ok, i'm doing a terrible newby thing and resurecting an old thread. but i just had to chime in. i'm a burgh girl myself. i live here in the DC area now but i was born and raised in the south hills of pittsburgh (dormont) and i'm still back there all the time. last couple of times i did bring my bike back with me and i'm amazed to remember the ease with which i used to be able to go up those hills. and it is true, there is no way to get any where without going up a hill. thrift drug used to have a race there where the pro riders had to go up the steepest hill in the city (second steepest was about 4 blocks from my house and no, at no time did i bike up it, heck i don't often drive up it!) about 4 or 5 times during the ride. it was brutal. my sister used to go watch it all the time and i think it may have been the first win lance had after coming back from cancer.

ok, enough rambling, just had to chime in. sorry for reviving an old thread.