February 6, 2002

A LUMMOX CLIMBS OUT OF THE SADDLE

Illustration #1:



Illustration #2:

These pictures of Mike Magnuson approaching the summit of Brandon Gap in Vermont’s Green Mountains will demonstrate proper road-lummox climbing technique, which is this: You gotta want to climb the hill.

In Illustration #1, Mike has been climbing from the town of Brandon, elevation 447 feet, toward Brandon Gap, elevation 2183 feet. Since this climb covers only about five forward miles, and since he weighs 240 pounds, he has been suffering considerably, and with only 100 feet of climbing left to go now, his ass is completely dragging. But note how he summons the strength to jump out of the saddle and charge, at speeds approaching 8 miles per hour, toward the summit. Note, too, that Mike uses the proper technique of rocking the bike back and forth on the climb, which will go to show you that even lummoxes can learn to do this shit right.

In Illustration #2, he can just about see over the crest of the climb, and he’s preparing to zip up his jersey, click into his big chainring, and begin the kickass 50-mile-per-hour 1700-foot descent to the town of Rochester, where he’s heard there’s beer.