Northern California - Taxi777's Welcome Home Ride

Pete (Taxi777) is back. Wow, two weeks without a peep from Pete ... for those who have had Taxi777 withdrawals, you can get your dayful of it riding with him. The polls are in, and the popular choice is Mt. Diablo and Morgan Territory

Date: Saturday, 6/14/2008
Time: 9:30 am
Where: Pleasant Hill Bart Station
Route: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/pleasant-hill/902485605742

Jonathan715 will be the ride leader (I don't know the area at all). More details to come.

Who's in?

taxi777
Robert (taxi's tentmate)
spingineer
bostic
uspspro
jonathanb715
DiabloScott

Heat constrained (i.e. May opt for shortcut) :
pelikan

I'm working overtime. :cry: :cry: :cry:

OK, here's a link to the route on Mapmyride: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/pleasant-hill/902485605742

I'll pull out turn by turn directions, but it will have to wait for the kids to go to sleep.

JB

edit - the distance on the map makes sense, but the site was kind of goofy when I created it and I don't trust the elevation numbers. I had a bit more than 6,500 feet of climbing last time we did this.

<--ima maybe. the heat scurrs me, but Id like to do Diablo for sure.

I have to work Saturday. :cry::cry:

I hope you guys have a great ride. I'll get a dose of Diablo on the 22nd, on the Hill Climb.

Meanwhile, I'm already missing everyone. Meh.

I have to work Saturday. :cry::cry:

I hope you guys have a great ride. I'll get a dose of Diablo on the 22nd, on the Hill Climb.

Meanwhile, I'm already missing everyone. Meh.

Awwww .... too bad. You'll probably pass me anyways. Try not to work too hard.

<--ima maybe. the heat scurrs me, but Id like to do Diablo for sure.

Shortcut? Once we roll into Clayton, there's not really going to be one (unless they open DiabloScott's East Gate Road). If anyone isn't up for Diablo at the end, it will be straightforward to either climb to the junction and go down Northgate, or skip Diablo entirely and take the Iron Horse Trail up to the BART station.

JB

Wait a minute... you're doing Diablo at the end of the ride???? That's crazy talk.

You should reverse that loop - do it anticlockwise.:thumb:

Wait a minute... you're doing Diablo at the end of the ride???? That's crazy talk.

You should reverse that loop - do it anticlockwise.:thumb:

What, and climb the plunge?!! That descent is the fun part of Morgan Territory!

I usually start in San Ramon or Danville, so I often do Mt. D. first, but no BART station around here.

JB

Wait a minute... you're doing Diablo at the end of the ride???? That's crazy talk.

You should reverse that loop - do it anticlockwise.:thumb:

That's the way I've always done it...Then it really feels good when it's over!
At the least we get the option to bail out at North/south intersect.
Pete

OK, here's some turn-by-turn directions with mileage:

Head East on Treat Blvd
Right on Turtle Creek 4.15 miles
Right on Ayers 5.64 miles
Left on Ygnacio 5.9 miles
Right on Clayton Rd 7.24 miles
Regroup at Peet's 7.39 miles
Right on Morgan Territory 13.2 miles
Right turn on Manning 28.01 miles
Right on Highland 28.87 miles
Right on Tassajara 33.59 miles
Right on Blackhawk Rd 38.13 miles
Lunch stop at Supermarket/Pizza place on right 38.22 miles (Draeger's Supermarket in Blackhawk Plaza)
Right turn at Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd (Athenian School on right at corner) - look for stop sign 41.59 miles
Turn right at the junction water behind the ranger station 48.54 miles
Catch your breath and enjoy the view before turning around! 53.13 miles
Stay right to go down the North Gate side 57.64 miles
Right on Oak Grove 65.62 miles
Left on Walnut - note that this is a traffic circle 65.69 miles
Left on Treat 67.99 miles
Right on Jones 68.72 miles

I'll have hard copies for everyone at the ride, with my cell phone number on it. If you want to include your cell phone number, pm me and I'll put it on for Saturday.

JB

Dang. My wife has a training class from 10-5 on Saturday. My ride day is shot. :(

hey guys. i'm doing morgan territory in a club ride starting earlier that morning. i'll be sandbagging though, and watching out for your NorCal train. maybe i'll catch a wheel for a bit...

I've only done this once before, with Western Wheelers, and they did Diablo first, then Morgan Territory. This will be interesting ...

