rbent Forum - Print Page

rbent Forum
https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Ride Reports >> 2010 HHH
https://rbentonline.org/YaBB.pl?num=1283044196

Message started by Bud_Bent on Aug 28^th, 2010, 8:09pm

Title: 2010 HHH
Post by Bud_Bent on Aug 28^th, 2010, 8:09pm

It was a beautiful day for HHH, not hotter 'n hell at all this year, but the south wind got up earlier than I would have liked. I took off at a 22 mph pace with a paceline of tandems and recumbents, but by mile 20, I couldn't hang any more and fell back. By mile 65, I had really hit the wall, and by mile 80, I was hardly moving at all. The only riders I was passing at that point were the ones stopped at rest stops that I pedaled by.

I only made one five minute stop at mile 70, and finished the 101.7 miles in 5:42. I wasn't very happy with that time; I've ridden HHH faster twice. I thought I was stronger than that this year. Last month, I had finished the 70 miles of hills at Goatneck with an 18 mph average, and thought I could do much better than that on the flatter HHH route, but couldn't do it, ending up with the same 18 mph average.

I guess it's all relative, though. Shortly after I first started riding, I decided that my biggest goal was to some day do a 6 hour century, and I wondered if I ever could. Now, I'm an almost 60 year old lung cancer survivor, and complaining because I can't do a 5 hour century. I probably shouldn't complain.

I rode down with DJ, and the trip was a blast. I always love the consumer bike show at the convention center, even though I never buy much. And cutting up with old friends at the community center gym is always fun, as well as meeting new recumbent people (email me, Andy; I'd really like to have your regular commentary on the forum).

I was passed by a lot of recumbents that I didn't know. For those who don't know me, I was on a black Corsa with HED wheels, and was wearing a red Bacchetta jersey. As always, I had a blast at HHH. Let's hear some other HHH stories.

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by mleuck on Aug 28^th, 2010, 9:04pm

As it was my first HHH all I can say is WOW that was fun!

I ended up with two bents blasting through everybody until right after Electra and had a 23.8 average but had to slow to avoid burning out. Hit 3 rest stops to get the strength back and ran into Greg with about 20 miles to go, that last 25 miles were tough and even saw into a guy named Fritz on a Bacchetta from the Hostel Shop rally a few weeks ago with about 3 miles ago.

Finished with a 22.2 average in 4 hours 34 minutes, an amazing ride!

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by johnnybent on Aug 28^th, 2010, 9:21pm

I opted out at Hell's gate and went throught the air base. There is nothing like the cadets lining the street to cheer the riders on. I was lucky in a couple of ways today. Around the 15 mile mark I was behind a pack of riders that went down very hard, the sound was like a shot gun going off several times. Helped a couple of riders move to side of the road. Finally, I made the ride without a.....flat. Favorite rest stop, 50 miler with the rock and roll band.

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by mleuck on Aug 29^th, 2010, 9:22am

A friend of mine claims a friend of his says they DID have an Air Force fly-by at the beginning, anyone see it?

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by jcsadowski on Aug 29^th, 2010, 10:53am

I was looking for the flyover and didn't see anything. I assumed it was because we were so far ahead of the main group.

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 29^th, 2010, 12:30pm

Yep, that was a good 'un!!! Met a bunch of 'bentriders I hadn't been introduced to before.... Only bought some new "cooling sleeves" at the Expo for $15, so got out cheap. Had fun talking with Andy Baker from Pro Cycles OKC, and for once, slept well at the Lamar (Note: it gets COLD in that place, bring an extra blanket!)

I purposely went around saying hi to the various 'bentriders in the start area, and re-encountered RBENTers sstexex and wife, as well. I had planned to paceline (along with Bud) with Beertruck(Rick) and the Houston gang, John, Tuan, John #2, and a couple others, and I saw Greg, Kent, and Mark L taking off the front, immediately, and figured I'd never see them again... We were cranking along at 23-25 through the first 15 miles or so, and other 'benters joined in - I think we had at least a dozen in line at one point. Then we hit the snag on that first major hill, and I would up continuing on to Elektra with just four of us, including an older guy from Kansas City who was cruising very nicely as well. Got to Elektra with a 22 average, fast enough that there were no lines at the portajohns!

We regrouped a bit there, taking off again with John leading us at 25 mph... we turned west into some wind, DJ and John 2 fell off after about 40, and I fell off after about the 45 mile point -- the other John was apparently on a mission to make the beer stop (or finish) in under 5 hours, and Tuan and Rick were hanging with him. I kept catching Bud along the way -- I figured he wasn't hitting any rest stops, as usual... I stopped again at 60, rejoining the three of them again plus John2, essentially making HellsGate by 10AM. Tuan and John2 fell off again shortly after that, so the whole "paceline" concept really didn't last past 60 miles overall, and BeerTruck decided to wait for another rider, losing about 30 minutes.

Hornsmw passed me around mile 70, and we chatted for a while...I stopped again at 78, and devoured some PB&J sandwiches, and walking off some starting hotfoot issues. Met Dan Schaaf there, just as I was about to pull back onto the route, who was wearing the XL RBENT sample jersey, so we got a photo together sporting the new colors. And sure enough, the turn southbound into the wind was ugly, although it wasn't the typical blast furnace effect, and very, VERY few groups passed me along this stretch -- I was able to hold 18-20 all by my lonesome... Had to stop briefly at 92 because of hotfoot issues again, then continued on, catching DJ in that stretch, and made it to the Beer Stop at around 12:30, with a 20.0 average showing on the computer -- which I was surprised at, given the winds of the previous 20 miles! So I was pretty happy with that.

