That tour 20 years ago was a big success with 54 riders.  Participants seemed to "enjoy" the challenge of the hills around Bloomington and Nashville.  So from this small beginning the HILLY HUNDRED was born.  Few people would have guessed that the ride would evolve into one of the premier bicycle tours attracting 5,000 participants from over 25 states by its 20th anniversary in 1987.  In 1987 the number of participants was limited to 5,000 because of various capacity limitations.  It is estimated that over 1,000 riders will not be able to register.

Bill Pittman seemed to sense that this was the beginning of something as he wrote the following in the Indianapolis News on June 17, 1968: "About 68 midwestern cyclists are kneading sore backs and legs with liniment today after the first HILLY HUNDRED.  It looked like nothing less than the Tour de France as the cyclists left the Poplars Motor Hotel.  Such an array of thin-tired, multi-geared equipment, you've never seen."

Of the original 54 riders many continued to come back to enjoy the HILLY HUNDRED year after year.  One hearty soul, Charlie Pace, attended the first 8 HILLY HUNDREDS without a miss; does the name Charles Pace from Columbus, Ohio sound familiar?  Yes, it's the same Charles Pace that started and still runs the famous TOSRV (Tour Of The Scioto River Valley).  Charlie recalls that the first few HILLYS were tough, not because of the hills, but because of the weather. Rain.  An interesting comments from Charlie since it nearly always rains on TOSRV.  According to the 1987 application 10 have ridden over 15 HILLYS, four riders have attended 17, one has attended 18, and one has attended 19 out of the 20 HILLY HUNDREDS.

Hartley Alley relayed that there was a fellow on the ride that first year who took a spill on a down-hill and complained about the potholes on the route.  The man's name was Charlie Sanford, and in 1970 he and the Central Indiana Bicycling Association (CIBA) assisted Hartley and the Southern Indiana Bicycle Touring Association (SIBTA) in running the HILLY HUNDRED.

Charlie Sanford recalled that in 1970 it started to get late in the summer and he had heard nothing of the HILLY, so he called Hartley to find out what was happening.  Hartley relayed that his schedule, along with lack of members in SIBTA, meant that there would be no HILLY in 1970.  Charlie gathered some CIBA volunteers and along with Hartley and his SIBTA volunteers, they organized the ride as soon as possible in the fall of 1970.  This was the first year that the ride was held in the fall.  A lucky accident, perhaps, because it worked out so well that all the HILLYS since have been held in October when Brown and Monroe counties are at their colorful peak.

In 1971,  Hartley Alley turned his bicycling hobby into a profession and moved to Boulder, Colorado and opened a mail order bicycle shop, The Touring Cyclist.  In addition to originating the HILLY HUNDRED, Hartley is also credited with greatly improving the design of the pannier by adding the many pockets.  His T.C. Pannier has become the standard followed by other pannier manufacturers.

With Hartley's departure, the HILLY HUNDRED was operated solely by the Central Indiana Bicycling Association.  Tour director for 1971 and 1972 was Charlie Sanford.

When interviewed from their home in Florida, Charlie's wife Hilma exclaimed. "I rode that durned old HILLY HUNDRED years ago!"  She and Charlie won the oldest rider award on those early HILLY tours.  They were in their mid 50's at the time.  Today's winners are in their mid-seventies.

Now in his seventies, Charlie is still active in cycling, and he had just returned from a mountain-riding trip.  Charlie Sanford added a feature to the HILLY that helped make the HILLY a truly distinctive tour.  In 1971 he organized a square dancing party on Saturday night for all those that could still stand up.  And ever since the HILLY has been more than a bicycle tour.  A couple of sentences from the current HILLY application brochure are taken word for word from Charlies Sanford's 1971 application: "We think this is the ideal event for the touring cyclist!  The HILLY HUNDRED is designed for the cyclist who like a challenge on the bike during the day but who also likes to finished the day with a warm shower, a satisfying meal, and a chance for entertainment and fellowship with cyclists from many states."

