On Bicycles, and.... what else is there?

Fremont Peak last year versus this year were two very different races. Last year, it was a steady tempo on the lower slopes. I stayed with Carl Nielson as long as I could, until I felt myself going too far into the red, and had to back off. This year, a moderate pace leading up to the steeper climbing was shattered when Kieran Sherlock launched an attack at the front which strung out the group. Most riders responded to this acceleration, but I chose instead to settle back into what I felt was more sustainable. Kieran had done the same thing on Wednesday's Noon Ride up Old La Honda: a hard acceleration right from the beginning. He's faster than me, that's all there is too it. My PR up OLH is 16:49, and that's a mediocre time for him these days. What I'd hoped is I'd be able to pull back some of the other riders. And I did, a few, but not as many as I'd thought I would. I crested the top of the climb just behind a Dolce Vita rider, having passed a...

Two years ago, Mt Tam Hillclimb canceled due to the fabricated state budget crisis. Last year: I was traveling in Italy. Tomorrow: Ready to go! But then Mt Tam canceled again (this time due to forest fire risk from forecast dry lightning). I'm stunned. I'd updated my racing license ($60), paid my $35 entry fee, refrained from running this week, done a shake-down OLH on the Fuji on Wed, and even eaten pasta tonight.... all for naught. Except perhaps for Fremont Peak on Sunday. Last year I posted a profile for the Fremont Peak Hillclimb, which this year is the day after Mt Tam's scheduled date... a new back-to-back schedule for two rare hillclimbs on the NCNCA schedule. I don't know if I'll make it, but a comment on that profile: Fremont Peak from San Juan Baptista ( Motionbased:mooseman ) And again here's the grade extracted from that profile, which I've convolved with a Gaussian of standard deviation 100 meters, to keep the numbers signifi...

Sunday is the second annual Fremont Peak Hillclimb . Last year I couldn't make it for some silly reason, then Mt Tam was canceled, so no Mt Tam for me. This year Mt Tam is back , but I'll be traveling with family in Italy, so will miss out there. But I will be at Fremont Peak Last year I posted a route profile for the climb, which is intriguing: Fremont Peak from San Juan Baptista ( Motionbased:mooseman ) Here's the grade extracted from that profile, which I've convolved with a Gaussian of standard deviation 100 meters, to keep the numbers significant: Fremont Peak from San Juan Baptista ( Motionbased:mooseman ) So it pokes its nose above 10% for a bit, but nothing super-steep here. I find the suffering really kicks in over 12% if I'm over-geared, over 15% pretty much whatever my gear. It should be fun. As an aside, normally I don't bring any metrology with me on hillclimbs except perhaps a wristwatch to judge pacing. But this time I'm...

So, the word is that Fremont Peak will get the Mt Tam spot on the calendar this year, as Mt Tam had resistance due to the threat of park closure due to the California State "budget crisis". Okay, political commentary. Skip to next paragraph. I wouldn't be surprised if shutting the state parks for a few weeks actually cost more money than it saved. The parks are already fairly poorly funded. It's obviously political posturing to dangle some potential for pain in front of the People so that when the pain is withheld, the "mild discomfort" which remains is better tolerated. Okay, end of political commentary. View from Fremont Peak ( Virtual Tourist ) But with the calendar spot taken by a Fremont Peak climb, although those of us in San Francisco and northern environs are inconvenienced by the additional distance, on a climb-for-climb basis I'd have to say Fremont Peak wins. I've never been up Fremont Peak, but thanks to the incredible data resour...