2008 Hilly Hundred
Skip’s Page, Labor Day 2008:  Summer’s Over.
Updated September 1, 2008

It is sad.  It’s now Labor Day Weekend and the entire summer is behind us.  Most of us can happily recall many hours of cycling fun over the past 3 months.  Most of us will continue to ride into the fall months, but we’ll have to deal with cooler temperatures and shorter days.  Fortunately, we now have daylight savings time to ride after work into the evening.  Best of all, we have the Hilly Hundred quickly approaching.  Many of you will use this event as a reunion of cycling friends.  Many of you will use it as a season ending bike adventure.  Many will use it as a challenge to test your cycling fitness and increasing bike skills.  And many of us will use it as the next Hilly before the next Hilly.

Whatever your motivation and reason for attending the 41st Annual Hilly Hundred Weekend, now is the time to be making your final preparations.  The indoor sleepers,  campers and RVers should be fine tuning their equipment.  Everyone else should be making their motel reservations in Bloomington.  Our bikes must receive the usual periodic attention that they deserve.  If you ride as much as many of us do, you should change your chain now, and it will last you all winter.  Same with tires.  Same with worn and possibly rusted cables.  Simple maintenance now will save you problems down the road.  Literally.  And finally, the most important of all.  The motor.  You.  I hope that each of you have accumulated plenty of miles over the summer.  Training on hills is not as important as simply getting the miles.  Lots of them.  And you should be riding in groups as often as possible, as there’s safety in numbers on the open roads, and there’s a need to be familiar with riding in the company of many others.  You’ll have bikes around you at all times during the Hilly. 

Remember that Skip’s Page is used for late breaking news and important things to know.  You will be well advised to check this page the week of the Hilly and before leaving home for Ellettsville. 

Please join us on the weekend of October 17, 18 & 19, 2008 for the next and the best Hilly Hundred Weekend ……… ever!!   Please contact me at the email shown below if you have any questions or problems as you register, either on-line or with the traditional paper form. 

Skip Higgins

Managing Director


Skip’s Page, Spring 2008:  Rolling on.
Updated May 19, 2008

As the Hilly Hundred begins its next 40 year run, I can speak for the entire leadership of CIBA and the Hilly itself when I say THANKS to you.  The success of the greatest weekend bike tour in the entire country can be attributed to its participants.  Those of you who return year after year, those of you have brought and continue to bring your cycling friends, those of you who spread the word of our great event, those of you ………….  Well, you get the point.  Sure, we often pay tribute to our volunteers, the school, the local residents, all of whom are important in the conducting of the Hilly.  And this is not intended to diminish their importance.  But all of their efforts would be irrelevant if it weren’t for the riders who return year after year.  You have endured the bad weather with the good, you’ve maintained a great attitude as our event grows and outgrows certain aspects of past Hillys, you’ve always considered the glass as half full when problems have arisen, and you’ve showered us with your comments after each Hilly with the intent of making a great event even greater.

Once again, the directors of the Hilly Hundred are approaching the 2008 event just as they have in past years, with the goal of making this year’s event the best ever.  In the process of doing this, we continue the traditions that seem popular, and we innovate to improve certain matters, trying to begin new traditions.  Just as we have second and third generation riders coming to the Hilly, we are hoping to prepare for many future generations by remaining vibrant and young in our attitudes toward this event.  

Please join us on the weekend of October 17, 18 & 19, 2008 for the next and the best Hilly Hundred Weekend ……… ever!!  Registration will begin on June 1st. 

Skip Higgins

Managing Director