Ride Up Grades

“Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades.” [Advice attributed to champion cyclist Eddy Merckx.]

But maybe there's a limit to that? An age limit, perhaps? If I swapped out my rear cassette for one with more teeth, is that a downgrade?

I came up with lots of reasons why I should abandon today's plan to check out my new gears climbing Bernal. It was early afternoon (too warm). The climb is exposed (too warm). I haven't been on the bike, really, in a couple of weeks. I felt tired. I was hungry.

Then I remembered a key takeaway from a talk by a nutritionist many years ago: If you're out there on the bike and you feel like pulling over to take a nap under the nearest shady tree, you're low on fuel—your brain isn't starving. [Right. I was hungry.]

Up I went. [Not my fastest time, nor my slowest.] Thirty miles and some 1,100 feet of climbing.

Ride up grades.