The Fargo Street Hill Climb, Version 2010 by Dave Wyman

Each year, cyclists attempt to conquer the steepest hill in Los Angeles. Rising up in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles, Fargo Street, at 33%, is steeper than any hill in San Francisco. (Los Angeles is a far from flat place to live). It's steep enough that walking up more than a few house's worth of distance is a tiring endeavor.

This year, 106 cyclists made a run at Fargo Street, and 67 riders were victorious at least once, a good percentage. The total elevation gain is merely 182 feet, the distance a mere tenth of a mile. Yet most normal humans are unable to ride even halfway up the hill; they give up or fall over.

In recent years, several riders have tried to set a record within a nine-hour time frame for the most ascents, and a few hardy souls tried again this year. However, one was able to break Steve Gilmore's remarkable 101 ascents (made in the nine-hour time period), made in 2008. Only one woman made the top of the hill this year.

The hill climb, loosely sponsored by the Los Angeles Wheelmen, is a unique Los Angeles event stretching back to at least the early 1970s. My brother Dan, pictured below, has ascended the hill at least once almost every year since 1977. Dan and many other cyclists will no doubt be back next March for another run up the hill.