flahute » Little Mountain

2011 Ride #13

flahute — Sat, 21 May 2011 23:57:21 +0000

In honor of both the Giro and Tour of California mountain stages today, I decided to go out and climb a couple mountains … I thought that Little Mountain to Big Mountain and back to Little Mountain sounded good. Then, in honor of the UCI’s decision to skip one of the Giro climbs, I decided to eliminate one of the planned climbs (Big Mountain) before I started my ride, and because of the Giro organizer’s mid-stage decision to eliminate another climb, I decided to skip the second climb of Little Mountain.

In other words, I did my normal, relatively weekly ride up Emigration Canyon, with a side trip to Sugarhouse Park to watch the crits … I actually felt really good (for me, anyway) on the bike today … set a personal record up Emigration (although my “records” are really nothing to brag about); the best part is that once I started the climb proper my heart rate didn’t spike and my lungs didn’t blow forcing me to stop for a rest until just a little bit before Sun & Moon Cafe.

Climbing for me is always about setting little goals; just let me get to the next bend, to the next sign, to the next whole mile on my trip odometer, etc.

Of course, I still struggled on the switchbacks when the pitch steepens, but little goals.

After dropping back down the canyon, I rolled over to Sugarhouse Park in time to catch the end of the 45/55 race, the 3s, and what there was of the Pro-1-2 race. Someone’s daughter (I think it was Eric Flynn’s girl) ran out into the middle of the road as the Pro-1-2 pack was coming up the finishing hill on one of the early laps and got hit and knocked down by one of the riders in the main pack. I don’t think that any riders went down, and from what it seems, it looked a lot worse than it actually was. The little girl got a bloodied face, and I think hit her head on the pavement opening up a wound, but she was conscious and crying loudly for her parents.

One of the nice things about cycling, especially in Utah, is that a lot of us are doctors, so she had medical care instantly. Just to make sure everything is okay, she was taken to hospital by ambulance, but from everything I’ve ever heard, when an injured child is making lots of noise, it’s a good sign.

Of course, any time something like that happens in a race, it tends to take the steam out of all the riders, so after conferring with the riders and the officials, the race was called. Good decision by all, I think … and I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that I hope the injured girl’s injuries really are fairly minor.

2011 Ride #12

flahute — Sun, 15 May 2011 21:33:27 +0000

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Heavy and sore legs from yesterday’s climb up and over Little Mountain, and the wind today was brutal … at least, when it wasn’t a tailwind.

Mt. Olympus from Parley's Crossing

2011 Ride #3

flahute — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 01:00:00 +0000

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More than doubled my total mileage for the year (thus far) today, and first attempt at Emigration Canyon for the season … and boy, do I suck. I had a number of people stop to ask if I was okay, or if I needed anything as I was gasping for air and trying to get my heart rate back below 180 … and apparently this happened enough times that it actually took me an hour and 20 minutes from the base of Emigration to the summit of Little Mountain (including rest periods); 55:13 moving time … but, considering it’s the middle of February; and that it’s only my third ride of the year, I’m proud of myself for gutting it out and I can now start figure out goals.

First goal, moving time on the climb under 45 minutes, and total time under an hour.

Second goal, all the way to the summit of Little Mountain without having to stop and recover for a few minutes.

Third goal, getting over my sketchiness of descending the switchbacks … I never really feel like I can open it up on the descent until after I get past the lower switchback at Pinecrest.

It was an absolutely beautiful day out, but it was cooooooolllllddddd on the descent. Brrrr. Overdressed for the climb, underdressed for the descent … story of my life, I think.

Sounds like a plan.

2010 Ride #26

flahute — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:05:05 +0000

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Emigration to Little Mountain summit. Legs felt good, lungs felt okay, but did have to hit the asthma inhaler a couple of times. The chip seal in Emigration Canyon is a little rough, but not nearly as bad as I’ve seen elsewhere.

It was bad enough that I apparently vibrated my spare sew-up out from under my saddle, however, which really sucked since I flatted my rear tire towards the bottom of the descent of Emigration (I think … discovered that I was really low when I stopped to attempt to refill bottles at the water fountain at Bonneville Golf Course) and had to limp home with about 40-50 psi.

Speaking of water fountains … has the City decided not to turn any of them on this year? The water fountain at the dog park at the bottom of Emigration wasn’t running, nor was the fountain at the golf course, and the last couple of times I’ve checked, the Christine Brimley memorial water fountain at bottom of Foothill by the bike path across Parley’s isn’t on either … what gives? Is the city so hard up financially that they can’t afford the water bill?

