--- In bikemh@yahoogroups.com, xkenroberts <no_reply@...> wrote:
>
> > Here is one for cyclist with a Catskill ride
> > including 15000' vertical
> > http://bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Catskills-Hill-Tour
> 1) Platte Clove Rd


reply from Kevin Newman - pat12601
whoa! Platte Clove Rd. the mother of all hills from hell in NY - this
is the one that was on that Tour de Trump bike race like 20 or so
years ago - this grade droped the pros - quite something

one does not have to go quite so far and to the above extreme for a
1500 foot climb - the ride up the'Gunks (Shawengunk) from downtown
New Palltz NY would be about that - downtown New Paltz is I think 400
ft. above sea level and the parking lot in Mennewaska State Park is I
think 1800 ft. so this climb would be near to that

one would go WEST on st. rt. 299 from New Paltz then a right onto US
rt. 44 / st. rt. 55 WEST after the steep switchback near the Mohonk
Preserve levels out to a 'Colorado' grade - the climb to the park
entrance is not that extreme BUT that park road is a very close
second to Plate Clove Road - it is "only" 3/4 mi. thankfuly

and... while on the subject of uphills have you ever been to western
North Carolina? from downtown Asheville (2,000 ft.) to the top of Mt.
Mitchel (6,684 ft.) is a 4,684 ft. elevation gain

I always get a bit of a chukle when I hear the comentators going on
about one of the mountain climbs of the Tour de France