Climbed a mountain yesterday...by accident!

[IFjane]

KathiCville,
It sounds like you found the Wintergreen hill climb road, or at least something very similar. You started around the top of Afton mtn, yes? I avoid elevation gains like that like the plague, but my friends tell me that most of Skyline really isn't that brutal. It's just that the time of year when you'd really want to ride out there, it's littered with all sorts of tourists getting in the way.

Do you do much riding immediately around Charlottesville or do you prefer to ride out in the Blue Ridge? I'm in town all the time (right now, actually), and I can always use some company. I've been a real weather weenie lately though and am getting quite off my training schedule. Still, I like to punish myself on the area's hills as much as I can. Let me know if you ever want company or want some contact info for others to ride with (I know a few people who just get out for 20-30 miles at a fairly casual pace--mostly Tri Club folk). When the weather warms up and sunlight returns, though, I'll be attempting to put in some more serious mileage when I'm in town.

Please let me know when you are coming back to Ch'ville!!! I would love to ride with you - and hook up with Kathi at the same time. I have been off the bike for some time because of surgery & other issues, but have been back on the trainer this week and in a couple weeks hope to be back out on the road - weather permitting.

I think Kathi drove up to the gate a the Skyline Drive at Afton and did not go up Reed's Gap at 18% at the top.... I have been down that road but never up!

Hope to hook up sometime in '08 - let me know when you are coming through - I am 5 miles off Rt. 29 in Madison....

[Geonz]

This makes me miss the Blue Ridge... I can see it, smell it, feel it... want to go to our little cabins in the woods (in Madison County ) ...
... most commendable - alongside the gettin' out and doin' - is the idea of taking a "mistake" and making it a joyful opportunity. How many chances do we miss measuring things by what We Planned?

[KathiCville]

Precisely, Sue! As I was grumbling my way up the Interstate I nudged myself to shift my perspective and turn a navigational error into a positive experience. And, boy, did I ever, LOL! It IS amazing what can happen when you simply decide to make lemonade out of the lemons you've been handed. Attitude is everything! (Well, not everything! But it sure helps.)

As for the Blue Ridge, oh, yeah, I'm soooooooo glad I'm here! I moved here ten years ago, and the beauty of the area NEVER fails to enthrall, inspire, soothe, energize me---all four seasons of the year. Whenever I fly in to the local airport, I always smile as the Blue Ridge comes into view and think: "Yeahhhh....There are MY mountains! I must be home......"

[IFjane]

Precisely, Sue! As I was grumbling my way up the Interstate I nudged myself to shift my perspective and turn a navigational error into a positive experience. And, boy, did I ever, LOL! It IS amazing what can happen when you simply decide to make lemonade out of the lemons you've been handed. Attitude is everything! (Well, not everything! But it sure helps.)

As for the Blue Ridge, oh, yeah, I'm soooooooo glad I'm here! I moved here ten years ago, and the beauty of the area NEVER fails to enthrall, inspire, soothe, energize me---all four seasons of the year. Whenever I fly in to the local airport, I always smile as the Blue Ridge comes into view and think: "Yeahhhh....There are MY mountains! I must be home......"

I couldn't have said it better, Kathi.

And Sue - I'm counting on hearing from you the next time you are headed to Madison - bring your bike!

[aicabsolut]

Please let me know when you are coming back to Ch'ville!!! I would love to ride with you - and hook up with Kathi at the same time. I have been off the bike for some time because of surgery & other issues, but have been back on the trainer this week and in a couple weeks hope to be back out on the road - weather permitting.

I think Kathi drove up to the gate a the Skyline Drive at Afton and did not go up Reed's Gap at 18% at the top.... I have been down that road but never up!

Hope to hook up sometime in '08 - let me know when you are coming through - I am 5 miles off Rt. 29 in Madison....

Hey, I drive right past you all the time! I am not sure when I'll head back there, as race season starts in just a few weeks! I'm sure I'll be back for the Jefferson Cup RR in March and I'll probably spend some extra days around then. I'll definitely need some lower key rides (well, relatively, with all the hills). I tend to ride a lot down near that course and maybe up to Monticello, but I do spend a bunch of time out around Free Union/Earlysville/White Hall etc. I've never ridden from White Hall area out to Afton, but I've seen routes that go out that way to Skyline (the last climb up to Skyline is supposed to be horrible--at least by my reading of the route maps). That's probably why I've never done it. I prefer to drive over that beast .