Hey all.. a hillclimb thread; yes!!!! Love it!!! There are a whole breed of us that are just the opposite of dreading hills. We love hills. When we see a hill in the distance, our hearts don't sink, we salivate. If the gradient is double digits, we say, "Yes, dessert!" Here in Japan, they have a name for us- "Saka-baka." Saka means "hill," and baka means "idiot." There is a whole series of hillclimb races every season, and some of them, like the Mt. Fuji Hillclimb, have gotten so popular that the entry limit of 4,000 racers fills up within hours on the first day entries are accepted. Now it's done on a lottery system by random computer picks. What makes it so appetizing? I guess we kind of are "idiots" . But seriously, three things do it for me. One, cresting the top after 90 minutes of climbing and knowing the mountain couldn't beat me. Two, all the hours of training, getting a smoother and more powerful climbing technique. Last but not least, high speed descents! Banzai!

-rj