Saturday, November 22, 2014

Mountain Pass at Caradhras

Alliance, OH


After singin and dancin and breakfast burrito-in
its time to ride.

88 miles today.

Now that I'm on the road, I'm back in my element.
No more ice. Just hills and traffic. 
There's also the occasional Keith Maddox's of the world, 
but you learn not to let them bother you.



Don't be upset with him.
 He can't heppit.
 
After riding for a couple hours, I cross over into a different state.
 

It's sunny, I'm nocking out miles, I got some tunes, snacks,
Feeling good.

Then hills.





The picture doesn't show it well,
but this hill loomed over me like a specter of Mt. Doom,
casting a shadow of despair and evil over the land.
 
I drop down into the granny gears and and fight back.

LOTR: Balrog 

A lot of people think I'm cool,
but that's a common misconception.

I'm actually a genuine nerd.

 
 (Me)
 
Nerd or not, hills I can handle. 
I eat hills for breakfast.
But hills with fully loaded panniers is pretty new to me.
Descending is even a challenge. There's a steep hill in Parma
that I frequently bomb down and clock anywhere from 35-45 mph.
With a fully loaded touring bike you don't do that.
I grandpa my way up, 
and slowly shimmy my way back down the other side of hills.
 
When I arrive in Pittsburgh, its dark, 
but I immediately notice its a city of monstrous hills.
 
I don't reach my hosts till very late, about midnight.
They live at the top of one of such hills.


They are also wonderful people.
 

Who made me food.


I might ask them if I can move in.