Stage 7 - Tour de Ca . . . right by my house

[Jiffer]

I'm mad at myself that I didn't go watch the tour go by the other day. I guess I had it in my mind that I had to ride up Baldy or Glendora Mountain Road to see them, as my husband did last year, and I'm not physically able to do that right now. But upon watching it on TV there are plenty of places I could have seen them go by, including Euclid Ave a half mile away from my house.

Watching this stage is bitter sweet for me, cause I've ridden so many of the roads they ride, including the big climb up Glendora Mountain Road. But I have been unable to ride GMR for some time due to health issues, which I "think" I'm coming back from now finally.

It's funny cause this is the toughest climbing stage of the tour and I can say that I've DONE at least part of it. I've never climbed to the top of Baldy, which is WAY killer, but my husband does it frequently. Just GMR alone, which I've done several times is a force to be reckoned with. About 4,000 feet in 20-ish miles. I am by no means a strong climber, which is why I have forced myself to do it . . . to get better.

One of my favorite cycling memories was the day I rode GMR and was at the height of my fitness. There were several cyclists out that day, and I was actually able to pass several (something I was not used to doing for sure!). As I passed a woman, who was riding with a man, I heard her say under her breath, "How do you GO that fast?".

Oh, did that make my day!!!

So if you have Stage 7 recorded, when you watch it, think of Jiffer from Team Estrogen riding up Glendora Mountain Road. That would be the part where several riders immediately start falling off from the peloton after chasing a break away group for a long time. When they show the map of the course and you see San Antonio Heights . . . that's where I live.

[Norse]

My legs hurt just sitting on the couch watching them climb up Mt. Baldy - especially seeing the pained look on some of their faces. Egads!

[Jiffer]

My legs hurt just sitting on the couch watching them climb up Mt. Baldy - especially seeing the pained look on some of their faces. Egads!

That steep climb on Baldy doesn't even look nearly as steep as it is on TV. My husband says it's between a 12 and 16% grade, and gets even steeper for a few hundred feet right near the very end. I've driven it in a car and just shake my head and the idea of riding it.

I do intend to conquer it one of these days, even if only just once to say I did it.