Trail uphill between Bijou and Woodmen

I am a cyclist and ride our bike trails frequently. It is well-known among cyclists that riding north between Bijou and Woodmen is much more difficult than the reverse. What is the difference in elevation between these two points that makes a northbound ride so strenuous? There are many ups and downs but there is a definite uphill overall.
- Marji

ANSWER: We enlisted the help of The Gazette’s Out There writer Dave Philipps, who used Google Earth to trace your ride up Pikes Peak Greenway from Bijou Street downtown, up Mark Dabling Boulevard and following the greenway trail to West Woodmen Road. It was a 7 1/2-mile ride.The elevation at Bijou was 5990, climbing to 6264 at Woodmen (a difference of 274 feet). The elevation difference could have been even higher, had you biked another route.

Bikers are invited to let us know what other things make this such a difficult ride.