Weeeeeeeeeee-CrazyC vs Welshpool road east

[crazycanuck]

I normally don't share stories of my rides as they're not that exciting.

Today's however was awesome & thought I might share. I would post the area from Google Earth but i'm on dial up.

I was invited on a hills ride with the lady that runs our tri group & some other chickies. I had no idea if i could keep up but hey i went along.

We started at 6am & headed out towards the hills. I don't have the greatest vision with my left eye at the best of times, never mind trying to follow someone's wheel & keep up! It was pretty flat & quiet until we hit the HILL. Up until then I think we were doing about 30km or so/hr.

This is one of the only BIG hills in Perth & have always wanted to ride up it. Not a suggestion in the middle of the day as it's very very busy but early am is just fine.

So up & up & up we went. I am not fast on the hills and kept my speed around 10km/hr. I stayed in the saddle some of the time (good practice for my mtn bike rides!) and stood the other half. At no time did I feel I had to stop and kept very close to the lovely lady in front of me. I thought if i can see her back wheel, i'm just fine. I may have been the slowest but I made it up!!!!

Right, followed Welshpool road East until Canning road where the hills continued and then into Kalamunda.

We stopped at a coffee shop in Kalamnuda & this is where I turned to mush. Until then I hadn't really had the recommended 500ml of water nor any cliff bloks or my endura bar. I thought i was going to faint & was not feeling well at all. Someone gave me some gummy snakes & i came back. Oh dear don't do this at home k.Please make sure you eat and drink properly on a long bike ride.

After ensuring the others I was ok we headed off. Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it's downhill for most of the ride back. This is where I struggle-speed and being able to focus when my eyes are watering- I kept my speed going down at 40km/hr.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee...most of the motorists were pretty good in terms of giving us room. weeeeeeeeeeeeeee..

I tried to drink as much as i could on the way back & eat my cliff bloks. If i could just reach the back pockets of my AV jersey, all would be good. Made it back in good time but was the last one in.

I think the total elevation climbed was 500m. This may not sound like much but as i said, it's one of the main hills around perth. I think it was about 25-40min of continual hills

I'd love to do the ride again!!!

Off & away.....C

[salsabike]

Wow! Hey! Congrats. Sounds pretty impressive to me, kiddo.

[Wahine]

Congrats CC on conquering THE HILL. It's a big deal and I'm glad you posted your story. I hope you have a good day tomorrow and can still walk done the stairs facing forward. You'll understand later.

[Trekhawk]

Well done CC!!!! 500 metres is around 1600 feet so nothing to be sneezed at. Good for you for searching out those elusive Perth hills.

[crazycanuck]

Thanks ladies

I appreciate your support

Trekhawk-did you ever bike in the Perth hills when you lived here? I suppose you may have driven up it? The reason I ask is, how does Welshpool road compare to some of your Californiyaaa ones?

C

[Trekhawk]

Thanks ladies

I appreciate your support

Trekhawk-did you ever bike in the Perth hills when you lived here? I suppose you may have driven up it? The reason I ask is, how does Welshpool road compare to some of your Californiyaaa ones?

C

Sorry CC I just saw this post. Hmm I cant say I really remember Welshpool road in particular but I do remember some of the roads up to Kalamunda being pretty steep. Northern California has some pretty big mountains - lets face it some of the mountains in Norcal are higher than the highest mountain in Australia. Cant say how it would rate really - for me at least it depends on gradient. If its steep and long I die if its not so steep but long I can pedal happily along. Sorry not much help am I.

Have a look at the links below for a couple of hilly rides I have gone on with the Norcal ladies.You will need to scroll down until you see the ride profile for climbing and see what you think.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=11085

(for the one above you need to click on routeslip link for goobers and grapes)

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=13274

Happy Hill Climbing.

PS do you have an altimeter on your computer??? They are great if you want to get some idea of how much you are climbing and how steep the gradient is. I like it so I have some idea of what rides to avoid.

[chickwhorips]

good job cc! sounds like a blast.

i felt like i was going down hill with you. wwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
ok so maybe it's the pain pills

[midlife]

What about the hill in Kings Park Crazy'nuck? Well I haven't been there for 25 years, but I think it was a hill! I know ATTA has time trials up it.

I really don't like hills, despite having compact cranks and did a 110km event last year that was about 20 kms of rolling hills from the 60km point on (after lunch too ) It was tough for me and my hubby gave me a few pushes up some of them, when I had to get off and walk one he got off and walked too. I was so grateful to him.

Yeah I know I have to train on them more and hopefully having lost some weight there is less of me to drag up them

[crazycanuck]

Mid..Which hill in Kings Park dear...? I've found a few & they're umm..ok.. so far..After 3 laps I lose it on one particular bit...I shall work on it.

Umm..Birds in the park sounds like fun but i'm not fast enough!!!

If i had a choice, I'd rather bike up Welshpool road east until Kalamunda because it's a challenge.
c

[Wahine]

CC - I'm risking revealing how way out of touch I am but...

Who's the dude in the photo? Is this Ian or someone I should recognize, but don't?

[crazycanuck]

Wahine, it's an older photo of Roger Taylor from Queen.

C

[Wahine]

I had a feeling I should know who it was. You're so hip.

[midlife]

Mid..Which hill in Kings Park dear...? I've found a few & they're umm..ok.. so far..After 3 laps I lose it on one particular bit...I shall work on it.

Umm..Birds in the park sounds like fun but i'm not fast enough!!!

If i had a choice, I'd rather bike up Welshpool road east until Kalamunda because it's a challenge.
c

Oh rubbish you arent' fast enough! it's not about speed, it's about setting yourself a benchmark and trying to improve!! I hear over there they have trikes, tandems, everything!! Found my first one here very friendly (only 7 of us, we had to be, didn't we ) and if it makes you feel better, check out the results for Vic..I was last!! First out, last back, that's what I call value for money My av. was something like 27.9kmph and that was a flat course!!