This year I moved to North Texas and what perfect timing — August 28th brings a 3-day cycling fest up in Wichita Falls called the Hotter’n Hell Hundred, or HHH by the locals.

The reason for the name is obvious — north Texas in late August is a place even the Devil can’t tolerate.  Heat and a steady wind make it like riding into the face of the world’s biggest blow dryer. Or so they brag.

Having heard about it but never ridden it, I’m looking forward to the experience.  For Cat 4 and better riders, races kick off just before 7 a.m., and you’re in for one hundred miles of fun on mostly flat roads, with some rollers on the back half.  Behind you will be approximately ten thousand, yes, thousand with a th, recreational riders in what I’m anticipating is a mosh-pit of unusual bikes and equally unusual riders out for a long recreational ride.  I expect it’ll kind of be like RAGBRAI back there, but without the cornfields and the smell of pigs.  Well, at least without the cornfields, anyway.

But I digress.

Across the Midwest, the HHH is pretty much an institution, and surviving it is pretty much a badge of cycling honor.  As race day nears I’ll post more info, but if you’ve ever thought about trying it, take a look at the race info here:  http://www.hh100.org/