Climbing

Since there's 6" of frozen elephant snot on the ground, skiing sucks, biking sucks, I can
dream a bit.

Here's some of what I love about climbing on my bike...

Long steady climbs, even logging road climbs... real satisfaction and kind of a meditation in the
rhythm of the pedals when you are in just the right gear, the breathing, the scenery.

The top. Of anything. Any ride is so much sweeter when you know there's no more higher to go. Hop
off the bike, have a snack, have a drink, have a leak, have a chat, enjoy the view, take a deep
breath... appreciate the effort it took to get there.... and then the downhill return!!

The progression. Nothing like a few little local climbs to see both the fitness and skill
improvement. We've got a hill here "half mile hill" (or five minute hill) which can be killer the
first few rides of the season. You might start out chanting to yourself "I will not die" and then
later on in the season it's just another long sweaty climb. ( that your buddies are dying on because
they don't get out as much) and then just maybe you'll do that section TWICE next time.

I love conquering little sections that present challenges whether it's a technical move, or just a
steep pitch. These little parts on my local rides can tell me if I'm having an "on" or "off" day...
I'm forced to listen to my body, my balance... the parts that force me to just ride and not think
too much about.

Heh, heh... I love riding up past the guys pushing their 40#+ pig bikes. And I love it when some of
the gals I know say, "dang I wish I had biker legs like you" You don't get those from shuttles.

Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
certainly) than female riders who really like to whine about going UP " we never ride there, too
much climbing?" I never hear this from women. Really.

Penny

 

"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:v32lh4br58qu4[email protected]...
> Heh, heh... I love riding up past the guys pushing their 40#+ pig bikes. And I love it when some
> of the gals I know say, "dang I wish I had biker legs like you" You don't get those from shuttles.

I ride past the guys pushing their 40+ pig bikes while riding my 40+ pig bike...it may be slow and
excruciating, but I eventually get there...

- CA-G

Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

 

penny s wrote:

> Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
> certainly) than female riders who really like to whine about going UP " we never ride there, too
> much climbing?" I never hear this from women. Really.

It's like sex. Riding up the hill used to just be the chore you had to endure to get to the fun bit
at the end. Now they've found they don't have to bother with all the foreplay crap and can get
straight to the exciting part, which usually lasts a couple of minutes at the most.

Did I mention that I'm going on a cross country epic tomorrow ;^p

For the UK a.m-ber's, finish this sentence: <Swiss Tony> "Paul, mountain biking is much like making
love to a beautiful woman..." </Swiss Tony>

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

 

Carla A-G wrote:

>>Heh, heh... I love riding up past the guys pushing their 40#+ pig bikes. And I love it when some
>>of the gals I know say, "dang I wish I had biker legs like you" You don't get those from shuttles.
>
>
> I ride past the guys pushing their 40+ pig bikes while riding my 40+ pig bike...it may be slow and
> excruciating, but I eventually get there...

Applying the analogy used in my post, that makes funny reading

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

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"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Carla A-G wrote:
> > "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >> Heh, heh... I love riding up past the guys pushing their 40#+ pig bikes. And I love it when
> >> some of the gals I know say, "dang I wish I had biker legs like you" You don't get those from
> >> shuttles.
> >
> > I ride past the guys pushing their 40+ pig bikes while riding my 40+ pig bike...it may be slow
> > and excruciating, but I eventually get there...
>
>
> Slow and steady wins the "race" that's what a climb can be about. I bet you've got biker legs too!
>
> penny
>
> *any* possibility of you joining the Idaho gang? Need more women!!!

Not unless I move to Idaho and I doubt that will be happening any time soon...

- CA-G

Canadian Girls Kick Ass!

 

"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Since there's 6" of frozen elephant snot on the ground, skiing sucks, biking sucks, I can
> dream a bit.
>
> Here's some of what I love about climbing on my bike...
>
<snip>

I'm so with you here! Amen! Did my first spinning class last night ... its good for keeping in shape
but I can't wait to do a real ride this weekend!

 

"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Since there's 6" of frozen elephant snot on the ground, skiing sucks, biking sucks, I can
> dream a bit.
>
> Here's some of what I love about climbing on my bike...
>
>Snip

Sometimes I just ride our local trail and find all the climbs. I ride off the main fire road
searching out the little steep ones and then do a long climb a couple of times riding back down and
just doing it again. I know it makes one stronger then any other type of riding.

Cleanbean

 

Cinder Girl wrote:
> "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Since there's 6" of frozen elephant snot on the ground, skiing sucks, biking sucks, I can
>> dream a bit.
>>
>> Here's some of what I love about climbing on my bike...
>>
> <snip>
>
> I'm so with you here! Amen! Did my first spinning class last night ... its good for keeping in
> shape but I can't wait to do a real ride this weekend!

Thanks for getting it. I was about to repost that thing with all offending references to pig bikes
and whining men deleted so that hopefully someone would get it.

penny

 

> Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
> certainly) than female riders who really like
to
> whine about going UP " we never ride there, too much climbing?" I never hear this from
> women. Really.

Perhaps it is as simple is we prefer to go faster. I hear often how guys are typically
'visual' (seeing stuff wizz by and living more dangerously excites us) and women are 'mental'
(immersing yourself in the total sensory experience and concentrating on the benefits excites
you). Just a guess.

 

"Stephen Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| Penny says:
|
| >I was about to repost that thing with all offending references to pig bikes and whining men
| >deleted so that hopefully someone
|
| We got it, P, but there were too many references to pig bikes and whining
men
| for us to deign to reply ;-)) Climbing, unfortunately, is one of my failings. I just plain
| inhale at
it, not
| from a technique point of view, but from a fitness one. Work needed -
roll on
| warmer weather.
|
| Steve

I hear you there steve. Penny I totally understood (some )) what you were saying. I am usually
pushing my bike up ........only after trying to ride it. My bike has 8 speeds and I try my damn
hardest to get up most climbs but some are just out of reach for me.

