Climbed a mountain yesterday...by accident!

Two weeks ago I did my first 20-mile ride in more than 10 years. (Yahooo!) Well, yesterday, I headed out around 1pm to try for 20-25mi on the same route. Wasn't sure I could do it, because Turkey Day and a cold had both kept me off my bike most of the last two weeks. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

Well, duh, while driving out Interstate 64 toward our Blue Ridge mountains (30 mins away), I got distracted and missed the exit I needed---THE last one on I-64W till you reach the top of the ridge. So, up I go into the mountains, muttering under my breath at the prospect of having to drive miles out of my way to get back down and then to my original destination.

Next thing I know, the wheels start turning (in my head).......By the time I reach the top, I've jettisoned plans to ride my regular (gently rolling) road, and instead try my luck riding a small part of the beautiful, curvy, daunting, up-and-down ridge road----better-known as the Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway. The goal of riding on the Drive/Parkway has been on my radar screen, but NOT for another two or three months. I figured I needed to build up more strength and stamina before tackling a road that has some pretty serious elevation changes--at least in the eyes of this newbie cyclist.

Anyway, I parked at a quiet overlook on Skyline Drive, unloaded the bike, put on every additional stitch of bike clothing I had stored in my truck (brrrr....) and started pedaling. I figured I'd be good for 8 to 10 miles max, given the Drive's long ups and downs.

Around 4 miles in, I'm feeling pert darned good and loving the views west of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and beyond. So far, so good! Nothing I can't handle......Another pleasant half mile of pedaling goes by and---suddenly--- I'm at the base of the steepest hill I've faced since getting back on my bike in February for the first time in a decade.

I took a deep breath: "Yowza, how am I going to manage this?" Then I thought, welllllll, it can't be tooooo long a climb, right? :rolleyes: ...... I gamely geared down to granny level and dug in. Every curve revealed another stretch of---you guessed it---UP. Not a single plateau in sight! A mile and half into the climb, I'm thinking, "What sadistic critter designed this d*&^ned road???" :eek: I could have turned back, of course, but by then both curiosity and sheer stubborness had kicked in. I was determined to find out just how long this climb could possibly be.

FINALLY, a full 800 feet in elevation gain later, I made it to the top---2.5 miles of non-stop climbing from base to crest! I set no speed records (think tortoise/molasses) and had to stop briefly (30 seconds each) three times along the way, but I DID IT! And when I got to the top I even had enough left to go another mile+ before turning back!

As I was coming back down that 2.5 mile stretch, I could NOT believe that I'd actually climbed the darned thing.......And, of course, even though I was fairly bundled up, I was freezing my butt off every inch of the downhill ride. Even so, I was so shamelessly proud of myself, I was grinning ear to ear! (And, yes, I did let out a full-volume, no-holds-barred "Yaaaaahoooooooooooo!" for part of the descent........) The few cars that passed me must have thought I was nuts---a small woman on a bike, smiling like mad...on a frigid afternoon...on a Virginia mountaintop!

The last four miles were gently, but relentlessly uphill back to my truck---tough, because I was really getting tired by then, but not nearly as tough as that earlier climb. By the end of my 17.5 mile ride, my toes were freezing and my butt was annoyingly sore from my brand-new Terry saddle, but I was one HAPPY gal!

So, what started off as a dumb driving mistake turned into my biggest cycling accomplishment to date!..........And the whole time I was slogging up that incline, just hanging on to the top, I kept thinking of great TE threads I've read in the last couple of months---some inspiring, many laugh-out-loud funny, until---I swear---I could hear a few hundred women cheering me on, pushing me up that long, steep mountain road! :) ;) :D

Very cool! I was grinning right along with you as I read... thanks for sharing!

:)

Oh my, I know exactly how you felt! Congratulations on a GREAT job!!! :) :) :)

My biggest climbs have mostly been unexpected for me too, and I too get that feeling of "well how many more views of road going straight up can there possibly be around the next few corners??". :D :eek:

Good for you, sounds like it was a big climb! :p

I was smiling the whole time I was reading this. I'm so proud of you for sticking to it and getting to the top. I know how you feel about going up a hill you're unfamiliar with and thinking "it's gotta end soon, right?" Of course, it never does. :D Keep up the good work and keep having fun. That's what it's all about. Take care and stay safe. :cool:

Hey, X you can repeat her performance on Germantown Road, right near where you live!

