Iron Cross 2009

My 4th year of doing Iron Cross didn't disappoint as every year its different and special. This year would be especially challenging, no longs ride in the legs - a potentially fatal error with such an undertaking but heck, whats the worst that could happen - stuck in the middle of nowhere or a drive back in the meat wagon.
Procedure was the same, get up at 4am, meet George at 5am for a 3 hour drive to Michaux State Forrest, the starting point. I think next year I'll go the night before to save having to get up so early.
300+ of us started on a glorious fall day in the Spiral of Death. After getting kicked out of the spiral the ride dumps us out on a smooth gravel trail for about 10 miles with only a sandy beach to that had us dismount. Smooth sailing - till the 1st of many hills. After going up a long hill on the gravel we get dumped out onto the road for some up and down for 7 miles. At 16 it's into the woods for the 1st of a number of knarley mountain bike sections. The 1st starts easy enough, slight uphill single track over rock gardens then it's downhill a steep rocky trail with riders lining the sides. Are they resting or watching the carnage?, I never did figure it out. Happily out of the woods intact onto some smooth pavement for a couple mile long downhill that was tempered by a stinking cross wind, but heck at least it was going down.
Now for the guts of the ride as that was the last easy part. Long fire road climbs, mountain biking takes us to the infamous 'walk ups". The 1st is especially steep and long that gets your heart rate to red line the whole way. Once at the top it's down a sandy trail to another one that has a welcome check point at the top, not as bad but difficult just the same.
At this point the legs are starting to feel the effort and worry sets in - still 35 miles of ball busting terrain to go! Eat, drink, go easy up the hills and maybe you'll have a chance to complete this ordeal says the little man on my shoulder.
The little man was right and hacked through the next 30 miles including the 5 mile never ending gravelly climb. This was the next to the last worst section leading up to the last "walk up".
But wait, there's more. Long zig-zaging single track sections through the woods, cross a couple streams, some more climbs, by this time it's a blur. Yipee, long knarley up hill opens up to the last walk up. When you have to crane your neck to see the top you know you're in trouble. It's different this time, vegitation is growing and looks normal, not like a luner lanscape devoid of any green or growth. At the top is's a long, fast descent on the road with a couple small climbs back to the start that are quite a chore due to limp legs.
Happy to finish this ride again without mis-hap and even enjoyed the scenery at times. Those of you that want a cycling challenge that has it all, check Iron Cross out!

Chilly Cheeks trail run 2008

You're probably thinking what is a cyclist doing trucking through the woods without pedals between his legs. One word sums it up - challenge.
Chilly Cheeks trail run is another perverse product of Ron Horne, race organizer from http://www.pretzelcitysports.com/ based in the Reading, Pa area. There's a whole series of them with wacky names, Chilly Cheeks, 7 miles or so of hills hills, hills.
Starting off with 462 runners, the 27 degree January day was perfect for a run through the woods. The fun ends when ascending one of the many long hills that has everyone panting with delight. Some ice and snow made for some interesting footing but heck, if I wanted safe conditions I'd go for a run around my block.
All in all got through the run intact and even saw the famous Reading pagota (I ran past it previously and didn't notice the 10 story pagota due to my delerious state). Only fell once witch is good.

Iron Cross 2008

After 2 years in a row with mechanical and bodily issues in both, I though that 2008 would be the year I could get through this race without incident. Well, better luck next year. The issues this year were getting lost, walking down some treacherous downhill sections, bonking again, walking up some hills I normally ride up but didn't due to my lack of training, but aside from that it was great!


Some ride details. Iron Cross is a 63 miles cyclocross race through Michaux State Forrest out by Carlyle, Pa. It's got it all - smooth road, fire road, killer climbs, climbs that you have to carry your bike, wicked descents, gnarly mountain bike sections and 6200' of climbing to boot. For the average weekend warrior it's quite an ordeal.


