Can't believe you rode a bike on US 285 through South Park. That road has 70 mph traffic with no shoulder. If you can survive that, you can survive a little oxygen deprivation.

Different people react different ways to altitude. Some of the fittest people have the biggest trouble with altitude sickness, mainly because their legs let them climb faster than the rest of the body can handle.

Since I started swimming every other day, I've found climbing on a bike is easier. Maybe swimming helps lungs, or maybe it just makes me more fit.

One other thing that helps: Get off the road bike and ride a mountain bike. Even the steepest road grades are pretty wimpy compared with standard mountain bike climbs out here.

When in doubt, beer helps.