I Want To Ride My Bicycle – Never Quite So Humble
By Mitch Berg
So yesterday was the first “round trip” commute – riding both ways – of the season. Which means the first climb up Cathedral Hill of the season.
Make no mistake about it; by June, I’ll be zipping up Grand Hill like it’s hardly there (although Ramsey Hill is kinda the great white whale for me; maybe this year, maybe not. Even when I was in my twenties, I didn’t ride up Ramsey Hill).
But the day-by-day hill that I face in my workadaddy, hugamommy routine is Cathedral Hill – the big hill from which the, doy, Cathedral of Saint Paul looks over downtown.
The BikeRadar map says it’s about a 100 foot climb from my office to the corner of Summit and Selby. And in about three weeks, that’s all it’ll be.
But that first climb-out of the year is always a bear, even if you take the long way up the hill – up Wabasha to the 94/Capitol frontage road, and then up John ireland Boulevard.
But a smaller bear every year. Two years ago, when I started bike-commuting, I ran out of wind aroud Marshall and had to walk it the rest of the way on my first attempt. Last year, I made it to the top (in first gear, nice and slow and easy).
I did about the same yesterday, but feeling much better about the whole thing.
And by golly, it’s time to get on the road again!
Shucks!
April 10th, 2009 at 10:47 am
You should try riding hills on this 50 pound recumbent that I’m stuck riding. Not only is it heavy, but you can’t stand up on the pedals, and it has a rear suspension that fights back with every pedal stroke. Luckily, there aren’t too many hills in the western suburbs.
Take good care of your back.
April 11th, 2009 at 9:36 am
My bike is a 1983 Fuji Monterey road bike. It’s got a 27″ frame – I always hated scrunching up to get on a bike – but it’s a tad heavy by modern standards.
My back feels much better when I’m riding, and – here’s the part I love – it does wonders for my knee.