Hotter n Hell Hundred - Wichita Falls, TX

August 27, 2011

I'm sitting here at work the day after and i'm going through total withdrawals already, will the 2012 ride ever get here!!!!????? I love everything about this great event. I have ridden it many many times and it somehow still seems new. Loved the eary start this year, made it to Iowa Park in the dark. Thanks to the cool early temps and lack of wind early on I set my new best time this year of 4 hours and 34 minutes!!!! I didn't use any rest stops but did have an unexpected break east of Electa when we had to wait on a train to cross. We even managed to beat Pyro Pete to Hells Gate (they were just starting to inflate him as we came by). I know that they can't all be this big and have this kind of atmosphere but I sure wish they could. Next year will be my last HHH in my 30's, maybe to celebrate i'll see if I can add my name to the short list of "Triple Threat" finishers.

Is this the Hotter 'n Hell 100 or the 'almost as hot as hell'? The special start at 6am for the 2011 HHH was a huge mistake and potentially dangerous. I'm guessing that nearly ½ the riders took the opportunity to get out early, so when the 7am scorchers came through they were met by throngs of riders on the road. Groups traveling at 20mph or more having to navigate around semi-clueless riders, not good. There are quite a few riders that are probably hoarse now from having to say 'on the left' several hundred times. Rest stops? Does it get any more dangerous having the fastest riders in the ride coming upon a rest stop swarmed with 100's of riders blocking the road, getting off bikes, getting on bikes? Not to mention that in years past, the later rest stops passed out water bottles to the moving scorcher riders, no chance of that this year as the rest stops were swamped. Oh, and the added bonus of having the majority of the hotel wake up at 3am and start slamming doors and stomping down the hallways to make the 6am start. Did I mention the 6am special start was a bad idea? I'm pretty sure the reason for putting the faster riders up front, next fastest after them is to keep the route clear and safe, loading up the route with 100M riders of all capabilities, hugely bad idea. If the organization wants to have this many riders participate, safety of the riders needs to be the first priority, this decision might have seemed like a good idea but it made the ride much more dangerous for slow and fast riders. And then there was the pace group. We caught the pace group and that and it was fun trying to navigate through a wall of riders stretched across two lanes of the road. Shouldn't the organizers of the pace group help keep passing access available, but maybe they were on the left side of the road because they had to navigate around all the 6am riders as well? Dangerous. Obviously, there are many pluses to elaborate on for the ride, but I'll leave that to others. I must recognize the support of the BSA and officer at the Charlie intersection which was exceptional. Dr. Finley cleaned up a minor gash I had from the crash earlier in the ride which was much appreciated.

Another great ride put on by the organizers of the 30th HHH. Rode the 100 mile (102 by my cyclometer) and was thankful for the 6:15am start. Would recommend they do the same thing every year. All the rest stops were well manned with plenty of fluids, snacks and first aid. I just wish, that with all the money this event brings in, that they would repave some of the roads. The long stretches of chip and seal wore on the hands.

The guy with all the complaints about the early start should have joined the rest of us SCORCHERS for the early start, he really missed out on this one. We had most of the tandems and recumbents passed by Iowa Park and had wide open roads the rest of the way with the channel 6 news car leading us out for the 1st 40 or 50 miles. The early start served its purpose if you took advantage of it.

I love this rally, it is the one that we trained for the last six months and all the long rides in the heat paid off with a really nice 100 mile ride. Finished the ride in 5:36 with 5:03 on the bike for a 20.1 moving average. The ride lived up to its name with a new record high temperature - the official high in WF was 109 and Hell's Gate closed at 11:00. My daughter and I rode stopping four times at the 50, 72, 83, and 91 mile stops. The stops were well stocked with fruit, water, ice, juice cookies etc. and some of the greatest volunteers ever. At the 91 mile stop the volunteers would help you pour cups of ice down inside of your jersey to cool down. Safety of the riders was greatly enhanced with the 6:15 start and we were well past Iowa Park before turning off the lights. Good: volunteers, police, rest stops, Hell's Gate by 9:05, hospitality of Wichita Falls residents Bad: riders who are so self centered that they complain about sensible safety measures - when we were moving we were often 22-25 mph and had no difficulties getting around the slower riders.

