If you don't look back you won't see the water ....

They say don't look back. And naturally, some folk take that literally. Well sometimes it's OK to look back, especially if you've reached some kind of milestone.

That glistening line in the middle/center of the photo is
the water on Manhasset Bay, somewhere way down
there at sea level.

This hill is the biggest around here, about 280 ft, and many times it has been a fresh challenge after injury or surgeries or deathly illness to reconquer.

This year, after a winter fraught with injury and sickness, it loomed large again. I had no plan to take it on today, it just so happened that the traffic light turned from green to red as I arrived and so I made a right down the start of the hill and went for it.

The view from the cliff. Overlooking the golf course and Hempstead Harbor.,
and beyond is Long Island Sound and mainland Rye, New York

BY the time I got to Ezring's house near the summit, I was literally looking for the "easy ring," and I downshifted and was reminded I was on a 50-34 not a triple. I stopped right there, took a pause to look back and the view was good. So I pulled out the cellphone, tapped in the code and took a couple of snaps.

The roller coaster light-timing is everything Summit to Ridge Climb was next. I don't know how folk get the times they do here; I took those corners almost fully canted over. Any more and I might have washed out.

Beyond, the hairy fast descent to Bogart. No traffic on weekends; well maybe a little. Be careful rounding those corners at speed.

Beyond that Birch Street follows the cliff to Cliff Way, and some of the better views of Hempstead Harbor and beyond it, to the Sound.

The 785R need a good clean and some tightening of bolts. But
still a great ride.