Training in the Los Altos Hills

We've been riding our bikes everyday but mostly on the flats. We knew we had to start some hill work which soon proved just how out of shape we are. Oh my, climbing Altamont Road in the Los Altos Hills was so hard. I had to stop frequently to catch my breath on the 5-6% grades. There is only one point on the road where you get a good view. Hard to see but the Dumbarton Bridge is out there, it crosses South San Francisco Bay.

In the distance is Moffett Field:

Here's the challenging part: we only climbed 800 feet and I'm struggling. I still need to add 50 pounds of gear to the bike and be able to get to 5477 feet at Washington Pass just 150 miles east of our starting point, Anacortes WA.