Long uphill...

After 2 weeks with my first real road bike (Cannondale synapse feminine five compact double), I feel like I'm finally making progress. Today, I:
1. made it up a 7 mile long hill without stopping (that hill had been freaking me out, but it turned out not to be hard at all)
2. drank from my water bottle without stopping
3. went down into the drops and pedaled on the 7 mile hill back down!
4. learned how to stand and pedal up hill, even though I actually didn't need to on the hill
5. and most importantly, had a blast

Most of my earlier pains have gone away, except for numbness in one foot, so I need to work on that.

And someday, maybe I'll get up my nerve to learn how to draft.

Yippee!!! :D Congrats on a very successful ride!!!!


I wish we had a 7 mile long hill around here- that would be great training. Heck- I wish we had a mile long hill around here (or half mile for that matter). :rolleyes:

Congrats!

But, where in sourthern WI did you find a 7 mile hill? Inquiring minds just gotta know. The longest I've found is Blue Mound outside of Mt. Horeb and that is one, tough beast. If you did that, "Chapeau!" Wow. If there is another, my bike and I just gotta go ride it!

Nicely done. Stay the course.

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Originally Posted by Thorn

Congrats!

But, where in sourthern WI did you find a 7 mile hill? Inquiring minds just gotta know. The longest I've found is Blue Mound outside of Mt. Horeb and that is one, tough beast. If you did that, "Chapeau!" Wow. If there is another, my bike and I just gotta go ride it!

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I spend summers up on Lake Superior, where I do my research (and kayak, hike, and bike a lot).
This is the hill from Cornucopia up to the national forest.
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17621630/

And here's the full route (although I didn't have time to do all this today):
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/detail/17622064/

Awesome! Congrats.

I have that same bike with a triple (though I wish I had the double...I just would have had to wait a LOT longer for it and I'd already waited 6 weeks)...I want to see pics of yours!

Nice work on the hills...hills can be kind of intimidating, but conquering them is a huge self-esteem boost. :D

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Originally Posted by tiva

After 2 weeks with my first real road bike (Cannondale synapse feminine five compact double), I feel like I'm finally making progress. Today, I:
1. made it up a 7 mile long hill without stopping (that hill had been freaking me out, but it turned out not to be hard at all)
2. drank from my water bottle without stopping
3. went down into the drops and pedaled on the 7 mile hill back down!
4. learned how to stand and pedal up hill, even though I actually didn't need to on the hill
5. and most importantly, had a blast

Most of my earlier pains have gone away, except for numbness in one foot, so I need to work on that.

And someday, maybe I'll get up my nerve to learn how to draft.

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Congratulations! Those are al very big accomplishments

Drafting: It can be intimidating to ride very close to the wheel in front of you. I learned out of necessity. Ride with people faster than you and if you don't want to get dropped, you quickly learn to draft :-)
Also, you don't have to sit directly behind the wheel in front of you. Instead you can sit a little to the left or a little to the right (but don't cross wheels) and still get the benefit of the draft. Drafting is a good skill to have and necessary if you ever want to do group rides (or racing).

Thanks for the route....Superior is a bit of a drive for me, but it looks like it gives Iowa County and its neighbors a run for its money.

Congrats! May there be more to come!

Yay!!!! :D Those are all amazing milestones. The drafting will come when you are ready and/or forced to in order to stay with a group. Sounds like you are making big improvements quickly.

Yay!!!! :D

Way to go!
I'm all for #5!

By the way ... yay for Cannondale! I have one, too. ;)

Very nicely done! WTG :)

Great milestones!