Thanks Don and Bezalel! I had started trying to learn about what I could and couldn't that was part of my 1st question, "What is too big of a jump?" and the reply was that replacing the 28-38-48 with the 22t would be fine. I have a 42-34-24 on my Montaque. It is a replacement when the OEM was damaged in shipping (and it was CHEAP, all rivets made to look like screws) and I have considered trying to swap it to see how it goes.
Don the hill is a 24% grade (I wanted to post my walkrunjog.net route link but the site isn't working on my work computer). I can pull it 95% of the time with the 28 and the other 5% of the time I simply walk it. I sure take your point on
spinning away and getting nowhere
and in the end the best solution might be to simply do the exercise I know is good for me.
Thanks