Jump to content
IGNORED

Made it up Yaupon last night


MrTheCatLady
 Share

Recommended Posts

The sun came out yesterday afternoon after what has seemed like weeks of rain, and I took full advantage by going on a road ride.  I have a 20-mile route that meanders around the Great Hills area (should have been called the 'Suck-Ass Hills', amirite?) and then heads south on Spicewood Springs until the Yaupon junction, then heads north up Yaupon all the way to Oak View.  I had tried it once before and failed, but last night - thanks in part to the 75*F temperature - I made it all the way without stopping.  Not even at the top.

That hill is tough.  I think it may actually be worse than the one at the south end of Rain Creek, headed south, right before it meets Great Hills Trail.  I have made it up that one multiple times...it is steeper (I think) but shorter.

Anyway, just wanted to share.  Do any of you ride in and around the Great Hills area?  That area is fairly close to by my apartment, so it's where I do a lot of my road rides.

-cls

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well done.  I think Yaupon is harder than South End of Rain Creek.  

I don't live near there anymore, but I have a loop in GH (Rain Creek to Lost Horizon CCW) that I use for hill repeats (and fitness tests).  Its not pleasant, but it can be a good way to get a nice 1.5'ish hour workout at night after my kids have gone off to bed.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1303872523

Later, -CJB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, CBaron said:

Well done.  I think Yaupon is harder than South End of Rain Creek.  

I don't live near there anymore, but I have a loop in GH (Rain Creek to Lost Horizon CCW) that I use for hill repeats (and fitness tests).  Its not pleasant, but it can be a good way to get a nice 1.5'ish hour workout at night after my kids have gone off to bed.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1303872523

Later, -CJB

Nice.  Rain Creek "triple bitch".  Don't know that I've ever been on Lost Horizon...may have to give it a try.  This looks doable, at least once 🙂

When I first saw your post I thought your hill repeat route would include the southern Rain Creek hill instead of the triple-bitch.  I don't think I could climb that southern hill twice in the same 12-hour period. ☠️

-cls

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I suffered pretty bad in CO this summer and definitely need to spend more time on long climbs before a fall mtn trip.

Mesa used to be my go to when I worked near Mesa/Spicewood but got buzzed a few too many time.

So at first I was thinking Steiner Ranch Rd from Quinlan Park up to 620, but wasn’t sure how that compared to Yaupon. Definitely easier to get to from work than Steiner.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, FJsnoozer said:

Just go ride loops in Riverplace. Sick street descending and climbing. I think that may be the longest bottom to top climb in town at over 500 feet on Big view.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What about that crazy-ass steep hill on Spicewood Springs on the immediate south side of 360?  That thing looks like a monster.

-cls

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about that crazy-ass steep hill on Spicewood Springs on the immediate south side of 360?  That thing looks like a monster.
-cls

Tough hills, but not even close to the size of big view

You talking about spice wood riding towards mopac and or valburn? There are lots of 300 foot climbs in the neighborhood between cat mountain and spicewoood springs rd.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's talking about Spicewood Springs riding from 360 to Mesa.  It's very steep but very short, and too dangerous with the traffic there.  Go do Big View to get the best bang for the buck.  Park at the tennis courts, keep a cooler in your car with bottles, smile at the people walking down when they tell you "you're almost there!"  

When I do repeats, I look for how to get the most feet in the least amount of time (I've had to do many k of feet).  I used to do Big View for when I needed a lot.  I've done my street (Talleyran) 30x for when I was in a hurry and didn't want to waste the time driving even though it's only ~100ft per, and I've also done Yaupon for similar reasons.

Now I found a loop in my neighborhood that yields me about 1200-2000ft per hour depending on how fast I can go.  It's a bit less "mental" that way.  Look for my "hood laps" entries in my Strava.

Edited by AntonioGG
Added more info
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, FJsnoozer said:


Tough hills, but not even close to the size of big view

You talking about spice wood riding towards mopac and or valburn? There are lots of 300 foot climbs in the neighborhood between cat mountain and spicewoood springs rd.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No, Spicewood riding south, starting at 360.

-cls

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, AntonioGG said:

He's talking about Spicewood Springs riding from 360 to Mesa.  It's very steep but very short, and too dangerous with the traffic there.  Go do Big View to get the best bang for the buck.  Park at the tennis courts, keep a cooler in your car with bottles, smile at the people walking down when they tell you "you're almost there!"  

When I do repeats, I look for how to get the most feet in the least amount of time (I've had to do many k of feet).  I used to do Big View for when I needed a lot.  I've done my street (Talleyran) 30x for when I was in a hurry and didn't want to waste the time driving even though it's only ~100ft per, and I've also done Yaupon for similar reasons.

