ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA
The weight of having prostate cancer was weighing heavy on my mind. But I have one escape plan. This.
Yesterday we had a family reunion near Punxsutawney, Pa. Beforehand I went to breakfast with a cousin at Eat-n-Park in Indiana and everything went sideways. Actually, everything went wrong. Very wrong. I needed a break.
This morning I left my parent’s place in Friedens, Pa., and drove to the Edison Elementary School in Altoona looking for a park or for parking. At 11:18 a.m. I rolled down the street and turned up 58th Street towards Veterans Memorial Highway that goes to the Curve.
It was a beautiful day as I passed three lakes (reservoirs) and came to the famous Horseshoe Curve. After one passes the Curve there is a 200′ tunnel and there the climb begins in earnest. When one leave Altoona the road is going up to the Curve but mostly at a 1-2% grade. After the tunnel it begins a 4-5% and keeps increasing.
My photo. My bike. Undated.
Near the top of Glenwhite Road is the infamous “Wall.” It is a quarter-mile very steep climb that hits 18-20% grades. After the Wall there is still some climbing, followed by a slight brief descent and then a final climb to Coupon Gallitzin Road.
The Coupon Gallitzin road follows the ridge of the Allegheny Mountain to Tunnel Hill, a small town in Cambria County on top of the mountain. Here I turned on Sugar Run Road for a screaming descent back down to Altoona.
When I reached Altoona I passed the school and continued for a second trip up the mountain. I was here escaping cancer and dealing with what life brings me. As I approached the Curve I was caught by a couple riding up the mountain. I can’t say if they were going fast (probably not) or if I was going slow (defintely so). I was lost in thought. Thought of cancer. Thought of how yesterday’s breakfast could go so wrong.
Richard and Staci passed me and we echanged greetings. And just like that I was riding with them. Any thoughts I had of turning around at the Curve dissapaited as I rode with them. I learned that Richard was a veteran of this climb many times while Staci had never made it up without stopping.
The conversation turned to why this Virginian was in Altoona climbing up Horseshoe Curve. I explained I was on a cancer journey. And this was my break from thinking about it, except, of course, when I was telling people about it.
Richard rode away from Staci and while I could follow him, I stayed with Staci encouraging her. Sometimes that was in the form of talking about anything, anything other than The Wall which was just ahead. Staci and I rode up and she made it. And I was part of her journey.
When we got to Coupon Gallitzin Road I decided I would turn around and go back down to the car. It was the short way. It was the fast way. Although it probably would have only added about four miles to my ride.
For one day, Horseshoe Curve came through again. I forgot about all my problems and just concentrated on the climb and the amazing beauty of the area.
EPILOGUE – While this ride predated my use of Strava, I late went back and created a segment on Strava – Twice up the Climb and once down Sugar Run. To my complete amazement, there is only one Strava in the history of the app who has ever climbed this mountain twice on one ride. Yes, me.