Simon

 

"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
> certainly) than female riders who really like
to
> whine about going UP " we never ride there, too much climbing?" I never hear this from
> women. Really.
>
>
> Penny
I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
biological ones.
--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

 

Craig says:

>I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
>biological ones.

I think it's time to pull up a chair - this could be interesting... ;-))

Steve

 

"penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Thanks for getting it. I was about to repost that thing with all offending references to pig bikes
> and whining men deleted so that hopefully someone would get it.
>
> penny
>
It may have as much to do with where you live as anything, getting it or not, I mean. You live in a
rather hilly/mountainous area, if you didn't like to climb, you just wouldn't like to ride.
Certainly that is the case here is SW Colorado. I love to climb, long, reasonably steep, high
altitude climbs. 3K, 4K, 5K feet gains, top out at over 12K feet, above tree line, nothing around
but rocks and long views. Now that is fun.

But for now I'll have to be happy with spin classes just like Cinder. Dr. hasn't approved getting
hurt just yet.
--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

 

Craig Brossman wrote:
> "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
>> certainly) than female riders who really like to whine about going UP " we never ride there, too
>> much climbing?" I never hear this from women. Really.
>>
>>
>> Penny
> I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
> biological ones.

confession: one specific person in mind. Newest coolest most expensive everything... from computer,
headlamps, top end GF bike, ladida this that and the other thing... Any time I suggest a ride other
than the standard loop that's done on wednesday... it's like a broken record... nah, too much
climbing there.

Is there an emoticon for rolling eyes?

penny

 

"Stephen Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Craig says:
>
> >I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
> >biological ones.
>
> I think it's time to pull up a chair - this could be interesting... ;-))
>
> Steve

Oh, you think you are going to get to be an innocent bystander?!?!?

 

On Fri, 24 Jan 2003 07:05:22 -0800, penny s wrote:

> The progression. Nothing like a few little local climbs to see both the fitness and skill
> improvement.

So true. I spend most of the early summer, when the singletrack is still a muddy mess, climbing a
few very steep fireroads. The kind where people can't help but express their shock that someone is
actually going UP it. Experiencing that is part of the fun too!

> Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
> certainly) than female riders who really like to whine about going UP " we never ride there, too
> much climbing?" I never hear this from women. Really.

Maybe more guys getting into the sport for the testoserone-driven thrill of blazing downhill. Or
maybe they're just sissies (or newbies). I think some of us who've been at this awhile find the
climb up to be much more challenging than the ride down.

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

 

On Fri, 24 Jan 2003 07:05:22 -0800, "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Since there's 6" of frozen elephant snot on the ground, skiing sucks, biking sucks, I can
>dream a bit.

nasty

>Heh, heh... I love riding up past the guys pushing their 40#+ pig bikes. And I love it when some of
>the gals I know say, "dang I wish I had biker legs like you" You don't get those from shuttles.
>
>
>Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
>certainly) than female riders who really like to whine about going UP " we never ride there, too
>much climbing?" I never hear this from women. Really.
>
>
>Penny

It's all about the climb, Bill The mind serves properly as a window glass rather than as a
reflector, that is, the mind should give an immediate view instead of an interpretation of
the world.
:-]

 

Cinder Girl wrote:
> "Stephen Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Craig says:
>>
>>> I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
>>> biological ones.
>>
>> I think it's time to pull up a chair - this could be interesting... ;-))
>>
>> Steve
>
> Oh, you think you are going to get to be an innocent bystander?!?!?

uh-oh. CG just bit the "is it that time of the month again" bait. I think I'll pull up a chair too
as I've done this one too many times already.

penny

 

"Craig Brossman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >
> >
> > Thanks for getting it. I was about to repost that thing with all offending references to pig
> > bikes and whining men deleted so that hopefully someone would get it.
> >
> > penny
> >
> It may have as much to do with where you live as anything, getting it or not, I mean. You live in
> a rather hilly/mountainous area, if you didn't like to climb, you just wouldn't like to ride.
> Certainly that is the case here is SW Colorado. I love to climb, long, reasonably steep, high
> altitude climbs. 3K, 4K, 5K feet gains, top out at over 12K feet, above tree line, nothing around
> but rocks and long views. Now that is fun.
>
> But for now I'll have to be happy with spin classes just like Cinder. Dr. hasn't approved getting
> hurt just yet.

Exactamundo. If you don't like climbing and pain, don't move to Boise for its mountainbiking. There
are very few "easy" trails in terms of elevation gain, but once you pay your dues, you'll be hooked
on the endless challenges. And the pain. There's nothing like topping out, ready to heave your guts
out, to find other riders cheering your effort, and you stop to breathe and realize that you are
looking into three states.

I tried spinning one year, and it was better than chips and a couch, but not much. Now I put one of
my bikes on a trainer and hit it hard.

Paladin

 

Craig Brossman wrote:
> "penny s" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>Observation: Not trying to be sexist here, but why is it that I know more male riders ( not all,
>>certainly) than female riders who really like
>
> to
>
>>whine about going UP " we never ride there, too much climbing?" I never hear this from
>>women. Really.
>>
>>
>>Penny
>
> I think it is because we have to make up reasons to whine, given we don't have the re-occuring
> biological ones.
> --
> Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado

Been thinking of taking up extreeme mountain biking, Craig?

Kathleen