Kathi, congrats! takes pluck AND courage AND strength to do a hill like that. I'm amazed that you tried it alone this time of year. I'll explain myself. Someone else would have to talk me into it (for me to try it) and to go with me because I'm a wimp!!!!

and what is your NEXT challenge?

happy december! (what a way to start!)

Gee, thanks Mimi. I have enough hills for the moment but I'll keep that one in mind. :rolleyes: :D

X-i hate hills-rayted

oh, Sorry, i didn't know you hated hills. with me it's a love hate relationship. I hate them until i do them, then I love them, but the next time I see them, I hate them again. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by KathiCville

....And the whole time I was slogging up that incline, just hanging on to the top, I kept thinking of great TE threads I've read in the last couple of months---some inspiring, many laugh-out-loud funny, until---I swear---I could hear a few hundred women cheering me on, pushing me up that long, steep mountain road! :) ;) :D

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Isn't it great how on our most epic rides we think "I can't wait to tell TE" :D

Awesome!

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Originally Posted by Trek420

Isn't it great how on our most epic rides we think "I can't wait to tell TE" :D

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yes, absolutely! a community of women who care about us!

"(think tortoise/molasses) "...I use to think that I had to do hills at a certain pace and if I didn't I wasn't any good. Then, this summer, I realized that wasn't the case. I get up the hills, but I am slow. I am ok with that. Your ride sounds wonderful. I saw myself in the same 'mental' exercise as you had going up the hill:
"I can do this:o "
"I know I can do this":eek:
"Well, I think I can do this":rolleyes:
"I will try to do this and if I don't, well there is another day":(
"I WANT to do this":rolleyes:
"I am going to do this":D
"WOW, I DID THIS!!!!:p :p :p "
Wow, I did it:D :D :D

Congrats on conquering the monster mountain, Kathi!!! I'm so happy for you and your monumental accomplishment. I think sometimes the biking "gods" lead us in directions we weren't headed- just to give us a little challenge we didn't know we needed. Congrats to you!! Now just think: in six months you'll ride that same route again and not only will you be faster (and warmer :p ), but you'll ride it with much less effort.

What a great feeling you must have had when you reached the top. I'm really happy for you and hope that riding continues to bring joy into your life.

Aaaaah...a new recruit for TE's Climbing Club...<devilish smile & wringing of hands>. :p

Way to go! Next thing you know, you'll be reporting your monthly elevation gain here and complaining that you only had time for 3 repeats of your hill. Climbing is REALLY addictive. :eek:

Be really proud!!! Awesome!!!! :D :) :D

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Originally Posted by Starfish

you only had time for 3 repeats of your hill. Climbing is REALLY addictive. :eek:

:D

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THREE REPEATS?! COME ON!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

oh, Sorry, i didn't know you hated hills. with me it's a love hate relationship. I hate them until i do them, then I love them, but the next time I see them, I hate them again. :rolleyes:

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Hills are like babies. A downhill is a sleeping baby. An uphill is a crying baby. I love a baby most when she is sleeping, and even more when she is crying.

Yay! What an awesome accomplishment. A mountain! Awesome! It's funny how you can just kinda stumble into great adventures. There was a quote about this on a Starbucks (fourbucks as they call it up here :rolleyes: :) ) cup. Basically it said that real adventures never start when you think you're going to have one, the just unfold themselves. I didn't really get it at the time. I thought, of course you can start out on an adventure and have one. Then I stumbled into my own bike adventure a few weeks ago and it changed my mind. The best adventures just happen.

But it wasn't a mountain!! Wheew, great job!

Thanks, everybody, for the congrats!! LOL, I can't picture tackling that stretch THREE times in rapid succession, but I *do* look forward to giving it a whirl again in a few weeks or months to see if I can make it to the top without stopping next time.........I'm now scouting out topo maps for Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway so I can, yikes!, actually PLAN my mountain-tackling adventures in the future! :rolleyes::D

Well... from a tortoise on hills... well done all of you who embrace them...

I seek them out, I do reps on them, but I cannot say I love them, enjoy them, or look forward to them.