To: Mr. This Is MY Rally.....Who Are YOU People? (read down, you will know to whom I am referring)
From: Ms. Not-As-Fast as Wonderful YOU (actually, an experienced 20-year rider)
If not the biggest rally in the U.S., it is one of the biggest. That means LOTS OF RIDERS, less fabulous than you. It has REST STOPS. It is NOT A CRIT. Keep this in mind as you considering attending next year. Otherwise: Same wonderful job by the folks in Wichita Falls! Great seeing all friends, new & long-time! Look forward to next year, as always!

I started at 7:05 and rode the 50 mile route. I liked that so many riders took the early start time so that there were fewer riders starting at 7:05. The problem that I ran into was that after the reststop where the 50 mile route merges with the 100k route there was an accident a little past there. We had to wait while the medical helicopter landed and took off with the injured cyclist. In the meantime the cyclists coming up behind me filled up both lanes and some carried their bicycles up past everyone. It was like starting the ride over again only worse. Other than that, I had a good experience and survived the heat.

This is my second time to do the 100 mile ride. I loved the earlier start time. Given the heat, I think it was absolutely necessary and I wish they would do it every year. This ride is amazingly well organized and run. I'm in awe of their logistics team! Route well marked, all break stations well stocked, volunteers are amazingly friendly. I had some trouble with my wheel and the wonderful mechanics at Rest Stop No. 2 took great care of me and got it fixed. This is a smooth ride. Although it was horribly hot, the wind was not bad, so we had a really good ride. The wet cloths and ice available at the rest stops helps enormously. Kudos to the organizers and volunteers for pulling it off again!

As stated previously – the early start was done to facilitate the slower riders being able to finish before it became too hot to finish. I agree that this was a very bad idea! First 30minutes of riding in the dark is dangerous. Second – The mixing of the slower riders with faster riders is a bad idea. Third – If someone cant do the 100 miles by the 11.30 cut off, 4.5 hours into ride (with a 7.00 start time) then they should be doing the 100 anyway. I started at 6.30 and already noticed 5 crashes by mile 18. Not sure how many more crashes had already be cleared by the time I got there. In the first 10 miles, we passed at least 4 large groups in the left lane traveling at 15 mph (who thought they were one of the fast groups).
In summary, the start in the dark, the excessive number of slow riders created a needlessly dangerous ride early.

I loved the expo, the organization, the crowds, the snow cones, the food, the first aid, the ride through the Air Force Base, and the party at the end. However, I was wondering where all of the SAG support and bicycle shop support was on the 50 mile ride. We only saw one SAG vehicle the entire four hours, and zero bike shops doing repairs at the rest stops. I was later told by some of the 100 mile riders that they had plenty of SAG and bike shops. I don't understand why the 50 mile route was basically deprived of these two things. We all paid the same fee for the ride. I understand that there were more riders doing the 100 mile ride but there were lots of us on the 50 mile ride who could have used the support. I feel that safety dictates that all riders should be well supported and a few more SAG vehicles and one or two bike shop vans along the way would have greatly improved the ride.

This is my second year to do the HHH.thought it was great. Great support, plenty of supplies, Ice , water, fruit ect I think if you are doing a ride this big you have to understand that there will be stupid riders, smart riders, fast riders, slow riders, and if that is a problem for you maybe this is not the ride for you. I do think it would be a wonderful idea to get the word out , SLOWER RIDERS KEEP RIGHT and when you are passing ,SAY PASSING ON YOUR LEFT. Do not pass on the right.

