Horribly Hilly

Registering for the 2012 Horribly Hilly

2012-01-02T13:39:00.002-06:00

Thanks to some vast changes and improvements at active.com, the process for registering for the Horribly Hilly has been revised, tweeked, updated and simplified.

The platform is rolling out the first of February, which means we're going to have to revisit the originally scheduled Lottery registration date. Initially set for January 16th, the lottery and registration dates are now occuring in February (from the 6-8th). Although this delays things just a bit, the new process is well worth the wait.

The new lottery platform will now collect all necessary information at one time. That means all registration info, all merchandise and all billing or credit card info. And it means if you're selected as a winner, you're automatically registered for the event.

A great change. Simple, clear, consise.
Additional details and specifics regarding the lottery can be found on the website.

Good luck all!

What else is there to do this weekend?

2011-06-14T21:58:00.001-05:00

Attractions in the Mount Horeb area include:
* Antique shopping
* American Players Theatre in Spring Green
* Apple Berry Farm in Cross Plains
* Blue Mound State Park (of course!)
is on the tallest hill in southern Wisconsin, about 25 miles west of Madison. The 1,153-acre park is a popular place for swimming, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing and mountain biking (both double and single track) and finding peace and solitude.
* Botham Vineyards and Winery
* Brigham Park, hiking
* Cave of the Mounds
* Donald Park, hiking
* Folklore Village
* golfing at Norsk Golf Bowl
* Gonstead Chiropractic Clinic
* Governor Dodge State Park
* House on the Rock in Dodgeville
* Kohl Center in Madison
* Little Norway
* Military Ridge Bike Trail
The 40-mile Military Ridge State Trail, in Iowa and Dane counties, connects Dodgeville and Madison, Wisconsin, by way of the communities of Ridgeway, Barneveld, Blue Mounds, Mount Horeb, Riley, Klevenville, and Verona.
* Mt. Horeb Family Aquatic Center
features a 35 meter pool, zero depth baby pool, water slide, wet sand play area, and grass decks. * Overture Center in Madison
* Restaurants
* Stewart Park, 3106 Cty Hwy JG, Mt Horeb.
Within this 191-acre park is Stewart Lake, an artificial lake on spring-fed tributary of Blue Mound Creek. The lake offers a challenge for trout and bass fishing. Recreational facilities include picnic shelters, beach, play equipment, and cross-country ski and hiking trails. Gas motors are not allowed on Stewart Lake (electric motors permitted).
* Tyrol Basin Ski Resort
* Wollersheim Winery
* Yellowstone Lake State Park

E-mail updates

2011-06-14T21:54:00.001-05:00

Need some pre-ride fuel on Friday night before the Horribly Hilly?
The Lions and Leo's Club of Mount Horeb is hosting a Pasta Dinner at the Mount Horeb High School.
ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BUILD IN MOUNT HOREB FOR THE BOWER FAMILY

DETAILS:
Mount Horeb High School (305 S. 8th St)
Hours: 4pm to 7pm
Cost: $7
Menu:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti | Marinana (veggie) sauce | Homemade Meat sauce
Romaine/Spring salad | Brickfire Wheat Dinner Rolls
Bottled Water | Coffee | Lemonade
Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Other local Eateries:
Bistro 101
Grumpy Troll
Sole Sapori
Norsk Golf Bowl
Spring Garden
Great Scott's Pizza
Ming's Garden
Pizza Extreme
Subway
McDonalds
Saturday Morning Breakfast Options:

Spring Garden Restaurant will open at 5:00 am (520 Springdale St, Mount Horeb)
Kwik Trip (525 Springdale St, Mount Horeb)

E-mail updates

2011-06-14T21:51:00.001-05:00

Posted June 7, 2011
Just 11 more days until this year's Horribly Hilly Hundreds. We're excited to have you with us for the 9th annual event.

Before beginning with the rules, regulations, and information for this year's ride, we'd like to remind everyone that this event has a significant impact on the area in which we ride. We've invited you here to enjoy the routes, the landscape, and the surrounding communities. While doing so next Saturday, please understand the importance of mutual respect.

Much of the following information can also be found on our website, www.horriblyhilly.com
Packet Pick Up Details:

*Friday, June 17th, 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm
at Mount Horeb High School (305 S. 8th Street)

*Saturday, June 18th, 5:00 am through ride start
at Blue Mound State Park (4350 Mounds Park Rd., Blue Mounds)

Packets will be organized according to route choice. Please be prepared with photo ID.

