Am 23.09.2023 um 00:39 schrieb Frank Krygowski:
> On 9/22/2023 7:48 AM, Roger Meriman wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> https://www.topoquest.com/map.php?lat=28.55493&lon=-82.38817&datum=nad27&zoom=8&map=auto&coord=d&mode=zoomin&size=m
>>>
>>
>> Yes contours but all very close. After all your in the big ring a 53t
>> that
>> alone tells something about the terrain.
>
> Indeed. It's extremely weird that someone who rides (almost?) only on
> flat rail trails in perhaps our flattest state claims _I_ don't ride hills.
>
>> Clearly Frank is hardly riding in the hills it’s at best rolling
>> around as
>> far as I can see ...
>
> Whether I'm "riding in the hills" depends on one's personal definition.
> We once hosted a couple of touring cyclists who, upon their retirement,
> rode from the San Francisco area to Maine. From Maine, they turned
> around and headed southwest, staying at our home. They said the last
> day's ride, over Western Pennsylvania hills, was their toughest day.
>
> As I said, I have a choice of terrain. Today's regrettably interesting
> but short ride had no hills. Yesterday's had one 10% climb, although it
> was short. Most of my rides that hit rural roads have at least some 10%
> sections.

I also have a choice of terrain: the Rhine plane is completely flat
(significantly below 10 foot of climb per mile, and most of that is
bridges over highways or railway lines) even 15 miles away from the
river; the hills rise steeply at the edge of the plane with no
foothills, forcing you to climb 1000 feet as soon as you leave the plane.

I'm missing the 'rolling hills' from my youth (the wine-growing eastern
edge of the Rhine plane has some nice foothills) and from University
days (rolling Warwickshire).

Rolf