My commute to work certainly isn’t among the City’s most challenging rides. Most of it involves a trip down University Parkway — in the morning, heading east, it’s a delightful zip down the bike lane, almost keeping pace with my four-wheeled friends to my left. On the way home, however, I’m faced with an inevitable uphill climb, and here I think I meet one of Baltimore’s most feared cycling obstacles: the University Parkway Monster — the stretch between Keswick Road and Roland Avenue that is grueling, merciless, and unrelenting. And don’t even try to make it easier on yourself by cutting through the residential streets to the right (the Evergreen neighborhood). There’s beautiful scenery, but not much relief.
Since I started my job last fall, I’ve developed all manner of artful ways to get around the University Parkway Monster. I’ll turn left on Tudor Arms and come through Hampden, or I’ll take a detour through Stony Run. But last Thursday (and it was H-O-T that day), I made it to the light at University and Keswick and thought, why don’t I give it a try for once? So I started the climb and actually made it this time! I was a sweaty sight (and smell) when I got home, but for once, I beat the Monster!
What are some other Monsters you’ve beaten, or have plans to beat, in Baltimore? I also nominate the stretch of 37th Street between Keswick and Elm in Hampden.
Stay tuned for some upcoming information about the Baltimore Bike Pageant on August 2!
13 comments
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07.22.08 at 8:43 am
cube
definitely union ave coming up to falls from clipper mill, but I’ve never tried it.
and the stretch of roland coming up from falls road next to the post office.
and wyndhurst to charles from roland — that one is a real beast!
07.22.08 at 12:22 pm
greaterbrown
Ugh. I hate that Roland hill next to the Post Office. I don’t mind steep hills. I actually don’t even mind long hills as long as the grade is fairly flat. You get yourself in the right gear and just churn, and eventually you’re at the top. But I hate hills that rise, then flatten, then curve, then rise again.
The worst thing about Wyndhurst is the speed bump at the bottom of the hill!
Anyone tried Sulgrave or Bellemore in Mt. Washington? Those are the two biggest monsters I know of in our neck o’ the woods.
“Hills build muscle. Headwinds build character”
07.22.08 at 1:48 pm
eleanorr
One time I rode Wyndhurst from Roland to Charles in a dress! I was on my way to a wedding. Good thing I was wearing tights
07.22.08 at 2:16 pm
Johnny
Amen to that momentum killing speed hump on Wyndhurst!
El, you weren’t wearing a suit! I win the uncomfortable clothing award for the night. (Just kidding. Your shoes were probably worse.)
I’ve only gone down Bellemore, and Dan/Mule busted a spoke that hit me:)
07.23.08 at 2:05 pm
mule1
Ellerslie Ave. I ride it on my commute. It doesn’t look that bad from 33rd but it’s one of those hills that gets steeper the further you go.
Bellemore….just the name makes my legs burn. You can call me a wuss but any street I’ve riden down where I’m doin’ 30 plus riding my brakes, you won’t find me riding up it.
07.31.08 at 3:07 pm
yellojkt
I know a guy who claims to have done Northern Parkway eastbound from I-83. That just looks brutal. In nearby Ellicott City, Ilchester Road from the Patapsco River up to Landing Road is just killer. It kicked my ass a few weeks ago.
07.31.08 at 4:36 pm
Johnny
Er, ah, holy $#!+. That part of Northern Parkway hurts to walk up. I’d bow to anyone who could ride up that thing and live to talk about it:)
08.01.08 at 1:36 pm
Da-Man
I ran both of them monster routes (university pkwy and the stretch of 37th bt Beach and Elm). I hate hills and unfortunaley have to run them all the time in my nieghborhood. However, I hit every hill like Rocky and refuse to let it get the best of me. There are several times that my legs have locked up at the top or I get nauseous and gag at the top (oh my god), but I have never seen a hill I can not beat! My Drill SGT always said, “pain is weakness leaving the body.” in this case, I believe it.
02.24.09 at 6:14 pm
Johnny
Update:
Fudge University Parkway. I eat that shit for breakfast these days, in longjohns! LOL
I went to my boss’ house for dinner in Mt. Washington a few months ago. She joked that ElRo and I found why why they call it MOUNT Washington. I felt like a freakin mountain climber.
Did the speedhump at the bottom of Wyndhurst go away? Even if so, the potholes at the nadir of the hill take care of its job.
I love riding on the that road, usually as an escape while coming back from Towson on Charles Street and avoiding the assholes in BMWs who wanna see how close they can come to me without actually killing me.
03.10.09 at 11:15 pm
Nony
I live in Mt. Washington and always go up Sulgrave and Bellemore. They’re two ridiculous hills. Every time I’m riding through Mt. Washington I’m always tempted to take the Cross Country Blvd. hill but always turn my bike up Sulgrave against my better judgment.
03.11.09 at 2:06 pm
Johnny
OMG, those streets are murder! Sulgrave almost left me leggless one time this past Nov.
08.01.09 at 5:40 pm
rb2rider
After logging three bills of commuting time, I have to concur about University Pkwy, though perhaps from a different angle. I pick it up from Charles Street, heading west up to Roland Avenue. It’s fine from Charles to 39th, where it bottoms out. From that point, if I’m not rolling (because of the stoplight), it’s a long slow ride up to Roland. Even in the best case, the question isn’t whether or not I drop to the granny-gear, but when. However…the monster that I currently avoid is Stevenson Lane eastbound, between Charles Street and York Road. Did it a few times commuting, and want no more of that action. It’s standing climb.
08.25.09 at 12:03 pm
Johnny
One time I hit 37mpg going DOWN that hill on Stevenson that you’re talking about. I stopped pedaling and went all the way up the next hill and to the light at Charles Street from that momentum. In retrospect, it was stupid of me to ride that fast in heavy Friday traffic (I was passing the cars), but it was January, and I was feelin fine that day.