I conquered Fishback Hill!!
12 November, I participated in the CIBA Chilly Hilly ride. It lived up to it's name as the temps never climbed higher than the mid 40'sF and wind chills stayed in the 30'sF even once the sun came out. The Chilly Hilly takes in several of the biggest "hills" northwest of Indianapolis. This was the first time that I'd ridden a couple of the hills and I'm pleased to say I rode them ALL! Fishback has been known to be the bear of the lot!
Ok, so it's not a mountain and it's not really a hill by a lot of standards, but it IS very STEEP and short and one of the very few formidable hills in Indianapolis for us flatlanders. It has been the bane of many a cyclist and in the 3 times I've encountered it, yesterday was the FIRST I made it all the way up. Yes, I had to stop. Yes, I had to traverse back and forth across the road in a serpentine fashion, but I didn't WALK!!!
I don't have the entire route entered yet at routeslip for the full elevation, but here is a bit of the major hills on the route.
I ended up having a 51 mile ride for the day even though I didn't do the 47 mile route since I rode my bike to and from the ride. I am very proud to have finally conquered Fishback!!
Grade estimates are from another CIBA member that figured them from his estimates at routeslip. The mileage and elevation climbs and graphs, I got when I entered the route information at routeslip.com
Fishback (between Wilson Rd & Eagle Creek Pk)- 6.6% ave., 15% max --- .3 mile 81.1' climb
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...vationprof.jpg
82nd St (between Fishback & Lafayette- under I-65)- 6% ave, 19% max --- .22 mile 66.2' climb
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...ionprofile.jpg
Kissel (between Lafayette & 96th)- 5.3% ave, 7.3% max. --- .22 mile 60.1' climbhttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...sselRdHill.jpg
Noel (between 79th & Lafayette)- 8% ave, 13% max --- .21 mile 70.6' climb
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...NoelRdHill.jpg
Fishback (between Wilson Rd and Raceway Rd) don't have the grades but .26 mile 70.8' climb
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...atWilsonRd.jpg
This is the elevation profile for the 30 mile ride I did which was the medium route. I haven't routed out my ride to and from the ride, but I had some moderate climbs (for flatlander that is) on the way to and from as well.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a3...routeeleva.jpg