2010 Ride #15

flahute — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:47:15 +0000

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Tired legs, heavy, tight … from riding the fixed gear yesterday? Not sure, but I made myself climb Emigration, and push through the tightness in my right quad, and was rewarded with with is always a great view.

Mountain Dell from Little Mountain Summit

Views like this make the pain worth it, every single time.

2010 Ride #9

flahute — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 21:53:06 +0000

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20th East to Sunnyside to Emigration to the summit of Little Mountain, then Wasatch to the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, dropped the Old Mill, then Holladay Blvd home. 38.15 miles (longest of the season thus far), 2537 feet of climbing (most vertical of the season thus far). 2353 calories.

Ride didn’t start off well. When I first hit play on the iPod, Ministry’s “Die in a Crash” came on … and once I got out on the road it didn’t take long for my heart rate to start spiking above 170 on flat ground; and I was up in the 180s several times (topping out at 185) on the climb up Emigration Canyon. Since my theoretical max HR is only around 176, I don’t really like it when I start going above 180, although it’s nice to know that I actually can without dying (literally; figuratively, I was dead several times over).

I’m behind my pace from 2009 … which means I really need to get out and ride more. This is a good start; we’ll see how the legs feel on tomorrow’s ride to see how much more I can add to this year’s totals.

I need a burrito. Badly. Too bad Barbacoa doesn’t deliver, because now I’m going to have to go back out again … and I can barely stand up.

2010 Ride #7

flahute — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:37:37 +0000

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Emigration to the summit of Little Mountain today. 30-miles; lungs felt really good, surprisingly. Still had to stop a couple times to catch my breath and get my heart rate back down, but not nearly as often as I normally have to, and no asthma attacks! I just might be getting some modicum of aerobic fitness back!

We’ll see if this good feeling continues. If I can haul my ass out of bed early enough tomorrow morning, a commute to South Jordan might be in order.

2009 Ride #29

flahute — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 20:58:26 +0000

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Felt better than yesterday, both in legs and lungs … the tailwind going up Emigration Canyon certainly helped on the climb when I made the turn and Pinecrest to head to Little Mountain summit, the full wind in the face put paid to my plans to finish the climb. Turned around, and pushed to try get above 30 on the way back down the canyon. I don’t think I succeeded.

2009 Ride #23

flahute — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:00:39 +0000

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Headed out today planning a normal Wasatch Loop, but legs and lungs felt okay by the time I hit the mouth of Emigration, so I decided to continue on, planning first to turn around at Sun & Moon, then at the first switchback … but despite having to stop a couple times to take an Albuterol blast, I pushed on to the top of Little Mountain before turning around and dropping back down the canyon.

Felt a whole lot better today than I did yesterday afternoon, but probably not quite as good as I did yesterday morning. It’s a work in progress, and every day I actually get out on the bike and do something is a small victory.

Not exactly sure how many times I got out on the bike last year, but according to what I actually measured, 2008 was 30 rides and 415 miles for the entire year. Thus far this year I’ve done 21 measured rides (plus two additional rides I’ve noted but not measured), and 474 miles … so I’m averaging more miles per ride, and still have half the year remaining. I will be pleased if I get 1000 miles this year; ecstatic if I can build up to 1500, but right now I’m just happy to be on the bike when I am.

I can’t walk, but I can ride …

flahute — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 00:42:19 +0000

Still dealing with the ongoing bout of sciatica; I’ve got an appointment with a chiropractor on Monday after work … hopefully he’ll be able to do something to relieve the most immediate pain.

The odd part (as I mentioned yesterday) is that I can’t walk hardly at all, but I’m able to ride.

So after topping City Creek Canyon yesterday, I went out again today … but this time I climbed Emigration Canyon for the first time ever, starting from the house, rather than from the zoo like many people do.

31.1 miles round trip, about 1900 feet of total climbing, almost 1500 of which was the canyon itself.

Avg speed was only 13.1 mph, but I seemed be holding steady around 10 mph going up the canyon, and the winds coming down kept me from hitting any speeds higher than 30, and most of the time I was struggling to stay above 23-24 on the descent.

View back down Emigration Canyon from near Little Mountain Summit

Sign for Little Mountain Summit

View from Little Mountain Summit over Little Dell Reservoir

View of the Wasatch from Little Mountain Summit