The 2010 Little Miami Dirty Dozen

A baker's dozen of the choicest climbs in the Little Miami River Valley.

The inaugural LMDD was held on Nov. 26, 2010, organized by Matt Bond. Race officials were Sharon Bond and Ben Bond. Ben also served as our official photographer. Temperatures at the start were a biting and sweat freezing 23°F with a stiff wind from the west. By mid-day, the mercury climbed to a balmy 35°F, but with no respite from the wind.

The last 3 years, Matt has done the Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen, which was created by Danny Chew and now attracts 180+ riders. It was convenient because Sharon grew up in Pittsburgh (specifically, Monroeville) and they would go back there every year at Thanksgiving. But Sharon's parents moved out to Dayton in 2009, so Matt finally took up Sharon's suggestion and created the LMDD based on Danny's event. The LMDD is held on Friday so that anyone who is crazy enough can finish the LMDD, get in their car and drive to Pittsburgh, do the PDD, then collapse in pain. And earn the admiration (at least) of your fellow cyclists. The LMDD uses the same type of points system as the PDD, with 5 points awarded for first place on each hill, 4 points for second, and 3 points for third. Next year we will also give points to fourth and fifth place, because Sharon misunderstood Matt's instructions and denied him points for all his fourth place finishes. She also will try to record which hill the points were awarded on.

Matt's route has 13 of his favorite hills that he rides to train for things like Calvin's Challenge, climbing l'Alpe d'Huez, Mt. Evans, or hauling Ben to summer camp on the trail-a bike. The ride's length is 58 miles and includes 13 ascents, 4,380 feet of climb, and grades up to 25% on Hollingsworth. And because he can't match the PDD's cobblestones and 37% grade of Canton Ave., for the LMDD Matt threw in Paris-Roubaix style Trovillo: a single lane, half gravel/half patched climb teetering on the edge of a creek.

Getting the most out of a river valley is not new to Matt. Even before the PDD was created he crafted the CSC, the Chagrin Spring Challenge. A route in the Chagrin River valley to test the legs of the Cleveland Touring Club, it continues to be offered to this day (CSC map link). Now if the CTC scheduled the CSC the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it would make a perfect LMDD-PDD-CSC hill climb hat-trick.

We hope everyone has a warm holiday season and look forward to working off our turkey and stuffing again next year on Friday, Nov. 25.

Mike Savory

David Leary

Dave Hoptry

Matt Bond

John Hobain

Dave Diller

Phil Merrill

Eric Weston

Doug Oda