I like the fact I have completed my reps and that tomorrow will be a rest from hills...

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

THREE REPEATS?! COME ON!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

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Hey, I know from being intimidated by hills. ;) :p

All I'm saying, is if I can go from 4 years ago being thrilled to finish 10 pancake flat miles on the Burke Gilman Trail, to planning on 16,000 feet of climbing next August in the Shasta Super Century...I'm just saying climbing can be addictive and you can really surprise yourself if you keep at it.

Actually, this thread really reminded me of my own experience with the 5 mile stretch on Hurricane Ridge road from the visitor's center up to the Heart of the Hills station. The first time, I got maybe 1 mile up. Then, it was a red letter day when I finally made it all the way, but with lots of stops, gasping, red as a beet with legs of jelly. Amazingly, I can now do repeats on that section of road, after going to the top of the Ridge first. If you had told me that even a year ago, I would have died laughing at you. :p

I mean this as total encouragement. :) I am overweight and slow, but it is amazing what can happen. If I can do my hill, she can definitely work up to repeats of hers! (If she wants, and if it even matters to her...we're all different). :)

Great reading this and I was with you all the way (from the top to the bottom) I hate the hill on the climb and love it on the way down


Scarlet
x

Congratulations CathiCville! That sounds like an awesome ride. Sometimes the best things happen unplanned. :cool: :D

Wow, Starfish! 16,000 feet of climbing! I confess that I can't imagine doing that, BUT on the other hand, a year ago, if you'd asked me if I would ever be on a bike on Skyline Drive in early December, I probably would have hooted with laughter!..........

My cycling BF, who is proud as can be of my little accidental "mountain" adventure, keeps telling me that by next summer I'll be right back up to where I was in my late 20s, early 30s---pretty comfortable doing 30-40 mile rides (note, rides, not races!), on rolling roads. (I'm turning 50 in April.) Anything more in terms of length or difficulty will be sweet icing on the (birthday) cake!

As I was looking up at that (to me) daunting stretch on Saturday, I was definitely grateful that I'd pushed myself recently to do a little bit of "hill work" at one of our local parks. Just a stretch that is at most a 1/2 mile long, but steep enough at the mid-point that I really have to hang on to make it from bottom to top. (At which point, I'm always saying to myself: "WHAT was I thinking???" or "Whose bright idea was THIS?")........If I hadn't enjoyed the "success" of that small climb a half dozen times or so, I almost certainly would have wussed out on even trying the climb on Saturday. So, the lesson is that every little bit of positive experience DOES count in fueling the "Hmm, let's give a shot! What have I got to lose?" mindset.

Now, if I can just get my 50-year old buns and my new Terry saddle to make friends! :)

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Originally Posted by KathiCville

If I hadn't enjoyed the "success" of that small climb a half dozen times or so, I almost certainly would have wussed out on even trying the climb on Saturday. So, the lesson is that every little bit of positive experience DOES count in fueling the "Hmm, let's give a shot! What have I got to lose?" mindset.

Now, if I can just get my 50-year old buns and my new Terry saddle to make friends! :)

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You are so right. Take enough baby steps, and keep on taking 'em, and you will surprise yourself. You only have a very small handful of years on me, and before I started riding my bike, I had not ever ridden as an adult. Not since I was a child, under 10yo. I hear you about the saddle, too!! :eek:

I love your enthusiasm. It is going to be great fun hearing from you as you keep on having fun and surprising yourself. :D

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Originally Posted by KathiCville

As I was looking up at that (to me) daunting stretch on Saturday

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Kathi, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! I know those hills intimately and hate them every time I climb them. What an awesome accomplishment! Not only were you climbing big hills, but you were climbing them on the TOP of the mountains - where it is decidedly colder than down at the bottom in town. Keep it up - we'll plan a ride up there in the spring and I will whine every pedal stroke of the way with you. :rolleyes:

Oh yeah - what overlook did you start from? Did you climb up to Big Meadows?

