It is the best of times, it is the worst of times, it is Foothill. This morning I went out to “preview” the course in anticipation of our first attempt in 2008. On what seemed to be an innocuous day I found myself subject to Foothill’s typical vengeance. Even though it was early morning, I was fighting a wicked headwind going out and I also experienced an unanticipated ice patch that didn’t deter me. Over the years, Foothill has taken my sweat, tears, and blood. However, it was ironically nice to be out riding on Foothill again.
In his great work Man’s Search for Meaning, Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl presents a philosophy based on his experience as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp. In the end, he comes to the conclusion that one can have everything taken away except one important thing, the power to choose one’s attitude toward a given situation.
Frankl’s philosophy directly applies to Foothill. The analogy between Foothill and the Nazis is appropriate given the inhumanity inflicted by each. Sure, Foothill can be the most miserable place to ride a bike yet it is equally the most beautiful place to ride a bike. Even Foothill’s new aggressive chipseal isn’t going to keep me from enjoying the ride. Foothill hath tradition, Foothill hath character, Foothill hath proximity to town, Foothill hath no traffic, Foothill hath beauty, Foothill hath attitude, Foothill hath challenge. This is my chosen attitude toward The Hill.
In my opinion, the only way to do Foothill is to ride it at full speed. I rarely ride this road during the year, saving it up for time trial efforts only. A few us already rode it last fall and I shared my experience. Once again I’m looking forward to more encounters.
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