Spent a good hour at the beer stop, and Beertruck was the only one of our fractured paceline group that showed up... then cruised the rest of the way in -- no flats, no accidents, no muscle cramps, and no speeding tickets driving in either direction, carpooling with Lynn... Got some fun pics, which I'll put up soon... It seemed less crowded on the road than last year... and was a very nice ride!

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by mleuck on Aug 29^th, 2010, 12:56pm

FlyingLaZBoy wrote:

I bet the guy from Kansas City was riding a Bacchetta, his name is Fritz and he was riding with the NoComs at the Hostel Shoppe Midwest rally, I have a picture of him at the end on my blog

Very fast rider although he said going over that last bridge entering Wichita Falls was almost too much for him

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by TonyWard on Aug 29^th, 2010, 8:19pm

Completed my first century! I was feeling pretty good all the way to Hell's Gate. After that was a really long ride - I wasn't in a good place around mile 75 but seeing all the sag wagons full of riders and bikes motivated me to keep moving. At about mile 80 I felt like I got a second wind. Unfortunately it didn't last until the finish line. Finished in 6:58 after guessing it would take 7 hours (am I good at estimating or what!!) tired and glad to have that accomplishment past me. Now I can wear the HHH jersey I bought at the consumer show in pride!

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by square_corners on Aug 29^th, 2010, 9:16pm

Well, hate to break the string of very interesting HHH reports, but today is a new day and a new ride!

What better recovery ride after HHH than doing a little 200k the next day? While I'd been sweating it out at HHH, Sharon was doing a 300k. She wanted to round out the weekend with a 200k and needed some company. I volunteered. So we did "Puttin on the Styx". I didn't feel half bad Sunday morning and my legs were feeling fresh after a good night's sleep. Headed over to Rockwall, where I met up with Sharon, and I spent most of the day riding her pace. Let's see, towns we passed through - Poetry, Terrell, Kaufman, Kemp, Seven Points (near Cedar Creek Lake) and our half-way point; then back through STYX, Lively, Scurry, Crandall, Forney, Heath, and back to Rockwall. The only time I did my own thing was in Heath where you hit several miles of big rollers. I liken it to a self-propelled roller coaster - fun if you've got anything left in your legs (I did), not, if you don't. It was a good ride, but now I'm ready for a day off!
AV - 15.5; miles - 126.5

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 29^th, 2010, 9:47pm

Way to tough it out, Tony!!! You earned the jersey....

Dan, your extra Sunday miles ride doesn't come as a surprise at all... well done, Sir!

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by aikigreg on Aug 29^th, 2010, 10:08pm

Kent and I were trying to get a group of riders going off at the start, and Doug and Kit were going to join in, but Kent I burned rubber right from the start, which I just can't do if I want to not blow myself up - I know how that goes - so I waited to let things warm up before I caught up to him and Mark. Unfortunately, I got stuck in that giant mess forever when we all suddenly stopped, and then kept getting boxed in by a bunch of idiots who didn't know what on your left meant. I was right at 23mph at Hell's gate, including my quick stop with no plans for any further delays, but as I approached mile 70 the sour gut started and I'm going only 18mph into that brutal wind and chipseal. Got worse and slower right as Mark L. on the baron passed me and at the 97 mile rest stop I had to stop and lie down on the cot. I was sleepy-feeling and wanted to puke and pass out. Spent close to an hour there before feeling like I could roll to the finish. on bike time was 5:37 including my several mile uphill ride back to the church. that 4.5 century should have been in the bag.

Got in my sleeping bag and passed out. Packed in-between wakefulness and loaded the car when I thought I could stand it, again in batches. At almost 6pm I managed the drive home, had Alexis cover me with a blanket, and didn't open my eyes again until 9am. Stayed up till 11am and slept for another 3-4 hours. I'm still exhausted. Wishing I'd eaten the church breakfast instead of the chicken and rice I'd brought. It was either that or the antibiotics I've been on for the last week and a half didn't like the level of effort.

Looks like the rest of y'all had a good run though. It was fun seeing everybody!

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by Rawhide on Aug 30^th, 2010, 6:02am

Well this year's HHH turned out as good as I could have expected. My mileage is down this year compared to last year having not done a single ride longer than 32 miles to date in 2010. At the start of the ride I still hadn't decided to do the 100 miles or 100K. Hooking up with the early bent pacelines, I went for the 100 miles with hopes of making a sub 6 hour run. Was able to do that to include 3 quick stops ending up with an 18.1mph for 104.5 miles which includes getting to the starting line.

I appreciated the company of Bud on the ride up and back. Didn't seem like it took much time either way. I did impose on Bud just a little bit, making a customer visit for a few minutes in Windthorst. That and I hope Bud didn't mind going "through the woods" via Jacksboro Highway and 281. It's a prettier drive & I much prefer it over 287.

It was great to see familiar faces and meet new folks. Am looking forward to next year! DJ

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Aug 30^th, 2010, 6:13pm

aikigreg wrote:

Got in my sleeping bag and passed out....

He ain't kidding....

http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae256/pbrown8js/Hotter%20n%20Hell%20100%202010/HHH10210.jpg

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by aikigreg on Aug 30^th, 2010, 7:38pm

I'm still sick, but dangit that's funny. I hope to god I have some semblage of clothes on under there. I honestly have no memory of even getting in the door. DJ guided me home and that's about all I remember.

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by mleuck on Aug 30^th, 2010, 8:52pm

I had to walk the bike back across the bridge to the campground, my legs were gone, so worth it!

Pictures and video at www.lifeonabaron.blogspot.com

Title: Re: 2010 HHH
Post by mleuck on Aug 30^th, 2010, 9:09pm

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii97/markleuck/BudAtTheStartofHHH.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii97/markleuck/100_0013.jpg

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii97/markleuck/100_0024.jpg