Once again a great ride. Lived up to its name! It was hot! The ride just gets smoother each year. The unofficial start was at 6:15 am, 1hr early. Thousands took this option, (me). Cooler temps, less crowd. ( relatively speaking).
The rest stops keep getting better. More foods, fruits, ice towels. Nice people, all willing to help. To everyone who made this ride happen again,THANK YOU ! !
Its so big an event. Before, during and after the ride. 14th time I've done this. And I'll be back next year. To all considering this, get there on Friday morning, enjoy Wichita Falls, then the trade show. Then the ride and post ride. Go back to your hotel and relax. By now you will need it. Then enjoy the local food of Wichita Falls. Any cyclist who wants the big daddy ride of the summer has to try this, just once. You'll be back.

Wow! What a great event. Big fan of the early start, I hope they keep it around for next year. What really surprised me was the number of cyclists that had NO LIGHTS AT ALL for the early start! Dumb. The lights aren't just to see by, but allow YOU TO BE SEEN!

To any of the nay-sayers about this ride, this is the premier ride in Texas if not he country. I thought the early start was great and would like to see them continue this. I actually believe an open start would work just as well as it would spread the entire field out a little more. As far as crashes, I see crashes every year unfortunately, it doesn't matter if it is dark or not. The city of Wichita Falls goes all out for this event and the hospitality shows. The volunteers at the rest stops are first rate. Sure we can always pick on something, but to put on an event of this magnitude and have it run so smooth, is a work of art. Kudos to all those involved for another wonderful event. One nice thing I did note, most of the roads have smoothed out quite a bit. There was only one rough stretch of chip seal on Highway 240. If you ride this event with the right mind-set, you'll be back year after year. This was my 27 time to ride the event and I'll always be back!

The Hotter 'n Hell Hundred is a well planned and executed cycling event. It's a weekend celebration of fitness and meeting personal goals. I missed last year and regretted my decision to not attend. Those individuals that complain about being inconvenienced by novice types should consider starting at the very front, or get a USCF license and race. The endurance ride (100 miles) is an awesome ride, not a race. Sure we had time chips, personal goals and times we were trying to meet or beat; but I don't remember seeing any team cars, covered in sponsors' stickers, following individuals on the endurance ride. Keeping things in perspective will allow more people to safely enjoy and soak in the grand nature of the Hotter 'n Hell. I'd like to thank all of the fantastic volunteers, the downtown YMCA, and the town of Wichita Falls for hosting such a great event for 30 years!

Well the Hotter N Hell literally lived up to its name this year. Loved the 6:15AM start, helped alot of riders I'm sure. Everything from the registration, spaghetti dinner, criterium were very well organized. The rest stops can't say enough good about them. A huge Thankyou to everyone who worked them in this heat. My only suggestion would be on the 50/100K/75 mi route coming into the "When Hell Freezes Over" reststop, alot of riders were pulled over @ a picnic area trying to get the 1/4 mi left to the rest stop completed. Alot of riders were falling out there & if there is any way that the HHH organization could put 1 of those large galvanized containers filled with ice & just BOTTLED WATER that would allow people to get a cool drink so they could finish. There would not have to be anyone to man it, maybe the SAG vehicle could stop & check it & put some more water in it if needed. This might also elminate some of the pressure off the rest stop. Now to the Chamber of Commerce/HHH organization, please try & do something with the cost of the motels. I spoke to alot of people who stay for the min. 2 night stay. Alot of rooms were run down, broken equipment, my room didn't have a blowdryer, microwave or refrigerator. Now the refrigerator was most important to me. When I got home I started calling around to motels for next year, there is one motel in particular that is making the HHH a 3 night min. stay. Also alot of these motels said that some rooms have refrigerators others don't, so you take your chances on getting a refrigerator. Something needs to be done on the price gouching, I believe the entries were down somewhat from precious years, this is unfortunate but I'll put it to the economy but with the cost of these rooms going up I'm afraid that the HHH may continue to see #'s decrease until the economy starts to turn around.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR A GREAT HOTTER N HELL!!!