All participants must wear bib number on back of jersey. Pins are provided. (If pins aren't your thing, please bring your own adhesive.)
All participants must wear bracelet provided in packet.
No bracelet and no bib number = no replenishment at rest stops and no SAG support.

Packet Pick Up's, No-Shows and Unclaimed merchandise Policy

· Pre-Ride Packets must be picked up by participant only, Photo ID required. No Exception.

· Packets include necessary Bib # and wristband.

· Proof of purchase for pre-paid merchandise may be requested if errors arise.

· No-Show Packets will be available for pick up after the event

· Must bring one of the following to pick up packet for No Show:

o Copy of [No-show's] Photo ID

o Copy of [No-Show's] Active.com confirmation

o Signed note from [No-Show] participant

· Unclaimed Packets containing merchandise(Jersey/Shorts/Bibs) will be mailed to participant within one week after the event.

· Unclaimed packets without merchandise will not be mailed.

o There will be one pick-up date scheduled within Blue Mound State Park after the event.

o Packets will be mailed upon request only, participant must pay shipping fees.

Rest stops will be supplied with the following:
Hammer Gel packets
Honey Stinger chews, waffles and bars
HEED
Sustained Energy
Endurolytes
Gatorade

Locally made Bagels
Locally made jam and jelly
Locally harvested honey and honey sticks
Organic Peanut butter
Fruit (bananas, watermelon, grapes, blueberries)
Hard boiled eggs
Chips
Nuts
Bars
Cookies
Deli meat sandwiches at Black Earth and County K only

Note to all seasoned veterans of the Horribly Hilly:
Rest stop location in Black Earth is relocated to Community Park.

Look for our Post-Event e-flyer!
We're going green, and will not be including unnecessary paper in this year's packet. The post-event flyer will include information and coupons from our sponsors and other organizations in the cycling community.

At this time, there is one known re-route due to chip seal/construction. Road name is Far View, located on Stage 3 of the 200k route. Re-route is minor and will be marked.

There's a great deal of information here, please keep this as a reference!

And thank you for being a part of the 2011 Horribly Hilly Hundreds.

2011 Information

2011-04-25T13:57:00.003-05:00

54 (short) days until the 2011 Horribly Hilly...
Information Recap/minor updates to note;
1. Transfers: Form found at bottom of home page,
Must be remitted on or before June 4th,
Recommend utilizing FB page as resource to purchase/sell,
Waiting list not kept by administration.
2. Volunteers: Volunteers always needed and much appreciated.
To sign up, click on "Volunteer Here" icon,
Still looking for help with pre-ride Packet Stuffing. Can earn spot in this year's ride, or next years, in exchange for 4+ hours of volunteering.
3. Packet Pick Up Policy:
All registrants are responsible for picking up his/her own packet. No Exception.
Photo ID is required.
Proof of Purchase or copy of Confirmation may be requested with "Additional
Merchandise".
4. Rider Identification:
All riders are REQUIRED to wear bib on back of shirt/jersey. No Exception. All riders are REQUIRED to wear additional ID for use of rest stops/aid
stations/hydration stations/SAG support. No Exception.

We would like to thank REI for their exceptional support of the Horribly Hilly Hundreds through the past 8 years. Unfortunately, budget restrictions have required REI to withdraw from their support of the HHH.

2011 marks the initial year for the involvement of Trek Bicycles and the Horribly Hilly Hundreds.

Mechanical support will be available at 5:00 am in Blue Mound State Park from both Erik's Bike Shop and Trek Bicycles. Trek Bicycles will then be located at the Festge Park rest stop.
Erik's Bike Shop mechanics will be wrenching at both Black Earth and County K rest stops.

Map details continue to be worked through with the new addition of a 150k route option. A "preview" map is available to view on the Course Description tab of the website.

Ride start will experience changes for 2011 as well. At this time, we're finalizing details with the local authorities. Anticipated staggered start time ranges for three route options (SUBJECT TO CHANGE):
200k Start time range 6:30-7:00 am
150k Start time range 7:00-7:15 am
100k Start time range 7:15-7:30 am

2011 Lottery and Open Registration

2011-02-17T13:38:00.003-06:00

Friday February 18th at 5:00 pm marks the close of the lottery registration
Friday February 18th at 5:01 pm marks the beginning of Open Registration.
The link for registration is located on the home page.
Note that the Open Registration category won't be visible until 5:01 pm CST.

