Nick and I go a-wandering

Today Nick said that he'd like go riding with me, so naturally I arranged to do this. Went to spin class first, then came back and set off with him.
I thought we'd head into Saratoga and do the Maze in reverse, more or less.

On the way there Nick kept mentioning how he didn't want to do any hills, which seemed a little silly to me...:)
I had a hard time convincing him of the value of hill-climbing though, so I figured I'd ease him into it instead. So, first when we got to Comer, I figured I'd see what some of it was like, and so my surprise he followed me. Just a block or so, but it was a start. Then a little ways up Sarahills, 'just to the speed limit sign' and this time he found he didn't mind it so much.

But where he really surprised me was going up Canyon View, a street that I guess I must only have done in the other direction before. It seems to be about 19% in the direction we were headed. Not for long, but still. I suggested he try it, but only maybe as far as the hydrant, because it seemed to top out there.
To my surprise, while loudly telling me that I was wrong, and that it didn't end there, he headed up, starting right on the hill, and disappeared out of sight.
Me, I had to head to the bottom to get a good start on it, because it was steeper than I'd expected. And sure enough, it didn't end at the hydrant, but Nick was past there at the top, having sped up that thing in no time.
He has the sixteen-year old power going for him, that's for sure.

Also there was the older Asian guy we saw when we mistakenly went past the turn into Saratoga and started climbing up Canyon View further on. 'Strong men don't turn around' he said. I felt like I was in an old episode of Kung Fu.

After that we stopped in downtown Saratoga, where I got Nick a drink and a something tasty to eat after his hard labors, and chatted with some other cyclists (and a fellow Edge owner) while he ate. Quite a nice morning in all.

Oh, and no pics at all of the nice fall scenery, because the camera got left at home, alas. Nick suggests that the garage needs some kind of wireless connection to slurp the photos out of the camera when I pull out. I wonder how to arrange that...hmm...