# Anyone want to do the "Hell of Hunterdon" route 3/24 or 3/17?



## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

I won't be able to participate on 3/31 due to some unavoidable scheduling conflicts. Anyone else not able to make it on 3/31 who wants to get out? Or perhaps you are riding on 3/31 and want to get a preview?


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

RJP Diver said:


> I won't be able to participate on 3/31 due to some unavoidable scheduling conflicts. Anyone else not able to make it on 3/31 who wants to get out? Or perhaps you are riding on 3/31 and want to get a preview?


Or some shorter portion thereof if no one's interested in the full 77mi.

:thumbsup:


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Oof. If I were in any condition to do it, I might be up for it. As it is, I'm still in the 30-35 mile range for rides at this point in the season.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

robdamanii said:


> Oof. If I were in any condition to do it, I might be up for it. As it is, I'm still in the 30-35 mile range for rides at this point in the season.


We could figure out a 35mi "best of HoH" ride if you like.

(I did 50mi of the route today to test a new saddle... doesn't look like a keeper.)


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

RJP Diver said:


> We could figure out a 35mi "best of HoH" ride if you like.
> 
> (I did 50mi of the route today to test a new saddle... doesn't look like a keeper.)


After Battenkill, I wanted to destroy my saddle. It is my favorite saddle of all time, but that day nicknamed it "the GrundleMuncher."

I'll check with the missus (and probably wait to see the weather) but I'd like to hit some of the route.


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## BethLikesBikes (Nov 28, 2010)

Sounds great! I'd be up for an abbreviated route as long as the weather cooperates.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

BethLikesBikes said:


> Sounds great! I'd be up for an abbreviated route as long as the weather cooperates.


Weather dependent, to be sure. 30F or warmer at the start and not raining works for me. Last year it was 50F on the Saturday the week before HoH, and the day of the event it was 24F at the start...

I'm up for pretty much any Sat or Sun you guys want to do a 35mi route. I'll pull something together that covers the fun bits of the course. Do you want to include unpaved sections?

Do you want to start in Lambertville? Main reason to do so would be to end there... plenty of places with cold beer!


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

RJP Diver said:


> Weather dependent, to be sure. 30F or warmer at the start and not raining works for me. Last year it was 50F on the Saturday the week before HoH, and the day of the event it was 24F at the start...
> 
> I'm up for pretty much any Sat or Sun you guys want to do a 35mi route. I'll pull something together that covers the fun bits of the course. Do you want to include unpaved sections?
> 
> Do you want to start in Lambertville? Main reason to do so would be to end there... plenty of places with cold beer!


What would be HoH without the unpaved sections? 

Not only beer, but coffee as well (at least that's what I'm told.)


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## BethLikesBikes (Nov 28, 2010)

Even 40ish miles should be fine. Beer sounds great and we discovered that Lambertville has good falafel too


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

RJP Diver said:


> I won't be able to participate on 3/31 due to some unavoidable scheduling conflicts. Anyone else not able to make it on 3/31 who wants to get out? Or perhaps you are riding on 3/31 and want to get a preview?


I am only really at 45 miles or so this winter. But would be interested. 

What tires are you going to ride? I was thinking of swapping the 23s on my winter bike for some 28s or even 32s if they fit. Really want to do some trails in Dc in June and it got me thinking along with Hoh.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

NJBiker72 said:


> I am only really at 45 miles or so this winter. But would be interested.
> 
> What tires are you going to ride? I was thinking of swapping the 23s on my winter bike for some 28s or even 32s if they fit. Really want to do some trails in Dc in June and it got me thinking along with Hoh.


25s are fine. I run 25 Gatorskins on these routes every weekend year-round. No need for anything more than that. 28s or 32s would be like riding in molasses on the 85% of the route that IS paved.

