There’s Plenty To Do and See at the Hotter’N Hell Hundred
As of 3:00 this afternoon (08.22.19) Hotter'N Hell Hundred weekend is officially open for business. And there is plenty to do and see whether you ride a bicycle or not.
The Consumer Show is open from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, from 1:00 until 10:00 p.m. Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. This show has become a mecca for cycling enthusiasts with the latest and greatest bicycles, apparel and accessories on display, frequently at special price points!
If you want to see some cyclists going really fast, check out the Criterium races, they'll be blazing along the downtown streets from 5:30 until 7:30 Friday evening and again from 7:00 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m. Sunday. Criterium races are great spectator events because unlike The Ride and the other road events, the entire race takes place around a couple of city blocks downtown with the racers making multiple laps. These are always centered around the MPEC facility and even on Sunday there is usually at least one food and drink vendor on hand. Did I mention these guys and gals are FAST?
There are some off-road events along the legendary Wee-Chi-Tah trail this weekend, too. The off-road mountain bike races begin at the J.S. Bridwell Ag Center at 8:00 Friday morning, and the off-road trail run begins at 7:00 Sunday morning, also from the J.S. Bridwell Ag Center. These are a little more difficult to watch, but the start and finish should be easy to access.
Not into races? No worries, just go check out the Finish Line Village outside the Kay Yeager Coliseum. You'll find a great selection of food and drink vendors and a huge tent with live entertainment to enjoy. With visitors from all across the United States and a few other countries, the event organizers try to bring a bit of local flavor to the entertainment features. The music starts around 10:15 with Under The Influence from Seymour, Texas, with a great mix of tunes from Americana and red dirt country to Led Zeppelin covers. Next up is Hanna Belle Lecter, a popular Wichita Falls band that plays tunes almost everyone loves. The final band for the day is Blue Water Highway based out of Austin, Texas. Their rootsy, Americana sound will bring another flavor of the Lone Star State to this year's event and they'll take the stage around 2:00 p.m. Most of the activities in and around Finish Line Village are finished by about 4:00 p.m.
Then there's the new Grava Del Fuego gravel ride starting at 7:05 Saturday evening,and the big Hotter'N Ale Block Party in downtown Wichita Falls Saturday evening.
Check out the official Hotter'N Hell Hundred website for a complete schedule of events along with maps to show you where everything will be happening. Finish Line Village is open to anyone, so head on out, enjoy some eats, listen to some music, meet some interesting people, grab a spot on the stairs of the Kay Yeager Coliseum to watch the riders cross the Finish Line and see what this crazy weekend is all about.