Awesome job! I know what 8% for 1.8 miles feels like. But it's definitely harder when you don't know what you're getting yourself into! I climbed a steep hill during a Metric Century recently and just wanted to know when it was going to end. I finally stopped for a break and as soon as I got going, I saw the end. Of course. Good for you for sticking it out.

I did some serious hill work today. Strangely enough, I planned it that way and sucked my friend into it with me! Around here, this ride is known as the Padua ride, except it's really on Mt. Baldy Road. The first part of the climb is a couple of miles at around a 5%, but then you end up going up about a quarter mile at 10-13%, followed by a mere 7-ish% for a while, a short reprieve and then some more 5-ish for a bit before a nice rewarding downhill section.

My friend was so nervous about doing this ride. She has only done it once, not long after she got her bike (in Feb), when our crazy friend took her on it. She literally thought she was going to puke and had a really hard time with the idea of doing it today. I was the crazy friend today, who made her do it, but I knew she wouldn't puke or even feel like it because she has gotten so much stronger and done a lot of other hill work. She's stronger than I am and I was making ME do it ... so she had to do it with me!

Anyways, we both had hill climbing success! I was thrilled to try out my new easier gears Dh added to my bike the other day and, oh what a difference!

Woo hoo for successful hill climbing!!!