:thumbsup:


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

RJP Diver said:


> 25s are fine. I run 25 Gatorskins on these routes every weekend year-round. No need for anything more than that. 28s or 32s would be like riding in molasses on the 85% of the route that IS paved.
> 
> :thumbsup:


Thanks. Trying to think of something significantly different from my 23s. Have Refuse on the secteur and they are great but not on gravel. I figure they May even replace the turbo s-works on the tarmac at some point. 

Also thinking of debris littered trails from my Dc days.


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## SlipKid727 (Sep 25, 2005)

I'd be up for a ride on either the 17th or 24th.
Lambertville and temps 40 and above sounds good.
Start time and location?


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

SlipKid727 said:


> I'd be up for a ride on either the 17th or 24th.
> Lambertville and temps 40 and above sounds good.
> Start time and location?


Let's call it _"_The_ 'Ah, What the Heck' _of Hunterdon_"_ shall we?

Date: 3/17 with a rain date of 3/24?

Location: The D&R Canal park/parking area right down the street from Pure Energy.

Distance: 40ish miles

Route: TBD (I'll take a stab at something based on HoH, hitting as many dirt stretches as possible, and post here.)

What works best for folks start-wise: 9am or 10am? Personally I like an early start, but 10am does give us the higher likelihood of a warmer start temp and less temp change during the ride.)


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

Sounds like it would work. Start time I'd think would depend on the weather/winds (seems like the winds strengthen as the day wears on around here.)

I guess I should get out tomorrow and put some more miles in, huh?


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## SlipKid727 (Sep 25, 2005)

10 o'clock would work better for me since I work nights and like you said might be a little warmer.
But I can make 9 work too.
Whatever works best for everyone.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Generally prefer earlier but not sure on my availability yet anyway. How long is everyone thinking?


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

NJBiker72 said:


> Generally prefer earlier but not sure on my availability yet anyway. How long is everyone thinking?


Sounds like something in the 35-40mi range is the consensus.

Perhaps we shoot for 9:30 as a start time, with some flexibility based on weather.

I've got a couple of ideas for routes. Will play with them over the next couple of days and post back here.


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## BethLikesBikes (Nov 28, 2010)

Sounds good!


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

maybe for me.... but if my friends want to drag me to 6 mile run reservoir for some singletrack.... that usually takes priority.


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## Sloburu (Mar 23, 2011)

How much gravel road are we talking about here?


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

Sloburu said:


> How much gravel road are we talking about here?












I think it's about 15% of the entire 77mi HoH route. So that'd be 11miles or so. Figure half that for a 35-40mi version, maybe less as many of the unpaved sections are far from each other, so I'm having a hard time stringing most of them together in under 50mi. I don't think any of the individual unpaved sections are more than a mile in length.

It's more "hard packed dirt" than than "loose gravel" in actuality. These are roads that are traveled by cars, so they are flat, generally rut-free, and easily ridden on a road bike. From the HoH website "_The route is perfectly suitable for standard Road Bikes with Road Tires; tires wider than 23mm are suggested. Cyclocross bikes are welcome, but certainly not required, as most of the ride is on paved roads._"

This picture is a pretty accurate reflection of the type:


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## robdamanii (Feb 13, 2006)

If any of the dirt roads around Lebanon are an indication, they are a treat compared to the Hudson Valley dirt that's loaded with ruts, potholes and gravel.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

robdamanii said:


> If any of the dirt roads around Lebanon are an indication, they are a treat compared to the Hudson Valley dirt that's loaded with ruts, potholes and gravel.


Pretty similar, though you'll find they can change from week to week, depending on how much rain/snow falls. Some are better than others. All are easily passable. Believe it or not, they are best when there's been a little bit of rain recently. Not so recently that they are wet, but enough that the dust is down and the rocks/gravel have been packed down into the dirt by car traffic.


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## Sloburu (Mar 23, 2011)

thanks for the info. Going to have to think about this one. Just get of work at 530am and it's a 2.5 hour drive.


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