EBCC

Roy, you did better than you thought as we didn't catch you until Ratlum Road. Brian, Mike, and Ned (5:30 group), enjoyed your company on the ride as it made all the hills a little easier, if that is possible.

Hey Mike, I have your T-Shirt, you earned it. Great effort. Looks like you actually went 5-6 miles further than everyone else with that little detour out West Hill all the way to Route 183 and back before you found Bruning. Will bring the shirt to the the WIngbiter if you're going to be there.

Walt

Thanks Walt. So far, plan to ride Friday.

Well it serves me right since I did not take the time to check out the forum for start times and confirm the route. I was sitting in my car leisurely getting prepped (contacts, etc) when most of the group left. When I was ready I left with Pat's group and knew I was not long for hanging with their pace. Once we hit West mountain it was adios amigos!

I was not sure of the route when I hit 44 so I headed west and went up Steel to Hoppen. At end of Hoppen, I saw some riders coming up Town line from the west so I knew I just had to climb that hill. Down I went to the bottom where I did a U-turn and climbed up. Once at the top I decided I knew plenty of hills to ride so I headed down Town LIne and went left on West Hill. At top of West hill I took Trumbull to East Hill for decent to RT 44.

Once I hit RT 44, the closest hill I could think of was North Mountain so up I went. Over the top and a right turn on road that took me to RT 20 then into Riverton. East River road to Pleasant Valley and then up and over Dam. Down 219 to Ratlum and past ski area. Starting to get dark!

Followed same route as "Hillfest" to 179, but really to late to include East Mountain in my ride so I headed back via 179.

45.5 miles, 4,500 feet of elevation - a sufficient beat on!

I'm game for the Hillfest loop with anyone who missed it. Just let me know when.

Ron

You almost got it Ron. Route goes up 219 (past Steele) with a right on W. Hill Road. Then down Turnbull and up 219 (then down, up Steele and down again).

Sounds like you went up Old North Rd to route 20. That hill has anything on the Hiilfest beat. Including it has been mentioned in the past but the self styled "keepers of the Hillfest" would not have it. It's a great hill but eats up alot of flat time getting back to Ratlum.

Just gotta say, no only was that a fun ride last night but having Brent one step ahead us of snapping photos of everyone and Walt providing tee-shirts to celebrate the personal victory of the Hillfest was great. It's people like them (and there are many others) doing fun stuff for everyone else that makes Eastern Bloc such a great club.

> Brent, great job on the photos! Really nice. You were strategically in many painful places. Enjoyable Hillfest this year! I'll have to say my most memorable moment came when I said hello to Tom on Steele Road and he replied something to the effect: "Mambo dog jive in the banana patch...or something like that..." That happens. We were not sure if it was English frankly. Good time!

That was awesome. He was speaking fluent Hillfestese. We were laughing all the way up Steele! That's Tom!

Great hillfest!

Christian thanks for coordinating. Patsy, I was wondering why you weren't passing me on some of those hills. My arm could possibly be twisted into a second hillfest but need some leg recovery time first. Brent, thanks for stalking us to get all those pictures.

> Also. I'm curious to see those shirts Walt had made...and who the proud new owners are. I say red mike gets one for shear determination and persistence.

The official scoring for the T- Shirts was somewhat difficult because of the various departure times and the fact that many riders, after reaching the top of the last climb (East Mountain), turned off and rode home. The rules committee has determined that since the rest of the ride to the Finish line is downhill, these riders would be deemed to have "completed" the course.

Red Mike did get a T-Shirt. "Old Goat" got one also. I gave one away to a "fast rider" right before I left because he was parked next to Roy and I wanted to lighten my load for the ride home.

Sooo, I have two shirts left. If there are no objections, these will go to Ron and Patsy. Ron because he went off course, but completed the equivalent of a Hillfest which included the Old North climb and Patsy who had to deal with the disappointment of abandoning due to a mechanical.

The scoring committee was not fooled by Sam's "posing" for Brent's camera's each time, making a face to make it seem like he was suffering tremendously when, as he always is, simply gliding along in the pack. Brent: Love the "Slow" sign in the backround of the photos on Satan's Elbow, which is in amazing focus for my photo.

A fun time, I would be up for another Hillfest should Ron and Patsy feel the need to do it sometime.

I second that!

I am exercising executive action to deem the motion as carried. Begin declaring your intended start times from the Canton HS.

This will take the place of the regular RP ride this week. The WED IP leaders can decide what to do with the IP ride.

Somebody find Coleman and get him out there with us!