You know when you're in trouble when the start has 200+ riders in the "spiral of death", a mass start in a big field that has everyone going through gates into a spiral. I went with my good friend and partner in the the outragious, George Hollerback who decided that it was not enough of a challenge so he took off all his speeds and entered as a single speed. Shear lunacy in my book.


After that dizzying spiral fun you're merrily on your way to do a 60 mile loop through very sparse civilization and mostly desolate Forrest. Invariably you'll find yourself by yourself and it's a little unnerving in that if you get lost it could be a long day.


The 1st 7 miles aren't too bad happily booking through the woods along a stream until a long uphill fire road starts the panting process that you'll have for the rest of the ride. Popping out of the woods onto the road and some some really neat vista's of the hills and smelling the apple orchards has somewhat of a surreal feel that's tempered by the incessant climbs. Dam it's hilly out there!


The smooth roads are short lived as it's back into the woods and on a fire road that goes up hill for a long, long time. At the 18 mile mark it's hard core mountain biking time - but I don't have a mountain bike, darn! Hacking through rocks and roots with skinner than I'm accustomed tires is a bit of a shock but I knew what was coming and got through it this time without incident. The downhill cliff/drop off section was another story and preserved my health and walked down some of this section.


Once through this preposterous section it's on over the the perverse "walk ups". A traditional "walk up" is a section where you have to dismount and walk up a small hill. In this case the hill is on steroids and is more like climbing up a ski mountain. Once up on the top trying to ride down is difficult because of the sand. I never could figure out why it was so sandy in this area. Maximum effort is required for this LOL, and then -you do it again. At the top of the 2ND "run up" is a welcome checkpoint with fluids and food. Started to bonk even after eating and drinking a lot, certainly due to the extreme effort and tried to get a peanut butter/jelly sandwich down but too dry so went with my secret weapon, ham and cheese sandwich. Crammed some of that down with banana, fig newtons and cookies and was good to go.


Onward we race, up and down and all around. Fire roads, hills, single track and did I say hills. This ride has it all. The next to last check point was finally here but I knew new what came next - the 5 mile long hill. This hill is 5 miles of gradual fire road mixed with some steep sections. Very draining. The fire road is slow going, it feels like the fire road gravel is sand.


The last check point was a blur, fatigue was setting and just wanted to be done. Only 10 more miles to go - this darn ride keeps coming at you with more.


Into the woods for some nice single track through the trees and ferns. Can't enjoy the scenery due to the fear of getting lost. Actually moving along nicely at this section until - another rude mountain biking section - and it's uphill - yippee!


Dragging the bike through this part (or is the bike dragging me) and looking up and keep seeing it go and go. Does it ever end?


Finally at the top and riding again, nervously awaiting the last energy sucking section - the "surface of the moon uphill slog". This dastardly section is devoid of most vegetation and is another long switchback slog up a very large hill that has you craning your neck to see the little people at the top. Furthering you to the point of total exhaustion, but alas, it's almost over!

The last couple miles are on the road with guess what? Some more hills!

This ride is easily one of the most demanding bike rides I've ever done due to its fine assortmant of terrain and it's length. Paced myself, Rode it cautiously and lived to ride it again.

The incredable George finished a short time after me beaming that he had 3 flats but had a great time. I barely got through this thing with 20 speeds, he had just one. Remarkable!

Who in their right minds would drive 3 hours to ride

After a couple year break from self inflicted torture I felt it was time to go back to my roots and attempt "Hiller Than Thou" for 2008. This ride is a 100 mile race through the hills of central Jersey. In addition to the distance it's enhanced with upwards 10,000" of climbing - some incredibly steep. To do this ride you must be crazy, super fit and/or both.

I must admit that my confidence level was not the highest due to my lack of training. I currently have too many interests that prevent me from riding my bike much anymore. For me to finish the ride would take all the cycling knowledge and tricks that I have, some luck and lots of pain. I packed a map just in case I had to bail.

