Originally Posted by
cyclinfool
Today was an early recovery ride day before the festival of Mom. Yesterday my daughter and I climbed a couple of mountains (Whiteface and Esther) - not on the bike this time but on foot. I have climbed Whiteface before on the bike, last time took me an hour and 20 minutes grinding 8 miles and 3500' of vertical but this was two, Whiteface at 4867' and Esther at 4240, we had to go over two lesser peeks on our hike, and then back down. The recovery ride really felt great, hiking takes different muscles than biking and the cross training feels great. I can also say that hiking it is harder than biking it because once at the top you still have to walk down.
Here is a picture from last years Whiteface uphill race, Whiteface is the peak in the middle, Esther is the one in the foreground. I may come back in a few weeks and solo bike it, just for old times sake. No race for me this year - I'm hiking with my daughter.
I did Whiteface too several years ago when my adopted daughter did the USA Tri at Lake Placid and went on to Bloomingdale and made the loop back through Lake Placid several times as training runs. Of course she had to stop and wait for me several times along the way. I fell in love with that area (in the summer) I put 2300 miles on my bike while there. It got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. You are lucky to be there at least in the summer time. I don't think I could stand 35 below in the winter.