Rock It Out, Rookie
Adventure Cycling Association has published another article of mine! Read on for the story of how I learned to "Rock it out" up even the steepest mountain passes.
Illustration by Levi Boughn, Adventure Cycling Association
"For the life of me, I could not figure it out: Every time I tried to stand up in the pedals to climb hills on my fully loaded touring bicycle, it felt like I was going to fall over. With quaking quads and shaking knees, I’d sit my butt back down in defeat. I was carrying nearly forty pounds of food, water, camping supplies, and repair tools on my 30-pound steel vintage Miyata. I needed the extra leverage of standing up, and yet I couldn’t make it happen. Not even on the truly steep stuff... "