Lookout!! Mt. Hill Climb - (Pain cave-ious maximus)

Welp, another year another personal battle with the little bump on the topo map called Lookout Mountain yesterday. "Conditions were perfect" as we all woke up to cool weather and clear skies.

While this effort is probably what the Gila Boyz did on their way to the start-line for their stage that day, this little beast is always a way mostly for me to test myself.
Mostly its fitness, and a touch of mental, but I can never shave too much time off how long it takes me to get up this silly little hill.

So, cut to the old-man cat 4 race. Great to see some others there. Eric Scroger, Bryan Harwood, and Sean Kelley (The latter 2 up on the front line, looking for some action)

Boom, gun goes off, 95 people pretend to have never clipped into their pedals before, vear around nervously, swiping anxiously at their cranks... settle down boyz... we havent even got past the start line... annnd we're off.

This year's plan "DO NOT BLOW UP ON THE BOTTOM 1/3 !!!!, save some for the end."
This has been my plan for years... I just choose not to follow it.

Boom there goes Eric.... little b*stard is going fast, I start to follow......
"Discipline Dave".
So I ride my own race, passing all the blown up dudes. Ha! I know that feeling all too well. I feel great, and while I think I can go faster, I really want to not spend it all on the bottom. Looking up I see a BSV-er that I'm gaining on. Hmmmmm... maybe crotch-rocket boy Eric blew himself up.... wait, thats not him. It took me a while to realise it was Bryan H. (hard to focus my eyes that far with a HR of 190 :) ). Hmmm... wonder if his brakes are rubbing, or he's blown out his knee .. I'll have to catch him and ask....

Not to be, 'Power boy' Harwood picks up the hammer pace everytime the grade lessens and he takes off, and I can only scratch back on the steeper parts... running out of road... I'll just see him at the finish.

K... we're getting near the top last switch backs.... mile to go? I feel good.
Here's a couple of Joe's comming by, got to stand up, get into a harder gear and sit on their wheel.. get in their heads.....
No problem right? uh-oh, finally... here's that feeling of suffering, I was wondering where you were my old friend.
Plan B, maybe I'll get into their heads by coughing up stuff on them, or wheezing so loud they want to quit... uh oh, now I'm starting to see those black dots. Never good
Note to self "why do you do this to yourself? didnt this cost money?"

Alright, some dude yells out 400M to the line. We all hit the big ring, and stand up to sprint. Turns out 400m uphill is longer than I remember,
"what, do those 2 have jet engines one their bikes?"

100 to go, sit back down, faster to walk (or crawl). Hey, there's the line, I may just make it.

And there you have it.... another 24 and change minute adventure by Dave K.
I think I rolled in for 60+ place, nice huh?
Oh well, I shaved 2 minutes off my last time I did it, so I'm happy.
I'll go back in the fall and see if can make that down around 20 :)

Great Props to Eric S., he's a climbing machine.