There's one hill in western Massachusetts that defeated me every time, near where my in-laws have a house in the Berkshires. But two or three years ago I was determined to make it up and I did. It wasn't so much that it was steep, it just didn't let up. There was one point where it leveled and I took a breather while still pedaling and gained enough wind to go the rest. Once at the top it was an easy 40 mile ride. I was planning on doing it this weekend, but we changed plans and didn't go up there and went to the beach instead. No bikes at this beach, no cars either, nor roads. Just boardwalks on Fire Island.