DO NOT REGISTER USING THIS WEBSITE UNLESS YOU ARE A MEMBER OF ANNAPOLIS BICYCLE CLUB
"The Hell of the North" is the nickname for the famed Paris-Roubaix one-day classic world tour race. The course includes many centuries-old cobbled roads through NE France farm country. The Specialized Roubaix was developed for, and named after, this race, known for rough roads and weather. There's a cool movie of the race from 1976 with Eddy Mercxx (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2V3NdYCwMk), and this short film about the 2019 race https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgqWElr9SdU. COVID conditions in France caused the men's and inaugural women's races to be cancelled in 2020, and has now caused postponement from April 10 & 11 to October 2021.
Rapha is organizing a series of self-supported rides around the world to commemorate Paris-Roubaix, 'A Day in Hell,' for completion on one's own schedule on April 10 or 11. Registration for the event is free. In DC & Montgomery County, they have two routes, one intermediate and one advanced, each including some gravel and one short, cobbled street, in the sprit of Paris-Roubaix. Rapha is a cycling apparel company that sponsors pro teams, makes cycling films, and organizes other events such as this. ABC has no affiliation with Rapha - this is just a challenging, cool, free event they've organized, in which we can take part with cyclists around the world. The Rapha site (https://www.rapha.cc/us/en_US/stories/a-day-in-hell) provides ADIH ride locations in the US and abroad, and spots for this ride in the UK, for instance, have filled up.
The Rapha site states these routes are 60% gravel, and recommends 28-30 mm tires, but we've contacted the organizers for clarity. The shorter, 45 mile route is in fact about half gravel on the C&O canal trail. The longer, hillier 84 mile route is, however, 97% pavement, with one County-maintained gravel road 2 miles long. Register here for the 45 mile route, and in the other link for the 84 mile one.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35317332 --> 45 mile route (1600', 50% gravel on the C&O Canal trail)
Both routes accomplish Montgomery County in ABC's Tour of MD.
The routes start and end on a cobbled street at the Blue Bottles Coffee Shop in Georgetown @ 1046 Potomac St., NW., but Rapha advertises one can start wherever and whenever you would like. Free Rapha ADIH pin to those who complete either route will be available afterwards at Emissary Coffee shop (http://www.emissarydc.com/), 2032 P St NW, near Dupont Circle. If you've got any Rapha kit, this is a good day to wear it.
Register here for the 45 mile route, and we'll start an email chain to discuss starting time / location for those interested in riding/starting together.
Suggest also registering with Rapha if you want to get their free ADIH pin and have your effort recognized - it's free:
https://ti.to/rapha_n_america/a-day-in-hell-na-2021
