Ridin' some lil' hills

This last week I had to head out to Kelowna, BC for a business conference. My wife wasn't attending this year's event with me, as once again it was falling on the twins birthday. I really wish they'd change the date! Anyway, because it was just me, I loaded my golf clubs (which I hadn't even picked up since last year's conference) and my bike into the car (any guesses at to which was gonna get used more?) and headed for Kelowna - 857km away.

The trip out was pretty fast and uneventful - got behind some folks who wanted to act as rabbits for me and so I just cruised along at - ummmm, maybe I won't post the speed here - anyway... I usually don't book a hotel or anything when I'm travelling - more fun to just play it by ear and see what kind of an adventure I end up with. About 5 hours into the trip my cell phone rings and it's my partner, Kent, telling me he's got me a place to stay. Turns out to be at a resort, and I'm staying in a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath condo. Would be really fun with the family - with just me it feel like a big, empty house.

The last 16km from the hiway to the resort it up and down and round and round - this road twists and turns every which way! It was dusk when I got out there, but the whole drive I'm thinking "I can't wait to ride this!" Then I get into the resort and find some really STEEP hills! (they don't let the staff try and drive the carts up these babies!) First thing next morning I went out and did a little loop on the bike - didn't have much time, so was only able to get in a few of the hills. I couldn't wait for the big event the next morning.

Next morning I jumped out of bed early. Phone calls and necessary emails conspired to slow up my exit, so I knew I wasn't gonna have as much time for the ride.

Geared up and out the door. The first km was a slight 1% grade, just enough to get me warmed up a little bit - then I headed out to the highway and down a gentle slope. Then the climbing began.

First climb was a nice little 6% grade - not really long, only about 1.5km. Fast decent - didn't think about it at the time, but I was gonna have to go back this way... next climb was about 9% for 1km. Again, not being very long, I kept a pretty good pace up it. A nice long, gentle descent - I didn't look at the grade on the way down, but on the way up I discovered it wasn't as gentle as I thought...

Next climb started off at a nice easy 7%, that changed to 8, then 9, then 10, then 11, then 12, then 13... I'd call this "the wall" but a hill coming up later gets that honor.

Did I mention that I'd forgotten to change my cassette from my nice, fast 11-23 used at HHH back to the 12-27? Yeah, that's right, I'm running my 11-23. The only saving grace is that I'm running compact cranks - but I've changed the rings out on those for racing, so the gearing is 52/36 instead of the 50/34 I'd have loved a little more.

I pass a couple out for a walk - they give me one of those looks that say "are you NUTS?! There's hills around here" - I wave, call out a friendly greeting and keep on. I'm still feeling petty good.

The next descent is steep - and long. Speed limit is 60km/hr, with signs posted for corners at 40km/hour. I hit 75km/hr as I passed a car just before the corner - leaned hard and held the speed as good as I could for the coming hill - car passes me with a wave and a honk. They passed 'cause this hill kinda slowed me down a little. Not a lot, just a little. I think my top speed climbing on this one was around 15km/hr, bottom speed was 12km/hr. It lasted for about 5km and averaged 12%. I turned around at the top.

Passed two cars on the decent. Did I mention before how fast I was able to go down this next hill? Well, going up wasn't a case of holding speed - it was more like - AGHHHH! The couple I'd passed earlier were near the top of this one. I thought I was smiling at them as I went by, but the look they gave me makes me believe that maybe it was more like a grimace of pain. I didn't say much, I guess. I thought I said hello, but it may have sounded more like "ugh". They clapped and cheered me on.

The next few hills go by relatively uneventfully, but I'm starting to feel pretty tired. My knees feel fine, no pain there, just the quads yelling at me. Seems that not riding for a couple of weeks and then subjecting them to this wasn't what they were thinking when I said "business conference." Oh well, they'll adapt or I'll die.

I get back into the Resort and head for "the loop" - going down to the bottom is hard. It's rained a little, so the roads are wet. Corners have some sand in them, and it's switchbacks all the way down. I'm riding the brakes hard and leaning back. I feel like I'm back on my mountain bike going down stairs.

There's the lake - the hill bottoms out at lake level, and immediately begins the climb up the other side. The climb weaves around the resort rooms on this end and through a couple of parking lots. The first 300m isn't too bad - only about a 8% grade, turn the corner and it kicks up to 13% really fast. I call out a couple of friendly hellos to the pretty girls getting into their cars in the parking lot - they just shake their heads. My speed is down to 12km/hr - and I'm solidly in the granny. A couple of more switchbacks at 12-15% and I turn the last switchback to meet THE WALL. HOLY COW! The grade climbs as I grunt it out. My back is HURTING! Knees are fine. Back is killing me. I'm down to 3.8km/hr at 26%! I'm forcing myself to not stop, knowing if I do there's no way I'll be getting back on. 'Sides, I ain't EVER let a hill beat me. My legs are threatening me. I know they'll really get their revenge in the next few hours/days. But for now, they will listen to ME!

I also refuse to zig zag up this hill. I've had to do that on climbs in the past (Talimena Parkway) - of course, it might have had something to do with the fact that the road is only 8 feet wide (it's one-way) and just not enough room to zig if you zag anyway. (I didn't even try.) I was gonna beat this hill straight up (and I do mean STRAIGHT UP!) With about 25m left to go I glanced down at my HR - 188. Yup, I'm working hard on this one! I begin to wonder if these nice, light handlebars can take the pounding that I"m giving them right now. My mind starts to wonder (I think it's a self-defense mechanism to keep from really feeling the pain I'm putting my body through.) I start to wonder what would happen if the bars broke right now (would be pretty.) I start thinking about all these emails I keep getting from Graham something or other re: building core muscles for cycling. Hmmm, maybe I should read those more carefully.

Finally I crest. I hear some noise off beside me and look across to see people out on a few of the balconies cheering and a few others looking not as happy. I found out later they were making bets on whether the fat man would make it up the hill. That made me smile.

A slight climb (only 5% - amazing how flat 5% can feel.) and then the km long coast back down to my room.

Whew!! That was some work. I can't wait for an excuse to go back there and see how many more of these little hills I can find! Of course, by then I hope I'm 30lbs lighter - and maybe I'll do some of that core work-out routine...