Albany to Hillsdale, NY: 30 of 44 miles
Day 6 of this Empire State Bike Trail Tour
Saturday, August 7, 2021
How do you handle your big hills?
Training for this bike ride,
Should have been 50% daily walking up some very steep hill,
Pushing my bicycle!
Today's hills were killers.
Even Stan, who is extremely strong,
Actually, strongest rider,
Talked about the consistent
Hills of 10% to 14% grade.
Those are STEEP.
E-bikes are definitely useful for this trip.
Five riders have them.
(There were six. Sharon has one.
Sharon left tour today due to broken arm.)
I was able to ride up half, maybe 2/3s of hills.
When I give a talk, I remind folks,
"Don't look at top of hill; too discouraging.
Pick markers along the upslope,
Ride to marker, do that again."
Well, today, that's what I was doing.
Realizing that can be "pretty lame"
When grade is really hard.
Mostly what I did was count.
e.g. "ONE, 2,3,4, TWO,2,3,4, THREE 2,3,4,
Often reaching a couple of hundred.
I think it keeps my mind off struggle.
At times, the very best strategy:
Get off bike and walk the hill!
You'll get there.
Whatever your "big hill" is,
Walk if that's what's needed.
You'll get there.
Hugs,
Lin
Limerick:
When going up hills by mere inches,
There're really no ways that are cinches.
To get to the top,
You simply don't stop.
Unless you've a system of winches.
Margaret Smith, one of our trip's 2 youngest riders
Sunflowers behind our motel!
SAG van contents minus all luggage = lots of food!
Our super SAG driver to the rescue
Hi Lin,
Your new neighbor (me!) is enjoying following your trip. I remember when you gave a talk about your 60th birthday ride across the country, truly inspirational. At the time I was 40 and I thought, “Wow, 60!” Well … now I’m 61 and I’m thinking, wow, 80!”
Kathy
Age is so relative, isn’t it!!! Thanks for following along, Kathy!
Clearly, you deserve to be “on the podium”! Congratulations Lin!!!
Susan, my speaking cheerleader! Thank you!
Dear Lin,
Love following your ride. One thing that amazes me is your energy to post and write limericks! Love them. Best wishes during the rest of your ride!
Limericks are my favorite. Glad you like them, too! It’s actually a part of where I send my mind wandering while riding!
I love the limerick… and the strategies for climbing a big hill.
You are AMAZING.
Thanks, Muriel! 🙂
Lin, you continue to be an inspiration. I love your energy, enthusiasm, and sense of humor. And the fact that you are just out there doing it and having fun! I say you should never worry about walking a hill. You are still doing the miles. And I laughed when you said you count to get you up the grades. So do I! A medium grade makes me hear Pachelbel in my mind. When it gets steeper I count one (breathe in) and (breathe out), two (breathe in) etc., to ten and then start over. That helps me focus on the moment. Ken and I just started a bike adventure in northern Spain, with lots of hills. I’m practicing my Spanish as I count… look forward to your next posting. Stay safe!
Your adventure sounds grand! What fun to know we have hill-strategies in common! 🙂
You’ve inspired a limerick:
My tires were slow to rotate
Up the hills in the Empire State.
So I walked with my bike
Up those hills like a hike
Saying “Yes” to life’s less speedy gait.
Best wishes!
Wonderful!!!! Thank you so much! 🙂