Mike's Bike Blog

It's not very often a new hill is created, typically all the roads are built and have been paved for years now. However recent construction on a new apartment complex finished up in Austin resulting in a new road. This new development is right across from Jester road. I guess it is an extension of Jester. I wanted to see how this new road stacked up to it's older brother Jester Road. Yesterday for lunch I made my way over and parked in the Jester Market parking, crossed 2222 and started the exciting ride up the new road.

I wasn't sure what to expect so I kept at a moderate pace. The climb itself is fun as most hills in Austin are a stright shot with not much turning and we don't get many with switchbacks. Mt. Bonnell is the only one that comes to mind that has a resemblance of switchbacks. Alexan has 3 switchbacks that add excitement to the climb. Just be careful as cars won't see you so don't wander into the other lane.

I made it to the top with little effort and rather quickly. Upon further review the Alexan is only .45 miles so shorter than most hills around, it averaged 8.2% grade with the steepest at 13.3% (according to my Garmin Forerunner). The total climb was 204 feet. All in all it was a fun climb, not the hardest around, I wouldn't even consider it in the top 10, there's definetly bigger and more thigh burning ones around. Sorry Alexan you will always be in the shadows of your big brother, Jester, and his friends that smoke (Beauford, Courtyard and City Park). I think it does have it's place in your arcenal of workout hills. It will make a good hill to see how fast you can sprint up it. Plus right now the apartment complex is only at 15% capacity so the traffic should be fairly light. The switchbacks give it the feel of an actual mountain pass without the altitude sickness.

The hardest part of the Alexan hill is the decent, negotiating the switchbacks at speed is quite fun. Be careful, one wrong move and you could smack into oncoming traffic or miss the turn and go over the guard rail.

Video of the ride