Sunday's ride.

I felt good, especially considering my 40-miler yesterday -- today, I just squeaked past 50 miles, and I still had something left in the tank at the end.

Unfortunately, living on top of Mt. Washington as I do, no ride is complete without a final brutal ascent of Sycamore Street, 0.65 miles of 12% grade, with a bone-rattling chaser of Wyoming St. pave. It takes me almost six minutes, which translates to barely 7 mph.

Actually, the climb used to play a decisive role in a famous bike race, the Thrift Drug Classic, won by Lance Armstrong three times in a row. That was before his cancer, recovery, and 7-year win streak in the Tour de France. Sadly the Classic is now defunct, but in its heyday was a major fixture on the North American racing calendar. Here are some pictures from the 1997 edition that I found here.


Here's the beginning of the climb. Why is it that hills never seem as steep in photos?












And here's the pave I mentioned, which in the U.S. is called Belgium Block. There's a lot of it around Pittsburgh -- seemingly always on hills that otherwise would be quite challenging enough, thank you very much.