Now I found a loop in my neighborhood that yields me about 1200-2000ft per hour depending on how fast I can go.  It's a bit less "mental" that way.

LOL you guys are nuts.  And much stronger than I am 🙂

-cls

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Riding from 360 to mopac on spicewood is going south. That climb is steep but only 200 feet.

 

 

The base of big view is so steep you will want a run up to it. Try not to get off the bike because unlike most hills, it mostly gets easier the further you go...kinda.

 

Its easy to hit 50 mph on the way down. (Which is speeding) but you may want to loop it and “descend” river place BLVD. Which is rolling hills.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I started again since college, a single hill would kill me.  I would have to walk it.  I'm not exaggerating when I say, if you do this kind of workout 3x per week for 2 weeks, you will see results that fast.  Start with 2x up Yaupon, pace yourself...go as slow as you can but keep moving.  Put one earbud in and listen to whatever music will motivate you (I listened to a lot of NiN and Sonic Youth on Big View).

A few years ago, the first semblance of shape for me since college started when some work friends and I started doing hill repeats at St. Ed's.  The first time, 2x was it, but we were quickly doing 4-5 in 1 hour and change.

Oh yeah, get clearance from your Dr. for this type of stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, AntonioGG said:

When I started again since college, a single hill would kill me.  I would have to walk it.  I'm not exaggerating when I say, if you do this kind of workout 3x per week for 2 weeks, you will see results that fast.  Start with 2x up Yaupon, pace yourself...go as slow as you can but keep moving.  Put one earbud in and listen to whatever music will motivate you (I listened to a lot of NiN and Sonic Youth on Big View).

A few years ago, the first semblance of shape for me since college started when some work friends and I started doing hill repeats at St. Ed's.  The first time, 2x was it, but we were quickly doing 4-5 in 1 hour and change.

Oh yeah, get clearance from your Dr. for this type of stuff.

I believe you about the quick results.  My commute used to be from the Domain area to 360 just south of the bridge.  That hill after the bridge (and coming home, the hill on 360 approaching 183) is pretty long, and about 6%.  That used to be very hard for me.  After riding it a lot, even not on a super regular schedule, it became a lot easier, to where I could do it at 8-10mph in the small ring and about 5 cogs down the cassette, instead of in the granny gear at 6mph.  I was very proud of that.  Then that job went away, and my new commute is 2 miles - from the Domain area to right behind BSS on 183 (NOT GOOD LOL).  But I still ride my old commute in the morning just to do those hills.  And they have become easier again after about 2 weeks.

-cls

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since we are on the topic of hills....I think there is a group that leaves from Pourhouse on Jollyville around 6 or 6:30pm on Wednesdays to go do hills.  I don't think they take the same route every time, but they regularly hit all the good stuff in the areas we've been mentioning.  You can think of this ride like the old BSS Thur Hill-Rides led by our own Shredhead (& Sneezix).

 

Chongo Loco- I group of us use to do workouts on the Quinlin Park Rd climb out of Steiner back in the day (pre-2002).  Its a very nice climb, long and steady.  But I was out there the other day and I don't think there's any ways I'd ride that now.  Way too much development, traffic and texting.  Now you mentioned Yaupon and its fine, but IMHO its a different animal than Quinlin Pk Rd.  If your looking for something a tad more like, then check out my Strava link early in this thread.  Its in Great Hills and contains a nice steady climb (over a mile) with a few little pitches.

Later,  -CJB

Edited by CBaron
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Cody. Now my office is at 183 / Oak Knoll so I’m 10 min from Yaupon. Do-able for extended lunch ride and we have showers. So anything close to Great Hills is probably what I’m after.

 

Last time I did the dam loop w/Big View to city park rd to Courtyard was when we used to start at Cycle 360. So yeah, been a while!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/13/2018 at 10:34 AM, MrTheCatLady said:

The sun came out yesterday afternoon after what has seemed like weeks of rain, and I took full advantage by going on a road ride.  I have a 20-mile route that meanders around the Great Hills area (should have been called the 'Suck-Ass Hills', amirite?) and then heads south on Spicewood Springs until the Yaupon junction, then heads north up Yaupon all the way to Oak View.  I had tried it once before and failed, but last night - thanks in part to the 75*F temperature - I made it all the way without stopping.  Not even at the top.

That hill is tough.  I think it may actually be worse than the one at the south end of Rain Creek, headed south, right before it meets Great Hills Trail.  I have made it up that one multiple times...it is steeper (I think) but shorter.

Anyway, just wanted to share.  Do any of you ride in and around the Great Hills area?  That area is fairly close to by my apartment, so it's where I do a lot of my road rides.

