GAPS Question

The bottom three gaps are 35 miles long.  If it is your first time, I would just suggest that you go slow and do not wear yourself out.  The gaps are not really that bad.  If you look at a profile it really looks like two gaps instead of three.  You do not do down that far from the peak of Wolfpen so the climb up Woody's is not a lot of elevation gain.  We usually ride them in a counterclowise direction.  Neel's gap is 7 miles long with about a 3/4 mile dip around 2 1/2 miles up.  It gets steeper near the top.  Wolfpen gap is about 3 miles up.  Sorry, but not dips.  There are about 7 miles of smaller hills between Wolpen and Woody's.  Woody's is maybe 1 1/2 miles.  It is about 2 1/2 miles from the stop sign in Suches, no dips, but not a lot of climbing.  The backside of Woody's is 5 miles long.

Thanks Neal - 35 is definitely do-able.  I was worried it was closer to 50.  I've been told that it's just longer climbs, but not as steep as some of the hills that I normally ride.  I think I'm good since I've been promised no-drop :P

Other than remembering to go slow so that you do not wear yourself out.  It would help mentally to remember how long each climb is.  It really helps when you are tired and feeling like the climb is never going to stop. 

Awesome, that really helps.  Maybe I"ll tape it to my handlebars

Come on Neal!  It's way more fun to blow yourself up climbing Neel's Gap.  Then you get to experience hallucinations of David's truck coming to get you.  It's like being on drugs without the drugs.

  You should share your first experience on the gaps with her.  It will give added incentive to her take her time up Neel's Gap like I tried to get you to do. 

LOL. There is no fear of blowing myself up.  I climb like a turtle, slow and steady!!!  Wes, you should come out and do it!

I'm with Felix.  Charge the hills!  You didn't drive all the way up there to take it easy!

Seriously, the front three are tough, but very do able.  You'll be fine.

Just wanted to follow-up and thank you guys for the info.  I rode the front 3 today, leaving from Vogel State Park and heading up Neels first.  It was really fun and I felt good for most of the ride.  Jumping into the lake at the end of the ride was by far the best treat ever. 

Congratulations on doing the front three gaps on such a hot day!  I've never actually ridden it backwards like you did.

Sarah, Congratulations.  You now have that "aura" around you.  People will look at you with awe even though they do not know why the aura is there.   Good job.

Hehe. Thanks Neal. Now I should probably start riding up in Roswell like the big kids   Maybe it was the polka dots that helped me out?

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Now, they awarded you that "King of the Mountains" jersey right?  You just did not go out and buy that right?  It takes hutzpa to wear a polka dot jersey to Gaps on your very first ride.    You get all those guys trying to show you that you are NOT "king of the mtn".  

LOL, it's not really king of the mountain.  It's a dude girl jersey that says 'Giddy Up'.  I realized when we got there that the polka dots could get me in trouble when I saw another guy wearing an actual polka dot jersey.  But I figured they'd give me some good mojo!