El Gringo

Today I went out for my usual lunch time ride. Lately I have decided to do more hill climbing rides rather than the far-too-often flat bays ride that I usually do as although they are nice and scenic, they are not really doing anything towards progressing my hill climbing fitness. So I headed for the Mt Vic route that I sometimes do - this involves riding over to Kilbernie and up Alexander Road to the top. Then I hook up with a quick descent and then take a very steep climbing section that is part of the National XC course. The route up Alexander Road follows along the road but riding on the gravel/grass verge. Lately I have been experimenting with locking out the front suspension (oh, on my new bike- a Giant Trance X1!) and this lock out makes such a difference on the climbs. The front feels really solid and mich lighter without the “bobbing” of the forks. I have found I can usually ride a whole gear higher in most sections. Anyhow, I nervously aproached the “steepie” today, unsure of how I’d go as I have eased off slightly from my summer training. I did feel puffed but very good going up the earlier hills. The steepie is broken into 2 sections - the first is about 30 metres long and steepens up as you near the top, it’s ok but you certainly feel it. Then the killer - you hook sharp right, still climbing, and there is a 10 metre section that is steeper still. By the time you get to this, you are puffing hard and the legs are burning so it finishes you off and you end up walking this section…..except today I rode it for the first time!!! I felt good at the start of it and decided to knuckle down and just go for it. I think it’s a combination of all the steep hill climbing I have been doing over summer plus the front fork lockout. It’s still a long steep climb after this but by then I’d overcome my nemesis and the hill was mine. Anyhow, that’s it - I finally climbed the Mt Vic killer :-).