Made it out of the valley!
 

Longtime readers may remember that I live at the bottom of a hill. There's a bike path along the river at the bottom of the hill. When I started riding, about 2 years ago, it was a Big Deal when I made the 7 mile ride along the bike path into town.

(Neil, Sayre -- I'm talking about the Schuylkill River Trail from Manayunk to Center City Philly.)

Then I could ride the bike path in the other direction. 15 miles to the park, have lunch, ride back? A huge milestone for me in 2009; a beginning-of-the-season excursion this spring.

But getting up the hill, and out of the valley? That's just 7/10 of a mile, from the Schuylkill River Trail to Ridge Road. (They give things nice, descriptive names in this town!) And I've never been able to do it without stopping...

...until tonight. :D

MapMyRide shows the key roads, Umbria St. and Domino Lane, as 6% and 10% grades (max).

That's nice, but how's the ride back down the hill? That's the reward for climbing it and you must enjoy it.

I was just driving down 76 towards KOP the other day and saw the bike trail on the river and the hills on either side of the river and thought to myself "looks like a cool place to ride as long as I wouldn't have to climb that hill"

GREAT JOB!!!

Congratulations!

Umbria is, if I recall correctly, on BCP's route for roadies who want to ride the SRT but avoid the Manayunk Towpath. It's a mean hill.

Any ride that includes the word Manayunk is impressive to me. Several years ago I was there for the US Pro road race and walked the whole course. The riders' repeated climbing of the Manayunk Wall is something I'll never forget.

Yup. But the Umbria/Domino combination is still a bit more gentle than Levering, Leverington, or Green Lane -- and those roads are all under construction at this point!

Congrats!

I know that hill. Great job! Sometimes these are the sweetest of milestones.

Awesome, congrats.