Whether you are a walker, runner or cyclist in West Chester, there are three Beckett Ridge streets you must challenge yourself to conquer. Eagle Ridge, Woodbridge, and Deer Path provide a three-headed monster that will test your will. Like the mythological beast Cerberus tortured the damned who attempted to flee the underworld, these three streets will torture any man who attempts to cross them.
Let’s begin with the longest of the three hellacious hills, Eagle Ridge. From bottom to top, Eagle Ridge is about a mile long, and the first three quarters of that mile are a relentless incline. Start scaling this suburban street and you will spend most of your time wonderingwhen the suffering will cease. Believe me; the strain does not stop soon enough. I have run up Eagle Ridge several times, and it never gets easier. Watch your feet because the uneven sidewalk needs a bit of a facelift. You might be thinking you can outsmart the terrain by running down the street instead of up it, but moving downhill on Eagle Ridge is no picnic, either. Sure, the strain on the legs lessens, but one has to fight gravity. Let’s flash back to junior high science class, shall we? Gravity pulls us all toward the earth, and when moving downhill on an incline like Eagle Ridge, one has to fight to stay upright and avoid falling. As Radiohead told us in the song “Fake Plastic Trees”, “Gravity always wins.” So pick your poison; make your choice: Approach Eagle Ridge from the bottom and be pushed back by a force greater than you, or approach it from the top and be pushed forward by a force greater than you. Serious runners and cyclists salivate over a challenge like Eagle Ridge, and I suggest you give it a shot.
Though not as long and consistently steep as Eagle Ridge, Woodbridge Lane is a challenge for the outdoor exerciser as well. There are two ways to tackle Woodbridge Lane. You can come up Eagle Ridge or Rupp Farm Drive. If you run up Eagle Ridge and turn left on Woodbridge where the two streets intersect, you move steeply downhill before a smaller incline. I, however, prefer to run up Rupp Farm Drive and take a right on Woodbridge. Rupp Farm presents its own challenges. The incline is not as pronounced as Eagle Ridge, but there is a curved slope that takes you up the street and a sharp upward slant just before Woodbridge Lane. While the hills on Woodbridge are not as daunting as Eagle Ridge or Deer Path, they wreak psychological havoc. You will first come upon a small, yet challenging rise. As you run, walk or bike down, you will feel satisfied and invigorated that you have conquered this challenge until you reach the very bottom and you are taunted by a demoralizing steeper ascent. You can make it to the top, but don’t expect an easy trip.
This brings our guided tour of overwhelming suburban terrain to Deer Path, which crosses Rupp Farm on the left before Woodbridge Lane on the right. Deer Path’s wickedness lies in that it combines the worst physical and mental tests of Eagle Ridge and Woodbridge. After running a bending hill in the street—there are no sidewalks—you reach a cul-de-sac. Conceivably, you could stop at this point. That would be a prudent, reasonable decision. Lucky for you, adrenaline and endorphins know neither prudence nor reason, so you will likely take on the second hill. This hill is longer and steeper and still offers no sidewalks, but the feeling of accomplishment at the top is much greater for those who go all the way than it is for those who stop in the cul-de-sac.
The scenery on these three streets belies their treachery. The lawns are well-manicured, the homes are beautiful and the drivers are willing to share the road. If you are serious about fitness, preparing for a race, or simply enjoy a challenge, then lace up your shoes and take the fight to these streets. Just be ready for them to fight back.
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