Hell’s Hollow 200k – October 17th 2020

2020 Info: Route will be Hell’s Hollow, first used in 2018. Details below refer to 2018 event and will be updated for 2020 over the summer.

Start Location: 145 Lloyd Ave, Providence, RI
Start Time: 7am
Length: 200k
Time Limit: 13.5 Hours
Ride Leader: Ted Shwartz
Controls: Chepachet, RI; Charlton, MA; Plainfield, CT
Sanctioning: RUSA Only
Cue Sheet 200k: Cue (PDF – Updated 10/18/18)
Lighting & Reflective Gear: Required if finishing after 6pm
Registration: Register via BikeReg
GPS File/Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28588461 (Updated 10/7/2018)

New mid-autumn brevet out of Providence, RI and hosted by volunteer Ted Shwartz. The event uses a rolling route through the Western parts of Rhode Island, Southern MA, and Eastern CT. (For those headed to PBP in 2019, the terrain is notably similar.) Highlights include almost 20 miles on flat bike paths and gorgeous rolling roads in sparsely populated areas of the three states. The final 20 miles is almost all downhill, which you’ll appreciate by that part of the ride. Plenty of places to stop for snacks in addition to the three controls.

Sunset is at 5:56 so riders must wear full reflective gear (reflective vest/sash + legbands) and have a bright headlight & taillight if finishing after this time. Important Route Note: There is a several mile stretch at the end of the route through downtown Cranston and Providence after leaving the bike path. This is dense, urban riding. Riders should be aware of this section before attempting event.

Big thanks to Ted for hosting this late season Brevet!

Photos from Aug 25th 2018 Pre-Ride (Jake)

Hell’s Hollow aptly begins by going by the birthplace of the father of Cthulhu.
Bike Path leaving Providence along the Woonasquatucket River Greenway. Surprisingly not much foot traffic.
This is an example of the sort of road you’ll be spending most of the day on.
First Control: The Village Bean. Pictured is a chocolate chip & coconut muffin. Still warm!
When stopping to re-patch a tube this cute guy climbed on for a ride. Anyone know what type of spider it is?
Overlook in Dudley, MA. The route has no steep climbs but is endlessly rolling.
The famously long lake name.
Ruins in Plainfield, CT. This stately house burned down in 2015. Apparently the fire required 18 tanker trucks. You can see what the house looked like before the fire on Google Maps (Link).
Control #3 is a classic. The double cheeseburger & milkshake really hit the spot. Cheap too. Tip: The “Small” shake is probably large enough.
There’s about 15 miles of flat, well paved bike path coming into Providence. Not many others on the path, even on a nice day. Good place to pick up some time or take it easy.