhr
09-16-02, 06:17 PM
#5
WALSTIB
Originally posted by RegularGuy
And yes, Hillyman, I will be at the Hilly Hundred Weekend in Bloomington, Indiana October 4, 5, and 6. You can quit nagging now.
And yes, Hillyman, I will be at the Hilly Hundred Weekend in Bloomington, Indiana October 4, 5, and 6. You can quit nagging now.
10-02-02, 06:28 AM
#8
Member
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Chicago
Posts: 33
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
AHHH the Hilly Hundred!! Got to love it. When I was a student at IU (95-99) I rode that my last 3 years. Great way to kick of the training year for the Little 500. I personally like the Sunday ride out to Nashville. I rode it last year but cant make it down this year. Besides the ride, nothing is better and beautiful than Bloomington in the fall with the changing colors of the leaves. Oh I miss B-town. To all thats riding the Hilly...have a great time!!!
