DnvrFox: I don't mean to sound like I'm worried about my heart rate as a health issue, though it wouldn't be too healthy if I should happen to pass out, and there were times that I felt I was on the edge.
I'm sure the heat had something to do with it as well as the exertion.
For me, the issue is finding the proper balance of exercise that I will enjoy and stick with. I know my 50-year-old self -- the more I dread doing it, the more I won't do it. Unfortunately, I also have a tendency to push myself too hard because if a little is good, then more is even better, right? For example, when I was working out with weights, I was adding weights and reps to the point that it felt like a torture session. I did the same thing on the elliptical. Next thing I know, I'm working out for an hour and a half and hating it, so then I'm not working out at all.
I'm sure the longer I bike, the stronger I'll get and the easier these hills will become. However, I'm also an impatient person and I was afraid that I wouldn't keep at it long enough to reap those rewards without finding something to allow me to ease into it. That's the reason for the electric bike. Now, I could have bought one that does it all with no pedaling. Of course, it would have cost three to four times as much! But my goal is to be a cyclist and the one I got will only work for the distance and terrain that I travel if I pedal every bit as much as on my Trek but without the exhausting climbs. The motor by itself will not take me to the top. The way I see it, there are plenty of folks on this board who travel dozens of miles a week on flat land who are still considered cyclists. With the electric bike, I'm now riding on "flatter" land without having to sell my house and move!
I'll be thinking about you this weekend, DnvrFox! I read the entire thread about your heart rhythm problems the other night. I hope you're feeling well enough to give us an update as soon as possible.