Would really like to try these. Anyone ever done either? How much “fun” was it?
I have not done those, but another to add to your list is:
http://www.bloodsweatandgears.org/home.php
I don’t think it’s far from the Mountains of Misery course. I have ridden BSG and it is a great ride - up and down all day long. Beautiful scenery and well supported, even a bit on the Blue Ridge Parkway (the Park Service is very sensitive to usage by cycling events).
Hmm… I read the description of both rides,I thought about how much I enjoy hills…Then I thought of something even more fun to do…I will let my karate students have a “Kick Mr. Jim in the nads day”…yeah, that definetly sounds like more fun.
Jim
And another one in New Jersey (yes, New Jersey). This is the results of the 2001 Hillier Than Thou Century (the t-shirt shows the Grim Reaper, complete with scythe, riding a bike toward some faraway mountains), which was 100 miles, 11,500’ of climbing (including Fiddler’s Elbow at about 23 percent grade), and is a time trial!
http://www.cjbc.org/event/HillierThanThouEventReport9-23-2001.html
Ken Lehner
Actually the Joisey ride is getting closer to where I live. Does anyone know of any hill rides in upstate NY?
Here is the report for 2003. Seems like the ride is run at the end of september. 1200ft of climbing in NJ, crazy.
http://www.cjbc.org/event/HillierThanThou2003Sept27.html
andrew
How about this one. 29,035’ of climbing in the USCF Everest Challenge 2 day stage race?
http://www.highlandercycletour.com/
Beautiful ride in the Finger Lakes region of upstate NY. Starts about 45 min south of Rochester. (And by this fall you can get there with the high-speed ferry.)
horia
Forget all those sissy rides in the US, for real climbing action you will have to come to this side of the ocean and ride the 100 cols tour (125 cols and 59 côtes to be exact). http://home.planet.nl/~honderd.cols/ In 25 years, less than 200 people actually completed this one. You have 4000k to climb 60k (to compare, the Tour the France has about 20 k).
I cant speak from experience but I figure this must be a wonderful way to spend the summer holidays…
If you haven’t got three weeks to spend, or prefer the Italian country side, this is the way to go: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Dome/1264/climbs/malga_palazzo.html (I think this must be the toughest climb there is: 20.5% average for 6.6k!!!) You have to climb this one braking so you wont go backwards!
In California we have the Death Ride http://www.deathride.com/.
129 miles, 5 mountain passes, over 16,000 feet of climbing. Not for newbies (did I say that out loud?). I have one particularly insane friend who did the whole thing on a mountain bike.
Leigh
Reading the description on the link I’m sure I did a section of the Horrible Hilly ride last year, after swimming 2.4 miles, and then afterwards running (not) a marathon in 95 degree heat. It sucked, I sucked. I signed up to do it again this September.
“Finger Lakes region of upstate NY.”
Great ride suggestions guys, but I like this one best since it’s closest. Thanks for the info.
