Who knew He!! would be so beautiful???

[bikerchick68]

So Saturday I met my group of roadie friends and we headed out to do a lil ole ride... we decided to ride a loop that we have never ridden before... I've heard of it, and frankly have avoided it... well, 'cause I was afraid... very afraid. This ride is called the Great Western Loop and is 42 miles with 4865ft climbing... have I ever mentioned that I am NOT a climber???

So we take off and everything is good... so we're climbing... and then we're climbing... and that is followed with some climbing... good gawd, I'm thinking, how tall ARE these hills anyway and WHEN is the downhill???

So pretty soon, I'm pulled over, cause Murphy's Law, we have Santa Ana conditions all of a sudden. Great. Perfect. Now we're climbing into a headwind and it's 84 (yes eighty four) degrees out! I'm sweating like a pig in a poke (ugh... I think my mom uses that expression!) and stop to strip. Now, I'm riding in a bra top... cause the fleece lined, long sleeve jersey was killing me. Oh man, does that breeze feel good now! then we hit a climb called the Wall... (does every ride have to have a hill called the Wall??? I wanna find one with a climb called the Bump!)

So we're riding, and we crest some peak and stop to sag, (never have I been so perfectly content to sit in the dirt on the side of the road!!!) and then continue on a slight downhill... and oh, the view! It is absolutely breathtaking... and then we ride thru an area completely canopied with trees... just gorgeous... and that was when I told my friends I never knew he!! would be so pretty...

It was one of the toughest climbing rides I have ever done... but the scenery was amazing... it was the saving grace in my mind. If I gotta hurt my body I at least wanna see some pretty sites! LOL...

ride time: 3:46
avg speed: 10.9 can't get much slower!
temp: 85 at the peak
sunburn: yup, gonna peel for sure
do it again?: are you insane???? I must be, cause yup, I'm gonna ride it again sometime!

Those of you who report here about your climbing rides have inspired me... BUT I am looking at getting a compact crank. My double was pretty unforgiving...

[snapdragen]

bikerchick68, what roads were you on. I'm curious to see if you went on any of the routes the "hammerheads" took when I was in SD.

btw - I want to live in San Diego. You are a lucky girl!

[jobob]

avg speed: 10.9 can't get much slower!

Wanna bet??

Great ride report ! Good job, girl!

[Veronica]

I am so envious! I can't wait for the warm days to come back. i want to be wearing sleeveless jerseys again, instead of figuring out how many layers I need.

V.

[Lise]

I'm with JoBob. 10.9 mph would've been FAST for me at the end of my metric century last summer, when we were climbing the longest, slowest, most annoying incline...can I even call it a hill? ...that I've ever gone up. I think at one point I looked down and saw the number "4" on my spedometer. "4"?! I should've just slung the bike over my shoulder; I could've walked faster!

Your ride sounds beautiful. Lise

[bikerchick68]

bikerchick68, what roads were you on. I'm curious to see if you went on any of the routes the "hammerheads" took when I was in SD.

btw - I want to live in San Diego. You are a lucky girl!

sanpdragen... the route is from Willows Glen Rd to Dehesa, right on Japatul Rd, right on Lyons Valley Rd, then left at the Lyons Valley split... (downhill-ish) them right past Steele Canyon Resort... part of this ride is a part of the event ride called the Alpine Challenge which is 72 miles with 6800ft climbing if I recall... not sure... haven't done that one either! LOL...

Lise- hahahaha! On the climb called the Wall I was doing 3.5mph... I would've laughed but honestly that took WAY too much energy!

[Veronica]

ha! I can beat that - although I'm not sure I want to. 2.7 mph heading up Patterson Pass (The Oh my God! Hill) into a vicious headwind.

V.

[annie]

then we hit a climb called the Wall... (does every ride have to have a hill called the Wall??? I wanna find one with a climb called the Bump!)

.

ROMALOL!!! Yes, every ride MUST have a Wall.
We love 'em, don't we?? Well, maybe once we are up them.
And, no, you are most certainly NOT insane. You are one strong woman!

annie

[Duck on Wheels]

But of COURSE Hell is beautiful! No need to fudge the spelling. It's an actual place in Norway. Go to http://www.setnan.no/jan/bilder-1.htm and check out a video titled "When Hell freezes over". And as for a wall ... well the one in Hell is not on a bike route; it's for rock climbers. But there are hills, and yes, it's beautiful.

[caligurl]

their website says 7000 for the 72 mile (6000 for the metric).. but i logged 6540 ascent according to my polar for the 72 mile route last year.... that is a REALLY pretty area! loved the alpacas across from one of the rest stops!

i would highly recommend alpine challenge.. it's a great ride... gorgeous area (as bikerchick said!) and the support is wonderful... TONS of food.. water... etc! i'm really upset that it falls right between 2 climbing centuries (that i need to do to get king of the mountain) cuz i want to do it again.. and hubby really wants to do it this year (bum knee last year)