Based on this philosophy, the HILLY HUNDRED was renamed by the next tour director and has been known ever since as the HILLY HUNDRED WEEKEND.  Ross Faris, who had helped Charlie mark the route in 1972, assumed the responsibilities of tour director in 1973 when Charlie and Hilma Sanford retired to Florida.  The first HILLY that Ross organized had 693 riders, a phenomenal growth from the 54 that had attended the HILLY just 6 years earlier.  As it turned out, there was more growth to come.  Under Ross's leadership and with the help of ideas from riders and volunteers, the HILLY has continued to improve and grow.  By 1978 the participants numbered 1465, and the HILLY had long since outgrown the Poplars, which spurred Ross to move the HILLY'S headquarters to the Executive Inn, and then in 1977 to Bloomington North High School with the cooperation of the Bloomington North High School Band Boosters.  So many people were coming that Ross tried to reserve every room in Bloomington, plus he arranged for hundreds to stay at the high school in sleeping bags.  About this time, camping was added as a sleeping option.

Ross added Bicycle Accessory Displays in the mid 1970s.  Starting with only one displaying and selling bicycle accessories inside the high school, the displays now number 18 and are housed in a huge 140 foot red and white tent outside the school.  Vendors come from as far away as New York and Florida and are as diverse as shops that sell hand knitted water bottle covers to vendors who are promoting international bike tours.

From 1979 to 1981, while Ross was living in England, the ride was run by Tom and Nancy Revard and their able staff of 5 children: Teresa, Josie, Charlie, Billy, and Jimmy.  Under the Revards' leadership, attendance went from 1933 in 1979 to 2585 in 1981.

Ross returned from England and again became the director of the HILLY HUNDRED in 1982.  With over 2500 anticipated, the mass start was abandoned as too dangerous.  Ross continued the philosophy that the HILLY ought to be more than a bicycle ride.  That is why each year he has added something new, something different to the ride.  That's why there are 11 groups of entertainers at the HILLY this year.

Because there is no generation gap on the HILLY HUNDRED with riders as young as 5 and as young as 75 all types of entertainment are planned for this twentieth anniversary edition of the HILLY  including a dixieland band, an English brass band, a country-western group, a barbershop quartet, a juggler, a mime, and to help everyone remember the 60's, when the HILLY was born, on Friday night there will be a rock 'n roll band.  There will be entertainment at all five food and rest stops.  It seems a little easier to make it up a hill when a dixie-land band and fried chicken are at the top.

The entertainment on Saturday night is always a fitting climax to a wonderful day.  This seems to be Ross's favorite part of the weekend.  He says that it is at that time that he realizes how much everyone appreciates all the work that goes into making the HILLY what it is.  A significant part of the show on Saturday night is the slide presentation of the people attending the HILLY that day.  Ross recalls the audience reaction to the very first slide show when people realized that the photos were from that day's events.  For a few years slides were taken on Friday night and Saturday until 2:00 p.m. and then the film was rushed to Indianapolis for processing and returned in time for a 7:00 p.m. performance at the school.  Now the film is processed by Indiana University's Audio Visual Center.  In addition to the slide show, the 1987 edition of Saturday night's entertainment will include Reed Steele, a mime from Indianapolis and the Wright Brothers, a superb singing group from Indianapolis.

In addition to entertainment, food is a very important part of the HILLY.  Continuing the early tradition of offering food to participants, the HILLY has literally become a progressive food fest with hot cider, German summer sausage, and cheese offered during Friday nites party - free coke and apple cider before and after the ride - fried chicken, ice cream, apples, chips, and cider at the second Saturday food stop.  In addition, a vegetarian lunch is offered.  Three other stops stops on Saturday and Sunday have friendly HILLY volunteers handing out freshly picked Indiana apples.  On the last stop on Sunday, all the leftovers are offered to riders who are hungry after the 40 miles of hills.  The Band Boosters who sponsor the use of the high school prepare a home style chili supper for Saturday night and a complete breakfast Sunday.  Everyone seems to love the food as well as the fellowship at all the food offerings.

Another feature of the HILLY is the various keepsakes which are provided to HILLY participants.  From its beginning in 1968, the HILLY has given a specially designed embroidered patch to help participants remember the HILLY.  Trophies have been given since the early 70's.  The trophies are given out at Saturday night's entertainment and go to such deserving riders as the most mature (oldest) male and female as well as to the rider that bicycles the farthest to get to the HILLY.  Riders who have won this trophy have ridden from as far away as Colorado and Florida.

