Back on the saddle again. Felt good to get out and ride after a week off. I'm not using my fixie for a minute so I was on my roadie. There were 6 of us, with LAFixed rider's John and Mok on fixies and the rest of us on roadies.
I parked in Redondo on Ave C, and rode up to Malaga Cove to meet up everyone else. After having a week off my legs were fresh and I was actually excited to climb. My Achilles Tendon not so much. Straight out the gate we start climbing. It was a nice steady incline of 5-8%. The best part was bombing down Hawthorne after we crested. OH HOW I MISSED BEING ABLE TO COAST. So so SO NECESSARY.
We hit a few rollers to the next climb which was switch backs to radio tower. I'm a stronger climber now than I used to be. I had gears left when I made it to the radio tower. Climbing fixed definitely makes you a stronger rider overall. It teaches you to ride at a steady tempo, and not to rely on your gears. Too many times I'm riding with people and all I hear is click click click. As my uncle would ask, "We riding? Or shifting?" DID I MENTION HOW NICE IT IS TO COAST.
We hit rollers again going down PV Drive East, hang a Left on PV Drive North, another Left on Via Campesina, Left again on Vie La Cuesta to climb what the Beach City Dash crew (BCD, LAfixed Southbay crew) call "the dessert climb". This is hands down the steepest climb I have ever did. At points going up we were hitting 18-20% grades. Thank god it was a short climb and I was on my roadie. We reach the top and I was gasping for air. Mok climbed it on 48x15 and John was at 48x16 (not sure what John's ratio was). Props to both for doing it fixed. Straight beasted up.
Good ride made better with great company.