# ride report 9-19-2007, Hurricane Mountain Road



## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

first, let me say that I cannot do this ride without having to stop. lots of times. hopefully, you'll understand why. But someday...............

anyway, here's a few of the beginning of the road, and haven't even started the real climb yet.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

ok, here we go. this road is closed and gated in the winter. from this first pic, it's about 1 3/4 miles to the top. 

a couple pics might be a little blurry, as the old heart rate was slightly elevated. 











here's the gate closure, just a short way up from the above pic.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

probably about halfway up at this point. 










looking up around the curve. this is much steeper than the picture would indicate, I would guess close to, if not more than 20% grade. 









and looking down from the same spot









almost there


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

and here's the top. lot's of destruction from previous winter's ice storms and such. at the top here is the beginning to one of the area's most popular mountain bike trails, the Red Tail Trail. 



















my baby. check the gradient sign. and that's the _average_.



























the gradient down the other side. that side is less windy, and the grade climbs more steadily up, without so many twists and turns and stair step curves


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

some views on the way down, looking out toward Fryeburg, Maine. You can really get an idea of just how steep this road is.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

after the descent, and a few more miles on up and down hilly roads, I looped out through the flats in farm country. see the notch in the mountain range just about the center of the picture? that was my ride for yesterday. report on that to come. 










and a pic to remind you folks that it's harvest season. These fields are mostly beans, and looks like they've been harvested already. a few more weeks to let the feed corn wither, and they'll get to that.


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## wasfast (Feb 3, 2004)

It's always frustrating to look at picture you took of some big hill and they look like they're barely a bump. I notice the coverage of pro cycling on tv does the same thing because of camera angle.

Looks like a really beautiful ride area though. Thanks for the pics!


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## PCM (May 27, 2004)

I rode the Kanc around this time last year but never had the chance to get over to HMR and check that out. We did drive to the top of Cathedral Ledge though and I was amazed at how steep that is. How does HMR compare to that?

BTW... nice pictures... keep 'em coming.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

to tell you the truth, I've never been up Cathedral Ledge, either by bike or by car. 


strange, huh?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

That sure looks like one beautiful ride.

BTW it looks steep to me but including those signs adds a lot.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

MB1 said:


> That sure looks like one beautiful ride.
> 
> BTW it looks steep to me but including those signs adds a lot.


well I know the two-dimensionality of a photograph tends to flatten out hills. It's the same when you watch a bike race on tv, and the climb doesn't look all that steep unless they show them directly from the side. 

But you can see how steep it is in this pic, if you look at how quickly the road drops away in the background at the top of the climb. And that's a relatively easier portion of the climb, that last bit just before you reach the top.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Craziness.Absolute craziness.


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## Wonger (Oct 29, 2005)

*Circling not cycling*

I did that ride a year ago and can confirm that it is steep. I was determined to remain on the bike, so when the incline was too much, I just turned circles in the middle of the road to catch my breath and recover. If I recall, I enjoyed three such circling sessions.

Eventually made it to the top to meet my family and walk to the top of Black Cap. Well worth the climb.


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