I braved the tourists to do 15 miles at Gettysburg National Battlefield in PA for hill and road-riding practice (Gettysburg Routeslip). Fortunately, the drivers of the big tour buses are more alert and considerate than the dorkus oblivii driving their own cars. Had a few folks pull out right next to me from where they had stopped to check out monuments, and another one or two slowed to a crawl in front of me at curves in the road because they were apparently busy reading the park map (Note to self: Learn to trackstand for when folks at Gettysburg can't decide which direction to turn...). Good way to break through that road riding paranoia

The first time I rode the battlefield, back in July, I had to stop halfway up the hill to Big Round Top and then didn't bother attempting the next hill up to Little Round Top (See the jagged section between miles 5 & 6 on the Routeslip. For some reason, Little Round Top is taller than Big Round Top. Go figure ). This time I still had to take a short break halfway up each of them, but I did both hills and didn't fall over from cardiac arrest at the top of either! For someone who does at least 90% of her riding on flat trails, I don't think that's too shabby.

Since it was less hot today than the last time I rode Gettysburg, my cardiovascular system recovered from the hills more easily than I expected it to, which was a pleasant surprise. I going to have to figure out how to extend this route for spring and fall rides, because I did not want to go home so soon. I ended up practicing turns around the parking lot just to make it an even 15 miles, then stopped at the LBS on the way home to pick up some new shorts and tires. Good day!