You are correct in assuming that it's just uphill. Thanks for the HR advice. I will be sure to keep an eye on my monitor.

As for aero stuff, the only thing I've used before is clamp-on bars, which I figured would not do me much good, because I prefer to hold my hoods or drops when I climb.

What about switching between sitting/standing? Does it help to switch emphasis to other muscles briefly on long climbs, or will standing wear me out quicker? I usually just stand for very steep hills or when I want to haul *** up a short one (I'm more of a sprinter than anything else).