Northern California - My Local Ride

I got in a short ride ride today between storms. It was windy, blowing a steady 18 mph, with gusts up to 25. This storm is coming from the south so the wind was ALL wrong. It started raining about twenty minutes before I got home. I was wearing my rain gear, so I was kind of glad when the rain began.

I took some pictures while on Empire Mine Road today though. This is my normal after work training ride. Just out and back from my house, it's about 16 miles with almost 800 feet of elevation gain. Sometimes I'll do Empire Mine twice or I'll add in hill repeats in the nearby 'burbs. It all depends on how much time I have and how I'm feeling.

Empire Mine Road is about 3 miles long and closed to most traffic. There's one house on it and lots of cows. It's a great training road with some varied terrain. Since I do it as an out and back, the downhills aren't free.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0355.JPG

This is from one end of the road. It's a nice sweeping downhill. The final corner that you can't see is a blind one. You need to exercise caution because you never know what you will see on the other side: cows, a motorcyclist, old appliances... Today the wind was coming up the hill.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0356.JPG

The view off to the right as you roll down the road in the previous picture. That's Mount Diablo in the distance.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0359.JPG

This is the one house on the road. But the reason I took the picture is the trail on the ridge behind it. Not surprisingly, it's called the Ridge Trail and if I'm going to mountain bike after work, that's where I go. It's part of Black Diamond Regional Preserve. The trail goes right along the spine of the ridge with nice views to either side and continues on the back side climbing a little more. In the summer you would never notice the trail because everything will be brown.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0357.JPG
Since the road is closed to most traffic, it's not being maintained that well. I know I should know the names of these trees. They smell really good, but they sure do make a mess.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0360.JPG

One of the many cows.

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0361.JPG

This is the view at the turnaround spot - another shot of Mount Diablo. This comes at the end of a straightaway, that's nearly a mile long and slightly downhill, about -1.5 % grade. Usually the wind is behind me on the downhill and I've been able to hit speeds in the low thirties. Not today.

It was a slow ride today, too windy and I was too busy looking around.

V.
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Great pics, Veronica. Thanks for sharing. Were you one of those that finished the brevet yesterday?

That looks vaguely familiar....

Great pics, Veronica. Thanks for sharing. Were you one of those that finished the brevet yesterday?


Nope. I decided Friday night that the weather was too scary.

V.

Wow! Thanks for the write-up and the pretty pics!

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. I really must get out to the East Bay.

looks like a graet spot to ride!

http://www.tandemhearts.com/coppermine/albums/empire-mine/DSCF0359.JPG

This is the one house on the road. But the reason I took the picture is the trail on the ridge behind it. Not surprisingly, it's called the Ridge Trail and if I'm going to mountain bike after work, that's where I go. It's part of Black Diamond Regional Preserve. The trail goes right along the spine of the ridge with nice views to either side and continues on the back side climbing a little more. In the summer you would never notice the trail because everything will be brown.

That trail is my favorite part of Black Diamond Mines to go bombing down from. Its been called a roller coaster by other riders because of the steep descents and short climbs that comprises it. Lots of fun but a little hairy at times because of the rocks and roots. Its a blast!:D

Those would be eucalyptus trees. The do smell good. The nuts that you find from them serve as natural anti-flea medicine for pets if strung together and put on a collar or whatever :).

Nice pics!

I'm looking at that area 80 miles away from my office window right now and I can see that it's clear as a bell. I'm glad I don't live there because I would be too frequently "ill and needing the afternoon off".
Nothing says ahh like lungs full of brisk eucalyptus air. Nice pics.

+1 [sigh] - looks very familiar. Can't beat that smell of eucalyptus as you're doing those quieter east bay loops

:D

Thanks for that; I din' know car traffic is restricted.

It's part of my when-Black-Diamond-is-muddy list now, though! More fun than the bike paths (I don't like cars), and offers a bit of up&down as well.

Having been too busy (lazy) to switch back to knobbies, have been enjoying this stretch very much!

Yesterday the tie-died lady picked up the pace when we crossed paths - thanks for that!

A few weeks ago, on my second or third trip over that stretch (it was veeery windy), saw a bald eagle! She was heading back toward Mt Diablo, hugging the ground and taking advantage of every windbreak.

It was so warm yesterday, however, that the raptor types found their dinner much earlier in the day...

...definitely switching back to knobbies tonight though - we'd had enough warm days and wind to dry the mud (I don't like mud); got spoiled last year! There wasn't enough rain to make much mud!

...meanwhile, am saving my quarters for a roadbike!