| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
40.86 miles
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Altitude Gain:
2,380 ft
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Avg Speed:
16.02 mph
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Route:
Backer-Horseheads
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Avg Grade: 0 %
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Max Grade: 0 %
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Max HR: 0 bpm
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Avg HR: 0 bpm
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Terrain: Road: Steep
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Bike: Look 585 Carbon Road
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Club: Schuyler County Cycling Club |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny 60F NW wind @ 12mph |
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I had survived a couple of long easy rides over the past two days and while I had felt far from strong I had not experienced any weak sections and had finished in fairly good spirits, so I thought today would be a good day to ride towards Corning and make a second attempt at Backer Road and see if it was still as bad as I remembered it. Last time I had climbed it was after two other steep climbs, so today I wanted to try it with relatively fresh legs. I headed to Watkins first and climbed up New Corning with its long mild engineered grade rather than climbing out of town by the steep grades past the hospital or the cemetery. Spun the hill and hovered around ten miles an hour and reminisced when we used to have the climb as the third slope on our hill time trials and had a personnel best average of fifteen miles an hour on this section. I was quite satisfied with the memories though and had little desire to hammer today intending to save my legs for bigger game. I’m sure the lack of desire is the result of ever diminishing testosterone. After the first climb it was another four miles of continuing soft climbing then a flattish section to Chambers. I was a little more aggressive on the lower section this run up Backer but that quickly disappeared as I started to hit the steep stuff. Tried to stand and tried to sit and neither worked out well today. Kept it going straight on the twenty percent grade but was tempted to weave and take the edge off. Held on through the pain for a little while but gave it up well before reaching the top. I was able to go into the bailout gear and slowly spin my way up when then grade dropped into the mid-teens. Felt light headed at the summit and decided to milk the rest of the ride down Chambers Rd to the mall then back down the valley to home. Enjoyed the twenty miles of downhill as the winds were favorable and the views down Chambers are actually quite scenic. Usually I don’t take in the view on that road as I have my head down and am enjoying the adrenalin rush of a fast descent. Was soundly thrashed by Backer Rd today but maybe if I lose some weight over the winter, though I think I’ll never be able to conquer this climb I might be able someday to call it a draw.
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