Biking - A hilly loop south of Albany

Some friends invited me to join them for a ride this evening starting from the Delmar Park and Ride, 21 miles and 1375 feet of climbing. Since my good bike is now packed and awaiting shipment, it seemed like a good opportunity to do some climbing on the higher-geared 10-speed, so I joined them. It was a nice evening for a ride once the clouds cleared and the sun came out. We had plenty of time, so added on an optional loop to extend the ride. With a name like "Copeland Hill Road", we should have been prepared for what we found. But a mile of climbing averaging over 7%, maxing out over 13%, was not what we expected. With a low gear of 34 gear-inches, I struggled with this one, stopping twice to catch my breath and get back my legs, but eventually made it to the top, much of it standing out of the saddle. The rest of the ride was hilly but much more manageable, and a good workout. Afterwards, we stopped for pizza and beer at Smith's in Voorheesville, topping off a good night of riding.