I'm actually in Cleveland (at least, most of the time), which is pretty flat. The hills here aren't terribly steep, but they're long. I just double-checked the elevation profile, and it looks like the incline changes right around where I hit that wall.

The hills in my neighborhood back home are pretty steep. Those don't give me a problem--I just keep pedaling. I manage 7-9 mph on those and don't feel like I've been hit by a steamroller. (Okay, I need to catch my breath a bit at the top, but still!) There's a bit of a roller there, which helps, but not much. (Indy, we have some of those monolith hills. I just don't ride on them!)

On my ride tomorrow I'll try out my granny gear, and try to remember that I just have to get up the hill.