Gaps ride

Yesterday I did something I never thought I would do - ride 3 of the Gaps in the north Georgia mountains. They have always had the "WOW!" factor in my head. When someone tells me they rode the Gaps I'm always impressed. We rode 35 miles of the route shown above, in reverse. (see the start-finish lines) The extra mileage is the route they do for the a shorter route of 58 miles that starts and finishes at the high school in town during the 6 Gap Century in September.

Riding the Gaps was never something I had the urge to do, they're mountains (or big hills for those who live near real mountains) and they're there - big deal. But it is one of those things cyclists like to brag about. Now I know they are not as hard as I made them out to be. Well, the 3 we rode aren't; one of the other Gaps averages a 7% grade over 7 miles with a grade as high as 15%, um, no thanks. It was an early season test of my fitness and I think I'd give me a solid B, the strength and endurance base is there, I just need to work on speed. Now if I could just find my running mojo....