Hi Jane! Welcome home!.....I entered the Park at Afton (Milepost 105), parked at Beagle Gap Overlook, mile 99.8, just north of Milepost 100, and headed north. Gentle downhill for first four miles. I think it was Sawmill Run Overlook, at around 95.3, where the climb started. According to the sign at the overlook the elevation is 2190'. I hit the top somewhere between Wildcat Ridge parking lot and the Crimora Lake overlook, where the elevation is just shy of 3000'. Once I hit the top (whew!), I kept going for almost two more miles--the stretch was relatively "level" there. (Emphasis on "relative".....) I turned back when the Drive was about to take a huge dip again---I think the spot was just beyond Riprap Overlook at 91.4.

When I got back to where I'd parked my truck, I actually went past the spot for just a little bit going south, because I thought mayyyyybe I could hit 20mi for the day. But between fatique, dropping temps, impending sunset, not to mention hints of a wicked downhill stretch that I was going to have to climb to get back to where I had parked, I cheerfully and contentedly tossed in the towel at that point.

I should have mentioned that part of the reward of that terrific ride was driving back down the Parkway five miles to the exit, thoroughly enjoying a beautiful Valley sunset from the comfort of my cozy, WARM truck, LOL!!! Gorgeous!

Thank you Kathi!

I realized after I posted on Thursday that you would not have climbed to Big Meadows because you would have started from Rockfish Gap (Afton) instead of Swift Run Gap (where Rt. 33 crosses the mountain). DUH!

It sounds like a wonderful ride and I hope to be able to do it with you soon.

Good for you for sticking it out and not being to scared to take it on.
I must say, I haven't mastered the hill thing yet, but you give me inspiration to try and take one on.

Any pointers with the gears?

I see many more accomplishments like this in your future.
YEY YOU!!!:D

Hi Kristi......Happy Holidays! Thanks for the congrats on my little adventure. I wish I could tell you that I was doing magical things with my gears as I climbed, but the truth is I was just hanging on in my small ring and next to lowest gear, LOL!

If you search around here on TE you'll find some very wise advice about gears from more serious, experienced riders. I know that Starfish is training for a very hilly century next summer, so some of her posts/threads might be really useful reading.

One thing I have started working on since that ride is learning to "spin" at a higher rate (cadence). I swapped out my original Cateye computer for one with a cadence monitor. I'm working on keeping my cadence in the 75-85 pedal strokes per min. range, by switching gears as needed to maintain the rate. (Except on big hills, where dropping down to about 3/4's of normal rate---60---is apparently fine. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.....) At first, it felt strange to be pedaling so much faster than I'm used to (and with less apparent effort), but it's starting to feel "normal" as I get better at matching the @80 cadence with a gear that feels "right." Not too easy, not too hard. So far, in general terms, spinning at the higher cadence *does* seem to make my rides overall less tiring. By spring I hope the higher cadence will feel so natural I won't have to think about it any more. :D

Good luck! Lots of great stuff to learn here on TE!

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Originally Posted by KathiCville

I know that Starfish is training for a very hilly century next summer, so some of her posts/threads might be really useful reading.

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There is lots of great info about using gears, shifting, and so forth which you can likely find with a search. (Warning, this got long...but, it was important for me in doing hill training.)

The one thing I could perhaps add to the discussion is to get whatever gearing you need in order to just be out riding hills. The bike I had when I started riding had a triple, and the lowest gear was 30 (teeth on the smallest ring in front) and 27 (teeth on the biggest ring in back). Now, that is a fairly low gear.

But, I am overweight (working on that) and I live in a very hilly area (not rolling hills)... climbs everywhere. I was finding that going out for a ride always became a test of strength, and my muscles were always sore, and I could NEVER spin up a hill. It got discouraging.

Now, I know it is possible that if I had just kept at it, I probably would have gotten that much stronger, faster. But, I am also riding this bike for fun, and I wanted to enjoy it! So, I went out and got a mountain derailleur for the back, and switched out my cassette for one with 32 teeth on the back.

Those lower gears gave me just enough extra help that I could go out and do long rides on hills all day. I was still sore the next day, but I was able to train without being crippled, and I had a LOT more options for ride routes. This kept it all a lot more fun, so I found myself riding hills all the time and enjoying it. I know those gears helped me do my hard ride this past summer. And, I know they will help me do next summer's hard ride, too. :eek:

My goal is to complete that hard ride with this setup, and then next Fall get myself a fancy new bike with compact double gearing. I know there will be a big adjustment, and I might be "two steps back" in what I can do. But, I will have done a LOT of climbing in the past two years, and gained a lot of confidence and strength.

