2009 MAPS

200K: The 200K version of the HHH offers 124.2 miles of wonderful riding — if you like hills! You'd better, because you'll be going up over 40 significant rises, from 50 ft bumps to the 910 ft final climb, for a total of 10,700 feet of elevation gain. The ride has four full service rest stops, including bathrooms, at mile markers 31, 55, 76, 100, and the finish line food party at 124.2 miles. Leg C is the easiest, a respite in preparation for legs D and E, which include probably the toughest string of hills in the Midwest. There will be mini-water stops at critical intersections where you can fill up your water bottle and get a banana or granola bar, but those will not have restrooms.

Staying on the route is facilitated by the maps you can access below, cue sheets, RED AND WHITE SIGNS on the roads, and volunteers at critical intersections. There will be sag wagons, medical support, and repair trucks. Please bring extra tubes and other spares to cover your own special needs (as if you were on a self-supported ride), especially if you use sew-up tires or non-standard gear. This will help you get back on the road faster in the event of a mechanical failure. We recommend a minimum of a 27 tooth rear cassette. Many successful completers of the HHH have used a rear MTB derailleur with a 32 or 34 tooth, or a triple crank.

Ham radio operators will be manning the course. Please stop any ham, repair truck, or sag wagon, and a ham operator will be able to call for the assistance you need. In the event of a serious emergency, pull out your cell phone or get to the nearest house and call 911. That may be faster than waiting for help. Get out and train on the route if you can, or on your own hills at home. Think tough, think very tough!

200 km route, 448 KB PDF file
Click the image for the full-size PDF map
See the 100 km map below for elevations

100K: The 100K ride offers a very challenging (but not as long) opportunity to test your riding skills, with 5,700 feet of elevation gain over 67.1 miles. Please read the comments above in the 200K section to get information about the route services provided. As much as possible, the 100K uses the same route as the 200K, but will be marked in RED AND WHITE SIGNS. Where the route deviates from the 200K, there will be volunteers and signage. The 100K has full service rest stops at mile markers 31, 50, and the finish line food party at 67.5 miles. Even though it is shorter, the 100K is a serious undertaking, and on the whole, is harder than flatter century rides. We recommend a minimum of a 27 tooth rear cassette. Many successful completers of the HHH have used a rear MTB derailleur with a 32 or 34 tooth, or a triple crank. Print the map below and train on the course if you can, or on your own hills. Start your training early, train often, and keep up the hill work!

100 km route, 412 KB PDF file
Click the image for the full-size PDF map

More info: One of our riders, Tom Thiesen, created an interesting elevation profile. His computer-generated chart says that the course has more than 12,000 feet of climbing. Does anyone have GPS data? We'd love to share more profiles from our riders.

2009 event
photos