Started approx 8:30 with an easy 4 mile group ride (approx 100 riders) to the 1st major climb, Mt Lebanon. Passed on the temptation to push and dropped down to my fresh 39-27 and spun my way up that puppy. So far so good! Next up was Snyder rd, long and moderately steep. Same deal- spin, conserve energy. Next up - Quenby mountain. This it the 1st hill that has the caliber of steepness that will be testing me in the miles to come. There's some serious pitch to Quenby but fortunately that part is not to to long. Once up Quenby it's over to the never ending Jenny Jump climb - very long, a couple steep spots but manageable. I can see why Jenny jumped.

Once Jenny was knocked off it's over to the 1st real test of the ride, the infamous Fiddlers Elbow, home of the steepest paved road in New Jersey. At 50 miles on Foul Rift road along the river you get glimpses of the ridge that you're gonna ride over and believe me it's a disturbing sight and even more troubling once you start the climb. The bottom you start climbing up Roxberg Hill rd which is very steep and utterly terrible but this is only the beginning. After a short rest on Ridge Road a quick right sends you up the climb from hell. Not too bad at 1st but it just keeps going and going and getting progressively steeper till you reach what most call the wall. I generally weave back and forth up this stretch (some call this tacking) to avoid going straight up. Going up this stretch takes everything you got, not only legs but arms, shoulders back muscles etc. Trying to conserve energy on this hill was especially important for me as this was just 53 miles into the ride, 47 more to go. My experience of going up Fiddlers many times proved itself on this one (certainly not my fitness level) as I rode past many walkers on the steep part. The satisfaction of clearing this hill is short lived as the descents aren't long enough and its back to climbing once more. Next up is Buttermilk Bridge rd. I've been up this many times but never remember it being this long and steep (maybe Fiddlers had something to do with this).

Next up is the worst hill on the ride, Iron Bridge rd, ridiculously steep for a long, long time. An important decision must be made, try to ride up the wicked part and risk squantering the unknown remaining energy that I have and jeopardize the rest of the remaining 40 miles or walk up the darn bad part and maybe have enough to finish the race. Walking was the only logical option for me and turned out to be a good one later in the ride.



Cruising on over to Henderson then Dutch Hill/Forge Hill - these 2 normally aren't too bad but with 70 miles of hills in your legs they are agony.



At this time I was had a moment of joy that the worst was over and I had a real shot at finishing this ride. My joy was short lived with the realization that some 15 miles remained, usually not too far but this ride it can take forever and hurt real bad.




The mind games started and I started to think about the hamburgers and beer waiting for me at the finish but Mountain Top hill put me back in survival mode once again, back to steep, long and weaving just to be sure I could save something to get up Point Mountain which on a good day is a chore. I received my 1st ever cell phone call in the mist of the climb from John Friel - extraordinary mega miler who finished about about an hour ahead of me. He actually came back to ride up Point Mountain with me. That was welcome sight in that John is very chatty and took my mind off the incessant climbing. Point Mountain is very long with some steep spots through in for good luck - a fine way to finish the ride!


All in all I couldn't be more pleased with how things turned out in light of my limited riding this season. The key I think was eating and drinking lots and going easy up the big ones.



Can't wait for next year! Oops, almost forgot about Iron Cross............. Check back for report.

Extreme bicycle hill climbing

The top of Mt. Washington!

In cycling, the challenges are as follows, going faster, going longer and cranking up those hills.

It’s that challenge thing that has me looking up the road and wondering, “I wonder how hard it would be to ride my bike up that hill?” Don’t get me wrong- even though I enjoy hills and the challenge they evoke on my 180+ pounds, I don’t pretend to get up them quickly. I’ve always envied the smaller riders who seem to get up the hills so effortlessly.
Hills are simply a challenge, you against the hill. The challenge for me, especially on the “monsters” is to get up them “without touching.” My rating system is simple, 1-10 with 10 being the hardest. My personal 10’s that I use as a measure are Mt Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire and Pic D’ Paradise, on the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean. The auto road is 7 miles long, 12% average grade with extended stretches of 18%. In addition, above the tree line the winds start and can get quite stiff. The hill on St Martin is about a mile of absurd grade, it’s barely surmountable with a light road bike and a granny gear - a real test.

