The Hill

The Hill - I hadn't run the hill in awhile. I ran it tonight and I honestly didn't realise that I'd missed it so much. My baby is going to be an adrenaline baby it seems, although I'm not sure that's a good thing. Now many people might say that I have no business running the hill nowadays given my 'delicate condition', but my Dad did say I could do everything I used to do, but in moderation. So I didn't even run the hill at the 85% I usually do, I ran it at 80%.

I missed the rush though, missed it.

The build up heading down to the easy drift right turn by the Texaco station at the foot of Jacks Hill, and then the climb (they've even fixed some of the potholes!). Then the double corner that starts with a 3rd gear right and then a switchback widening 2nd gear left marking the beginning of the no-streetlights-straight-touge part of the hill.

(I think I could do this in my sleep now.)

The first left that's a fake 90degree turn, then the full left 90degree turn that I missed my first night on the hill. Then the soft right, then the dip that you have to take sideways to shield your front bumper and muffler... then the turns into and out of the lookout point (I actually slowed down and looked out across Kingston tonight). Up ahead, the 'road narrows' sign which means that there's only a foot-high dividing wall up ahead and a 60degree or so right turn that immediately switches back into a sweeping left (not too much drift action else you'll point the nose at that foot-high divider), straight, over rise into slight left, then slight right (or else it's someone's yard and driveway).

Then flat because the gradient changes and it's downhill time. I have my braking points set, on the first left hairpin it's an almond tree and a stonepost at someone's driveway. Third, then second... check for headlights and drift. Flat, slight left, straight, slight left (they haven't fixed the road here) and then it's down into the really 'hairy'pin... somehow tonight I finally managed to grasp what Basil meant when he explained why you trundle brake in a RWD car... beautiful, spin the back tyres, but I didn't have the balls to slide her all the way around... maybe next year...