No climbing legs, so lets climb.

Nice view from up there!

zipp2001 said:

It was half day Friday and off to the mountain we go. The legs were heavy from the start and I just didn't have my climbing legs. I was hoping by the time I got to the mountain (18 miles) I would find them. That didn't work but seeing I'm here a little extra suffering up the mountain just made for a fun day.

Interesting video and thanks for posting it.

The climb doesn't look too steep per the video footage for the first 12 minutes or so. Perhaps the footage is deceptive to the viewer?

The tell tale sign is to not having the climbing legs is the frequency of the gear changes. But we've all been there when the climbing legs just let us down.

I agree with Campy, the view is lovely at the end.
(hard to watch a video where folks are cycling on the right hand side of the road).

Yesterday I didn't get much sleep and approaching the climb I wasn't feeling all that great. And plus I've totally gone back to the old steel frames so my bikes are about 4-5 lbs heavier than a good CF bike. But I just hunkered down and went slow and steady and made the 2 mile climb. The top is 12-13% on two altimeter/climb indicators and 10% on another. Believe me, it's 12-13%.

Going down the other side I caught up with the group that started 10 minutes in front of me. Steel bikes handle so well that I won't argue with anyone about CF anymore. Turn around and went back up. From the south side the climb isn't as severe and while there are a couple of 12% sections they are short.

On the way back up the young guy shot up like out of a sling-shot. He stands and cranks away on a Specialized S-Works I think. He goes by so fast it's hard to tell. Everyone was waiting at the top since I went back with a couple of slow climbers.

Waited 10 seconds on top to catch my breath and started down the other side. I stopped in two places on the way back to wait for the group and still got bored and went to the coffee shop. They came in a minute or so behind me.

Steel is real.

I used to ride with a pack of pro and amateur cyclists to the nearby hilly roads which is one favorite of city riders. The climb is easy for them but not for me. And since I don't want to be left behind, I would push my legs to the limit. Unfortunately, I wasn't born for the climb and I would peter out before reaching the summit. And then I discovered that a bulge was forming at the back of my right leg. That may be due to the abuse from my climbs.

Thanks for the video. Hey...sometimes you just don't have the legs...all good! Get em' next time.

It's been a long time since I last climbed a mountain, I miss it. I was very fat back then (>100kgs) during my last climb and it was very hard for me. Hopefully, I can climb again and have a much better experience now I'm at 80 kgs.

Amazing view, great video, and now I miss the time when I'm still have enough time to climb a mountain. I wonder If I still can make it even in just for beginners mountain only. In some DIY group in Facebook, sometimes, I want to join to some group who looking for some company to climb a mountain but I'm afraid if I cant make it.

Well, I obtained an unused Colnago CLX 3.0. I put some carbon fiber clinchers with Vittoria Corsa G+ tires on it. And I'll never again say that CF bikes don't handle better than anything else. I don't know if it is the entire bike or mostly the tires but the bike tracks through turns that I used to have to set up for and use the entire right lane to make it around and with the Colnago I don't even have to cut the corner - I just ride through it. The bad pavement has no effect other than a thump and the bike doesn't change course at all. The reason we climb is to descend so go at it.