Got a question about transfers?
Transfers are an option for the 2011 HHH. If you've already registered and know you won't be able to attend, you can transfer your spot to another rider. The link to the transfer form can be found at the bottom of the home page, or here: http://www.horriblyhilly.com/2011-HHH-Transfer-Form.pdf.

As in years past, the high school in Mount Horeb will be available to use for overnight accomodations. It's a free floor to sleep on with use of the locker rooms in the morning. If you want a cot or sleeping bag, please make certain to bring them with.

We're still working on the final aspects of the map for the 150k route. Much of the route includes the 200k roads with some great additions which include some fantastically horribly climbs. But, that's why we do the HHH isn't it.

2011 Lottery

2011-02-03T08:31:00.002-06:00

The lottery process for 2011 is now complete.
As indicated on the website as well as when everyone put their name in the hat for the lottery, e-mail notifications were sent to both those selected as winners, and those who were not selected.
A link to the file of those selected is on the home page of the website, as well as the facebook page.
Thanks to more than 2000 of you who registered for the lottery. The chances of being selected was nearly 75%.
We'll continue to communicate with the group on this page, as not all e-mails get delivered to the intended mailboxes.

Taking the Heat...

2011-01-03T12:11:00.007-06:00

Change, by definition can be this: A transformation or transition from one state, condition, or phase to another:

Some welcome Change, others resist.

Now, let's try Perspective: The ability to perceive things in their actual interrelations or comparative importance.

The process for registering for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds is changing, evolving, transforming...

I've been volunteering and working with this bike event since it's inception, participating in various roles and becoming the director in 2005. In the past 8 years, many things have changed and evolved. But none of them have thickened my skin quite so much as the transition of registration.
The intent of a full lottery is that of 'fairness' and equal opportunity for a spot in the ride. Many comments come across my desk about the issues with on-line registration...it fills within minutes, one doesn't stand a chance if they're not at a high speed connected computer at the precise moment of opening, etc...

So, let's work on a feasible option to eliminate many of these concerns.

I'd like to say "Much to my surprise" this has angered a handful of loyal riders. But it's not surprising.

Loyalty to this event is ever so appreciated. Truly.

Unfortunately, it's a bit challenging to correlate why the transition of a registration process is discounting our loyal participants. Luck and technology are on your side if you've been able to register on line for the HHH several years running. None have been given preference with the on-line process.

There will be a few snags and snafu's, change can be a learning process. It's in my nature and is a part of the way this event is run to smooth out the snags and solve problems to best benefit our customers.

Living in a less than perfect world, I've come to accept the fact that I can't make everyone happy. That doesn't stop me from trying, however...

As one loyal participant wrote: "Thanks very little for going to a full lottery. It really rewards those of us who have supported this ride for 6, 7, or 8 years. Now the lazy people who wouldn’t sit at their computers at the appointed hour with the hope of getting in the ride will get a “fair” chance - very “progressive Madison” of you. Oh well, there’s always riding rogue if I miss the cut. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t touch a thing at the rest stops – I’d make my own."

A GUARANTEE: If the routes of this event are overrun with a larger than approved number of cyclists, local authorities and townships will put an end to the Horribly Hilly Hundreds.

Here's where I ask for a bit of perspective from anyone reading this blog post.

You ARE important, we WANT you to participate in the Horribly Hilly, but supply and demand are not in balance for this ride. Please consider being fair, conscientious, honest and mildly selfless in regards to registration and participation.

**DISCLAIMER**
I'm not a professional blogger. Mistakes may exist in my grammar, punctuation and use of adjectives. I do love and welcome constructive cristism.

Revisting the Registration for 2011

2010-12-14T09:20:00.003-06:00

Hello all, and Happy Holidays to everyone.
As the date for registration draws near, many issues continue to present themselves with the potential change in registration process.
The goal with the changes is to not only reward our loyal supporters, but to also be fair to the general population of cyclists who wish to participate in the Horribly Hilly.
Research of other events, survey results of this event, and other additional input is shifting the original plan of action with the 2011 registration.
A straight lottery process would be most open, and fairest to everyone with an interest in participating.

