I did it! I made it to H€ll and back! That's a hilly 44 miles (well, actually 40, but we added on 4 more and visited DH's cousins who live on the farm where DH was born ... just outside of, yes, H€ll!). As for the ride ... I did pretty well except on the longest and steepest hills. I made all the hills until the one up from Hommelvik. That one's a mile long and about a 15% grade. I tried dividing it into chunks, standing off the bike to let my HR drop every time I hit my 95% mark. After 3 chunks I gave up and walked the top third. Even walking at 3mph my HR was at 85-90%! But then I made the next hill from Muruvik up to Gjevingåsen. Coming back I walked the even steeper and longer climb from H€ll bridge to Gjevingåsen. But I managed the next steep climb from Muruvik to the crest above Hommelvik in two chunks. Then I walked a moderate hill in Malvik to give my shoulders and butt a break and a steep quarter-miler in Ranheim because my quads felt like jello at that point. But even after that hill, when I thought I was probably exhausted, I still did 10-15 mph on the flats through Ranheim and made it up the last hills home. YAY! Or, well, ok... So I'm not really in shape for the ALC. I've probably reached my peak form by now, so I'll wind up walking hills on the ALC too, and I may not finish all the miles every day either. But I'll do my best, and very likely set new personal records for mileage, climbs, day-after-day rides etc. Good enough for an old lady. I'll be 60 a month after the ride, after all. Meanwhile, hugs and butterflies to DH who rode as my support on today's ride.