First Big Climb: Super Jamestown

I rode from 36 up Lefthand Canyon past Jamestown towards Ward.
20 miles, 2 hours.

I drove to East Boulder and met a friend whose ridden Ride the Rockies nearly a dozen times. I hoped he would assess my state of fitness and ride some punishing climbs with me. He was a little worried about keeping up me with after seeing this log. We started out with modest ambitions: just to have a ride up the hill. We didn't need to prove anything. Early on, either he was talking too much or I was riding too fast, so I let him lead. There was a little bit of me passing him slowly on flats and him passing me on the hills. We stopped in Jamestown for a break, and he introduced what was to come. The 7% grades would increase to ones that have "ruined" much stronger riders. Ken also mentioned a craving for sweet potato chips and guacamole from a local restaurant. Naive to the true meaning in what I just heard, I enthusiastically said "ride on". The climbs got very steep. I had no idea I could ride a bike at 3mph. Nor did I know how easy it can be to do a wheelie. We climbed some really steep hills. I told Ken another way to explain how steep Super Jamestown is compared to just Jamestown is that it's flat to Jamestown when the real climb starts: 14%. The point of the climb is to make it to Ward and /or the Peak to Peak highway. It turns to dirt up there somewhere, but after stopping where Ken had stopped to wait for me, a short way after starting again, I had had enough and it was time for the descent. We flew down the canyon at 35 mph. Just as I wondered if I was going too fast, Ken passed me. 1 hour 40 minutes (or so) climbing, 20 minutes down. Plans are to do this much more often this year as we're both riding the triple. Ken will ride Ride the Rockies in the last weeks of training...not me.

We drove back to his house where his awesome wife Pam, had guac and chips for him. Great ride Ken, thanks.