First Ride in Alabama, Decided to not get too aggressive on the first day to ensure sucess making it back up the mountain.  Only rode about 32.5 miles today.  Chickened out going down the mountain and hit the brakes, still I was hitting almost 55mph.  Will try to be braver tomorrow.  Made it back up despite about 10 minutes at 3.8-4mph on the steepest section.  All in All much easier than I expected, as my lowest gear is turnable at about the slowest speed I can keep it rolling.  The back roads are very interesting on a recumbent.  On the downhills you instantly blast into the mid 30's zoom up the next incline and then crawl over the top at 5mph.  
 
Hopefully it will be a good week.  @3800' of climbing in 32.5 miles on bikely which is likely low.  
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

The way I came up the mountain today has 3 parts for a total of about 2.7 miles.  The first mile is fairly shallow, then you give up a little elevation and hit the middle steepest section.  I'm guessing 20+% but don't have a gps reading or anything.  Steeper than anything in Texas, except the little stinger Steve, Bud and I climbed on the Two Tickets to Paradise Perm.
 
Here is a bikely link for the climb portion I'm refering too.
 
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Shades-Mountain-Climb-up-CR1
 
looking at the elevation profile will give you an idea, but I know for a fact that there are no flat spots on that section despite the graph.
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

Didn't have us much time to ride this morning, and got a little later start, so just did the climb portion of the ride.
 

 
Made it up OK so pretty confident that I can climb anything on the recumbent I could climb on the DF now.
Also managed 58mph on the down section today.
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

I wonder if anyone has ever tried to fill a bicycle frame with helium.....