Good article about HHH

[malcolm]

I've done this ride half a dozen times and always wonder why. Miserable wind and heat. Tons of riders that can't hold a line and a mine field of dropped water bottles and assorted gear for at least the first 20 miles or so and for some reason it remains one of my favorites.

http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/place-sun

[godfrey1112000]

It is. A fun sprint, leave Kansas City early Friday back late Saturday night

Things you forgot to mention
1. Dumpy hotels with two night minimums at rack rate, been at the same dump and room thirteen straight years
2. The expo---
Great deals on some things, one BS has been closing out the same Sidi shoes for 7 years
3. Understanding why pickle juice cold is your friend
4. Last rest stop mile 90 is a mash unit
5. Getting on the highway and seeing trailers of bikes sagging in

Like always I will be there this year, I will be wearing the bike helmet



I've done this ride half a dozen times and always wonder why. Miserable wind and heat. Tons of riders that can't hold a line and a mine field of dropped water bottles and assorted gear for at least the first 20 miles or so and for some reason it remains one of my favorites.

http://www.bicycling.com/ride-maps/featured-rides/place-sun

[malcolm]

I've missed the past two years due to scheduling conflicts. I'd heard the unofficial 98 mile stop had been done away with or changed, not true? Some of the best crap beer I've ever tasted came from there. We drive from Birmingham, 12 hours or so and leave in the middle of the night late sat/sun.

[weisan]

I live in the great state of Texas...BUT, it's a BIG state, so even though I am in Austin, I have never thought about driving up north (4+ hours) to participate in the HHH event. Oh well, maybe one of these days, if I can find a couple of buddies who are interested in going together.

[pmac]

I think I've done it the last eight years. First time was my first century ride in 20-30 years. Hard to say why it always seems like a good idea to go back, I think it's more having a long, relaxing non-work weekend at the end of summer than the ride itself. The hotel rates are getting ridiculous, especially with the mandatory 2 nights including Saturday night. For me, I've decided not to keep going back, but I can see the appeal, both for someone who's never done it, and for someone who's done it over and over again. Those last couple of rest stops - the official ones, not the beer stop - look like a triage tent with lots of people seeming to be in serious trouble.

[cmg]

done it 3 times. something about group suffering. one year it rained the friday before so the ride wasn't to hot. making it through hell's gate is always cool. going to try the Katy flatlands ride this year.

[martinez]

I clicked on this thread thinkin I was gonna see an article about the wrestler.
Severely disappointed.

Much respect for those riders though!
I am such a diva when it comes to riding in 80+ degree heat...well, mainly commuting which requires a backpack.

[jlwdm]

I rode HHH once just because it is not far away. My year was a cool year, but the heat does not bother me after 20 years in AZ and TX.

Lots of dangerous riders, boring course and not great food. Once was enough for me.

Jeff

[Saint Vitus]

Hubert Horatio Humphrey? He's been dead for years.

[danielpack22@ma]

That was my first century ride! The mass start was something I could never have imagined. I swear we hopped around clipped and unclipped in for a city block.

My "friends" who had talked me into riding had filled my head with horror stories of riders losing it from heat exhaustion within sight of the finish. Being, at the time, about 40 lbs past overweight I was in fear of the last few miles the entire ride.

My top memories from the ride:

Brats at one of the rest stops!?!?!
In the first couple of miles - A rider walking back to the start line carrying a broken frame.
Bags of ice being generously applied.
Scraping melted tar and gravel off of my wife's tires.


The armadillo stuffed toy I picked up on that trip is still (11 years later) the co-pilot in my truck.

[texbike]

I've done it 3 times since the mid 90s and each time has been one of the hot years. It's a nicely supported ride, but I have no interest in doing it again. It's too long of a drive from Austin to melt in the sun. I can do that here...

Texbike

[josephr]

I've done it 3 times since the mid 90s and each time has been one of the hot years. It's a nicely supported ride, but I have no interest in doing it again. It's too long of a drive from Austin to melt in the sun. I can do that here...

Texbike

+1 --- I can't see the point in driving 1000 miles for flatness in the heat. I can get that here plus 100% humidity and still get home at night. Plus 13k riders is a big field - can't really get to know anyone and not likely you'd see them again anyway.
Joe

[malcolm]

+1 --- I can't see the point in driving 1000 miles for flatness in the heat. I can get that here plus 100% humidity and still get home at night. Plus 13k riders is a big field - can't really get to know anyone and not likely you'd see them again anyway.
Joe

I've made the drive with friends from Birmingham 6 times and it's always been a blast.

[jmoore]

Riding buddy: Jason are you riding the HHH this year?

Me: No. I can ride in the 103 heat rolling out my front door and not have to pay triple room rate at a HI Express. And I don't have to wait for 2 hours for a table a Chili's.


That said, it's worth doing once or twice.

[biker72]

I've done it 3 times since the mid 90s and each time has been one of the hot years. It's a nicely supported ride, but I have no interest in doing it again. It's too long of a drive from Austin to melt in the sun. I can do that here...

Texbike

It's probably worth doing once for the experience but I can melt just as easily in Dallas too....:)
Too many riders. Too many novice riders that think they can ride 100 miles with zero training.

[rab]

I rode HHH once just because it is not far away. My year was a cool year, but the heat does not bother me after 20 years in AZ and TX.

Lots of dangerous riders, boring course and not great food. Once was enough for me.

Jeff

Hate to gang up on the negativity but that sums it up for me as well.
Was told it was probably worth doing for the "experience" so did the USCF race once. that was enough, even when I started getting desperate for a road race I could never get motivated to go back for this one.
Generally boring race, more excitement trying to navigate other groups and riders and all of their dropped bottles.
Guess I am glad I did it but never went back and don't have any regrets. They seem to put on a good event and the shear size is something to behold, but I honestly couldn't fathom the repeated novelty of it. Lot of good rec rides in Texas though.
I would agree, probably worth doing at least once to check out, lots of people seem to spend their whole year with this as their goal so obviously a lot of people enjoy it.