As far as the hill goes i had to walk up most of it, its at the end of my ride and its an 85ft vertical climb over not a very long distance (the path drops down to a lake and then you have to climb back up to the other side). I was thinking about a couple of other routes, one that doesnt have the same climb but is about 3 miles longer (around the lake), the other is just a short bit longer than my current route but its is on roads with heave traffic and arent the most bike friendly but the climb is a little more gradual. Also the path on my current route is not in the best shape with buckled asphalt and part of it is actually a boardwalk. I think once I build up my stamina some more and get more comfortable riding longer distances I will take the long way around.