Hello,
I’ve done the MOM ride three time, all three preceded by the wilderness road ride (long option). The 1st year we had four people from Mi go. The website lists both rides with a discount for entering both. The WRR the first day was a killer, near the end we hook up with some locals and ask if the MOM ride is harder and get the “yes, but why are you asking, no one does both that would be nuts?” reply. So why is there a discount for both I wonder. The MOM ride the next day has a parking lot filled nothing but top end bikes and serious looking riders, no hybrids, mountainbikes, baggy shorts, etc. Uh Oh. Now mind you the website says this is not a race, in Mi this means show up when you want within an hour of the start time and ride, then finish at a park and have food. Here it means start at 7:00am with a gun, finish with a timer and finish line and prizes for the top “non racer”. Uh OH. One more thing to notice at the start. Titanium serottas with campy record and triples riden by zero body fat dudes in there 20s with local club team jersies on. So we start 3 miles down hill in a pack flying. HR 180 3 miles in downhill with 12000ft of climbing and 100 miles to go. UH OH. Time to go at my own pace and kiss the leader goodbye. Very good roads, very scenic, good rest areas with food and drinks. The website said 5 or six major climbs. 30 miles in I’m wondering which of the dozen climbs didn’t count as “major”. 50 miles in up we go, now were talking major. 100 miles in toast. Take out map, rest stop a foot of last major (worst) climb. Stop, drink fill water bottle, talk to local, he wants to break his PR for the last climb today, old PR 45 minutes for 5 miles. Uh OH. Then I notice a rest stop is listed at mile 103 with 2 miles to go and after having one at mile 100. Must be a mistake, why would you need 2 that clse together, that close to the finish? Start the climb, not to bad. Must have a lot of people exagerate how bad the final one is. Two miles of climbing, cross road, now on the final road to the resort. Suddenly not too bad is twice as steep. Seeing low single digits on the speedo , high triple digits on the HR. Watch a butterfly fly through my 32 spoke wheel without a spoke touching it. Switch back, make turn front wheel comes off ground, mountainbike climb style. Finally see a group of people gather 400m ahead, thank god the finish. Oops, the last rest stop, two miles to go. Stop twice, but refuse to walk. Many, many walkers.
Overall one of the best rides out their, missing it this year to do the triple t race solo.
Anyone try this one??
Wow. Thanks for the description. Really does sound like “fun”.
Here’s a day of fun in France, looking at doing it this year:
http://www.sportcommunication.com/newsite/profil.php?Id=128&langue=2
A lazy 16,400 feet of climbing in 174km. None of this going up and down little hills to get in the vertical either, this whole ride has only 3 climbs (if you count the Col du Telegraphe and the Col du Galibier back to back as essentially one climb with a flat section and small downhill into Valloire in between).
François, have you ever done this? My flatmate did it one year, but said he got 160km into it and at the base of Alpe d’Huez decided that he really didn’t need to climb it so continued straight over the bridge into Bourg d’Oisans and collapsed in his hotel.
"Forget all those sissy rides in the US, for real climbing action you will have to come to this side of the ocean "
Hmmmm, seems to me the guy climbing the Euro peeks the fastest these past several years is some sissy US rider. I think his name is Lance or something?
Seriously though, I’d love to get back over to France or Italy. Haven’t been there for long while and my wife toured France by bicycle(before we met) and would also love to do it again.
Unfortunately we’ve got other financial priorities at the moment so I’ll have to stick to these girly-boy hill rides closer to home for awhile.
“Hmmmm, seems to me the guy climbing the Euro peeks the fastest these past several years is some sissy US rider. I think his name is Lance or something?”
Ooh, that’s just a detail of course 
Its even worse where I live, here in Belgium I don’t even have “girly-boy hill rides close to home”.
TooSlow,
I have done 3 State 3 Mountain century the last 2 years and have to say, it is a fun ride and of course challenging.
I hated that climb at 80 miles that took you up the back side of Lookout Mountain. Just a tough climb.
Best part is afterwards hanging out in Chattanogga…very cool town.
If anyone out there wants a good century to test those early season legs out…3 State-3 Mountain is the one
Mark
TooSlow,
I have done 3 State 3 Mountain century the last 2 years and have to say, it is a fun ride and of course challenging.
Best part is afterwards hanging out in Chattanogga…very cool town.
If anyone out there wants a good century to test those early season legs out…3 State-3 Mountain is the one
Mark
And a really cool looking jersey to boot! I’d ride it just for that.
These rides all sound “fun.” They are the kind of riding that separates the “men” from the “boys.” By that I mean the boys stay home. Anyone who takes on these kinds of rides/challenges is a true cyclist at heart.
I’m intrigued. I think I’ll start thinking about the 3 State 3 Mountain Century and the MOM ride too. I’m a cycling Midwesterner.
I was confused though about the climb up the back side of Lookout Mountain at the 80 mile mark. The website indicated that the 3 S 3 M Century was 62 mile long (metric century) ride. Did I miss something?