Two very humbleing experiences: Was riding in the Black Forest Germany on a nice little rolling Mt. pass with a few switch backs. I could see a rider ahead of me everytime the road swithched so I decided to go for it and try to reach him. After a very long time and a great deal of effort I closed in, compleatly winded, then I finally passed him, only to realize he had one leg! Again in the Mts. (this time real mountains) I was outside of Grenoble France (the tour goes through here every other year for the great roads) Anyway, I am climbing and climbing For over an hour, really feeling pain on a MT that just wouldn't stop, never seen anything like it,. In the middle of nowhere all alone and its dusk, I climb some more hoping it will level out it never does-- just relentless. I am in pretty good shape (at the time about 33yrs old) but really I had had enough this incline never ends, so I just turn around and go back down... Just 45 seconds into the descent who do I see? fresh as a daisy making the climb-- but an old geezer dude on a 60's road bike in a wool shirt, guy mustv'e been mid-sixty at least, not winded smiling away.... Humbled allright.[I]