I caught some flack from local friends who literally do Ironman Triathlons, and told me I would get stronger if I just kept the normal gearing. But, I listened to what I intuitively knew would give me what I needed to get out there and really train in the hills, and it has worked for me. And, I'm still having FUN!!! :D

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Originally Posted by Starfish

I caught some flack from local friends who literally do Ironman Triathlons, and told me I would get stronger if I just kept the normal gearing. But, I listened to what I intuitively knew would give me what I needed to get out there and really train in the hills, and it has worked for me. And, I'm still having FUN!!! :D

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Well done, Starfish.

It so irks me when people insist that "tougher gears will make you stronger".

Well, from my perspective, tougher gears would just frustrate me, and wear me out. Better to get to the top of the mountain slowly than never get there at all.

And eventually I get stronger and I use the tougher gears. But it's still nice to have the low gears to fall back on. :cool:

With regards to what Starfish is saying in her last post, I couldn't agree more.

When I started riding in the summer of 2003, I had a triple with a 23 on the back and standard gears on the front (whatever those are!). As I became more interested in longer rides, I also had a goal- climb Mt Diablo (3,849 ft) a bemoth of a mountain around here and one that many people train on.

So, with that in mind, I got a mountain bike gear set up-an XTR 34. The folks who put in on for me told me that I'd be able to walk up walls with that kind of gearing. Well, I did do Mt Diablo the next summer (2004) plus many more hilly rides AND I became more confident in my ability to ride just about anywhere. I also started to really like hill climbs. In fact, I'd rather do hill rides than flat rides anyday.

In December 2005 I purchased a carbon bike and put on a cassette with a 25. This was quite a change for me. Although the bike is about 5lbs lighter, with the different gearing (yes, I have a triple on this bike as well) the hills were just as hard if not harder. I've gotten stronger on this bike and love the aerodynamics as well as how it handles the road.

As an experiment, I took it up Diablo a couple of months ago and did just fine until we hit the last segment- a 17% climb to the summit. I just about died- it was extremely hard.

Now when I climb Diablo I use my other bike. It's more fun as I have more options gear wise and I don't have to kill myself to get to the top. I get in good hill training which pays off on all of my rides regardless of which bike I choose to ride.

Point here is, it's not about the bike! It's about the rider. Hills will make you stronger, but you've gotta be able to do them and still feel like you could do them again. If the gears you have make hills tough, don't tough it out. Set your bike up to work for you. Later when you feel stronger you can always switch back.

Wow, the last posts by Starfish, Jobob, and Nancy make me realize how darned little I know about the mechanics of my bike! :eek: I bought it (a Schwinn) about two months ago, on sale, at my local Performance Bike shop, with the help of my cycling BF, who then tinkered with fitting it properly.

I know I have three rings and nine options on each of those rings, but that's ALL I know, LOL! (And I use 'em all, at some point or another.......) My previous bike (still used as a commuter bike) is a 27-year old, lever-gearshift, 10-speed. That's what I started riding on last February when I took up cycling after several years "off". The difference between the two bikes is, as you might expect, amazing!......

Looks like I ought to learn more about what I have----or don't have----so I can make the most of my options! Thanks for the education!

I have considered the option of mountain bike gearing on my bike as well (I don't do well on hills) but have not done it. My first try at "helping" myself with the gearing (I, too, have a triple - 52/42/30) was with a 12/27 cassette on the rear. I swapped out the rear cassette last spring and it did help, though not as much as I would have liked.

This fall I rode a friend's compact double (50/34) with an 11 or 12/25. Climbing the same hills on that bike seemed easier - would someone please explain to me why?? I am confused but now considering switching to a compact double with a 12/27 cassette.

Kathi - you and I both have a lot to learn! ;)

KathiCville,
It sounds like you found the Wintergreen hill climb road, or at least something very similar. You started around the top of Afton mtn, yes? I avoid elevation gains like that like the plague, but my friends tell me that most of Skyline really isn't that brutal. It's just that the time of year when you'd really want to ride out there, it's littered with all sorts of tourists getting in the way.

