It’s been over a year and a half since I started working back in radio. While I absolutely love it and wouldn’t want to be doing anything else it has one major drawback. When I worked in the city my daily commute was double what it is now. My daily cycling distance has been radically reduced. That’s why I’ve started detouring on the way to work. I was also going on regular long distance rides which helped keep me in much better shape than I am now. There’s not a lot of call for long distance rides when you’re a radio announcer.
Without those extra kilometres I have managed to attract some extra kilograms. Not good.
When I got to the meeting point for my regular Saturday morning ride this weekend the guys I ride with decided it would be good to do a little hill climbing. “Great” I thought, “It’ll be fun to lug some extra weight up a steep incline. Especially when I haven’t really done much hill climbing on my bike for a while.”
We agreed to ride up to Kalamunda. Once we got closer the road started to rise. The initial couple of kilometres involved a fairly steep climb before things eased off. The main part of the climb was up the Kalamunda Zig Zag. The Zig Zag was completed in 1891 as a rail line into the Perth hills. The rail line is gone and it’s now a narrow, paved road. Even though it was a steep gradient for trains, the Zig Zag isn’t a particularly steep gradient for regular cyclists so that part of the ride wasn’t too bad at all and it provided brilliant views back across the city.
Once off the Zig Zag there were a couple more steepish climbs into Kalamunda itself. After a quick pitstop we headed back down to the flats via Kalamunda Road to grab a coffee before heading home.
There’s not too much that can beat the feeling of overcoming difficulties. There were a couple of tough spots for an old bloke like me but I lived to tell the tale. It was brilliant. I think I’ll have to make some time to get out and climb a few more hills.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Technorati Tags: Cycling – Hills – Bicycles
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading Head for the hills? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
Just think, while you were struggling up that hill I was probably sitting down getting hair and make-up done for my friends’ wedding.
Interesting to think just how different 2 people’s days can be huh.
Grrrr. Frustrated that I missed the ride on Saturday. Unfortunately I came down with gastro on Friday night so spent the day in bed instead.
Yeah, that gastro seems to be going around… My dad and both got it this morning… Was also hoping to go for a ride this afternoon (Tuesday) but I doubt that will happen!