Death Mountain

Riding Leggett Hill

After several attempts made by our heroic ride coordinators, I was finally awoken by the frigid air of an empty tent once filled with six anxious riders. I let out a grunt of confusion and frustration at the ungodly hour everyone was awaken. Nervous voices plagued the air, and still unable to fully open my sleepy eyes, I knew the longtime dreaded morning had finally come: today we were to climb Legett Hill. For those unaware of the legend of LegGett, please be informed that this was claimed to be “the longest, most steepest, and most brutal hill man had ever cycled, aka death mountain.” This monstrosity was to separate those who would make it to Tijuana and those who would be left on the side of the road. As you can imagine, looks of excitement were plastered on everyone’s faces.

The generous rations of a whole banana per rider and ice cream flavored skittles given out at breakfast encouraged a more optimistic mood amongst the group. After much anticipation, we felt ready to meet our fate face to face. Our tires hit the concrete and we were off. Tentative peddling towards LEGGETT HILL seemed endless; when was this incline going to begin?! Road signs warning us of switchbacks and steep inclines reinforced our feelings of pending doom. Silence fell upon the pod I rode with and acceptance of our fate was calmly expressed by quick glances silently muttering, “it was nice knowing you.”

A small incline of a half an hour felt like a tease of the monstrosity we were about to experience. The encouraging notes carved in chalk by riders ahead of us seemed to mock our beliefs that we could make it up this legend. However, once we began to fly down the narrow switchbacks back into the cool northern Californian fog, there were questions of the validity of this myth… Could that have been it? Did I just hold a conversation up the entirety of LEGGETT HILL?? I shook my head in disbelief, was this all a hoax? or have we become cycling machines, able to attack Legett with ease?

Our questions were answered when the chalk on the pavement suggested a congratulatory dance party at the bottom of the epic downhill. However, my stubborn skepticism kept me suspicious of our “achievement.” But when I took the last pedal up the crest of the incline only to be welcomed by a row of 5 bare white cyclist butts, my doubts were erased; I lifted my fist with pride and let out a burst of laughter. We had completed the LEGEND OF LEGGETT and had not even realized it.

Emilie Whittemore – 2008 rider

(*note -the 2007 ride team is impressed by the ease with which the ‘08 team took on Leggett Hill…perhaps a hill climbing duel is in order on their return!)