There is something about riding your bike up a mountain. It’s hard to say what it is. And it’s hard to explain what’s so special about it. Especially to people who haven’t tried it. If you have, you know what I’m talking about.

Mt. Hamilton is a great climb. A beautiful climb. It’s steady and not steep. Apparently way back when, these roads were used for mules to carry stuff up to the summit. This means that the average grade is about 7% going all the way up.

This was the Race to the Observatory. I joined the cat. 5 riders riding for Team Dynamo Donut. Set out with the idea that I would stick to the wheels of the strongest riders. And i did. For the first 30mins. Then I had to let go. That slow-motion feeling when you let go of the wheel of the rider in front of you. For each passing second the distance between my front wheel and their rear wheel got a tiny bit longer. Inch by inch. But that’s cycling. Some days you have it, some days you don’t.

I was left with my own thoughts, the sound of my breathing and my burning legs. Alone on the climb. Until I passed another rider who had been dropped. And then another. I managed a 10th place. Not bad, not bad at all.

After the race it was time for some Dynamo Donuts, some pictures and some relaxing along the Californian coast.

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