Another great "granddaddy of 'em all" ride. I enjoy seeing loads of cars with bikes on the back while driving up from the metroplex on Friday. Very enjoyable to get in, relax and watch the races. Organizers have the walk-up registration, packet pickup and spaghetti dinner down to a science! RV camping is very convenient and the trade show is great. Rest stops are well stocked but there are long lines for the port a toilets – even at the later stops. Saw lots of flats at the "Hell Freezes Over" rest stop – grass with stickers needs to be roped off next year. I love going through the Air Force base and the airmen cheering riders on (which is not on the 100 mile route). Finish line atmosphere is great, but they should look at options to spread this out a little more. The 30th Anniversary "medals" are nice. I'll be back. THANKS Wichita Falls community for hosting a great event!

I appreciated the 6:15 am start because I felt like it put me ahead of the slower traffic that I usually have to deal with when leaving at 7:05 am. To the guy who saw 5 accidents when leaving at 6:30, add two to that list. One rider from my group went down at mile 3 at 6:32 am (DNF). Even with a light, he did not see the gravel and low spot. From his recollection, when the SAG wagon came, there was already one in the trailer. I have done this ride for 4 years now and finished for a personal best time of 5:20 (4:53 ride time) and enjoyed every minute of riding in a group. I felt that leaving early placed me with others that knew how to ride in a group. Traffic was clear after getting out of Iowa Park which was a first for me. I fully appreciate the amount of effort and VOLUNTEERING that accompanies this event. I also appreciate the attempt to mitigate the risks of the heat by allow riders to start earlier. I do recognize the danger of riding in the dark. I do believe that there can be better traffic management at RS 1-3 to minimize the accidents. To the scorcher that left at 7:05 am… shame shame on you…I have little sympathy for the decision you made.

August 28, 2010

This ride is a ‘must do’ at least once in your lifetime. However, I’ve all but decided that it’s simply too crowded, to the point of being unsafe. I saw a rider evacuated by helicopter, and four others being loaded onto stretchers. A lady near the beginning of the race was waiving and yelling to someone, swerved over and ran into me, damaging my derailleur hanger and taking some skin off my leg. Several people made comments that ‘…It’s all about trying to dodge people and not get hit!’ The race organizers attempted to delay the starting groups again, but everyone was riding around the trailers, and it ended up being almost a 14,000 person mass start. Not sure how they could do it, but it seems it would be worth it to start a bunch of smaller groups at staggered intervals, and really make sure they don’t ‘jump the start.’ I enjoyed the ride, but really felt it was quite dangerous.

At most of the rest stops there was a 30 minute waiting line, just for water - John

HHH 2010 – Wichita Falls. My daughter and I rode the 100k ride finishing in four hours. We rode the first twenty miles in less than an hour, so we were ahead of most of the crowds that seemed to cause long waits at the rest stops. We stopped at rest stops 2 and 4 and they were very well stocked with fruit, ice, powerade, and cookies. The route is well chosen with generally good smooth roads – I would say the only exception to this is riding for the eight mile stretch along the I44 service road. Good- the cheering Air Force personnel making you feel like you are leading the Tour de France, getting 15,000 cyclists registered in a reasonable time period, Wichita Falls volunteers, smooth pavement, the Expo, the Criterium races, Police support at intersections. Bad – 15,000 cyclists, you can’t have all experienced riders with this number.

Comments from a six year rider - Saw that water stops after Hell's Gate were generally overwhelmed by the volume of people on the ride this year, particularly rest stops 7, 9 and 10. This was not a fault of the volunteers manning these stops by any means (I have all the respect for them and thank them for their hard work and efforts) just reflective of some basic needs to be addressed by the organizers to make the ride better. Things to be considered may be limiting the overall volume to 10,000 riders and/or raising the entry fee by $5 to assure that stops are properly stocked and manned with a more appropriate number of port-a-potties as riders seemed to be suffering more while waiting in line for 30 minutes for food/water than they were while on the road. In the end, the aforementioned stops were not to the overall benefit of the riders as presently constituted and this issue need to be addressed prior to the 2011 ride.