Do you do much riding immediately around Charlottesville or do you prefer to ride out in the Blue Ridge? I'm in town all the time (right now, actually), and I can always use some company. I've been a real weather weenie lately though and am getting quite off my training schedule. Still, I like to punish myself on the area's hills as much as I can. Let me know if you ever want company or want some contact info for others to ride with (I know a few people who just get out for 20-30 miles at a fairly casual pace--mostly Tri Club folk). When the weather warms up and sunlight returns, though, I'll be attempting to put in some more serious mileage when I'm in town.

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Originally Posted by IFjane

I have considered the option of mountain bike gearing on my bike as well (I don't do well on hills) but have not done it. My first try at "helping" myself with the gearing (I, too, have a triple - 52/42/30) was with a 12/27 cassette on the rear. I swapped out the rear cassette last spring and it did help, though not as much as I would have liked.

This fall I rode a friend's compact double (50/34) with an 11 or 12/25. Climbing the same hills on that bike seemed easier - would someone please explain to me why?? I am confused but now considering switching to a compact double with a 12/27 cassette.

Kathi - you and I both have a lot to learn! ;)

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It's all about gear ratios. I doubt you're in the 30/27 much at all. Then, just keeping enough speed can be a challenge, right? But compared to a 34,36, or even 39, the 42 middle ring seems just HUGE on climbs, right? Plus, with compacts you're shedding weight. It's not THAT hard to crawl up a hill with a compact (even with a 25 cog), and it will feel easier, because it's going to take you fewer pedal strokes to get to the top.

I've got a 50/36 with 12-27, and it's pretty good. There are some places where a 34 would be nicer, but for most of my riding, I can stay in the 36 a long time more comfortably than the 50 (I've been trying to spin around 90-110rpms a lot of the time on flatter ground), but I'd run out of gears too early in a 34. I think if I were to do *serious* climbing, I'd go with a triple, but I don't like to do any serious climbing. Even so, I'd like to try a 34T ring first.

I'll agree with everyone, run what you need and don't worry about being a "wimp"
On front rings - I had a Standard triple (52/42/30), until I actually wore out the middle ring and switched it to a 39 - much better, but I still like have th 30 just in case:) Much more of a difference than going from the 11/25 that came stock to a 12/27

I just want to say thanks.

I know very little about my bike and what I'm doing because my BF is a bike mechanic. He just takes care of everything. I have to remind him to fill me in on the details.

I find the gear information very helpful. I will have to keep all of that in mind as I'm training.

I did ride a hill on Christmas day. I had ridden this one ride only on my mountain bike before (before I got my road bike). I wasn't able to get up it at all before. I wasn't able to get all the way up, but I got a lot farther than I thought I would. I think the posts I read here not only helped me but made me believe that I could do it.

Thanks. I'll keep you posted on how I do.

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Originally Posted by aicabsolut

KathiCville,
It sounds like you found the Wintergreen hill climb road, or at least something very similar. You started around the top of Afton mtn, yes? I avoid elevation gains like that like the plague, but my friends tell me that most of Skyline really isn't that brutal. It's just that the time of year when you'd really want to ride out there, it's littered with all sorts of tourists getting in the way.

Do you do much riding immediately around Charlottesville or do you prefer to ride out in the Blue Ridge? I'm in town all the time (right now, actually), and I can always use some company. I've been a real weather weenie lately though and am getting quite off my training schedule. Still, I like to punish myself on the area's hills as much as I can. Let me know if you ever want company or want some contact info for others to ride with (I know a few people who just get out for 20-30 miles at a fairly casual pace--mostly Tri Club folk). When the weather warms up and sunlight returns, though, I'll be attempting to put in some more serious mileage when I'm in town.

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Please let me know when you are coming back to Ch'ville!!! I would love to ride with you - and hook up with Kathi at the same time. I have been off the bike for some time because of surgery & other issues, but have been back on the trainer this week and in a couple weeks hope to be back out on the road - weather permitting.

I think Kathi drove up to the gate a the Skyline Drive at Afton and did not go up Reed's Gap :eek: at 18% at the top.... I have been down that road but never up!

Hope to hook up sometime in '08 - let me know when you are coming through - I am 5 miles off Rt. 29 in Madison....:)