rec.sport.unicycling · Public discussion

Another attempt at my Personal Everest

phil · 2005-06-12T21:11:16+00:00

Months ago I set myself the challenge of riding all the way up the massive hill to Triscombe Stone on the Quantocks before the Red Bull, in two weeks time (aaargh!). Thankfully nobody managed it at last week's BMW - that would have been truly depressing - and I returned to have another go today. I originally said I'd do it on the 29er, but I think I'm coming round to the belief that 29er-ing it just isn't possible for mortals like myself. This time it was on the 24" muni that I approached the bottom of the hill, fully fuelled up on jelly babies and ready to go. Alas, closer, but still no cigar. The hill rises 140 metres from 180m ASL to 320m; I made it to 278m, almost three quarters of the way up. Unfortunately I had to stop because some schmuck in a Range Rover coming downwards evidently thought that I'd really enjoy a break and so completely blocked the track. I apologise for the bad image I may have given unicyclists in general because I -really- wasn't in the mood to humour his missing-a-wheel line after getting that far. Admittedly my lungs and legs were close to destroying half of Somerset in a massive and messy explosion, so I'd probably only have made another few metres upwards anyway, but it's the principle of the thing that matters. The curious thing is that looking at all the GPS tracks I have of the hill, the quickest time I've done it was actually when I walked most of it with Paul. It seems that riding a little bit then walking the rest is faster than riding the lot with a stationary break in the middle. Not by much, admittedly, but maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere... Phil -- phil - ex-studenty type Good, bad... I'm the guy with the Cattle Prod. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ phil's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/915 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/41134

Started by phil · 12 June 2005 · Last activity 17 June 2005 · 8 posts · 364 views

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Original section: rec.sport.unicycling
Published: 12 June 2005
Last activity: 17 June 2005
Original author: phil
Posts: 8
Discussion status: Public discussion
Total views: 364
Views / 30 days: 0
Topics: Climbing

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Original post
phil
Archived post

12 June 2005, 21:11 UTC #1

Months ago I set myself the challenge of riding all the way up the
massive hill to Triscombe Stone on the Quantocks before the Red Bull, in
two weeks time (aaargh!). Thankfully nobody managed it at last week's
BMW - that would have been truly depressing - and I returned to have
another go today.
I originally said I'd do it on the 29er, but I think I'm coming round to
the belief that 29er-ing it just isn't possible for mortals like myself.
This time it was on the 24" muni that I approached the bottom of the
hill, fully fuelled up on jelly babies and ready to go.
Alas, closer, but still no cigar. The hill rises 140 metres from 180m
ASL to 320m; I made it to 278m, almost three quarters of the way up.
Unfortunately I had to stop because some schmuck in a Range Rover coming
downwards evidently thought that I'd really enjoy a break and so
completely blocked the track. I apologise for the bad image I may have
given unicyclists in general because I -really- wasn't in the mood to
humour his missing-a-wheel line after getting that far.
Admittedly my lungs and legs were close to destroying half of Somerset
in a massive and messy explosion, so I'd probably only have made another
few metres upwards anyway, but it's the principle of the thing that
matters.
The curious thing is that looking at all the GPS tracks I have of the
hill, the quickest time I've done it was actually when I walked most of
it with Paul. It seems that riding a little bit then walking the rest is
faster than riding the lot with a stationary break in the middle. Not by
much, admittedly, but maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere...
Phil
--
phil - ex-studenty type
Good, bad... I'm the guy with the Cattle Prod.
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s7ev0
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12 June 2005, 21:33 UTC #2

A brave attempt, Phil!
I'm thinking you need a back-up team though. I mean, Sir Edmund Hillary
had Sherpa Tensing to ensure Range Rovers weren't poorly parked in
between base camp and the summit.
I'd do it like a shot, only I live a long way away, and I've er, got um,
things to do and stuff...
Seriously though, it sounds like you are very close to conquering your
personal Everest. Keep us up to date!
--
s7ev0 - ************
We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there
were no lawsuits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was
to blame but us. Remember accidents? ~ GILD
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uni57
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13 June 2005, 02:09 UTC #3

If a hill ever gives me trouble, it just means that I'm going the wrong
way. Down is more my style.
--
uni57 - David C. Lowell
dave lowell (uni57)
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phil
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17 June 2005, 21:02 UTC #4

I haven't tried that hill again yet, but today I managed to conquer my
Personal K2 (longer, but a bit easier than Everest...).
In the whole ride I attempted it three times; I didn't make it the first
time, got all the way up on the second go and -just- managed to claw my
way up on the third go.
I'm puzzled... I would have thought I would have been less knackered the
first time I did it; I wasn't expecting to get anywhere near the top on
the second attempt, and definitely not the third, but somehow I did. The
only conclusion I can come to is that Bonnie Tyler's "Holding out for a
hero" is better for hill climbing than a random Sick Shift tune from
Universe, and that if you're listening to Jimmy Eat World you might as
well go home because the hill is going to kick your [censored]. Hurrah for 80s
power ballads and their gravity defeating properties!
A lot of it is probably mental... if you can ignore the fact that your
legs are about to explode you can go on past the point where it becomes
painful.
My arms ache now from waving them around like a loon. I may be unable to
move tomorrow, but it was worth it... 🙂
Phil
--
phil - ex-studenty type
Good, bad... I'm the guy with the Cattle Prod.
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johnhimsworth
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17 June 2005, 22:19 UTC #5

Does this mean that you're now so inspired you'll get around to putting
your BMW photos on the interweb? :p
John
--
johnhimsworth - Nullus Anxietas
What if the hokey cokey really is what it's all about?
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redwelly
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17 June 2005, 22:27 UTC #6

Riding up that 'Everest' would be a truly remarkable feat, Phil!
If it's the one I think it is, which Roger, Tue and I went up on the way
back to the car park at BWM the other week. We rode for about 50 meters
before deciding walking was far more sensible. Even walking it was a
serious challenge to keep going to the top, and required an innordinate
amount of fresh air to be extracted from the vicinity.
Some day you shall do it though.
Maybe we should have a compilation of music tracks which have
gravity-defiying themes...
Disclaimer: Musical styles may vary, and not always be condusive to
uphill riding.
Lenny Kravitz, Fly Away
Lighthouse Family, Lifted (or High)
Whoever sang 'Movin' on up'
U2, Elevation
Led Zeplin, Stairway to Heaven
Aled Jones, You Lift Me Up (or Walking in the Air)
Foo Fighters, Learn To Fly
Frank Sinatra, Fly Me To The Moon...
...?
Sam 🙂
--
redwelly - on top of the world
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phil
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17 June 2005, 23:33 UTC #7

johnhimsworth said:
*Does this mean that you're now so inspired you'll get around to
putting your BMW photos on the interweb? :p *
Indeed. In fact I was so inspired that I travelled back in time and did
it 'last weekend' (http://tinyurl.com/dgf3l). Sorry for any temporal
confusion caused.
I haven't seen any other photos or this fabled video of the Saturday
ride, though... *prod*
Phil
--
phil - ex-studenty type
Good, bad... I'm the guy with the Cattle Prod.
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phil
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17 June 2005, 23:42 UTC #8

redwelly said:
*U2, Elevation*
I had U2 "Vertigo" on in the car on the way back. Associated with
climbing it may be, but not quite as inspirational as the others... 🙂
Phil
--
phil - ex-studenty type
Good, bad... I'm the guy with the Cattle Prod.
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