Thanks Captain Obvious

Today I did a ride out to Snohomish and back which means a climb on the way back, up a particularly nasty hill that can actually make me see stars. I always have to chuckle as I pass the spot on the base of the hill where someone has written the word "hill" in green paint as if for an organized ride. It's more of a wall than a hill, so there's no missing the fact that suffering is imminent. I always wonder if it is somebody's idea of a joke, or if it was actually a marking from an organized ride. Hmmm

That's funny! I bet it was for an organized ride, maybe of people who were newbys or were unfamiliar with the area.

Did you have a good ride?

There is a hill on one of the group rides I do where someone has painted in white letters, on the road, at the very top of the hill, the word OUCH. The hill is now known as "ouch hill". Thus far, it is the only hill I have ever had to get off my bike and walk up. Each week the ride reverses itself so that one week the ride goes down "ouch hill" and the next week the ride goes up "ouch hill". I only go on that particular ride if I know its a downhill week:D

it was a good ride until that hill! It always changes my outlook on life...

Three similar stories...

The first time I did the 6-Gap ride here (gaps are our mountain passes), every slight hill on the way to the first gap I turned to anyone around me, "Is this a gap?" The other riders just shook their heads... the first gap is a six-mile climb - I had no clue...

On 3-State, 3-Mountain, on the road on a small hill someone has painted, "This is NOT a mountain!"

And on a brevet I did, someone had spraypainted "Baby Brasstown" on a climb. I wish they hadn't. It was dark and I had no clue how steep it was going to be and I wish I hadn't known how bad it was gonna get.

Oh -- and then there's "The Big Ugly"... at mile 98 on the One Love Century.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lauraelmore1033

I always wonder if it is somebody's idea of a joke, or if it was actually a marking from an organized ride. Hmmm

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Would you ask the same question if, halfway up, someone had painted "barf zone"? :D

Out of curiosity, how long is the climb?

I remember your story about the "barf zone" marking, and maybe that's part of the amusement I feel when I see it. The whole climb is under a mile with about 500 feet of elevation gain. I usually only make it up one third of the way before turning onto a side street and zigg zagging up another way...

On the MS-150 ride route I did in Louisiana/Mississippi, there was one particular nasty stretch, the road was in really bad shape. The route markers painted on the road...

Now

begins

7 miles

of Hell


They were right. Something like riding over cobbles, for 7 bumpity bumpity freaking lousy miles.

Apparently the highway department was supposed to repave the road, but didn't get to it before our ride. The next year it wasn't repaved, but the route gurus found some different roads to use.

At the top of a 1 mile climb (~4-7%) on the otherwise flat bike trail used by commuters and families, someone painted "You made it!" on the pavement just a few months ago.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lauraelmore1033

Today I did a ride out to Snohomish and back which means a climb on the way back, up a particularly nasty hill that can actually make me see stars. I always have to chuckle as I pass the spot on the base of the hill where someone has written the word "hill" in green paint as if for an organized ride. It's more of a wall than a hill, so there's no missing the fact that suffering is imminent. I always wonder if it is somebody's idea of a joke, or if it was actually a marking from an organized ride. Hmmm

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I am wondering if this was Seattle Hill Road? We live in that area, and *I* wouldn't want to climb up that hill. That reminds me of an organized ride we did last year with the Cascade Club (can't remember which one it was now)... as we turned the corner and faced the hill someone had sprayed "OKAY TO WALK YOUR BIKE" on the road! Not that I needed permission, mind you. ;)

It was Lowell hill road. Seattle hill road is just as nasty I think. All roads out of the valley are equally evil--with lots of traffic to boot...

Ride leaders around here are fond of painting the particularly nasty hills. One of them starts with a smiley face at the bottom ... at intervals, the face gets more and more distressed looking and sweaty, then back to smiling at the crest. :D

[QUOTE=Pedal Wench;571762]Three similar stories...

The first time I did the 6-Gap ride here (gaps are our mountain passes), every slight hill on the way to the first gap I turned to anyone around me, "Is this a gap?" The other riders just shook their heads... the first gap is a six-mile climb - I had no clue...

When my DH first did 3 Gap, he kept thinking that the first hills were a "gap". When he asked another rider, "Is this the first one?", they just laughed and said, "Nope".

I thought of this thread, just now, as I looked at Weather.com's thing that says "pollen count: high." Gee...ya' think?! :p