More than One Way to Skin a Cat

In this case the cat was Cougar Mt.

HPC riders attack Somerset Dr.

After the “Zoo climb” plus some bonus equally difficult vertical, the cyclist is rewarded with this wonderful vista.

Saturday’s High Performance Cycling Team (HPC) ride was an exploration of some of the many ways to ascend Cougar Mt.

We were led by climbing aficionado and HPC Team Road Manager Tom Meloy, who had mapped out some “hard” and “very hard” ways to climb Cougar, along with a rated list of some of Cougar’s climbs.

Riders self-selected which climbs they wanted to do and broke into small-ish groups to test their climbing legs. Red HPC jerseys clawed their way up Cougar from every direction.

Although climbing is a huge differentiator, the ride was set up so that everyone regrouped and commiserated at Lewis Creek Park after their legs were fried.

Actually, this is the wonderful vista at the top Cougar just below the scenic water tanks and antenna array.

I joined a group of the more ambitious climbers on the team. One good thing about being the slowest climber in the cohort is that it gives good opportunities to shoot pictures. From behind.

HPC riders at the Newcastle Golf Club strategize the next climb.

After everyone initially climbed “Honda Hill” to Eastgate Elementary, we split up into smaller groups. My group climbed:

1. Somerset Blvd. SE
2. Zoo
3. Water tank/radio tower at the summit of Cougar
4. Newcastle Golf Club
and
5. “Pinnacle” subdivision off of Lakemont

for a total of about 4,600′ in ~40 miles of cycling, though everyone’s stats were a bit different.

The vista from the “Pinnacle” climb off of Lakemont.

If this kind of team ride sounds fun to you, High Performance Cycling is hosting a “meet the team ride” next Saturday July 25th, 9AM, starting at Pert’s Deli in Leschi.

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