-cls

I've done Yaupon it's definitely a tough climb. Rain Creek? Do you mean Lime Creek heading towards Anderson mill? Thats a tough climb as well. On the triple bitch you get two spots were the road levels but they're not long enough for any recovery. Blew myself up the first time I climbed that. Don't forget Courtyard, Beauford, City park, Adirondack Trail, Bluffstone.... There's a bunch of great climbing in the Austin area if you have the lungs and legs for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Chongo Loco said:





So at first I was thinking Steiner Ranch Rd from Quinlan Park up to 620, but wasn’t sure how that compared to Yaupon. Definitely easier to get to from work than Steiner.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Much easier climb than Yaupon. That climb gets tough at the end because you've been climbing for a bit and it pitches just before the light at Comanche. When you do the damn loop starting from 360 that climb can be hard. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Chief said:

I've done Yaupon it's definitely a tough climb. Rain Creek? Do you mean Lime Creek heading towards Anderson mill? Thats a tough climb as well. On the triple bitch you get two spots were the road levels but they're not long enough for any recovery. Blew myself up the first time I climbed that. Don't forget Courtyard, Beauford, City park, Adirondack Trail, Bluffstone.... There's a bunch of great climbing in the Austin area if you have the lungs and legs for it.

Nope, looks like Lime Creek is out in Leander, by the lake (also, yikes!). Rain Creek is over here in the Great Hills area, NW of the Arboretum.

Another one of the "the usual suspects" climbs I've heard of is Jester Blvd.  I've thought about checking it out...it's easy enough to get to from my 360 route.

Y'know it's funny.  I have watched a lot of videos on climbing and whatnot and one thing that always cracks me up is they talk about strategies for this and that - breathing, cadence, gear choice, hand position, etc.  Pffffft on the hills around here, I often have only one choice at all: Shift down to the granny gear and just try not to stop.  Or die.  When I get to the point where I don't need the granny gear (or at least don't feel like I'm going to die) then some of the advice may be useful.  But getting to that point is IMO the much bigger challenge.  After that it's just marginal gains.

-cls

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, MrTheCatLady said:

Y'know it's funny.  I have watched a lot of videos on climbing and whatnot and one thing that always cracks me up is they talk about strategies for this and that - breathing, cadence, gear choice, hand position, etc.  Pffffft on the hills around here, I often have only one choice at all: Shift down to the granny gear and just try not to stop.  Or die.  When I get to the point where I don't need the granny gear (or at least don't feel like I'm going to die) then some of the advice may be useful.  But getting to that point is IMO the much bigger challenge.  After that it's just marginal gains.

-cls

 

Well to be fair many of the hills mentioned (especially recently) in this thread are simply monsters that kick you in the teeth.  Yaupon is pretty big too, but I'd put it on the lower side of the monster scale.  Some of the one's that I go and look to ride are more so in the camp of "find a rhythm, breathe, get in an optimum gear, etc..".  In this category, I'd put some of the rollers on 360, Far West from Mopac (or even beginning at Shoal Creek), my earlier suggestion up Rain Creek (south-bound), Parmer between 2243 & HWY 29.

-CJB

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How did you include Big View, City Park and Courtyard in the Dam Loop?  I was not familiar with the Cycle 360 location.

 

In river place take a left on big view, then there’s a left on a small street that bends and becomes Westminster that pops out on city park road. The end of Westminster is STEEP. Then left on city park and up courtyard. It was an SOB of a finish.

 

Cycle 360 was in Davenport ranch next to Maudie’s. Used to be a launch for lots of the dam loop rides.

 

Edit: it’s Narrow Ridge that connects Big View to Westminster.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, MrTheCatLady said:

 

Another one of the "the usual suspects" climbs I've heard of is Jester Blvd.  I've thought about checking it out...it's easy enough to get to from my 360 route.

Y'know it's funny.  I have watched a lot of videos on climbing and whatnot and one thing that always cracks me up is they talk about strategies for this and that - breathing, cadence, gear choice, hand position, etc.  Pffffft on the hills around here, I often have only one choice at all: Shift down to the granny gear and just try not to stop.  Or die.  When I get to the point where I don't need the granny gear (or at least don't feel like I'm going to die) then some of the advice may be useful.  But getting to that point is IMO the much bigger challenge.  After that it's just marginal gains.

-cls

Jester is steep but Beauford  is so steep they've textured the road surface for bad weather. The texture also make the climb a bit more difficult. As far as getting up the really big ones breathing, cadence and regulating effort are key to not blowing up before the top. Another good technique is just looking down at your wheel and not at the top of the hill.

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...