Horribly Hilly Hundred (HHH) - that's what they call it. They also call it the toughest one-day challenge ride in the mid-west (although I have heard there's a ride is Boyne, Michigan that may be tougher). Its the type of event that sounds like a sack of good times when its the middle of winter and your desperately wanting for warmer weather clicking refresh, refresh, refresh in desperation to grab a lottery slot. That's right, they have to turn people away.
The logo says "Biking like a Viking." They love their Viking culture in this area of Wisconsin. Lots of Norwegians I suppose. But trust me you would much rather bitch slap a Viking after this ride than to be one. Although you do certainly smell like one when finished.
So it came to pass that on Saturday June 16th we embraced pain and suffering and over 8000 ft of overall climbing and once again tackled the 100k course. Which as it turns out is more like 70miles and not 62 (Vikings: expert mariners...terrible at metric conversion).
As for me personally I really like this ride although my bike and my set up (gearing) are all mostly wrong for it (chromoly steel bike, 53/39 std chain ring, 12-25 cassette). Thankfully my lack of weight and love of a high cadence kinda make up for it.
Saturday's bucket of awesome got filled with:
At the end of the day, the one thing about doing HHH is that its very near by the Ironman Wisconsin bike course. In fact I believe there's a one road overlap. You could say that IMWI is Horribly Hilly's little brother - they are cut from the same cloth, or glacier as it were.
First race of the season coming up this weekend. Pleasant Prairie, Wi - olympic distance. Game on! - HIM.
PS: You want proof why they call it the Horribly Hilly Hundreds....check this out (thanks to Laura's Garmin).
The logo says "Biking like a Viking." They love their Viking culture in this area of Wisconsin. Lots of Norwegians I suppose. But trust me you would much rather bitch slap a Viking after this ride than to be one. Although you do certainly smell like one when finished.
 |
| Misery loves company. Pre-HHH dinner with friends, Jim (me, Jen), Laura, Chris, Cindy, Mark, Glenn, Matt |
As for me personally I really like this ride although my bike and my set up (gearing) are all mostly wrong for it (chromoly steel bike, 53/39 std chain ring, 12-25 cassette). Thankfully my lack of weight and love of a high cadence kinda make up for it.
Saturday's bucket of awesome got filled with:
- Seeing Jen finish raising a fist and flashing a smile having slayed the Viking beast. Vast improvement over the last two HHH rides. She killed it.
- After getting swallowed up by and spit out of the back of the Vision Quest train (Robbie Ventura at the engine) at the start of Mounds Park Rd., I closed the gap, swung around, gave Robbie a smile and made him watch me pull away. I have no illusions...he is far and away a superior cyclist. But he wasn't at that moment and on that stretch of road. Go me.
 |
| Dancing on the pedals |
 |
| Not so much |
At the end of the day, the one thing about doing HHH is that its very near by the Ironman Wisconsin bike course. In fact I believe there's a one road overlap. You could say that IMWI is Horribly Hilly's little brother - they are cut from the same cloth, or glacier as it were.
First race of the season coming up this weekend. Pleasant Prairie, Wi - olympic distance. Game on! - HIM.
 |
| Really happy its over. Where's the nearest Starbucks? |
PS: You want proof why they call it the Horribly Hilly Hundreds....check this out (thanks to Laura's Garmin).
Comments