Up up and far away!

Up up and far away!

Yesterday was in cycling parlance a ‘transition’ day, getting me to the base of the Cameron Highlands climb. I stayed at Tapah last night after an 86k ride.
It’s funny how all towns at the base of big climbs have that same look and feel – the mountain looming large in the background, loads of hotels and an eerie foreboding! I awoke to a very pleasant morning temp of early 20s, had my Malay breakfast and with a look to the gods (no idea why!) I set off, thinking I had about a 10k run in to the base of the climb. Got that wrong. With 2k of the hotel I was climbing. And I climbed all day bar a few descents in to towns/villages. I drank my body weight in water but thankfully as I ascended the temp dropped so it was manageable. As those who know me I have a preference for riding on the flat – put another way, I f@&king hate climbing! So this really was a mental and physical test. On a few occasions I had to go to my granny gear – 40-46 (I’m riding a ‘one by’. And I needed it! But overall it was a very exciting and moving ride….I found my rhythm and just accepted that it would be slow going – around 8-10 kph (dropping to 6kph on the stingers). The final hill was in the town I’m staying which is at the very top – a nasty 15% slog!! But I achieved my goal. I was patient and focussed. Amazing what you can do when you slow down! Had a great beef curry in Ringlet, about 40k in. I say ‘beef’….it could have been the balls of a unicorn, I couldn’t tell such was the overpowering flavouring!

So….I’ve never cycled so many Ks uphill in one sitting, so it’s been quite a wonderful day. And plenty of time to twiddle the pedals and think of life. And by the way…,the scenery was simply magnificent. Riding so slowly meant I could really take it all in but I tried not to stop too often as it was a bugger to get the cadence back up after restarting!!