Defeat of my Arch-Nemesis

Pegleg

Let me start with a little back story...There is this climb, It is 4 miles long the first 1/2 mile is a 4% grade after that it goes to a 6% grade for the remaining 31/2 miles. I first ran across this ride a few months ago. I was getting rather bored riding the same couple loops over and over..so I wanted a fresh ride. This was a beautiful route, meandering through a valley, a babbling brook on one side, and shear cliffs along the other for a majority of the way. giant tree's casting shade on the road. A perfect route..I thought. The first time I came across the climb that I have since referred to as the "Behemoth" was an embarrassing one.

I started the climb well enough.I shifted down to my 25 right from the get go and figured I'd just spin my way up,or so I thought. I was about 3/4 of a mile up and I started to get the burning in my quads. I thought "eh, I'm sure I'm almost at the top" ..A little further up , my quads burning quite badly, my hips decided to join in on the tormenting..how nice of them.

My speed and cadence was dropping quite rapidly now..speed was around 8 mph..cadence 70's..My glutes obviously feeling left out of the pain fest decided to join in..how kind of them..The pain in my body was climbing to almost unbearable levels..and my speed was plummeting now.."hmm.." I thought " I didn't know I could go 2.8 mph and still stay upright"

As it turn out I couldn't..I started to fall went to unclip and realized my Legs couldn't turn..obviously a revolt against the torture. I fell unceremoniously to the side of the road, and laid there knowing that my legs could not support my weight..I think it was at this moment that this climb ceased to be a climb, and became my arch-nemesis..the subject of nightmares, my bane. I have battled this climb many times since this fateful day..to no avail..

well last night I defeated the Behemoth! As I crested the climb I felt like I had just won a grand tour..I laughed maniacally as I circled the top..got weird looks..but they didn't understand...I was Galahad and I had finally slayed my dragon.

now to find his big-brother

-Peg

G@ZZ@

Congrats on the accomplishment!
I have a couple of mountain climbs around me that are pretty tough as you describe, even to the point of only acheiving 3mph speed and barely able to keep balanced on the bike!
The grades on these two climbs are at the very least 9+%.
But I know if I stop for whatever reason, the climb is soo steep there's just about no way I would be able to get going again. So it's a case of gritting your teeth with grim determination and just keep pedalling.
So now you have to figure that you've conquered the climb, now to beat the living daylights out of it next time

Pegleg

Thank you

ouch, that sounds like a monster of a climb mate!
I hear ya on not stopping, sometimes its better to bear it..if ya stop, you'll never get going again.

Aye, I have defeated the beast..now its time to rub its nose in it

-Peg

G@ZZ@

I did my ride again for the first time in a few months, and was pleasantly suprised to get up this monster hill in my middle chain ring, was hard but I wasn't about to give in.
It was a good test to see if my spinning classes had aided my ability in anyway.
I was chuffed to bits

Pegleg

outstanding mate! congrats!

guess the spinning payed off.

-Peg