Fargo

Earlier today was the much-anticipated annual Fargo St. hill climb. Fargo St. is reportedly the steepest residential street in the state of California at a 33% grade. Yes that's steeper than anything in San Francisco. And it's right here in our back yard. The L.A. Wheelmen loosley organize the event with no official entry or fees taken. A signature releasing liability gets you a nice piece of masking tape with a number on it for your t-shirt or King of the Mountains jersey. Making it to the top without dabbing or crashing and tumbling backwards to your death gets you a nice embroidered patch.

So I hopped on the road bike and rode down to Fargo St. where I met up with a few friends, most on singlespeeds and one with gearing low enough to allow for a sit 'n spin pace up Fargo without stopping. Or so it seemed...

Arriving at Fargo St. gives you a little *gulp* in your throat when you look up.


















Don't look back!


















Fargo residents come out to support the riders (and drink some killer homemade margaritas. Fargoritas?)


















Yours truly, given it my damnedest. Did I make it???













The patch says 'Yes'!
















Tall Bike on the course! Will he make it???


















Sadly, no.


















But this one did. Amazing.


















And finally - my friend Doug, who is over 60 years young, set the day's record with 50 ascents on his hardtail singlespeed mountain bike with street tires. Most were happy to go home with one successful climb under their belt, Doug went for 49 more over the course of the day, finishing after most had already gone home, showered and had lunch. (Doug left, Mark right)


















I then had to mount the road bike and pedal the 15 miles home with whatever was left in my legs, which wasn't much. But I had my patch ;)

more photos here