I have earned myself the May 2020 Climbing Challenge Badge for my trophy case. It was fun to have a goal. Actually I had three goals for the month of May. One, earn the badge: Two, get my climbing legs and Three climb some hills I don't normally climb.
All three goals were accomplished. To earn the badge I climbed over 24606ft in fourteen rides. I rode 406.15 miles in 25 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds.
The legs are in great shape. This is the strongest they have been this early in the season in a long time. More importantly I am mentally prepared to climb. The confidence to attack hill climbs and know that I will survive the suffering is awesome. It's part of being road worthy. I didn't achieve this level of road worthiness until well into June last year. Thus the motivation to do this challenge early this year and the strategy worked.
I didn't get to all the hills I wanted to climb. Nonetheless, I am happy with the hills I did climb. Especially the hills I don't climb all that often. For example spyglass out at Bush Pt. where I sit 15th out of 22 on the Stava all time leader board. It's incredible to be one of only twenty two people to climb that monster. Another hill that I rarely climb is just up the road at Lagoon PT. Salmon ladder. The last time I climbed this hill, according to Strava was back in 2013. I am currently 19th out of 30 on this hill. It's hard to believe that only thirty people have climbed this hill. I guest it's off the beaten path.
That's enough patting myself on the back. See you on the road.
