Climbing, climbing

BEN: I like to climb. Not that I am any good at it (read: I am dead slow, I use a triple, I go right to the 30x29).

On the flats riding is a near endless grind punctuated by conversation, anerobic moments and turns pulling into the wind. (Let's not get on to the topic of inattentive road users today.)

But there is a finite challenge to going up hill. There is a top, there is an end, there is, usually, a very exciting reward just past the crest. I like going downhill even more.

The left side of this blog has this photo:

Luz Ardiden climb. Photo by Tim Kops 7/14/2003

Just across the narrow valley from Luz St Sauveur is the road up to the ski resort on Luz Ardiden. This climb has been a Tour finish 7 times since 1983. The last time, in 2003, Lance Armstrong won the stage after crashing when a spectator's musette bag caught the handle bar.

A 1010 meter climb over 14.7 kilometers Average grade 6.9%. Max grade just over 10%. An 'HC' climb.

Luz Ardiden is the kind of place hard to accept as a flatlander. All those switch backs. No level ground, hell no ground that's not man-made you can stand on and not fall over.

And when we've gotten to the top we get to go right back down.