MT than Diablo isn't so bad. I've done it that way several times, riding over Marsh Creek from Antioch. This time of year, I worry about the heat. There's not much shade climbing Diablo and quite a lot on MT.

I've done the climb up the Plunge, there's almost no shade, and descended down the Clayton side. The descent is really not that bad, if you just understand that you're not going to have a flying descent, control your speed and watch for the potholes. :eek:

For future summer rides maybe you could start at the Lafayette Bart station or Walnut Creek, that puts you a little closer to Danville, so you could do Diablo first, if that's your pleasure.

Have a great ride tomorrow!

Veronica

I'm out this time. I just read the Diablo TT route and it looks like I want to go up Northgate instead of down. Probably just go crazy early early and do repeats to beat the heat.

Have a good ride guys!

Clockwise starting in PH: 1. you get Morgan Territory the better direction 2. You get Diablo at around 2pm when the traffic and heat are the worst... and it's going to be hot tomorrow.

HTFU DS ;)

... Sorry road forum humor.

I'd be there if it were next Saturday... However, my Daughter is turning 6 this weekend! Already? :eek:

Clockwise starting in PH: 1. you get Morgan Territory the better direction 2. You get Diablo at around 2pm when the traffic and heat are the worst... and it's going to be hot tomorrow.

I'll be wearing my wool jersey.

I'm still sick, but I think I should be ok.

Darn. I think I'm out too. My wife is not back from her trip until Sunday, and I still have child care duties.

Next week, next week.....

I'll be wearing my wool jersey.

I'll be wearing a down vest with full gloves and booties...I heard from the space aliens I frequently speak to that it will be very cold and windy, partly cloudy with scattered penquins..:roflmao2::rolleyes:

My buddy Robert (tentmate) is joining us tomorrow! With his 300lb Peugeot...wait to you see this guy hammer that steel!

Why hasn't he (Robert) joined BF yet?

Why hasn't he (Robert) joined BF yet?

Think of someone who's demeanor is the exact opposite of mine... get it?;)

I'm debating on if I should take Bart to Pleasant Hill, or just drive all the way up. Bart is still 30 minutes away for me.

Have a good ride. I wish I could make it. :(

Drink Lots!!

I won't join the group tomorrow, I need to be back home before Noon. I will be on Diablo though trying to do a double climb, south gate to the top and then north gate to the top. I will start around 7am from the school.
Have a good ride!

Have a fun ride guys and take plenty of pics! Btw, I went up to the junction after work this evening and there were two locations along turns where they dug a trench across the full width of the road to install large corrugated pipe and laid down steel sheets/plates to bridge the gap. There's probably more between the junction and the summit. So make note of it on the way up and definitely don't forget about them on the way down!

I'm debating on if I should take Bart to Pleasant Hill, or just drive all the way up. Bart is still 30 minutes away for me.

Or..

- Caltrain (1st one) to SF - arrive 8:36
- Ride to Embarcadero BART (<3 mi)
- BART leaves at 8:56 - arrives in PH 9:34 am (perfect timing)

2 hour commute, but no car/gas required.

It would be 1 hr 40 min for me, if I did that. Not bad.

FYI: You would still arrive @ 9:34 if you transfer at Millbrae.

I have a caltrain monthly pass, so it'd be nice to utilize the free rides.

Or..

- Caltrain (1st one) to SF - arrive 8:36
- Ride to Embarcadero BART (<3 mi)
- BART leaves at 8:56 - arrives in PH 9:34 am (perfect timing)

2 hour commute, but no car/gas required.

It would be 1 hr 40 min for me, if I did that. Not bad.

FYI: You would still arrive @ 9:34 if you transfer at Millbrae.

I have a caltrain monthly pass, so it'd be nice to utilize the free rides.

Dude, that's too complex. I'll drive to Fremont. Not quite as bad, and lot easier.

Going to miss out. Still sick.

I would ride sick, but it's a lung thing. Lots of phlegm, so my breathing on Mt. D would be jacked.

Have fun. Pete, I will see you next time.

Ride reports? How was the weather?

I convinced a couple co-workers to do the Mt Diablo/Morgan Territory ride a few weeks back, and it was hot that day! I just bought a do-dad to carry more bottles just for this type of ride (unsupported) over two+ major climbs in the heat!