Hell’s Hollow 200k – April 14th, 2024

Start Location: PVD Bike Collective (See parking details below)
Start Time: 7am
Length: 200k
Time Limit: 13.5 Hours
Ride Leader: John Rosenwinkel (Rosy)
Controls: Chepachet, RI; Charlton, MA; Plainfield, CT
Sanctioning: RUSA & ACP
Lighting & Reflective Gear: Required if finishing after 6pm
Registration: Via BikeReg
GPS File/Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46037742

Hell’s Hollow Brevet is back! This route was last used in 2018 and was scheduled again for 2020 until canceled for obvious reasons. When NER had to make a change to the traditional Bays and Bridges route, Rosy kindly offered to update the Hell’s Hollow route and offer the ride again. See below for the updated description.

This version of the Hell Hollow 200k is similar to the route used in 2018. The start and finish location has changed to the Providence Bicycle Collective (PBC) at 50 Sims Ave in Providence. The first 20 miles have changed a lot to make up lost mileage due to moving the start location west, but the rest of the route after the first control in Chepachet is very similar to the 2018 route. All the controls remain the same. Unfortunately, the Summit General Store at mile 107 (the start of the Washington Secondary bike path) closed in 2023 and will not be open for this ride, but it is under new ownership and might re-open later this year or next year.

There are bathrooms inside PBC, as well as pumps/stands/tools should your bike need anything last minute.

Start & Parking Information

Parking at PBC: You can either park in the small front lot, in the large back lot, or along Sims Ave. There will be a flea market happening next door from 11am to 3pm, so there will be lots of car and pedestrian traffic in that window, but rider departure and arrival should miss all of that hullabaloo.

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.