The History of the Horribly Hilly Hundreds
The Beginning of the HHH
In 1993, Blue Mound State Park manager Karl Heil rode Greg Krystek's first Abomination ride, which started and finished at the highest point in southern Wisconsin, 1,716-foot West Blue Mound, the focal point of the park. This cue sheet ride was one of Greg's famous super-challenging rides around SW Wisconsin that he previews every year with an article in Silent Sports magazine, followed by an informal group ride. Fifteen people showed up for the first Abomination; it was 117 miles and just over 10,000 feet of elevation gain.
Karl went on to ride the 200K Copper Country Color Tour in Houghton, MI, in 1997, and North Carolina's challenging Bridge to Bridge ride in 1998. A long-time bicycle commuter and hill climbing fan, Karl began to dream that there were enough others like him to support a ride that would feature the fine climbs in the area, promoting both his state park and the nearby community of Mount Horeb.
In 2002, Karl approached the Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce, who enthusiastically embraced the concept. He then recruited his friend Stuart, who had designed touring centuries, as one of his partners in crime, and with Abomination designer Greg K., they put together a fine 119-mile route -- which was supposed to be a "long" 112-mile century, but that's another story. Criminally sadistic it was!
Karl recruited a great staff of volunteers for the first year, including Viking Goulash master Linda D., food stop coordinator Shelby F., Lysianne U. at the registration desk, Don M. as Ham radio master, and Thomas M. as graphics designer. They patiently waited, hoping to fill 250 slots in what was billed as the "Toughest Century in the Midwest" (and also the longest century anywhere!).
Ride day came on June 14th, 2003, and 400 people showed up! Karl got the shuttle buses loaded up, Stuart barked out directions on the bullhorn at the mass start, some people got lost, everybody got challenged, and everybody loved the Viking Goulash!
A good time was had by all, even though less than 50% of long option riders finished the entire route. Tim Valley, an Ironman from Madison, finished the event first in 7:05. (He went on to place 16th overall in the Idaho Ironman competition two weeks later.)
The riders were happy, and went home talking about what they would do differently next year, whom they were going to tell about it, and how to convince more of their friends to train with them. Madison's Isthmus newspaper voted the HHH as the "Sufferfest of the Year" for 2003. Karl, Stuart, and the rest of the volunteers were beaming with delight. An event was born. An event not to be missed by serious riders anywhere. An event destined to go down in history as "The Toughest One-Day Challenge Ride in the Midwest!"
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