# Dates set for Spring Classics - 2012



## AlanE

Saturday March 31st will be the 4th Annual Hell of Hunterdon from Lambertville, NJ. 

Saturday April 7th will be the 6th Annual Fools Classic from Doylestown Township, PA. 

The date for the 2nd Fleche Buffoon is TBD, pending resolution of schedule conflicts, but will be announced ASAP.


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## robdamanii

AlanE said:


> Saturday March 31st will be the 4th Annual Hell of Hunterdon from Lambertville, NJ.
> 
> Saturday April 7th will be the 6th Annual Fools Classic from Doylestown Township, PA.
> 
> The date for the 2nd Fleche Buffoon is TBD, pending resolution of schedule conflicts, but will be announced ASAP.


Ooo, we visited Lambertville the other day when down there. Love it there. It seems there are dirt roads available? 

If I were able to train, I'd be all over this. Maybe next year.


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## tednugent

robdamanii said:


> Ooo, we visited Lambertville the other day when down there. Love it there. It seems there are dirt roads available?
> 
> If I were able to train, I'd be all over this. Maybe next year.


There is a rail-trail along the DE River, part of the D&R Canal system.

http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/pdf/drcanal.pdf

Plus, lambertville & especially New Hope have great social scenes on the weekends.


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## robdamanii

tednugent said:


> There is a rail-trail along the DE River, part of the D&R Canal system.
> 
> http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/pdf/drcanal.pdf
> 
> Plus, lambertville & especially New Hope have great social scenes on the weekends.


But supposedly there are a bunch of unpaved sections of HoH? I'll have to ride the route sometime and see them.

How spectator friendly is HoH?


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## tednugent

never done HoH. Wanted to do it this year, but I have a bachlor party to go to (Vegas).

2011 Course:
2011 Hell of Hunterdon FINAL - A bike ride in Lambertville, NJ 08530, US

At least you're not attempting the actual Sourlands trails.... more suited for a mountain bike (it's very rocky)


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## AlanE

robdamanii said:


> But supposedly there are a bunch of unpaved sections of HoH? I'll have to ride the route sometime and see them.
> 
> How spectator friendly is HoH?


HoH isn't a race, it's just a fun ride. I've done it every year. And it's a relative bargain at $25 (last year). The first year was actually free, sponsored by Pure Energy. Plus beer and pizza at the finish. The 75 mile course has about 15 dirt sections that added up probably amount to less than 15 miles. For the most part, the dirt sections are smooth and very rideable on a road bike, as long as they haven't added any fresh gravel over the winter.

BTW, kudos to tednugent for properly referring to the path along the canal as a "rail-trail". Everytime someone calls it a "tow-path" I want to slap them upside the head.


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## tednugent

AlanE said:


> HoH isn't a race, it's just a fun ride. I've done it every year. And it's a relative bargain at $25 (last year). The first year was actually free, sponsored by Pure Energy. Plus beer and pizza at the finish. The 75 mile course has about 15 dirt sections that added up probably amount to less than 15 miles. For the most part, the dirt sections are smooth and very rideable on a road bike, as long as they haven't added any fresh gravel over the winter.
> 
> BTW, kudos to tednugent for properly referring to the path along the canal as a "rail-trail". Everytime someone calls it a "tow-path" I want to slap them upside the head.


Technically it is a tow-path, not a rail-trail. I'm just used to calling it rail-trail since I sometimes ride rail-trails in NNJ.

It is a tow path because mules used to tow boats up the canal. There was no railroad tracks on it, to be actually called a rail-trail


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## AlanE

tednugent said:


> Technically it is a tow-path, not a rail-trail. I'm just used to calling it rail-trail since I sometimes ride rail-trails in NNJ.
> 
> It is a tow path because mules used to tow boats up the canal. There was no railroad tracks on it, to be actually called a rail-trail


WHACK !!!
That's the sound on me slapping you upside the head. In cyberspace. 

The canal on the NJ side of the Delaware was a "feeder" canal, built to supply water to the main canal at Trenton (i.e. the Raritan Canal). Cargo (mostly coal) was moved in the canal on the PA side of the river from Easton and then transferred to the Raritan canal for transport to New Brunswick & and then on to NY.

The railroad was the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, which ran along the river from Belvidere to Trenton. From Bull's Island south it ran along side of the feeder canal. 

Have you ever ridden the trail from Bull's Island up to Frenchtown? Did you notice the canal along the trail? Of course not. There is no canal there. Never was.


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## tednugent

got mixed up with the PA side.... which was a tow path, using mules

P.S.

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park



> The Feeder CanalAlthough the feeder canal originally was designed to supply water to the main canal, it was navigated by cargo vessels from the time of its completion. Changes to the feeder canal were made to allow vessels from Pennsylvania's Delaware Division Canal to lock into the feeder canal at Lambertville. *Canal boats and barges were pulled by mule teams at first*. Steam-powered ships were introduced on the canal around 1843.


Maybe the site is wrong. You should correct them on that--- that mules never towed boats there.


