Hilly100 & R.A.IN

[Miranda]

Go for it--with respect to both rides. They're great challenges. The best advice I can give you for the steep stuff is to just be patient with the climbs. Don't hit them too aggressively or you'll poop out. Don't look up or you'll get discouraged. If you have to stop, move right and call out that you're stopping. The Hilly is crowded so you really have to pay attention to everything around you.

Dress in layers. Unless you get a freakishly warm morning, it will be cold at the start, but it could easily warm up quite a bit.
As for the chicken lunch, they do offer PBJ sandwiches, too.

Good luck and have a safe, fun ride!

indysteel... Thx for the great advice and well wishes on both! I seriously do not know how to unclip on an incline without falling over atm. That's always been my motivation to just keep climbing. Though at times, my HR was suggesting otherwise. I need to work on this in the meantime.

Miranda, we'd love to meet you at the Hilly and ride with you. Mt. Tabor is the steepest on Day 2. It peaks at a 21% grade, but it is short. While I huff and puff (at a speedy 3mph), I think the "Three Sisters(?)" are worse...they just keep going and going and going.

I think Hill repeats are a good idea. Prior to doing Boltinghouse Hill in Bloomington (a longer version of Tabor), my steepest grade was 10%.

It's all in the gear - yes, THE GEAR with no "s" (granny, that is) and the wheels...all you have to do is keep vertical!

I don't recall, where do you live?

Also, I will have a full house this year, but I could probably offer an extra (and humble) bed or two...or unlimited floor space. I'd never camp it...I get allergic smelling hay...

RAIN: we didn't have any SAG...although we had a lot of logistical support from Mr. & Mrs. SR500 and knew we had someone to call for a catastrophe...

Mt Tabor:



I think it's the first leg from the last low dip about 35 miles in (each tick is 5 miles). I assure you that every hill on there is doable, but I've loved the attitude of one oldish woman I passed pushing her bike up the hill - she said "There's no hill that can't be walked!"

Mr. Silver... Thx for the advice and very generous offer! I might take you up on that. Time with plans will tell. I really love Fall. The area is so beautiful that time of year. Riding sucking wind like crazy up hill, or pushing it... at least the surrounding scenery will be breath-taking regardless.