Once again, another great event. This was my tenth year. Thanks to all the volunteers, police, AF personell, cities, etc. This is a premier cycling. It seemed this year that there were more cyclists insisting on starting in the wrong area. Saw severa 100k, 50m and 25 m lined up with the Scorchers. It made it dangerous...saw one cyclist get wiped out by some one turning onto the 25 mile course---this should not happen. Also, cyclists, please ditch the headphones. Dangerous for you and others around you, especially at an event this big. Overall, a great event. Will be back.

This was my first Hotter Than Hell. It is certainly something to do. Considering the crowd of 14,000 cyclists for the endurance ride (and the logistics involved in organizing and running the event), things went very well. With so many people, the amount of accidents was probably pretty low. But, I found myself often annoyed during the first 40 or so, with lots of people riding on the left who had no business doing so. I had to do a lot of weaving during the first 10 in particular. Perhaps the registration packet could emphasize in bold print safe riding practices--and maybe some signage early on: SLOWER BIKES STAY RIGHT! My only other suggestion would be that every rest stop have at least one stand up bike pump. C02 is fine when you have to change your tube on the road. But, after my flat, I would have liked to be able to check the pressure and bring the tube to 120psi at the next rest stop. The line at one rest stop was pretty long, but it moved quickly. Thanks to the organizers for a very well organized event.

super-experienced rider, I was very cautious for the first 15 miles, but after that it seemed to thin out and the rest of the race was wonderful. The weather could not have been better. The support teams at Mile 30 and 52 (my only two stops) were fantastic………was able to refuel and get back on the bike very quickly. I had a blast and cannot wait until next year. Gary

What good luck I had finding your site and reading many of the reviews.
The most important for me was by one poster warning about the stickers referred to as 'goatheads'. He was so right about this. At almost every rest stop there were bikers repairing flats within 300 yards after the stop, repairing flats.
I stayed out of the grass as suggested and after every stop made a quick inspection for stickers which I found after the watermelon stop and pulled them out before getting back on the bike. Two other bikers followed my lead and found stickers too. I know this helped prevent me from getting a flat. Great tip from a great site. The hotter n hell for me, a first timer, was awesome.

The organizers can easily fix that start if they completely block the start at those cross streets. I was back a bit from the head of the Keepers, and sure once the last of the Scorchers had moved up, riders started to stream around the left end of the trailer. In that mass of humanity and bikes you just move along too. Two years ago they did completely block the cross streets and the start was a thing of beauty. We Keepers didn’t budge until the last Scorchers were atop the bridge. I don’t know if it’s a safety issue to leave a lane open for emergency vehicles or what. If so they need to get some burly volunteers to stand in that gap or something. Hats off to the Dean Dale Volunteer Fire Dept for their “extra” rest stop near the top of the Dean hill on the 100 mile route. They definitely saved some hot and dry riders with ice and a good hosing down.

My 4th year and the event never ceases to impress. I was part of the "100 Mile Scorchers" and finished the ride in 5 hours. Stops at 40 miles and 84 Miles were well stocked and no lines. Based on other reviews, it seems like lines formed later in the day. All in all a GREAT ride especially when you consider that they're moving 14,000 people around the route. Can't wait for 2011!

Great ride as always but just a nit - they could still use more porta potties at the rest stops.

Editors note: AND the ports potties could use some toilet paper.

