The Squaw Peak Ride

I was the only woman on the group ride this morning. I had come on this ride because my sister-in-law convinced me that I should come. Then she didn't even show up. I was a bit leery of the group at first. I've ridden with hot-headed guys before. They always seem to ride like they've got something to prove when a woman's around. I soon learned that I didn't have much to worry about.

The group rode a decent pace up Provo Canyon. We rode the trail up to Canyon Glen Park, then got out on the highway and went back down to the Squaw Peak turn off. I was hoping the group would stop at the base of the climb. I needed to take off my jacket. I knew the jacket was overkill when I had left the house, but I figured that I might want it for the descent. They didn't stop. We started climbing, and I started an all-out effort. I passed all the guys. I knew this wasn't going to go over well. I heard one of them behind me ask, "Is she with us?" and another guy answered, "She is until she drops us."

Then I HAD to stop to take off my jacket. They all passed me. I spent too much time fiddling with my jacket to get it to fit in my jersey pocket. The group pulled way ahead. I got back on my bike and was able to catch and re-pass three of the guys before the top. Sling said that I only came in less than a minute after he did. Little did he know that I stopped again, about 200 meters before the top, to take off the arm warmers (and to take a break). I didn't realize I was so close to the top or I wouldn't have stopped. The climb at the finish was a 14 percent grade! Ouch! 1956 feet of climbing in less than 5 miles.

Here I am unclipping at the top. Get me off this bike! That's Suncrest above my head, and the Point of the Mountain over my right shoulder (to the left of the picture).


Most of the group at the top.

Sling and me at the top.


I can't believe we climbed up here from down there!


Looking back, it was probably a good thing that I had stopped and let the guys pass me. Sling told me that one of the guys had asked him if he had told me to put the hurt on the group. Apparently, I had broke the whole group apart when I took off at the beginning. Oops!

After the climb, I came down cold-tar slow (to the point my hands were cramped from braking, and I had brake dust covering my legs).




Sling and I rode down University Avenue into Provo. I hit my max speed on flat road! Yes, that descent was slow! My legs felt great after the climb, and they just wanted to go fast on the flat. It felt great!

I'm glad I experienced the Squaw Peak climb once in my lifetime. I don't know that I want to do that one again. But then, I'm always saying that, aren't I?