Suffering is a Constant (Q.E.D.)

Why did the peacock cross the road, dragging his tailfeathers behind him?

Because, he can. Traffic will stop. [I was headed downhill, at the time.] The car behind me stopped. An approaching car stopped. We waited patiently while he changed direction, crossing back whence he came.

Before that, though, I had made it to the top of Montebello Road.

It's been awhile (nearly four years!), but I know what to expect: a steep start, a steep finish, and merely uphill in the middle. Still, one mile into the climb, I doubted whether I could make it. Four-point-three more miles? I expected the initial steep part would be shorter than it is. The landmark “flag” mailbox is gone; I think it's covered with sparkly stars, now.

This was my choice, today, for me and my chief ride buddy. For two reasons: Number one, the wineries are still closed (less traffic!). Number two, it's not a magnet for driving enthusiasts (it's a dead end). Though I did choose to pull aside twice (uphill, and downhill) for a small petroleum tanker—driven by a guy who was clearly very comfortable with the twisty road.

This wasn't my fastest time up this hill (not race pace); but I was three and a half minutes faster than on my last visit.

For the day, 39 miles, 3,090 feet of climbing (we took the flat route, back). Looking at my stats, my average and peak heart rates today were the same as they were in 2016. But there's the rub: the level of suffering is the same, you just get faster.