Hills Are Personal

I think the first time I heard that phrase was while riding my first GrABAAWR (Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River).

We were ascending a hill, maybe the character building Menard Hill in north Wisconsin and the guy I was pedaling alongside stopped talking to concentrate on each pedal push.

He explained after we zipped down the other side that hills are personal.

It's a pretty profound statement if you ask me. 

Hills are personal because:

• I have to get myself to the top whether I walk or successfully climb to the top - you can't do it for me.
• We each bring our own baggage.  Literally and figuratively in this case.  Some bikes are heavier than others.  Some riders look down the road and see the road rise in front of them and decide in advance the hill already won.
• The ascent plays out inside - in our lungs, our calves, and between our ears.  The world slows down maybe giving the opportunity to notice the individual flowers that we huff past.  Each stroke uphill we decide if we can go any further.
• Each hill is different.  For me, short hills with a sharp incline are tougher than long gentle climbs.  For other riders, it could be the opposite.

One time I was out on a ride, we were climbing a hill outside Prairie du Chien that was estimated to be three miles of incline.  There was a rider ahead of me and we were both slowly grinding in the lowest gear.  All of sudden the guy in front of me lost his forward momentum.  Toes still clipped into the pedals, I watched him fall in slow motion to the side landing in the ditch.  As I got close, I asked if he was OK.  He was, which made me glad, because stopping would have made it tough for me to finish the climb.

The upside of that hill was the nearly 3 mile downhill after reaching the top.

You may not encounter your hill on the back of a bike, it could be anywhere.  In any case, the saying is true, "hills are personal."