Back in college there was a ridge just outside of town with a lovely road
coming down it... The basic geography was: pedal two miles out of town and
you started uphill; five miles of uphill and you were at the top; five miles
across the top and you started the three-mile descent into the Sequatchie
Valley; another mile and you crossed the time line and it had only taken you
half an hour ;-). Of course it took two and a half hours to get back.
Coming back down the five-mile face of the ridge was a matter of pedal as
fast as you could make the pedals go around in high gear and then do the
most aerodynamic tuck possible. One time I was just hitting top speed when a
pickup truck came by and I managed to tuck in behind him and draft him the
whole way down the hill at somewhere around 60 to 65mph. I have no idea why
I didn't blow a tire. It was fun being young and stupid ;-) Old and stupid
isn't nearly so much fun.
David Lieb
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