If you only know one thing about Holland, chances are pretty good that one thing is Tulip Time. We love to celebrate our tulips here, and since 2019 I’ve hosted the Tulip Century as a way of marking the arrival of spring. We ride 100 miles on some of the best roads in the area, and when we’re done, we gaze lovingly at the giant tulip we’ve drawn via GPS on the map. And of course, the route passes through some of Holland’s Tulip Lanes on the way through town.
Spring is also my favorite time of year to do hill repeats. It’s all too often I get excited to ride outside in the sunshine only to realize that it’s 40 degrees with 80mph wind. Rather than grind around one of my regular loops feeling sorry for myself, I’ve taken to turning these into days for hill reps. It’s a great way to stay warm and motivated at the same time! Try making a game for yourself, like “how much elevation gain can I accumulate in an hour,” or “can I complete 3 reps of every hill in the neighborhood?” I’m always looking for simple goals like this to keep rides interesting-what mini riding challenges do you like to set for yourself?
Thank you to our 2023 Iceman Ambassador Martin Harris @uncle.martin