Another free souvenir was added in the mid '70's, an art print copied from an original painted especially for HILLY participants.  Most recently, Rob O'Dell and Wilbur Neese noted Central Indiana watercolorists have been commissioned to paint for the HILLY.  The 1987 water color is a Victorian train station with a late 1800 Penny Farthing high wheeled bicycle leaning against it.

Also in the mid 1970's, commemorative T-shirts with a distinctive HILLY HUNDRED design were offered to HILLY participants.  The shirts have become so popular that nearly every participant now buys one.  These shirts became walking billboards.  Ross got several application requests from people who had seen these shirts in all parts of the United States.  So popular have these HILLY HUNDRED  memorabilia items become that the long sleeve T-shirts and bike caps were added in the early '80's and for the first time the 20th anniversary HILLY is offering sweatshirts, pants, and two specially designed pins.  The sweatpants should prove to be popular with their bicycle design on the sea (a wheel on each cheek!).

In 1984 Greg Faris, Ross's son, suggested that the map of the HILLY route be put on the back of the T-shirts.  Ever since, this most interesting and challenging route has been on the back of all HILLY T-shirts.  This is a fitting recognition to a most scenic route that offers colorful forest foliage, lakes, and most importantly a beautiful hilly landscape.  The route stays basically the same year after year; no need to change something so good.

However, the route entertainment, food, and keepsakes are not the most important parts of the HILLY.  The riders are.  The only reason the HILLY exists is for their enjoyment.  Ross tells about many colorful people who have attended the HILLY.  More than one couple have spent their honeymoon at the HILLY.  One couple after getting married Saturday morning, came to the HILLY for the rest of the weekend.

To continue with another HILLY HUNDRED love story, one year after the HILLY was over, Ross received a call from a rider.  She was trying to find the name of another "really nice" rider she had met while riding the HILLY.  She only remembered that he was riding with someone from Ft. Wayne and his first name.  The search began through thousands of applications and detective Ross thought he had found the romantic culprit.  The name was given to the lady.  That is all we know so it can only be presumed that this story ended happily.

Another interesting pair is the Illinois couple who tote Muflin the dog on the back of the tandem.  Muflin has to get off and walk up the hills.  Well, one year the tandem, Muflin and all, went down.  Muflin ran off and got lost.  But fortunately the story had a happy ending when Muflin was found by HILLY HUNDRED volunteers.

Perhaps the most colorful of all is Charlie Macinnes.  In 1984 Charlie (71) and his wife flew to Bloomington from Alaska just to ride the HILLY.  Charlie was so impressed with the HILLY that he has corresponded with Ross indicating his appreciation and sharing some of his other adventures.  After the 1984 HILLY he wrote Ross and told of his hunting trip on Alognak Island (southeast of Anchorage).  After backpacking two hours into the wilderness, he killed and dressed an elk and proceeded to pack the meat back to camp.  On that same trip he frightened away a huge Kodiak bear, not by shooting him, but by reciting the multiplication tables.  It is especially interesting that Charlie compared the HILLY to his hunting trip as equally interesting and exciting.

The HILLY HUNDRED is a CIBA (Central Indiana Bicycling Association) ride.  CIBA was formed as a club in 1969.  Already by 1970, there were numerous rides scheduled, drawing as many as 70 riders, with the first century drawing a whopping 99 riders.  CIBA became "official" in 1971 when Catherine Dusing was elected as the first president.  She and her husband Ed Dusing, along with Roger and Bonnie DeSpain, were the main forces in getting the club underway.  They all attended their first HILLY in 1970.

CIBA has grown to become one of the ten largest bike clubs in the country.  Current membership is over 1500.  CIBA prides itself on the quality of its rides, with each and every Sunday ride being marked, mapped, and "sagged" like the HILLY HUNDRED, even if not as many people attend.  CIBA also takes pride in having written the Ride Leader's Guidelines used by League of American Wheelman, on hosting the League Convention in 1984 and on supplying most of the brains and brawn for the cycling events for the National Sports Festival and the Pan-Am games.

1987 HILLY Trivia