I had heard from an associate that there was a cool back way to get to downtown MV without dropping down into Tam Junction and getting tangled up with the cars and such. It involved climbing, but that’s a good thing, right. So, the other day, I went looking for it a little early before work.

About half way up this relatively short but steep grade, I stopped to catch a breath. Prolly shouldn’t have done this with a loaded backpack of computers and small gifts… and on Crook, a fixed-gear MASH… but onward!

I got to the top and looked back and it was surprising how steep that was. Up and over! No perceived damage to my spine, either, which was good. I haven’t done much STEEP climbing since my injury, so it’s a bit dodgy. Feels weird. But anyway. Whoa!

Then it was a bunch of tight rollers and then switchbacks to the bottom, and your’e basically out at the start of Ethel, back behind Whole Toles. Cross Miller and you’re almost at my office.

This is the kind of thing that’s tough the first time, and easier every time you do it. But it’s GREAT to have another route to work that gets in climbing and effort and gets you way away from most traffic*, without having to go up Tam and down the other side.

*excepting speeding Mercedes SUVs swerving through these little residential roads, of course. I was very inconvenient for them, and they let me know it.

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