Horrible Hundred. A FL Century that deserves some praise!!!
 

I have done several centuries around the state, some of which rate from extremely crappy to really crappy. I had heard of the Horrible Hundred, but never did it until this year. I must give very high praise to the Florida Wheelers for what has to be the safest, best organized, best supplied, and most fun century I have done in FL to date. This is not to insult others, but rather to point out how well done this was.

The ride started at 8AM with the best weather one can ask for. Sunny, clear skies with temps starting in the low 60's and ending in the very high 70's. Over 2000 participants for the 30th anniversary, and by far the highest attendance they've ever had. The breakfast, the expo, the volunteers, the police cars and sherif's office personnel in every busy corner stopping traffic for most of the day, the very well supplied rest stops with plenty of shade (you get to appreciate shade living in this state), the very clear and abundant markings on the streets, the music at the end, the very well done meal afterwards (great variety even for vegetarians), the endless drinks, the very large numbers of strong and SAFE riders all around, etc. Not once did I feel nervous or in an unsafe environment when riding around 100 people going 28 MPH. To me that says a lot, as safety is one of the main reasons I do a very limited number of these organized rides and ride mostly solo 99% of the time.

There was avery well represented peloton of freds too. Tons of poseurs too, but I'll be frank in that most of them could actually ride quite well. What does that make them? Poseurs with skills? There was even a guy smoking most of the ride. I saw him start out with a cigarette in his mouth and saw him later on still smoking. There were very fat guys with skinny tires, and there was a skinny guy with a MTB with incredibly fat tires. There were tons of very strong and hot looking women ranging from your very young high school girl to the tall amazon looking muscular blond and your older and sassy gal in between. All very well represented.

The route was nice. The first 30 miles had some rolling hills. The next 40 miles were mostly flat with some tiny rolling hills. The last 30 miles had the stinging hills, which after 70 miles of riding could easily zap the will out of anyone. Especially if you did the previous 70 miles at a good pace, whatever that is for you!

To say the least, I was very impressed and pleased. Had a good time too. Certainly one of the few rides that will make it in my schedule for next year.

*Couple of pict. to follow later. Left camera in the car.

I wish I could have gone. I would have, but I dislocated my knee 2 months ago and I'm still not 100%...

There are high school girls that ride? Please introduce me...just kidding.

Sounds like it was a load of fun though.

I had a great time as well. The packs were a bit crowded at first, but things thinned out nicely after the first stop area (where I did not stop) and some of the steeper climbs. All in all, a well planned and well executed event. I will be back next year.

Error

I did that ride in 1988.......I was surprised by the hills - in FL no less!

David

Geez the last 30 miles kicked my ass as I burned every match I had trying to keeping up with the 30+ MPH single-file paceline up false-flats. Buckhill followed by Sugarloaf and numerous steep nuisance hills through the neighborhoods...bet the organizers were having a good laugh putting together the last miles!

It was a bit tense and crazy, more race like, early on, but did stay pretty organized.

stayed"home" and did the metric at the MDA Challenge in Dunedin today...done Clermont several times and those "nuisance hills" at the end get ya every time! Did the Horrible last year-will do next year...

yeah- the real ride starts after sugar loaf. if youre not in the front pack at the crest- no one is going to wait around.

couldnt have asked for better weather. was suprised at the number of crashes tho. whats with the five guys that went down on the straight-for-miles road?

It was a beautiful Florida day for riding on Sunday. I also did the MDA Challenge ride in Dunedin and enjoyed the 65 mile route along the beaches and through the 'hills' of northern Pinellas county. I was very happy that I wasn't doing Sugarloaf. :) Glad to hear others enjoyed the day too.

Mark

The Orlando Sentinel Chain Gang blog also has some real praise for the event. Sorry I missed it. With weather like we've been having (I was in Naples over the weekend visiting my daughter - it was truly beautiful there), don't you feel sorry for all the poor shlubs up north sweating indoors on their trainers?

I enjoyed the ride. However, I did have one problem. I signed up for the 70 miler and didn't realize I had missed the 70 mile "turn" until about mile 55 - I was flying with a pack and must have lost track of time/distance/everything. I know, I know, I should have prepared more and studied the maps. After that I was 100 bound.

The longest distance I'd done prior to Sunday was 42 miles, and that only happened once. I've never heard the word hill. Aside from that, I've done 20-30 milers a handful of times. So, you can imagine how I felt when I got to the 70 mile SAG and was hearing everyone talk about how tough the last 30 miles are.

I am proud to say that aside from the 70 mile SAG, I never dismounted from my bike - which is more than many can say. The carnage at Sugar Loaf was unparalleled.

I was a wreck last night, but seem to have recovered today.

Thanks for the report Alberto. I'd hoped to make this year's ride but things got in the way.

See you on the road.

Keith

If I had a Time or your LOOK I'd have crushed that century:)

Bikes don't ride themselves buddy.

By the way, I did hear about some crashes but never actually see any. I guess some people got carried away on some corners with sand over them.

Someone near me went down hard on their shoulder in a corner 3-4 minutes into the ride; a bit later another guy beside me went down when his wheel overlapped the guy in front of him...happened on a climb when the group slowed and fanned out across two lanes.

Exact same here...maybe I'm a wimp, but the coke, PBJ, and peanut butter pretzels at the 70 mile SAG did wonders for my psyche. On my way up Sugarloaf several people were either walking or laying down on the side of the road stretching out their cramps...

Anyone know if there will be pictures available to participants? I saw what seemed like legit photographers throughout the course and I don't think they were taking my picture because of my fame. :) I haven't seen anything on the HH website.

WOW. Sounds like a great ride! The last 30 miles also sounds like my kind of torture! :D

For FL its about as good as it gets ... go outside the state and it doesn't rank. Any of the Appalachian centuries make the HH look like a walk in the park. Do anything between 6-Gap and Mt. Washington Century and you'll be begging for the Horrible Hundred

... with all due respect, I've done the HH a couple times and I'll vouch that it ain't easy. The high-pace intro is a teaser and the rolling hills never let you get into a climbing rythm. Yes, very well supported/organized too ...for a FL ride :)

Newbie question!!!



What is a Fred, a poser and what is the difference?

A "Fred" is properly defined as a person who wears unimpressive clothes and rides an unimpressive bike, and absolutely crushes you. A "poser" (properly spelled "poseur") is a person who wears more expensive clothes than you and rides a more impressive bike than you, and who you can crush.

A Fred and a poseur are opposites.

I doubt anyone here was trying to compare it or rank it in relation to others around the country. I don't think anyone here would argue that compared to many other rides around the country it is still relatively flat and mediocre at best when it comes to climbing. It is what it is given the geography.:thumb:

One good thing will come out of it though. I recorded the route in my Garmin 705 and will be using it to go over it once to twice per month if time allows. Not the best, but better than what I have around where I live. I am still a 2 hr drive away from it though.

They don't...that must be be my problem;)

Agreed; however, having raced while I was in college at Tennessee where our weekend 100 mile rides contained multiple 3+ mile climbs, I will gladly take a nice 6-7% grade 3 mile climb any day of the week over the short, rolling, steeper hills of Central Florida...those things just zap the energy out of my legs.

I was crushed by a guy on a single speed wearing a funny hat and high water pants. Is that a "Fred" or a "hipster"?

I'm not sure but his clothes, hat, bike, shoes were all unimpressive but he came out of no where and after passing me disappeared down the road.