Hilly Hundred facts for kids

The Hilly Hundred is a fun bike ride that happens every year. It lasts for two days. Riders explore the beautiful hills of south-central Indiana. You can ride about 50 miles each day. This means you ride 100 miles over the weekend! There's also a shorter 40-mile option on the second day. More than 5,000 bike lovers come from all over the country to join.

The ride goes through rolling hills. You will find both steep climbs and exciting downhills. Along the way, there are many rest stops. These stops have live bands and free food for everyone who signed up. This helps create a friendly and welcoming feeling among all the riders.

History of the Hilly Hundred

The Hilly Hundred was first started by Hartley Alley, Bernard Clayton, and Tom Prebys. It began as a two-day, 100-mile ride through central Indiana. The Southern Indiana Bicycle Touring Association (SIBTA) first sponsored the event. The very first ride took place on June 15, 1968. Only 54 riders started from Bloomington that day.

By 1979, the Hilly Hundred had become very popular. About 1,900 riders signed up. The Central Indiana Bicycling Association (CIBA) then took over as the main sponsor.

In 1982, around 2,800 riders joined the event. To handle so many people safely, they started using a "staggered start." This means riders began their journey in smaller groups at different times. In 1995, they set a limit of 5,000 riders. This was to make sure the event would not get too big to manage.

In 2003, the Hilly Hundred moved its main meeting place. It changed its headquarters to new facilities in Ellettsville, Indiana.

How Volunteers Help

Many amazing volunteers help make the Hilly Hundred a success. They make sure everyone is safe and has a great time.

Communications

Volunteer amateur radio operators help with communications. These are people who use special radios to talk to each other. Many of them are from the Bloomington Amateur Radio Club and K9IU. Other radio fans from the area also help out.

These volunteers ride along with "SAGs." SAGs are support and gear vehicles that help riders who need assistance. A radio station is also set up at each rest stop. Many stations, especially the SAGs, use an APRS unit. This unit sends out their location. This way, the main control center knows where everyone is.

All communications are managed through a "directed net." This means one main station controls all the radio traffic. The main control center is in Ellettsville at Edgewood High School. It helps coordinate all radio messages and SAG vehicles. Recently, they have used a special radio system called the WB9TLH 2m repeater. This system is located on the Indiana University, Bloomington campus.

Regular Cell phones are not the main way they communicate. This is because cell service can be bad or missing in many parts of the ride. Also, they decided it was better for all messages to be "open." This means everyone involved can hear what is happening. It helps make sure important news and information are shared quickly.

Other Helpers

Other volunteers at the Hilly Hundred include medics. These are usually registered nurses who can help with any injuries. Local law enforcement also often helps. They manage traffic to make sure the event runs smoothly and safely for everyone.