Fun & Fitness over 50

For our Sunday 6AM ride, Charles took me up Cass Hill Road. I knew this road from driving it as there is a nature preserve there that I have visited in years past. Even in the car it was impressive!
It is a fairly long climb with several steep sections. I still don't know how to guestimate grade but it was muy steep, hombre!
I meandered over to the shoulder early on and spun out but I got right back on the bike. Charles slipped at some point later and walked a short section. I went past him but at the next steep hill I stopped and walked it. Just quit-itis, I guess. There was only one more steep hill after that so I suppose I could have made it.
Then payback time, the ride down the other side!
The last 10 miles or so we hammered it. I always enjoy doing that. Push it as hard as I can cause the end is in sight and know we don't have any more big hills.
Twas a good workout.
My HRM is on the fritz though. Sometimes it read 0 bpm when I know I was in the 150s. I may enjoy biking but when I'm wearing the yellow jersey and riding in the Tour de France and my HRM reads zero, then I'll know I've died and gone to heaven. Not till then. I'll just try replacing the battery.
Here's the route for those who care, if you load it full screen you can check the elevation and tell me what a weenie I am: