Taxi777: Welcome Back, Ride Report
 

Forcast this morning was for cooler temp. They were right on. Perfect temp, a little hot on the climbs but made for a good sweat. Bit of a headwind kept it cool.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...77/Peleton.jpg

I didn’t sleep that great with the anticipation of a big crowd. Not too many showed but that was fine for what I was settling back into. The best way to describe the ride was “Pleasant, low key, warm and friendly”. I really enjoyed this one. It was a keeper! I’m glad my friend Robert showed up for his first BF ride. It was so great to see Jim (Ben Ridin) and Glen (B612*981/2z2nn520) Can never remember his handle. Hadn’t seen those guys in a fortnight!

I’m still sore from the big event last week, believe it or not. My new “Joe Namaths” (White NorthWest) shoes were freakin awesome. I felt great the whole ride, but I didn’t feel like going the summit much to Ramon’s disappointment : ( ... I felt like I got what I needed. Some great soul to soul with my buddies and I felt completed and at peace for the day.
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...77/TheCrew.jpg

Running into Janie...Pretty lady of the the day at the junction was a nice little added treat that all the boys enjoyed after looking at each others mugs all day!
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...i777/Janie.jpg

Thanks guys! Jon great ride and thanks for keeping low key and on pace. Jim thanks for letting me vent on the climb, it was healing, along with the tuna sandwich. Ramon, what can I say, always enjoy you being right there. Same with Ron! What would we ever be without you. Glen keeping it light but interesting…and fast!! Robert…Dude, glad our lives intersected.

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...77/MTbreak.jpg
Highlights:

Pacelining was really tight and fun. Nice descent. Robert had never done it, and turned to me at the top and just said…Woe!
The ride seemed really fast and efficient. Traffic was light up and down Diablo.
Yet again, I pulled the sleazing on to my bike and announcing “ You guys SUCK!! Last one downs a rotten egg!” and they fell for it. Jim caught me right at the bottom, but my legs were shot.
Later guys, Thanks
Pete

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...imbersrest.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...77/JimGlen.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/Jimfront.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...axi777/Jon.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a.../JonRobert.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...axi777/Jim.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/JonFront.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...axi777/Mt2.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...Paceline-3.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a.../Ramonpose.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...RobertBird.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...i777/Ramon.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...ertDescent.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a.../RonRanger.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/climbers.jpg

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/a...7/Ronscary.jpg

Thanks Ron for setting this up...Really appreciated it
Pete

Thanks for the pics! I'm still feeling guilty for having missed it.

I paid penance by doing a similar length/elevation ride locally (Tunitas/Skyline/84/Haskins Hill/Pescadero/HMB). Did my personal best up Tunitas. Ran into the Pescadero Road Race and tried to keep up with some of them :rolleyes:.

Oh, BTW Marco sorry you couldn't make it. Hope you feel better. I had a a cold last week and it sucked.
Hope to see the rest of the gang soon.
It's really great to be back and riding with the group.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

And that would be??....give me a target bro!;)

Dude, I wouldn't want to slow you down by giving you my time :o...

Your pics show how much fun was had, and your report confirmed it. Mayan, I'm jealous!

I overslept and got sucked into real estate early, so I didn't get a ride in today at all. Must be the first Saturday since March that I haven't ridden. Twelve hours later I'm living vicariously through Pete, et al.

What's wrong with this picture? :notamused:

Next time...next time...

Glad you had such a great ride.

I drove to Fremont Bart, ready to take Bart up to the start of the ride at Pleasant Hill. Sat in Bart, waiting for it to go, but as I was eating my bagel, I realized, I didn't have my helmet. Doh! And the train is about to move.

Well, I couldn't go without my helmet, so I had to go back and retrieve it, which meant I missed that train, and had to arrive to the ride late. Also, the train had been delayed about 10 minutes at Lafayette, so that made me even later.

Thanks everyone for waiting for me. I felt pretty guilty about making everyone wait.

As Pete said, the temps at the start were not as bad as earlier in the week, which was good. We literally sprinted to the coffee shop, before we headed to Morgan Territory. I think we had a 17 mph average getting to Peet's.

The climb up Morgan Territory was nice. Thanks Jonathan for keeping company on that climb. I think if it were me by myself, I would have gone too hard, and blown myself up. I do think we are at about the same climbing level, which is refreshing to see (someone around the same level as me). Even when we did the Mt. Diablo climb, Jon and I were just about the same pace (except for one period, where I slingshot past Jon, but after I got some distance, the pace was the same going up).

When we got to the junction, between North and South gate, I just wanted to collapse. The heat, when we started up Mt. Diablo, was starting to get intense. Luckily, the temps didn't get unbearably hot (but probably was in the high 80's or low 90's).

