Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.Skipper
07-12-09, 10:30 PM
My 56th birthday was Saturday, July 11th. I had to work all day so I waited to do my birthday ride today.
I started out by riding what RCK and I will probably call The Smock Valley Road All Out Challenge from now on. I started at the east end of Smock Valley Road in southern Green County, Wisconsin. I rode to the west end of the road. The "All Out" part of the name has to do with riding out of and back into the valley on each of five roads that intersect Smock Valley Road. There is one nasty hill, Mother, at about the middle of the valley and another not quit so nasty hill, Big Sister, about a mile further on down the road.
Mother has a elevation difference of over 200 feet from top to bottom. The grade on Mother is from 12% to 18%. Big Sister has about the same elevation change but only about a maximum of 12% grade. All of the climbs out of the valley have at least some 10% to 12% grade sections but run mostly from 4% to 8%. When I got back to my house, I had ridden only 40 miles and had climbed just a little less than 3000 feet.
After replenishing my water supply and a quick snack, I hopped back on my bike and did another 17 mile loop to Juda, WI and back. I finished for the day with 57 miles, averaging 13.5 mph, and 3650 feet of climbing. Considering the fact that today's ride accounts for about a tenth of my year to date mileage this year, I'm happy with my performance.
I'll post some pictures at a later date.
I started out by riding what RCK and I will probably call The Smock Valley Road All Out Challenge from now on. I started at the east end of Smock Valley Road in southern Green County, Wisconsin. I rode to the west end of the road. The "All Out" part of the name has to do with riding out of and back into the valley on each of five roads that intersect Smock Valley Road. There is one nasty hill, Mother, at about the middle of the valley and another not quit so nasty hill, Big Sister, about a mile further on down the road.
Mother has a elevation difference of over 200 feet from top to bottom. The grade on Mother is from 12% to 18%. Big Sister has about the same elevation change but only about a maximum of 12% grade. All of the climbs out of the valley have at least some 10% to 12% grade sections but run mostly from 4% to 8%. When I got back to my house, I had ridden only 40 miles and had climbed just a little less than 3000 feet.
After replenishing my water supply and a quick snack, I hopped back on my bike and did another 17 mile loop to Juda, WI and back. I finished for the day with 57 miles, averaging 13.5 mph, and 3650 feet of climbing. Considering the fact that today's ride accounts for about a tenth of my year to date mileage this year, I'm happy with my performance.
I'll post some pictures at a later date.