Thanks folks! I tend to look at the brighter side of things. So I could see my situation as being blessed with the opportunity to be a better climber...or the excuse to buy a trainer for prolonged spinning during winter months (or could dig out my mountain bike which collects dust and do winter rides). I really didn't relish the thought of driving my bike somewhere, and at $4 a gallon that's bad enough, but it's the time I'm short on. Whoo-eee I'm sore today after my ride yesterday. On a positive note even though I have to stop I have shortened my time by 5 minutes from the initial ride, and my average MPH is going up, so something is working. Patience has never been a virtue by the way.