2012 Hell's Gate Hundred, March 31, 2012         
Above are some selected shots from the event. We have several hundred images online from this event! Slideshow links below.
The dreadful weather was somewhat ironic, as we had hosted 46 cyclists from across the USA, Canada, and the UK for the four days previous to Hell's Gate Hundred during our CORPScamp Death Valley cycling camp, and we enjoyed absolutely perfect weather for all four days. But Mother Nature can be cruel, and as we have said a million times, "any kind of weather is possible any time of the year in Death Valley." Still, the riders in the Hell's Gate Hundred handled the situation with aplomb and good cheer. Most turned around ahead of schedule, because as the wind was picking up speed to 30, 40, 50 mph or more, it was coming from the south, making for a nearly impossible human-powered return to Furnace Creek. Also, many riders, once they got off the course, hopped in their cars and mini-vans to go out and scoop up riders who needed a lift. We thank all the Good Samaritans who helped out! One hundred and twenty-eight riders participated in the event, with just eight riders completing the full 100 miles, while at least ten riders completed the 65-mile "Metric Century" route (turn-around at Hell's Gate). Due to the high winds, we had to move the finish line over to the front of the Furnace Creek General Store, so some riders didn't check in properly when they finished. Still, they eventually made their way to the finish line and enjoyed fresh, locally made pizza, while greeting those hardy riders who crossed the finish line, regardles of distance traveled, under their own power. Attesting to the wide-ranging enthusiasm for riding in Death Valley, we had registered riders from twenty-three American States: AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, MD, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, SC, UT, VA, WA, and WI, plus the UK and Canada (ON and QC)! As at all AdventureCORPS events, the mainstay fuel and hydration sources were HEED, Perpetuem, Hammer Gel, and Endurolytes from Hammer Nutrition. We were pleased to also once again serve locally grown dates from the China Ranch Date Farm in nearby Tecopa, NV! Dates are a delicious source of energy for athletes which have been eaten and enjoyed in desert regions for millennia! Hell's Gate riders ate them at each checkpoint and discovered why! Plus, we are excited to support a local business, a fellow member of the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce! Certainly everybody had an adventure and it was a pleasure to spend a memorable day "out there" with you! Thanks for riding and thanks for joining us! Thanks to the wonderful volunteers who made it all happen!Check-In: Jeff Bell, Steve Giant Water Bug Gray, and Karen Gray, Chris Kostman, and Laurie Streff Start Line: Steve Giant Water Bug Gray, Karen Gray, Darren Santos, Steve Protoceratops Barnes and Elliot Hansen Artist Palette: Steve Giant Water Bug Gray, Karen Gray, Jeff Bell, and Laurie Streff Beatty Cut-Off Road Water Stop: Rich Stuart Hell's Gate: Jeff Bell, Mike Angelfish Angelos, Laura Rasmussen, Ning Antons, and Corinna Martinez Daylight Pass Water Stop: Steve Protoceratops Barnes and Elliot Hansen Rhyolite: Christine McBride, Lisa Andersen & Mike Andersen Furnace Creek Finish Line: Steve Giant Water Bug Gray, Karen Gray, Jeff Bell, and Laurie Streff Yoga Class on Friday: Laurie Streff Roving SAG: Mike Angelfish Angelos, Chris Kostman, and many others Photography: Chris Kostman and Badwater Mayor Ben Jones Special thanks are also extended to the wonderful people at the Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort, Joe's Sanitation of Pahrump, Liberty Ambulance of Ridgecrest, the National Park Service, and Cal Trans in Bishop. Images from the Ride, as well as Blog Reports and Garmin GPS Links
Awesome, Unsolicited, Totally Appreciated Feedback!The Hell’s Wind Gate 100 was fun – for a while. There is no place on earth like Death Valley – a land of extremes. I was almost to the finish (mile 95) and really got worried about the 2 gals in our group. So, I decided my priority was to get to our car and go look for them. I got a sag ride in to Furnace Creek and went back with our car and pick up our crew. My brothers, Dan, Pete, and I rode last Saturday in the strongest headwind we had ever faced (Hell's Gate 100, 2012). I'm still shaking the sand out of my ears! Yet, we all agreed we want to do it again next year--are we crazy? - Thanks, Thomas Finch Thanks again for putting on these events. This was my 4th organized event since I started riding bikes 18 months ago (all 4 have been AdventureCorps events), and from the very first one you had me hooked. If I hadn't seen George's blog about these events, and if you didn't put on such great events in Death Valley, I might still be the fat lazy computer programmer I was 2 years ago. See you next time. - Jon Mayfield (his report) Thank you for a terrific week of adventure. I'll be posting an account to my blog in the next day or so, but I wanted to acknowledge an unforgettable learning experience. The windswept Hell's Gate Hundred taught lessons to those of us who thought we knew the place and what it could throw at us. Even as a survivor of the 2011 Spring Century I was overwhlemed by the elements this time around. All praise to those who volunteered to drive out and pick up what was left of us off the course.T hey were true angels. We don't come to Death Valley to show off what we can do, we come to learn what it can teach us, and to leave wiser. Yours truly, Chris Cameron Official Results (Note that very few riders compled any of the three official distances and/or did not check it at the finish line due to the extreme weather. We salute everyone who started!):
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