Just finished taking a few minutes to read the submitted reviews on this years HHH 2010. I want to thank all the people involved in this ride from organizers, medical, fire dept., & the countless volunteers what a superb job you all did. The spaghetti dinner reported on the Friday evening news that it served over 4,000 people, again a great meal & very well organized. Ok I've read all the "chitchat" about the cycling traffic out there, comeon people why do you think it's one of the largest rides around the country, cause it has alot of riders. If cycling traffic bothers you then I suggest that you stay to the smaller rallies around the country until you feel safe in heavier traffic, I've ridden this rally for a number of years & have always started up with the scorchers & have never had a problem, I know that there are individuals up there that probably don't belong but we've all paid our $$$ to ride & if you just take a few deep breathes & hold your line & be aware of riders around you then you'll more than likely be able to get down the road & away from the less experienced riders. If you ridden this rally before you should remember where the turn off is for the 25 mi & 50 mi route, suggestion to you if your doing a longer route start to move over well in advance of the turn off to avoid anyone cutting you off. Don't jump on a paceline of people that you don't know, your looking for a accident, you can get in a large group & get that "PULL" & still keep a safe distance allowing you to move one way or another if something happens. As this ride grows the HHH committee might want to look @ having some more rest stops or larger rest stops allowing for riders to get in & out a little more quickly, I personally wasn't to bothered by the wait for food & drinks, now the portapottie being a female I'd really like to see a few more with possibly some more hand sanitizer present. My only pet peeve is to the riders & one rider in particular who needed to be reminded to stop flapping his gums by those of us around him & those who won't SHUT UP when the anthem is being played & your asked for a moments silence for a fallen rider & military personnel, shame on you. Again I started up in the scorcher section & successfully completed the 102 mi route without any difficulties or problems in scorcher time.

August 29, 2009

This was my first trip to the Hotter than Hell and I felt it was one of the best considering the weather, it was also my first 100mi. WOW what an event. Thank you all for the hard work and wonderful ride. I managed to squeeze in at the starting line and to look back down the street and see cyclists for as far as you can see was incredible. The fly over and everyone singing the national anthem will be something I will never forget. I heard 14,200 attended. As long as I can bike I will be coming back to the HHH every year. This event should be on everyones list. Thanks again and God Bless!

HHH 2009 was as great as ever. Special thanks to all the volunteers. You guys are great. I hear this year had about 2k more participants than last year! Weather was near perfect--it felt like springtime. The trade show seemed bigger this year. Packet pick-up was quick as was the t-shirt and goody bag pick-up. Great finish line activities. Set a personal best due to the great weather. Only used 2 rest stops on the 100 mile course. I just wish the 100 mile course had the opportunity to go on the base. I hear once again the airmen were out cheering on the riders. One caveat for my fellow riders...Please, no more headphones, iPods, etc. It is dangerous enough with the number of riders, wannabe racers, kids, and inexperienced riders without having riders(no matter how good/experienced) using personal music devices which can impair hearing whether or not you use both earphones or keep the volume low. I was almost wiped out by someone who was wearing one...and yes, I shouted out on your left. Otherwise another great year in Wichita Falls. Great job by everyone involved.

Great support as always and a great ride; probably a record-breaking number of riders. A couple of points of constructive criticism. 1) They had the start right last year. There was a truck and flatbed trailer blocking the “Keepers” at 3rd St. until the “Scorchers” had cleared the bridge, leading to a no-walk start. This year the left side of the road was left open and riders began pouring around the end of the trailer as soon as the last “Scorchers” moved an inch , and predictably we walked for blocks as in years past. 2) There really was no need for so much law enforcement personnel at Rest Stop #4 making riders get completely off the pavement as soon as they slowed down. This seems like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. 3) Moving the ride finish to near the entertainment tent is a good idea in theory, but a lot of guys try to sprint that finish, and when I got to the finish there was only 30 feet or so to slow down before I came to riders milling around listening to the Killdares.

This was my 10th year to do the Hotter N Hell and once again it was great. I was aiming for the 100 mile course but at the last minute my Air Force buddy came into town and decided to ride with me so naturally we had to go through the base so he could shake hands with his friends and say "Hup" to the air men and women. That is so much fun. I am already to go back next year.

