My hills -- how much of a wuss am I? (Warning -- Picure heavy)

[Longhorn]

Here are photos of what I encounter when I ride in my neighborhood.

I can do this one, albeit on the absolute lowest gear at a whopping 3.5 mph! (View from below)



I can do this one, too. (View from the top)



I can do this one because I get some speed on the downhill part.



This is the one I have to walk up and even walking is difficult! (View from below followed by view from above.)





And finally, this is the view from my driveway of the first "canyon." This is how I both begin and end my ride. I can make this one, too, because of the momentum from the downhill part.



They don't call it the "Hill Country" for nothin'! :D

[welshTerrier2]

1. those are pretty steep ...

and i always thought Texas was flat ... who knew ...

hills like those kill my average speed ... even with fast downhill speeds, riding at 3 - 6 mph on the uphills really slows me down ... and makes me tired ...

it must be nice for some folks to be able to ride on nice flat roads ... sometimes i can ride all day on flat roads but throw in a few tough hills and i get tired pretty fast ...

keep up the good work !!

[Longhorn]

4. I feel like I could ride all day on flat roads

if there were any around. I might try to find some neighborhoods in town that are relatively flat this summer, just for fun.

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I'm glad to know there's at least some challenge to these hills of mine! :D

[Fovea]

8. i always thought Texas was flat

They say that about Kansas too. And they are right if you mean *west* Kansas. However, here in East Kansas it is more like Missouri.

I climb a 300 footer every day i ride coming home, with a nearly wall like last block (I can't ride it with a SWB bent if I have weight on the pannier rack.)

And it took me a long time to be able to get up it at more than 3 mph on a trike.
On my good days now, I can climb the steepest parts at around 6mph.

My heart and right leg are kinda messed up, so you will eventually be able to skunk me, if you keep at it.

Here's a house about two blocks from me...

[BiggJawn]

2. Those are a bit steep!

I didn't see any of them that wouldn't have me dumping into the granny gear and trying to spin up them at 5 MPH.

That first hill I could probably take it on the downhill at 40 MPH or more.

the others looked to be at leat 35 MPH hils, except the one with the turns in it. I'd be riding the brakes down on that one...

You're doing great to be able to climb those so early in the season!

[Longhorn]

5. They are fun to go down

but I don't go as fast as you! I'm still a little nervous about going more than about 30. There's one hill just on the other side of my driveway that is really steep and I haven't built up the courage to take it on. My son went down it on rollerblades several years ago and still has the scars from his crash.

My goal now is that one I walk up. Maybe I can take it standing up. Whenever I finish riding, I feel like I can take anything! :D

Thanks for your kind words! It's nice to share this with others who understand how much fun it is! :D

[dean_dem]

3. Those are pretty good sized hills

Especially if you said you're a beginner. That great rolling terrain will really help build up your endurance. If you keep riding hills like that, you'll be a great climber in no time.

[Longhorn]

6. Definitely a beginner but I'm feeling stronger all the time.

I just increased my average time by another mile per hour today. I'm able to stick with higher gears and "make tracks!"

Thanks for the encouragement. I can't wait to see my legs after months of climbing! :D

[loveable liberal]

7. Those are SFH's n/t

[happyslug]

9. Here is one of the "Hills" I have had to climb

Now the road goes around this cliff, up the same height, but I can take my bike on the incline. The problem is the incline only goes to the top of Mountain and NOT really a way to go anyplace other than the top (You actually have to go down hill to get to road that goes to the next town).
http://www.johnstownpa.com/History/hist17.html
http://www.inclinedplane.com/


Another view of my local hills. I actually have Both of these roads by bike, through not route pictured (Cliffs, underbrush that is to be removed when the West Penn Trail is done prevents the use of the next picture trail picture sometime this or next year). Give you a good idea of the "Hills" I have had to climb. The routes I take is even more up and down and I wish the West Penn Trail would finally get finished.

[happyslug]

10. Another one of my hills

This is the new bike trail on the West Penn Trail. These are pictures connecting the two flat parts of the path.

http://tinypic.com/65suia

Yes those are stairs, if you look at the one side you will see where the Corp of Engineers have installed a flat wooden planks so you can push your bike up while you climb the stairs.

http://tinypic.com/65tjdu

This is the First of Two Switchbacks you climb AFTER the stairs.

http://tinypic.com/65tiqg

This is the Second of the Two Switchbacks,
http://tinypic.com/65tj46

http://tinypic.com/view.html?pic=65sy01

This is the top, you still have some climbing to do, but it is almost ridable

[happyslug]

11. OK, I am just learning how to do pictures in HTML.

And remember the above is just ONE HILL.

For more on West Penn Trail see:
http://www.conemaughvalleyconservancy.org/
http://mysite.verizon.net/lennoxx0458/westpenn.html