Sitting in my wi-fi enabled bed and breakfast in Waitsfield, Vermont -
Home of the Green Mountain Stage Race ("GMSR")...

I arrived yesterday afternoon. My plan was to hit some of the ride routes for next week's race but while buying water bottles at Fitwerx I was told about a group ride that was going out at 5:30.

Hooked up with those guys and went about 1:45 and a total of 28 miles. We stopped a lot for other riders. There were ten of us in total and I was able to hang with the top three riders. They sensed fresh meat with me and decided to head up some of the steeper local rides. We climbed a 16% grade access road near Sugarbush mountain - out of the saddle, lowest gear, pulling and struggling to climb. I thought I was going to tip over and was completely anaerobic at the top. Yet I finished with them and we chatted while waiting for the rest of the pack to catch up. The GMSR is a huge deal up here....

Suffice to say that the hills are steep and I would tend to agree with those who want to pack a compact for GMSR. I don't think I'd be able to race here next week with my current set up. A cool thing is that on one screaming descent to rte. 100 I hit 52.5 miles per hour on my bike. What makes it even more interesting was that the ride leader passed me while I was at that speed. I think he was around 60 MPH or so....

Off to the Vermont Teddy Bear Company now, but tomorrow morning I may take a stab at Lincoln Gap. The most difficult thing about this is that I have to climb a 14% access road to get back to my B&B. Therefore I get to do my whole ride knowing I have to climb that grade
to get home....yuck!!

Skyline drive is typical of some of the hills around here (the grade that is...not necessarily the length - hills here are shorter..sometimes)