Biking - A More Challenging 20

It's another sunny day near 60 degrees, so I rode today in shorts for the first time this year. So far, I've been sticking to the flats, but now it's time to start working on the climbing legs. One of my favorite rides from home involves climbing Grant Hill and Wormer Roads. It's a relatively short climb of only a few hundred feet in 1.5 miles, with some breaks, but there's one brief pitch that goes over 12%, so it's a good test. I learned that the climbing legs still have a ways to go, but there's plenty of time, and there are plenty of hills.



This ride also has some scenic value. In addition to views of the Helderbergs from Ostrander Road at the top of the climb, the return trip passes through French's Hollow, over a bridge across the Normanskill that's only open to bikes and pedestrians. The southern approach was icy near the bottom and I had to walk. But once I got there, the view was very nice. The Normanskill was running high today - normally there's only a trickle coming over the outlet dam of Watervliet Reservoir.



Downstream, the rocks at the top of the next cascade are usually covered with local sunbathers or fishermen, but not so today.



Lots of other bikers out today, and it (almost) feels like spring is really here to stay. We'll have to see what next week brings...