Fifty Plus (50+) - Remember When?

Remember when your dad used to tell you he had to walk 6 miles to school uphill, both ways. Well, I found that route. Saturday my wife and I decided to do a back road loop we hadn't done before. It ended up being about 6 miles of an uphill climb, then a steep dive into a valley, and a 7 mile climb out. All in all the trip ended up being 18 miles, uphill both ways.

But you came home a better 'couple' for having done it. Sometimes after those wonder what happened rides you feel more accomplished than just an ordinary ride. I hope you did enjoy....in spite of having to push most of the way.

Next time out, ride the same loop in the opposite direction and marvel at your improved time.

The comparison is even worse if you take time into consideration. Let's say a ride is 8 miles uphill, 4 miles down, and then 8 miles uphill again. So 80% of the distance is uphill. I guarantee that well over 80% of the time is spent going uphill.

Remember when your dad used to tell you he had to walk 6 miles to school uphill, both ways.

Huh? When I was a kid we didn't have to walk uphill to school because the earth was still flat.

The comparison is even worse if you take time into consideration. Let's say a ride is 8 miles uphill, 4 miles down, and then 8 miles uphill again. So 80% of the distance is uphill. I guarantee that well over 80% of the time is spent going uphill.

I do a 10 mile ride down to the coast. I start 60 metres-(200ft) above sea level and it is a gentle drop down to the beach.

So why is it I do 300ft of climbing on a downhill ride?

And on the reverse ride back home I do about 400ft of climbing.


And Back to the OP. Forget your Dad- I started cycling 18 years ago. I can still remember that first serious ride that my later ride partner took me on. I only had an old bike that did not have "Hill" gearing and that ride hurt. First hill and I was walking about halfway up. Then up a long slope of about 5% for 2 miles to the top of Beachy Head. I still hate that slope- but I even walked a good part of that hill.

Now- admittedly on better bikes- but These two hills are done in the big ring. I must have been a wimp when I started riding.

ha haha you bin ridin my toll road wilst Iwas knapping!!!!/pay the toll hope dale hills:D/Kenneth

One of the few benefits of living in the "flatlands" of central Illinois is I don't have to worry about going up any hills. Here is central Illinois we have a saying - "For miles and miles, all you see is miles and miles." You can never get lost in this part of the country, either. All the country roads are all in nice one mile grids.

Ha hA ha Retro ///WISH id HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT //Kenneth:thumb: