Northern California - Informal "Hooky Ride" Tue 7th - Diablo?

The last couple of weekends have not been good for me getting saddle time, and as I'll be travelling for the next couple, I need to take some time out from work for a ride. So I'm thinking about maybe heading up Diablo on Tuesday afternoon -- anyone care to join me? I'm thinking of starting out at about 1:30 or so.

Edit: sketched out a bikely route. From Orinda BART up the South Gate and back ~60miles.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Informal-Diablo-Ride

You might see me on the way down - I don't have anything too urgent with work for early in the week, but my kids' soccer practice starts at 3:30. I'll probably do the early lunch thing and head out from my office in San Ramon around 11.

JB

good plan JB - I'll look out for you.

One really needs to specify NG or SG for these invites.

I might be able to join. Will know for sure tomorrow.

One really needs to specify NG or SG for these invites.

DiabloScott - I'd default to the South Gate - is that a NorCal faux pas!? I thought I'd try a (nearly) last minute thing, here.

While on the topic of on-the-fly arrangements, I'll probably try riding from my house so could meet folks at Orinda or Lafayette BART along the way as well as at the gate. Will post a bikely tomorrow if there's interest.


I might be able to join. Will know for sure tomorrow.

Georges, it'd be great to catch up again if you're free.

Just posted a potential bikely route for this. I'll check back in this evening - happy Monday all.

I have Tuesday afternoon off!


For a dental checkup. :(

DiabloScott - I'd default to the South Gate - is that a NorCal faux pas!?

Not at all, but one man's Default is another man's Alternate. It's smart to specify which side you're planning for the meet-up.

A lot of people prefer SGR but getting to North Gate from BART is a lot easier if that's a concern.

Have fun. SGR looks really nice above the Tire Poppers where they did all the surface work, but it's getting really bad below. They marked off the craters with orange safety paint - those suckers will break your wheels if they don't swallow you whole.

SGR looks really nice above the Tire Poppers where they did all the surface work, but it's getting really bad below. They marked off the craters with orange safety paint - those suckers will break your wheels if they don't swallow you whole.

I wonder how low they will let that road go. I am amazed they didn't repave it at the same time they did SGR (I know it's probably not the same departments in charge below and above the gate). This section must be a real zoo during the mass start of the Challenge.

I won't be able to join the ride, sorry. I like the route though, it's about 50 miles from downtown Lafayette and back.

Thanks all for the replies -- I'll take myself off on an adventure tomorrow afternoon and see where I end up. DiabloScott got me considering if a North then South attempt might be a fun alternative as well. I'll let you know what I end up doing - either way, it's guaranteed to be far superior to being back in the office :thumb:


I have Tuesday afternoon off!


For a dental checkup. :(

Hopefully neither of us will need to endure unnecessary pain or suffering, BlastRadius.


Not at all, but one man's Default is another man's Alternate. It's smart to specify which side you're planning for the meet-up.

I here ya DS. My intent was a swift post to work out if anyone was even interested in a work day ride, in the vicinity based on an idea I hatched about half an hour earlier - it's a fair comment and duly noted.


I won't be able to join the ride, sorry. I like the route though, it's about 50 miles from downtown Lafayette and back.

Not to worry Georges, I'll catch you next time around.

I so want to join this but I have a very busy day tomorrow.

Have a great time!

Brentley

I so want to join this but I have a very busy day tomorrow.

Have a great time!

Brentley

One great thing about Mt. Diablo is it is always there if you have a spare couple of hours.

Speaking of north vs. south gates - I just got a call from a friend - it looks like we'll be heading up the north gate road tomorrow. We'll be leaving earlier than I thought too - more like 10:00 from the Mormon church (temple?).

JB

DiabloScott got me considering if a North then South attempt might be a fun alternative
.

Up NG down SG, turn around at the tire poppers and back over. That's a fun route :thumb:

“Mission accomplished”. But in some ways I had close to my worst and best day’s ride in a single afternoon.

I was a little later out of the office and then had to take care of some chores at home. So, after reading Jonathan’s post about Diablo repeats, and then hearing DiabloScott’s endorsement I decided to throw the bike in the car, drive to Walnut Ave and try a North/South run as my time for the 60mile loop was looking tight. On the way I got stuck in traffic on Ygnacio Valley Road (WTF?) and so was nicely amped by the time I put my bike together and got on the road. Not sure about you guys, but I’m always aware how it takes me a few miles to get into my stride and start to let the stress seep out of my brain and into my quads. First I start forgetting about frustrations, then I think for a bit about some presentations I’ve got to give on the road in the next week and a half, and finally after about 20mins or so, I’m just thinking about the ride.

What a day to ride up Diablo though. Compared to my Labor Day experience (early morning, very windy, South Gate) this was a whole different ride. It was good to try the North Gate route, noticeably steeper, but not too bad. What started getting to me though was the heat today – no shelter and almost no breeze. I had to take a minute to let my head cool down at the Ranger station before making the summit. I did catch up to a couple of riders half way up, but no doubt it was a slog today – I laughably thought about tackling the wall in a bigger gear, but Diablo pummeled me into submission about half way up and had me reaching low once again. I got to the top and I think the picture below says it all. Everything conspired today to make that one of the toughest climbs I’ve done.

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/Mount%20Diablo%202008_10_07/DSC00264.jpg

Fast forward 5minutes after hydration and I had the complete opposite experience. That was the best descent of my life – not the fastest, but I was able to string the corners together well, the roads were super quiet/super smooth and the breeze from going downhill made that a superb experience – if you believe in the afterlife I think I had just sampled cycling hell on the way up, but was in cycling heaven on the way down. My stiff upper lip had disappeared and I couldn’t stop grinning, I might have had a couple of “whoops” that only a coyote heard. The downhill was going so well that I went back past the south gate, stopped short of the “Tire Poppers” and climbed back up to the Junction. It was amazing to me how much fresher my legs felt after the exhilaration of that descent – before I was climbing out of the saddle at a grind, here I was standing up pumping. How much is mental/how much is physical? Hmmm

Checking my watch, I wasn’t going to have time (or the legs?) for a second summit, so I went back down the Northgate to my car. Probably the toughest 37.6miles I’ve done so far. But a good day at the office…so to speak.

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/Mount%20Diablo%202008_10_07/DSC00265.jpg

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/Mount%20Diablo%202008_10_07/NGSGRoute.jpg

/inspiring
every morning i'm tempted to ride right past work and spend the day on the bike.

Great ride Richard! I wish I could have joined you. I just switched my phone systems (home and office) to Vonage and only received the adapters last night when all my numbers were transferred today. I had a heck of a time installing these things and running wires, took all day.

It wasn't the easiest day for such a ride especially in the afternoon. I hope you had some sunscreen.

Sounds like a great ride. I tried to sneak in a quick one after work with the kid and didn't even make it half way to the south ranger station before we had to turn back due to lack of light.

Thanks artichoke - I believe an appropriate BF response would be:


/perspiring


Fixed.


Georges; yes I did lather up with sun screen, but I started to wonder if I might have tried putting more on my head. Having said that the cycling jersey I was wearing didn't really seem to help keep me cool either. It's my british dna you know.

Nice ride. I almost had a hooky ride. I thought my dentist appt was Tuesday, made it to SF, and realized it's Wednesday. Oh well, I hit a couple of bike shops and got on the train back to the office.

I've had the same type of ride that you experienced many times. It always amazes me on how good I can feel on the second or third repeat up that mountain.

Nice ride report.

BR