Two of the Four Sisters

Saturday, I climbed Mullberry and Kirtland Chardon Road. Two of the four steep stair step climbs out of the East Branch of the Chagrin River valley.

Mullberry, Thwing, Route 6, and Kirtland Chardon are some of the bigger climbs in our area. They all ascend the steep valley cut by the East Branch of the Chagrin River toward the south west corner of Chardon and gain about 400 feet. Since KCR is the farthest downstream, it gains the most elevation from 874 feet at the bridge in the valley to 1,300 feet at the corner of Route 6 (426 feet) in about 1.5 miles.

I was very fatigued from Westlake and the Leroy TT. It took me about 45 minutes to warm up. Like last week, I noticed the fatigue most when I was just riding tempo, when I was pushing it on the climbs, I felt fine, but between the climbs, I felt like I was in slow motion.

Mullberry ascends in stair steps with short descents between the steps through stream crossings. I haven't tackled Mullberry since last season, but it's a pretty convenient way to add some more climbing to my traditional route up KCR. I usually take Heath Road north to Wisner, but it's easy to hit Mullberry then drop back down via Thwing before heading to KCR. Even though sections of Heath Road are a dirt and tar trail, the surface is actually pretty smooth and there is no traffic, so you can choose your line through the holes. (I'd avoid that in the rain, though, it's probably like ice.)

Larry Pandy and another rider were ascending Thwing while I was gliding down. As I zipped past, I wasn't able to ID the other rider. They were hauling, though.

I didn't push it too hard on KCR until I got near the top then I went all in. Toward the end of the season, I'll have to give it an all out effort to see if I can get under 7 minutes for the whole climb.

It was a good ride. Climbing on the weekends combined with Westlake and the Leroy TT seems to be working pretty well for building my fitness, so I'll probably stick with that for the rest of the season.