30 ft. from the finish line, and wiped.
Friday:
I left Illinois around 1pm, and drove to Mount Horeb to pickup my ride packet, at the high school there. You could pick them up between 5 and 9pm (even though there Website said between 4 and 5). Or the morning of the ride. After picking up my packet, I drove to the Blanchardville area. I have relatives who live there, and it was a nice alternative to staying in a hotel. And they were very gracious hosts.
Saturday:
I woke up at 4am, and left my relative's home at 5am, for Blue Mounds.
Blue Mounds is about 30 miles west of Madison, but before Dodgeville, where the Dairyland Dare is held. Blue Mounds also has a state park, called Blue Mound State Park. The park sits at the top of the mound, and that's where everyone parks for the ride.
I arrived around 5:45am, and there were already cars and bikers about. I was talking to some folks while getting ready, and they said, and even though the event has a mass start, it's not required - especially this year, since the timing chips were not used. (They want to make it a ride, rather than a race.)
So, after hearing that, I set off, at 6:15am. You ride down the mound, scrubbing your brakes, as it's very steep, and because there's a river of cars coming up the road, to park and ride the Horrible Hilly Hundreds (HHH) - 1,000 riders, and 2/3 of those did the 200K option. There were cars from all over, that I could see; CO, IL, WI, IA, MI, IN.
At the bottom, I met some riders, and ended up riding with them. One guy was an Ironman, and had a broke collar bone, from a crash. I forget his name, but he was only doing the 100K, along with this gal. Her name was Ann, also an Ironman, and has done Hawaii. They were both from Madison. The guy I rode with the whole way is from St. Charles, and his name was Bret. He's a tri-guy, but prior to the HHH, he had never ridden over 70 miles. He wants to be an Ironman.
Maybe it was the heat, or a mental thing, but I wasn't feeling strong. At the Stage 2 rest stop, which is at the top of this very steep climb (that you do twice, because it's also the Stage 1 stop), I was waiting in line to get some water, and someone pokes me. I turn around and it's Doug. He was there with Jen, and couple of other people (I know Doug and Jen, from my bike club). Anyway, he was dripping in sweat, like everyone else. I asked, "Doing the 200K", he said no! He's done the 200K in past years, but the 100K option was his game plan for 2007.
I could go on, but I'll just say this was the hardest ride I have done to date. It was hard for number of reasons. A) It was very warm, even at 6:15am, and only got hotter. B) The hills were steep, and long. C) The grades were up to 16%, and the hilltop finish which was 3.2 mile climb, with grades up to 12% was really hard, after 131.8 miles, and I had major cramps, at mile 80, which got better. But, I never got off my bike, and walked. I saw at least 6 people walking, even some over the finish line.
Highlights:
On Stage 3, this guy asked me, didn't you ride the Dairyland Dare last year. It was one of the guys I rode with.
Since I took off early, I didn't do the mass start, but got to see it, as the first loop swings back, and through where the mass start begins.
Like I mentioned, at mile 80 my right leg cramped up on a steep climb, and had to unclip fast so I won't fall down. Recovered a little, and then my other leg started to cramp up. I made it to water stop, (after 3 more hills, and having to stop to try and work them out) and they had some Hammer Endurolyte pills there. Took two and my legs slowly improved. I highly recommend this pills.
The final 900 feet or so, the HHH organizers had people with cow bells, cheering on the riders coming up the 3.2 mile climb. There's chalk on the road, with positive sayings, and there's a person on a microphone announcing the riders, as you cross a real finish line. They also photograph each rider. I also heard some call out my name, not sure who that was -
good weird. I went back to see who it was, but didn't recognize anyone. (I finally found out who that person was. It was Donna, she did the 100K, and was waiting for her husband Dave Jensen to finish the 200K - I had no idea she was doing the HHH.)
Finally, HHH organizers really have their act together. Great rest stops, water stops, tons of SAG, 20 ham operators, mechanics, medics, routes are well marked. The roads except for some gravel, in a couple of places, you could fly down the hills, without worry - which helped to cool you down. You get a free T-shirt - beer, music, and food at the end (and a pasta dinner on Friday night). For $70 they should I guess. Also, this ride could easily handle another 1,000 riders, there was plenty of parking.
Didn't see any bandits.
Some Course Stats for the 200K:
Total Miles: 135 (They had you take a detour this year, due to road construction, making the route a little longer.)
Elevation Gain: 10,380, not 10,700 like the advertised
Avg. Grade: 4%
Max Grade: 16%
Total Hills: 40
All in all a great day of suffering on the bike. And I'll do it again some year.
Learn more about the HHH at: http://horriblyhilly.com
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