There wasn't enough climbing in my life anyways

[dmaze]

My personal trainer narya suggested going on the Arlington ride both days this weekend, so I was out yesterday too. This was fine until my subgroup decided it was going to climb The Hill in Carlisle. I didn't even realize there was a Hill, until I finally gave out on the third or fourth segment of it, and then I was well and thoroughly dropped. Finding my way back to Carlisle Center and the group on 225 was straightforward enough. I opted for the "dinosaur" return route home via Chelmsford; the ride leader's summary, when I caught up with the other five of them lounging around at the gas station at the 4/225 split, was that it was a great ride for demonstrating that if you kept your speed up rolling hills weren't a big deal. And, to add insult to injury, I missed a light and got dropped on the Minuteman too.

Post-ride coffee was spent desperately trying to stretch some very sad leg muscles, and discovering that the board of directors of a bicycling team is very much like any other volunteer group's board. And it had in fact warmed up considerably by then. So I got home a little later than I had planned, but still on two wheels, and for 51.35 miles for the day (clearing 100 for the weekend). (Route map)

Comments

[fredrickegerman.livejournal.com]

So where's the Carlisle hill on the route map? I don't recall Lowell St through Great Brook Farm as being that bad, but I've only been through there a couple of times and probably in the wrong direction.

[dmaze]

Leaving Concord we went out on the Strawberry Hill Road, Pope Road, South Street routing. Then there is a random left turn off of South Street, and the big climb was there. I have mile 24 on the GPS track right in the middle of it. This looks like "Heald Rd" end-to-end from South Street to Acton Street. (I should adjust the "slope" colors in the script, right now it comes up as a pale purple for me and that was actually pretty harsh.)

[fredrickegerman.livejournal.com]

Ah, interesting. That was a bit earlier in the ride than I inferred from your narrative. Heald Rd looks worth checking out if I can ever make it out that far... I'm not sure I've done the South Rd turn off Strawberry Hill (though of course you'll now come back with a route map proving that we've done it on a group ride). Do like Strawberry Hill Rd though, and this seems to turn off it just before it stops being interesting anymore.

[jadia.livejournal.com]

Randomly wondering, but you know about bikely.com, right? Seems like something that you might find useful.