What turned me on to my quest to search out and get up the steepest and toughest hills was a small ad I saw in a bike magazine for an intriguing ride that sounded right up my alley - “Hillier than Thou”, 100 miles of very tough hills. The grip reaper on the t-shirt clued me in as to the seriousness of the ride. I drove up to Belvedere, New Jersey, paid my 25 bucks along with about 100 others cuckoos and off we went in one happy group. That group stayed happy as a clam until we reached the 1st climb, 7 miles into the ride: the infamous Fiddlers Elbow. After that, reality set in and realized that this is a serious ride that we signed up for and we were on our own. That ride opened me up to a whole new dimension of cycling – extreme hills.

Most of the big hills that I refer to are in Holland and Warren Township in New Jersey. There’s lots of good stuff in Lower Saucon as well.

In my 1-10 rating system, Fiddlers is an 8. It’s a very long hill and really not too bad (ok, I lie) except for the last 100 yards that gets progressively steeper and sneaks up on you. That’s where you see people falling off their bikes because they can’t keep enough speed to stay upright. The road is wide and lots of people zigzagged at the top. New Jersey trivia - Fiddlers is the steepest paved road in New Jersey, 22% at the top. I’ve done Hillier than Thou many times and always liked the earlier versions of the route, namely doing Fiddlers at the 7-mile mark when you’re fresh. The other 6 or so climbs weren’t any picnic but Fiddlers can suck the steam right out of you. The route has been revised over the years and enhanced to the point of insanity, 100 miles, 11,000’ of climbing and moving Fiddlers to the 80-mile mark – ouch!

After barely getting up Fiddlers I couldn’t imagine a hill being any harder. Yes there is! Iron Bridge Road in Warren County is terrible. This 9, although not quite as steep, is about 18% + for what seems like forever. To add to your enjoyment it’s narrow so you can’t weave at all – straight up you go. A little down the road is its brother, Ludlow Station Road, another 9, not quite as long but a little steeper - yippee.

Some other fun hills in the area that come to mind, not in any particular order are:
Rt. 579 out of Bloomsburg. Very long, deceptively steep and often in the hot sun - 8. Norton Church, Shire rd, Adamac, Pinchers point, Quenby Mountain and State park road by Jenny Jump park are 8’s, steep fairly long and painful.

Some formidable 6 and 7’s in the Bucks County area are Uhlertown, Fretz Mill (22% at the bottom), Short road, McNeil, Carversville/Wismer and Eagle rd.

The Lower Saucon area offers a plethora of long hard climbs, Dogwood Lane, Drifting Drive and Bougher hill Rd are some tough 7’s in this hilly area.

There’s also a class of hills that I consider enjoyable - long gradual climbs that allow you to get into a rhythm rather than the very steep ones that survival is the point. Some that come to mind are Loehmans Glen, Turkey Hill, Brass Castle, Millbrook and Montana rd in the high country in Montana, NJ.

Of course what goes up must come down. There’s a few that you can “let it rip” safely. My favorite is Brass Castle and Sweet Briar, both close to 5 miles long, fast sweeping turns with good visibility far ahead. On rare occasions when I feel like being a “wild and crazy guy” I’ll plunge down Carversville/Wismer hill toward Carversville, if the wind is favorable I’ll get the coveted 50mph+ on the computer that’s always a thrill

This hill report contains hills that any CBBC member can get to within 50-mile radius. Even crank some out in the morning and back so you can get back to do some yard work (yeah, right!) There’s certainly steeper, longer ones out there but require more travel.

Those are some of my favorites, what are yours?