Another great ride. The weather was a bonus. Volunteers were excellent as usual. A must ride for every cyclist, no matter what level. Just the sheer number is amazing. First time to attend the expo. Might be the last time, spent way too much money. They had everything and there were some pretty good deals to be had. Be back 2010.

Simply incredible. I cannot fathom how they can put together something this huge with virtually no problems. Top notch in every category. 14,200 riders this year. Should not be missed!

To strictly respect the WebMasters feelings about verbosity. I only need to say what a great event. Fun and challenging time. Makes you think what is important. Being alive and riding your bike.

I rode in the ride on the 29th and it was my first HHH. I must say that everyone was correct in saying this ride is "THE RIDE." I did the 100k and was EXTREMELY impressed with the rest stops. Those people are FABULOUS!!! The riders were professional and not a lot of bullying going on as with some other rides.
I will be back next year and hopefully doing the 100 mile rout as I hear the last rest stop is truly something....

Wonderful ride again this yr! Organization and the pre and post ride activities were great! I only wish the tandems and recumbents would start as a group like they used to.

August 23, 2008

The 2008 HHH was great. My second year to do this ride and my first to do the 100 mile route. Great volunteers at all the rest stops. The Ice packs at one of the later rest stops was a welcome site. After a few minutes of ice back on the road and headed toward the last rest stop and the free beer. Heard about it from other cyclists and it was a treat. The gentlemen were a joy to talk too. All in all a great day. I will be back in 2009.

HHH 2008....WOW. Unbelievable effort by the thousands of volunteers to make the event an unforgettable experience. THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! So many countless hours...many of you unseen...but all appreciated. Amazing how you made a ride with over 11,000 riders that smooth from START to FINISH! See ya next year.

2008 HHH. I’ve been on this ride some number of times and I’ve always done the 100M route. The planning that goes into this ride is phenomenal and I will always maintain that this ride is world class. That said, I have a gripe. I blew a spoke at mile 78, caught a SAG wagon to rest stop 9 and sat there for the next two hours while various people tried (in vain) to contact the “roving” bike repair people. After an hour, the word came back from base about a truck on the road somewhere past RS3. Huh??? That’s like 50 miles away!!!. Plus, base was never able to contact any roving repair trucks. For over two hours there was no response. Is the “roving” bike repair center something new? Why have bike repair folks on the road if SAG wagons can give down cyclist a lift to the next RS? The three other riders gave up and caught a SAG wagon back to the MPEC. As it wound up for me, I exchanged my front wheel with a willing rider whose front fork would allow for the wobble from the missing spoke. We limped across the finish line close to 4PM; almost six hours after my spoke blew. To me, that’s a serious hole in rider support.

I think the organizers have finally gotten the start down right. I started near the front of the Gate Keepers' group, and with the truck and flat bed holding us in place until the Gate Scorchers were well on the bridge we were able to start without walking a half mile. That was the first time in ten starts going back to the old days at Memorial Stadium that I didn't have to walk some distance at the start. I participated in the U. Conn medical study and I really enjoyed that; I don't think I lost any time working with them at the Electra and Hell's Gate rest stops that I wouldn't have anyway at those stops. The little ice packs at the later stops were an amazingly neat thing to stick into one's jersey and ride with.

I'm glad I chose the HHH for my first century. I have been riding for about a year and a half, and I started training for the century in March. The weather was perfect this year (a cool 98 degrees for the high), and the route is the flattest that I have been on. I can see how it would be tough if the wind and heat came up, but with all of the outstanding support, volunteers, and rest stops, it is an outstanding event. I'll be back.

