More Hills, Then the Pits (Sand that is).

I wanted to make sure my new small chainring (28T oval, see previous post) would get me up anything that needed gotten up, so Kelly and I headed toward Snake Hill Road again today. We did this ride exactly one week ago on a beautiful 70 degree day (posted here). It was a bit chillier today, but still very nice.

I moved the Sky Mounti inclinometer over to the Gold Rush so that we could check the grades on a few of these hills. That was a perfect excuse to take the shortcut up Knocking Run Road. We often come down that way from rides, but usually take the meandering, but still plenty steep, way around going up. Thatis the hill where I made a YouTube video of the long downhill run into town. We measured 20 percent near the top where I did get a brief respite when someone in a WV DOH truck stopped to talk. I thought maybe he was unhappy about something, but just wanted to let me know that he'd have a heart attack if he tried to pedal up that hill. The new oval (but not as low) low gear was adequate for the hill; not exactly easy, but manageable. That has pretty well satisfied me that my granny is low enough. I may try a few real stinkers sometime later just to see what I can get up with this gear.

Snake Hill was nice as always. I'm afraid I can't really swear to what difference there was in speed; that mile and a half first grade just takes away any enthusiasm I have for really pushing hard. The grade is mostly only 10 percent (with short bits of 13 percent), but it just wears you down by going on so long. I do know that I worked harder on the climbs today. I've actually had trouble working hard enough on hills this year, until I switched to the oval ring. In the past it just didn't seem like I had the legs for even my limited aerobic ability. For some reason the oval granny ring seems to let me work harder. For the first time my legs feel like they usually do after a hard and hilly road bike ride (thoroughly used up). My wife was enjoying not having me waking her up from screamingly painful leg cramps; that may end tonight. Is that a good thing? In some weird way I have to think it is.

We figured the trail would be kind of sloppy from the melting snow and yesterday's rain, so took an interesting rough dirt road that we've only done a handful of times. Sandbank road (picture at top of this post) climbs up from the rail trail, steeper than I remembered. It's name comes from the sand that was quarried here. This is one of the pits left after the sand is gone.

Kelly and I have climbed up an insanely steep hill (on foot) from the Deckers Creek Trail where this sand came down to a tipple along the old M&K Railroad. I need to check the topo map; it sure seems like that is quite a ways from here. I believe a lot of this sand was used for the famous Morgantown glass plants, all gone now.

We came back down on the nice descent on Summers School Road, but stopped part way down at Nicholson Chapel for the view looking back toward town. If you click for a larger view, you might just make out just left of center the WVU Coliseum where the Mountaineers just one their basketball game. About one third in from the left is the road we're heading down. I like to make sure any cars get a good headstart here so that I don't have to ride my brakes too hard :-)