I was planning to go on a nice, mellow 40 mile training ride, but I overslept. Instead, I decided that today was the day to try climbing my nemesis hill, the Calaveras Wall.

There's plenty of climbing stud muffins on this site who can easily climb this hill, but for me, it's always ended in failure. I've either had to stop, toss my cookies, or both.

That was until today. I climbed the sucker -- it was easy! OK, not easy, but I didn't need to use my lowest gear and I made it to the top without once worrying that I was going to lose my breakfast.

I was so stoked afterward that I climbed the shallow ascent of Calaveras from Sunol in my big ring.

This training thing just might be workin'!

-- Melissa