How to read map?

[Nokomis]

First thing I check is the scale - how many feet are those jagged lines jumping over? Couple hundred top to bottom isn't too scarry.

Second thing is how steep are climbs or descents? And, how long do they last? I see a mild climb at the 1mi mark, lasts about a half mile, but it's followed by a sharp jump, and then a very sharp jump to get to two miles. I'd expect that first highest peak to be an out of the saddle push to the top. The climb around 7 miles in should feel similar, as it's shaped almost the same. What gear? That's all about you & your bike - whatever you can do that works From 3.5 to 4m, you have a nice big downhill - know how fast you're comfortable going, as I'd imagine you could easily exceed 25?

[Over50Newbie]

Wow, you guys are good. Thanks so much. There is a hill near my house that is a half mile long and is pretty steep. I think that I will start going up and down it more frequently when I take my bike rides. I could use the practice!

[Deanna]

Also, with all topo maps, in addition to the distance scale, look for a measurement for contour intervals. That will tell you how much climbing in the distance. And a general rule, the closer the countour lines, the steeper the pitch.

[Duck on Wheels]

One follow-up question, which is also an admission that though I may be a good map-reader I too am a newbie to biking ...
What is the % of an incline a % of? Is it a percentage of the difference between flat (0 or 180 degrees) and vertical (90 degrees) so that an angle of 171 (or 9, depending on which side you see it from) degrees would be a 10% incline? Or is it the rise as a percentage of the distance traveled, so that a 5' rise over 100' would be a 5% incline?