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## RJP Diver

AlanE said:


> Saturday March 31st will be the 4th Annual Hell of Hunterdon from Lambertville, NJ.
> 
> Saturday April 7th will be the 6th Annual Fools Classic from Doylestown Township, PA.
> 
> The date for the 2nd Fleche Buffoon is TBD, pending resolution of schedule conflicts, but will be announced ASAP.


Damn - I'm traveling on the 31st and the 7th!

:cryin:

Anyone want to do the HoH route the week before? (I do various parts of it EVERY weekend all year, but will be fun to string it all together for a ride... especially if the 2012 route changes at all.)


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## RJP Diver

robdamanii said:


> How spectator friendly is HoH?


The only spectators I saw last year were my wife and kids, who surprised me with banners and such on Hollow Road right before the turn onto Grandview. Was nice to be coming up the hill and see people cheering... and then realize as I got closer that they were cheering for ME!

:thumbsup:


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## BethLikesBikes

This looks like an awesome ride!


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## AlanE

tednugent said:


> got mixed up with the PA side.... which was a tow path, using mules
> 
> P.S.
> 
> Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe the site is wrong. You should correct them on that--- that mules never towed boats there.


I never said that mules never towed boats in the feeder canal. I simply said it was a rail-trail because it was a railroad before it was made into a bike path. And certainly the trail north of Bulls Island. But if you feel vindicated based on the above, that's cool.


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## RJP Diver

AlanE said:


> I never said that mules never towed boats in the feeder canal. I simply said it was a rail-trail because it was a railroad before it was made into a bike path. And certainly the trail north of Bulls Island. But if you feel vindicated based on the above, that's cool.


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## thegock

*When do registration open up for this-haven't been able to find online?*

A friend of mine wanted me to do it last year but I couldn't. He had a great season and he said it helped going out for 78 miles at 27 degrees leg over bar time.:blush2::cryin:


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## AlanE

I saw on BikeReg that registration opens on Jan. 31. 
Limit set at 350 (up from 250 last year). 
Fee is $35 (up from 25 last year)
Hopefully the starting temp wil be near 35 (up from 25 last year)


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## Terex

robdamanii said:


> But supposedly there are a bunch of unpaved sections of HoH? I'll have to ride the route sometime and see them.
> 
> *How spectator friendly is HoH*?


If you sit at the end my my driveway, it's very friendly - but very boring. If you sit along one of the dirt roads on the back of the Sourlands and watch when the racer boys come down, it may be pretty interesting for about 20 min. The best parts are the pre- and post-race festivities.

And look at njbikemap.com - it has a key showing were all of the unpaved sections of road are in NJ. You can pick out the sections of unpaved on the HOH and ride them to your hearts content. Or just go on one of Alan's regular rides...


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## thegock

*Thanks, Al*

Nmmmm


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## BethLikesBikes

We're moving down to NJ on Saturday. Can't wait to get out on those roads and hopefully meet up with some of you guys!


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## RJP Diver

BethLikesBikes said:


> We're moving down to NJ on Saturday. Can't wait to get out on those roads and hopefully meet up with some of you guys!


Welcome to the neighborhood! Whereabouts did you guys decide on?

If you ever see someone in the Hunterdon/Somerset area on a black Cervelo R3 shout "Hey, Ray!" and if the guys turns around... it's me.

:thumbsup:


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## robdamanii

RJP Diver said:


> Welcome to the neighborhood! Whereabouts did you guys decide on?
> 
> If you ever see someone in the Hunterdon/Somerset area on a black Cervelo R3 shout "Hey, Ray!" and if the guys turns around... it's me.
> 
> :thumbsup:


Lebanon.

I actually saw a couple riders today: one of the Somerville guys and someone else on a silver Madone with a yellow/white/black team kit. Everyone seems to like to truck up to the Round Valley reservoir.


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## AlanE

robdamanii said:


> Lebanon.
> 
> .


I guess great cycling trumps easy commute. At least you have your priorities straight.


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## tednugent

robdamanii said:


> Lebanon.
> 
> I actually saw a couple riders today: one of the Somerville guys and someone else on a silver Madone with a yellow/white/black team kit. Everyone seems to like to truck up to the Round Valley reservoir.


and people go mountain biking at round valley also
Round Valley State Park - mtbNJ.com


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## robdamanii

AlanE said:


> I guess great cycling trumps easy commute. At least you have your priorities straight.


I've driven it a couple times already. It's not too bad. Nothing worse than when I used to commute down the Taconic anyway.

We hated the Franklin area, and there was nothing that fit our needs in the Flemington area. At least we can have our bike therapy this way.


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## AlanE

FYI - from HoH organizer Brian

We are 1 day behind schedule, but registration for the 2012 Hell of Hunterdon is now open. You may register at: Hell of Hunterdon Online Registration

We are still in the process of updating the website, and will contact everyone with updates as things develop. 

The most important news is that River Horse Brewery has renewed their support!

We hope to see you on March 31st. 

-- 
Brian Ignatin
Kermesse Sport LLC
+1 (267) 744-4538


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## RJP Diver

AlanE said:


> FYI - from HoH organizer Brian


Unfortunately I'll be mountain-biking in Antigua that day.

Damn...

:cryin:


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