Limestone Ledges

Ken at limestone ledges waterfall
This week I (Mary) had a melt down about the hills or granite ledges that the Mooseman Triathlon website refers to: “There are several challenging hills ranging from 4% to 6% grade.” And “hit the hill that all veterans of Granite Ledges and/or Mooseman speak about in fearful - yet reverential - tones. It is steep, and it twists some------and it really hurts on the second loop.” and “The bad news about the "hill of pain" you'll hit immediately after passing through Hebron is that it is steep. (I think someone has said it's about a 9% grade).” and What DOES challenging mean? What is this 4-9% grade? Is it like the Big Hiney hill (.9 mile climb that averages 7.6% grade) in Maysville that Ken and I biked last May. Oh my! Will I be able to do this??? Will the New Englanders be laughing at my little ole KY non tri bike and me WALKING up the granite ledges??!! Then calm collected coach Ken says “We have done the hills/limesone ledges down by the Kentucky River on Clifton Pike and they have steep grades.” BUT I ask “what grades are they?” And then along comes Miss Investigator Leigh who finds this: Clifton (North side) 0.85 miles, 285 ft., AG 8%, Section after turn 25+% (South side) 1.3 miles, 240 ft., AG 6%.
I breathe a sigh of relief – I have done a 6-8 and a 25%!!!!!!!
So guess what hills I will be on when it is not raining – Come see us on Clifton Pike biking up the limestone ledges of Kentucky!