skijor

If the lottery isn't your bag, and you're willing to make the drive, the Michigan Mountain Mayhem is only 40% full. It's the Saturday before the HHH. Last year was the first MMM. I didn't do it but it sounds like another HHH. I have biked around Boyne City and I believe it could be as challenging.

nietsmas

just got the email that i got in. did you? see you there

CyLowe97

More than likely. Stay tuned. And I'm thinking of going all lottery this year. If you want a map you need to bring a valid and unscratched lottery ticket.

Keep the rubberside down, please.

Barrettscv 

I'm in :-)

ColorChange

I'm in.

sschilli

Ditto. In. Wondering who isn't.

sekaijin

I'm in. For the HHH on 6/18 and the BFNIC 2/0 on 5/28.

MrWenzel

Well I got what I expected no lottery winner for me. I guess I can use the extra money on the new bike. I still wonder how many people won entry and will register. You know if you don't register and you took up a spot you don't get a spot in the ride. There so mean to the people that take up a spot and don't pay for that spot. Maybe next year they can register for a spot and not do the ride again. Great system.

CPcyclist

I didn't get in then again I knew I wasn't going to do it so I didn't put my name in the pool in the first place... I think I will volunteer this year if the weekend works out

sekaijin

I think this full-lottery system is saner and no less fair than the old "online feeding frenzy" way, which had me and cyclists across the land yelling and swearing at our computers in unison. Demand exceeds supply so there is no way to satisfy everyone.

Then again, they could just raise the price. Hard to know what the magic price is, but maybe a $150 HHH would not need a lottery. Would you prefer that?

Anyway, lottery winners have till 2/18 to register. There will probably be quite a few who don't.

My guess is there will be a 2nd-round lottery for the unclaimed slots ... so pay close attention to the HHH website between now and 2/18.

If not ... it happens. Been there.

I recommend it. That's what I did when I didn't get in. The volunteering itself is fun, and I really liked not having to sweat over getting a slot the next year.

CPcyclist

I have done both the 100K and 200K rides over the years... I would say volunteering this year is more out of a sense of giving back rather then, a want for a way to get to the front of the line next year. I live in the area and ride the roads all the time. Besides this year is about recovery for me post knee surgery because of a crash at inter bike this past fall.

MrWenzel

[QUOTE=sekaijin;12168230]I think this full-lottery system is saner and no less fair than the old "online feeding frenzy" way, which had me and cyclists across the land yelling and swearing at our computers in unison. Demand exceeds supply so there is no way to satisfy everyone.

Then again, they could just raise the price. Hard to know what the magic price is, but maybe a $150 HHH would not need a lottery. Would you prefer that?

Anyway, lottery winners have till 2/18 to register. There will probably be quite a few who don't.

My guess is there will be a 2nd-round lottery for the unclaimed slots ... so pay close attention to the HHH website between now and 2/18.

If not ... it happens. Been there.


Wow you think that there will be people that won in the lottery and won't register for the ride. Maybe you should have to put your credit card info to get into the lottery. No that can't work. Also I would prefer that they think before they post something on the WWW. Oh wait they can just delete the blog and then everyone will forget about it. I guess I can also pay attention to there facebook page wait they don't post anything there even when they ask you to "Like" it. Why not raise the entry fee?

paperback rider

Not in. It happens.

sschilli

That might be a blessing in disguise
6/25/2011 Kickapoo Kicker 100K, 150K, 200K Chip Timed. Stage 2 of the Wisconsin Triple Crown

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wiscon...25659100837477

paperback rider

Nice terrain. If done with the same high standards of event planning that have gone into the Dare, could be a lot of fun. But as for the triple crown concept, the hard part is being in peak condition in April. That's not happening for this rider and this year.

sschilli

Stage one is in the middle of May. 50K 100K 150K 200K. To earn the "free" triple crown jersey you just have to complete three equal or increasing distances. So 50K Brute + 100K Kicker + 150K Dairyland Dare would earn you the jersey. I don't know how many will take on the biggest courses on each event.
We're still working on the details, but we want to custom sublimate the actual distances completed on a per rider basis. So If you did 100K 100K 100K, your jersey would say so. (That's a big accomplishment for many people). If you did 200K 200K 300K, your jersey would say that too. You like?

sekaijin

Wow I love the Triple Crown concept. I'll have to see if I can pull that off this year. I generally lock in my cycling events for the year in advance, due to how overbooked my weekends get. The paid events I was planning on doing this year are HHH, Dairyland Dare, Centurion.

sschilli

Full details here: https://www.wisconsintriplecrown.com/
Dates are :
Arcadia's Brute: 5/14/11
Kickapoo Kicker: 6/25/11
Dairyland Dare: 8/13/11
Gotta hit all three to score the Triple Crown Jersey with YOUR name and YOUR distances on it.
Have you seen a Pactimo jersey? They make an awesome product.

BTW, here's the Kickapoo Kicker logo that I cooked up this morning. I think I like it!

That'll look awefully nice on a pint glass!

sekaijin

Nice logo there!

I realized, part of the appeal is, I'm a sucker for a free jersey! Kind of weird since I have more jerseys than I know what to do with and I spend most of the season wearing the same few jerseys to promote the charity ride I help organize.

CastIron

I think the HHH brand has simply grown beyond the means to satisfy demand. It really just encourages me to find other venues. Personally, I'd bump up cost to $250/ea and have one heckuva an event with mucho schwag, eats, and beer. I'd also deny you the ability to ride it consecutive years.

Live to Ride

It's pretty simple, the HHH was the first challenge ride in the area and they have the epic finish. Yes it is too bad it is so competative to get in, but, there are limits. The Insane Terrain is the fall back put on by the same folks and it has the epic finish too. early bird fee is also attractive at $55.

The Triple Crown is a novel idea and I have fanned those flames with a couple of the organizers. The challenge there is the total rider pool is what it is year in and year out, it doesn't really change much. Reality is that the DLD has a following of 500-700 riders, the Brute 100+ and the Kicker is new (I actually early registered for the Kicker twice and both were cancelled due to lack of ridership). So it isn't like riders are kicking in the doors to get in these events for one reason or another.

I am puzzled by the chosen marketing plan being deployed where early bird fees are high and mid-season fees are ridiculously high. I guess the naive thought is that riders will come out of the wood work and sign up early. Reality is that some of the usual early birds will sign up, the mid and later registrants will wake up and see $100 fee and quickly abondon. The result will be a few will pay early, the mid season registrants will decline greatly and last minute registrants will be nonexistent. Plus the fact that comp tickets are tossed out like candy. So in the end the few people that paid early are subsidizing the comp riders and there are no other riders. Just too many things wrong with this picture for me.

Many of us are fortunate in SW WI where we ride these same roads all Spring, Summer and Fall for free. That's what I'll be doing.

CastIron

^ A salient point. I know when you crack the $100 psychological barrier it gives me considerable pause. Surely I'm not alone, and it puts the organizer in the uncomfortable position of riders with remarkably high expectations. I recall the HHH ran out of beer VERY early one year and there was nearly a riot (of tired middle aged dudes in spandex). Good meat and cold beer make a me a happy camper.

sekaijin

Sure enough ... HHH website:

Unclaimed lottery spots will be open to the public beginning
Friday, February 18th, at 5:01pm CST at THIS LINK.

Buddy of mine who lost out in the first round just got in this way, in the second round.

Anyone else?

"Fred"

I had a friend told me he got a notice today that he was in. I bet it was one of these.

skijor

Thanks for the link. I'm in.