Weather forecast for Saturday June 19th

2010-06-16T09:05:00.001-05:00

At 6am there will be a fairly high temp in the 70's with a high dewpoint near 60.
By 9am the dewpoint will only drop a couple of degrees and the temp should hit about 75.
At noon the dewpoint still holds near 60 (58 is the forecast) so temp being near 80 (78) will have a similar heat index.
We'll be at 80 at about 2pm with the dewpoint holding at 58, we'll get a 1 degree heat index you'll notice the sky start to cloud up somewhat.
(it'll feel more like 81 or 82) at 4 or 5 we'll get one more degree becuase the clouds will be greater and act like blanket.
By 6 it should be pretty overcast and by 7 it could start raining with a 10% chance of thunderstorms.

Of course the weather pattern is subject to change! The weather spotters will keep us advised as to conditions as we near Saturday.

Looking for things to do in the area?

2010-06-16T08:54:00.002-05:00

Attractions in the Mount Horeb area include:
* Antique shopping
* American Players Theatre in Spring Green
* Apple Berry Farm in Cross Plains
* Blue Mound State Park (of course!)
is on the tallest hill in southern Wisconsin, about 25 miles west of Madison. The 1,153-acre park is a popular place for swimming, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing and mountain biking (both double and single track) and finding peace and solitude.
* Botham Vineyards and Winery
* Brigham Park, hiking
* Cave of the Mounds
* Donald Park, hiking
* Folklore Village
* golfing at Norsk Golf Bowl
* Gonstead Chiropractic Clinic
* Governor Dodge State Park
* House on the Rock in Dodgeville
* Kohl Center in Madison
* Little Norway
* Military Ridge Bike Trail
The 40-mile Military Ridge State Trail, in Iowa and Dane counties, connects Dodgeville and Madison, Wisconsin, by way of the communities of Ridgeway, Barneveld, Blue Mounds, Mount Horeb, Riley, Klevenville, and Verona.
* Mt. Horeb Family Aquatic Center
features a 35 meter pool, zero depth baby pool, water slide, wet sand play area, and grass decks. Pool season: June 8 - August 25, 2007
* Overture Center in Madison
* Restaurants
* Stewart Park, 3106 Cty Hwy JG, Mt Horeb.
Within this 191-acre park is Stewart Lake, an artificial lake on spring-fed tributary of Blue Mound Creek. The lake offers a challenge for trout and bass fishing. Recreational facilities include picnic shelters, play equipment, and cross-country ski and hiking trails. Gas motors are not allowed on Stewart Lake (electric motors permitted).
* Tyrol Basin Ski Resort
* Wollersheim Winery
* Yellowstone Lake State Park

Updates for 2010 HHH

2010-06-15T22:05:00.001-05:00

Things to note
1 Re-route: Road construction on Far View Road, which is on stage 3 of 200k.
Re-route details:
From the intersection of KP and Pine Rd (56.7 miles)
Right onto KP, as normal
After 1.04 Miles, Turn Left onto Spring Valley Rd
Go 0.42 Miles, Turn Right to Stay on Spring Valley Rd
Go 0.95 Miles, Turn Slight Left onto Turkey Rd
2. Large gravel at Blue Mound State Park. The possibility exists that you’ll have to walk your bike across the small section of breaker rock.
3. The routes are being marked with Route Arrows, which are brightly colored adhesive arrows. There will be a minimum of 3 pre-turn arrows and two post-turn confirmation arrows per turn. Occasionally, there will also be caution arrows laid down for warning purposes.
4. Packet pick up Friday night at Mount Horeb High School 3-9 pm (305 S. 8th St)
5. Must pick up your own packet.
6. Sleeping accommodations available for free in gym. Bring your own bags and pillows. Lights out at 10:00 pm. Locker rooms will be available in the morning.
7. Packet pick up Saturday am 5:00am-7:30 am at Blue Mound State Park, shelter atop the hill. Post-ride showers are available at the pool locker room in Blue Mound State Park
8. Don’t stop for a sticker on the way into the park, park entrance is included with registration! But when you’re driving in, do take note of the gravel you’ll have to travel over on your bike.
9. Check out the Specialized demo on Friday night at packet pick-up. Test the Best Specialized Demo Events Don't just look at the Tarmac or the Roubaix - ride them! Take a demo ride
Friday night - or even better - sign up to use one for the Horribly Hilly Ride!

First bit of news

2010-05-18T13:54:00.000-05:00

Start time for the 100k and 200k routes is 7:00 am.