Mayfield Road- Didn't expect that climb!

I recently posted this on my personal blog, but figure it's belongs here too!

I wanted to ride from home today, and I haven't actually done that since we moved to the new place.  So I mapped out a route, and decided to take my CX bike over to brookhaven, and then over to Tyrone Rd, and then across Mayfield Rd to Snake hill rd and then back around to our place.  I had a 24 mile route mapped out, and I figured at an easy "January" pace, it would take me a little less than 2 hours.  Base training right?

I headed out the door into the very sunny 45 degree weather at about 3:15.  As you can see from the graph below...that didn't really happen- I only made it 15 miles before I decided to call it quits and head back to the trainer...

This is why.  Mayfield Rd...you kicked my butt!  How am I so tired after only biking 15 miles!!!

I'll tell you why: I didn't expect the 3.5 miles of climbing, where I reached over 2300ft and a net climb of 1100ft+ in 3.5 miles!!!  Not to mention the Garmin told me I hit 35%+ grade more than once...And it wasn't paved, or even dirt: it was rutted, ice covered, sharp rock insanity- huge water holds, and shear rock to clamber up.  Yes, I've done Tour of Tucker County (Loved it!), and I've climbed Whymps Gap probably a dozen times...and all the other climbs around Morgantown.  But I was prepared for those...this one just came out of no where!

I didn't have to stop once, my Kenda Small Block 8 700x32 tires (pumped to 75psi) kept me rolling just fine; I only really started to slide on the ice once....Man do I love my CX bike! So although I wasn't really prepared to get my heart rate up to 180bpm+ so many times, I had a great little adventure right in my back yard.

It was a blast...even if I did need to come back and ride the trainer for another 40 minutes to get my 2 hours in.  I am nice and tired now.  But worth it...what a view!  Very unexpected!