Annotated ride map (click to enlarge)
It’s spring break this week in Alabama, and so my good friend Lennie and I took our families up to Huntsville to the space and rocket center. While they were enjoying exploring all about space, Lennie and I drove on over to Keel Mountain to explore it and Green Mountain. We ended up climbing Keel Mountain 3 different ways and Green Mountain from both sides. Then I headed back up the front side of Keel one final time. The descents were awesome hitting 55mph+ on four different descents. My favorite of the day was definitely the Green Mountain west side descent which has a horizon drop-off (i.e., where you can’t see over the horizon) at >50mph. Exhilarating. It was REALLY flat though between the mountains, but it was worth it to enjoy time riding with Lennie and to explore 5 new climbs! I’ve posted the iBike data for each of the five different climbs. The last climb up Keel (Blowing Cave Rd) was by far the steepest at 26% max gradient, although the east side of Green Mountain was steeper for longer sustained sections.
Annotated iBike data for the entire ride (click to enlarge)
KEEL MOUNTAIN NORTH SIDE (1st time up)
Dist: 1.61 mi (0:13:31)
Energy: 208.8 kJ
Climbing: 837 ft (Strava CAT 3)
Min Avg Max
Power 0 257.4 527 W
Gravity -22 231.0 509 W
Speed 0.0 7.2 21.9 mi/h
Elev 469 896 1306 ft
Slope -0.3 9.71 16.8 %
Caden 0 62.5 93 rpm
HR 104 150.3 163 bpm
NP:264W IF:0.95 TSS:20 VI:1.03
CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039
168 lbs; 3/20/2012 11:36 AM
90 degF; 1012 mbar
NOTES: We passed a HOUSE on the climb that was being pulled
up the mountain. They got stuck in one of the switchbacks.
There are two switchbacks on the climb. The descent is crazy
fast - you've just got to remember when to jam on the brakes
before the two switchbacks.
KEEL MOUNTAIN SOUTH SIDE Dist: 1.90 mi (0:15:27) Energy: 217.0 kJ Climbing: 855 ft (Strava CAT 3) Min Avg Max Power 0 234.1 442 W Gravity -275 205.4 419 W Speed 3.6 7.4 19.1 mi/h Elev 479 938 1332 ft Slope -4.4 8.39 22.8 % Caden 34 61.6 98 rpm HR 110 140.3 156 bpm NP:245W IF:0.88 TSS:20 VI:1.05 CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039 168 lbs; 3/20/2012 12:12 PM 87 degF; 1012 mbar NOTES: This was a pretty steep climb. The 22.8% max gradient was taking a diabolical inside path on one of the switchbacks. This had a lot more twisty sections and was a generally fun climb, but tricky descent. The best part of the descent is at the top as you are coming off the mountain as the descent starts out with a switchback that makes you feel like you are diving off the top of the mountain for a free-fall.
GREEN MOUNTAIN WEST SIDE
Dist: 1.15 mi (0:11:07)
Energy: 169.5 kJ
Climbing: 690 ft (Strava CAT 3)
Min Avg Max
Power 76 254.1 371 W
Gravity 11 232.4 360 W
Speed 4.2 6.3 16.7 mi/h
Elev 462 805 1158 ft
Slope 0.2 11.20 23.9 %
Caden 41 56.1 96 rpm
HR 120 150.8 166 bpm
NP:263W IF:0.95 TSS:17 VI:1.03
CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039
168 lbs; 3/20/2012 1:19 PM
92 degF; 1012 mbar
NOTES: I've heard that this is one of the toughest
climbs in Huntsville. It was definitely steep with some
sustained 20+% gradients. At the last turn before the top
there was a car that had rolled and looked like it was left
there to warn people of the danger of the descent. It
had police tape all over it with busted out windows. The
descent was amazingly fast but kinda dangerous. The
car that had rolled was in a decreasing radius turn that
almost caught me off. Then you have a really fast section
into a sweeping turn that you can pretty much hit without
brakes leading into the fastest part of the descent. YOU
HAVE TO HIT THE BRAKES HARD LEADING INTO THE LAST LEFT!
I knew it and hit the brakes hard but I still almost didn't
slow down enough.
GREEN MOUNTAIN EAST SIDE Dist: 1.82 mi (0:15:25) Energy: 222.7 kJ Climbing: 829 ft (Strava CAT 3) Min Avg Max Power 0 240.8 358 W Gravity -63 209.2 353 W Speed 3.9 7.1 17.3 mi/h Elev 458 853 1294 ft Slope -1.2 8.88 18.4 % Caden 5 59.8 92 rpm HR 103 148.0 164 bpm NP:253W IF:0.91 TSS:21 VI:1.05 CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039 168 lbs; 3/20/2012 1:45 PM 87 degF; 1012 mbar NOTES: I had climbed this once before, and it is still really steep. It starts out with cement that has been grated at the bottom to helps cars get traction. Then it eases up a bit and rolls a bit on the way up. This may be one of the coolest descents I've done with the rollers coming at 50+mph so that you have at least one horizon drop-off.
KEEL MOUNTAIN BLOWING CAVE (STEEP!!!)
Dist: 2.19 mi (0:13:30)
Energy: 211.7 kJ
Climbing: 756 ft (Strava CAT 3)
Min Avg Max
Power 89 261.4 431 W
Gravity -462 206.1 461 W
Speed 3.4 9.7 24.8 mi/h
Elev 563 921 1326 ft
Slope -6.9 6.40 26.2 %
Caden 30 63.1 97 rpm
HR 119 156.8 177 bpm
NP:281W IF:1.01 TSS:23 VI:1.07
CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039
168 lbs; 3/20/2012 2:46 PM
85 degF; 1012 mbar
NOTES: This was by far the steepest climb
with several sections above 20% including one
26.2% section NOT in a switchback. There
is some gravel and dirt sections that are not
too rough but can catch you by surprise on the
descent. Still, you can get some speed on the
super steep sections because they are fairly
straight. Watch the dogs at the top and the bottom
of the climb/descent.
KEEL MOUNTAIN NORTH SIDE (2nd time up)
---------Selection Stats---------
Dist: 1.61 mi (0:12:29)
Energy: 213.6 kJ
Climbing: 820 ft (Strava CAT 3)
Min Avg Max
Power 64 285.2 418 W
Gravity -38 253.2 397 W
Speed 5.4 7.8 23.0 mi/h
Elev 561 976 1382 ft
Slope -0.5 9.82 16.2 %
Caden 51 66.6 98 rpm
HR 131 169.5 179 bpm
NP:288W IF:1.04 TSS:22 VI:1.01
CdA: 0.342 m^2; Crr: 0.0039
168 lbs; 3/20/2012 3:15 PM
84 degF; 1012 mbar
NOTES: I wasn't going for the KOM, but I
was trying to put in a good time on this and ended
up 2nd behind Mark Fisher by almost a minute. That
would be a tough time to beat. Kudos to him!
Keel Mountain – north side – first time up
Keel Mountain – south side
Green Mountain – east side
Green Mountain – west side
Keel Mountain – Blowing Cave Rd
Keel Mountain – north side – 2nd time up
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