HHH 2008 – I rode the 100K for the first time (usually ride the 50-miles), and it was a great ride as usual. This ride is very well organized, especially considering the number of riders. During most rides, I usually bypass half the rest stops, but on this ride they are worth the stop. I am not surprised that the number of riders continues to grow. My only complaint is about other riders – if you plan to ride 25 miles, then start with the 25-mile riders, or if you are riding a longer route, but are a slow rider (or riding with a small child), then start at the back of that group. I know this is a complaint every year, but it continues to happen, and is very dangerous, especially when faster riders are going around small children trying to follow a parent (especially the young boy who stopped in the middle of the road at about the 3-mile point trying to figure out how to get across to his dad, but not sure how to move between the oncoming riders). Of course, this will not stop be from coming back next year!!!!

Wonderful ride and an excellent event put on by the people of Wichita Falls. My only complaint is with my fellow riders that feel they can use the N. Texas roadways as their own personal trash cans. Class act guys. A real class act.

The 2008 Hotter N Hell was another huge success! There is not a whole lot to say but thank you to all the countless volunteers who made our day so enjoyable. Thank you to all the chefs who got us all fed on Friday evening at the Spaghetti dinner. All the young kids that were mixing our sports drinks, handing out wet towels, cutting bananas & oranges etc. make the future of the Hotter N Hell something to look forward to. I hope you all get a special recognition for all your young hard work. At Hells Gate enjoyed seeing the gentlemen dressed up as the devil & all the encouragement as the riders went on thru to the back side of the 100 miles. The ice paks that were handed out at one of the last rest stops was a wonderful idea, I hope you'll do it again next year. The medical symposium with Dr. Williamson was another huge success & very informative. My only suggestions would be to have a little more encouragement in signs etc. as you neared the rest of the rest stops like what was at 3rd rest stop with the American Flags & signs as you rode up to the rest stop. Lastly some of the motels & hotels need to step up to the plate or they are going to hurt the HHH. I heard from many participants that stayed in & around the area that were paying good money for rooms that had phones that didn't work, remote controls for the tv's didn't work, pools & hot tubs that were closed & had been closed for the past 4 yrs & each year the management stated that they were trying to get it fixed. Also when you registered for the room well in advance they advertised things that when you arrived they weren't providing like Sat. evening meals. These places of business are charging top dollar & need to start providing top services. I'll be researching for another place to stay over the next year.

I rode the 100 mile route, my first century. It was 4:45 when I got back to the finish line, but the rest areas were still open along the way, and the water and powerade and pickle juice were still flowing. Having the rest areas closer together for the last few miles was much appreciated. Weather wasn't that hot, which really helped. All rest stops had bananas and orange slices, and some had cookies, but some additional edible materials would have been handy, as I missed lunch while riding. Lots of Sag support visible. All in all, a great day and great ride, highly recommended if the weather is tolerable.

The HHH was a good time as always this year. The event staff did a wonderful job given the numbers of people there. The only downside was listening to some of the riders complain about the slower riders or kids at the start line. Yes, they should have been further back but they probably didn't know any better. I train like most do that are near the front but honestly I'm not competing in the Tour de France either. Have a good time out there and keep things in perspective. If you want an event where you really want to show your skills do a smaller time trialed event and not a huge rally. It is a wonderful event and 2% of the folks shouldn't ruin it for all the others.

This was the third time I rode here and by far the worst--even with the nice cycling weather. Why? The rest stops except for #2 and #5 were just terrible.  All the other stops had only oranges and bananas! In previous years, #4 has given out potato chips and Goldfish crackers, and #8 has had watermelon and cantaloupe slices--- and all the rest had great cookies. I stopped at #3 at 9:15 a.m. and was told "All the cookies we had are already gone."  There were many people complaining about the rest stops and I would like to know why the sparse offerings? The volunteers used to have themes for the rest stops and even dressed up in costume in previous years making for a festive feeling.  Not this year.   Also, I found out the races were back, but the women's prizes were half that of the men's.  What is the reason for that? Just plain ol' sexism rearing its ugly head? I had told several people that this was the ride to be at for the great rest stops alone--but no more! I might not even bother to come back next year.