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.Doohickie
08-31-10, 10:04 PM
So on the commute home this evening I decided to get some extra miles in. I took a route I've done once or twice before that adds about 7 miles to my 17 mile commute. Not being real familiar with the route, I turned down (and I *do* mean down) Burton Hill Road. After a block or so of the extreme bliss of coasting, I realized Burton Hill didn't go where I wanted to go.
So I turned up (and I *do* mean up) Merrick and had to climb back up the hill I was just coasting down. For the first time EVAR I needed the smallest chainring in the front and biggest cog in the back on my hybrid. And even then I barely made it up. I checked Bikely.com and there is a stretch (albeit a short one) that has a 40% grade (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/40-grade). Very intimidating (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=merrick+and+burton+hill,+fort+worth&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Merrick+St+%26+Burton+Hill+Rd,+Fort+Worth,+Tarrant,+Texas+76107&gl=us&ei=Bcx9TJO4GeDsnQe3052dCw&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA&t=h&layer=c&cbll=32.740852,-97.397907&panoid=S8ILJM1TtyToBoVOOdTLXw&cbp=13,218.94,,0,5&ll=32.740721,-97.398005&spn=0.008194,0.013797&z=16) (for me, anyway).
Getting up to the top, though, leads to a long downhill along 7th Street with some great views of downtown.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/1008Commute/1c68d67d.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/1008Commute/85747822.jpg
So I turned up (and I *do* mean up) Merrick and had to climb back up the hill I was just coasting down. For the first time EVAR I needed the smallest chainring in the front and biggest cog in the back on my hybrid. And even then I barely made it up. I checked Bikely.com and there is a stretch (albeit a short one) that has a 40% grade (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/40-grade). Very intimidating (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=merrick+and+burton+hill,+fort+worth&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Merrick+St+%26+Burton+Hill+Rd,+Fort+Worth,+Tarrant,+Texas+76107&gl=us&ei=Bcx9TJO4GeDsnQe3052dCw&ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA&t=h&layer=c&cbll=32.740852,-97.397907&panoid=S8ILJM1TtyToBoVOOdTLXw&cbp=13,218.94,,0,5&ll=32.740721,-97.398005&spn=0.008194,0.013797&z=16) (for me, anyway).
Getting up to the top, though, leads to a long downhill along 7th Street with some great views of downtown.
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/1008Commute/1c68d67d.jpg
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e341/Doohickie/1008Commute/85747822.jpg