I know Ramon wanted to go to the top, but he went down the mountain with the rest of us to Bart. Jon decided to make it up to the top. How was it Jon?

Robert did a great job. He made it all the way on all the climbs. He deserves kudos for doing this on his Peugot, which had a squeaky chain, and no clipless or toe clips. That must have been really difficult. We also saw a guy climb Mt. Diablo on a Mountain Bike, again with no toe clips, and with tennis shoes!

Jim (Benriding), it was great to see you again. I saw you more on this ride than I did when we did Auburn last year (I couldn't say we rode it together ... It was more that we started together).

And welcome back Pete. I wanted to dedicate this ride to you, especially after all you have gone through . Thanks Jon for leading the great ride. It was a great ride, and the turnout was just perfect.

Pictures, but not too many, to come.

Yep I never get to ride with you guys and I've heard it's a wild ride so... I anticipate our meeting. Hoping for July at Alan's "hood" "HammerTime!"
Pete

Welcome Back Pete
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/4a6637c9.jpg

Same ole Pete
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/9b3c2789.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/b4a11021.jpg

Setting up group shot
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/aeef2cf3.jpg

Benriding
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/1b243edf.jpg

Jonathanb715
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/467d422f.jpg

Climbing Morgan Territory
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/7e3e9444.jpg

Rest stop before the descent on Morgan Territory
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/c0e7788f.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/95fa4efb.jpg

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/ea18b2a5.jpg

Overlooking the valley from beginning of the Mt. Diablo climb
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/efe16bca.jpg

Climbing Mt. Diablo, with Jon in front
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/cb555ae7.jpg

Resting at Ranger's Station
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...e/2508c6a0.jpg

Great stuff guys!

Great ride. I tried to keep up with Taxi777, Bostic and Benridin, but mostly was happy just to keep them in sight. Morgan Territory was nice and not too hot, and the descent was as fun as always - at least until that red pickup tried to turn me into his hood ornament (came around a blind corner to find the truck, coming the other way, setting up for the corner on the outside - aka my side of the road. I locked up the brakes (panic), got the wheels rolling again and snuck by between the truck and the shoulder).

Glenn (GW_12) met us at the top of Morgan Territory (he rode UP the plunge - I haven't gotten around to trying that yet). I tried to keep up with the Taxi/Ben/GW/Bostic paceline along Manning and Highland, but the rollers got me. I took a while to recover and then tried to track them down. No chance. I hooked up with Ron and Pete's ALC friend Robert along Tassajara, where we had to fight a bit of a headwind. We all regrouped at lunch, but that only lasted until the climbing on Diablo. We met up again at the junction - imagine my surprise when everyone decided they had something better to do, and didn't go to the top! Pics below:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0629.jpg
blurry photo, but that's Bostic in front, then Benridin, Spingineer, Taxi777 and Robert in the background

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0631.jpg
Spingineer, Taxi777 and Benridin

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0632.jpg
A familiar site - the group slowly pulling away on the good part of Morgan Territory (you know, with decent pavement and 2 lanes!)

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0635.jpg
Mt. Diablo's looking kind of dry

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0640.jpg
A hot, tired looking group

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0642.jpg
The summit looks so close!

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/e...5/IMG_0646.jpg
Group photo at the summit.

The final climb, while a bit lonely, wasn't bad - my legs were still strong, and I found a good rhythm and was able to spin up in about 40 minutes (pretty fast for me). It was hot, though - the wind died completely on the way up.

JB

Great looking ride you guys. My wife and I both wanted to be there, alas the distance was a little much and we both have prior plans being fathers day weekend. The weather has been looking great, and other then my garmin crappin out on me AGAIN!! (2nd one since march) I would think the summer should be chalked full of rides.. We'll see you all out there soon, if not sooner.

Don't forget.. Canada Rd. Time Trial coming up soon!! June 21rst according to the website. Any takers? I may go and try and get some action shots of you guys if I don't enter.

I hope you can hang on our wheel...heh, heh, heh.

Looked like a great time. I'm sorry I missed it.

I spent the morning helping exhorserider and angliru05 switching
out their cranks and then took my kids to a couple of birthday parties.
We didn't get home till well past 8:30pm.

I can't wait to ride with you guys again.

Hey Taxi: Love that new jersey! (yes, we took the laptop on our six day bike ride...All the hotels have wi-fi)

In that case, we should see you post pics ... :D

I hope you guys have a great time, and like Ron can't wait to see the Picts and read the reports!
Pete
Missed you both...:(

It's always a joy to do the Morgan Territory - Diablo Loop. And doing it with other BF members makes it a great day. Thanks Pete for coming out and Jonathon for putting it together. And Ron, it was good seeing you again too. I'm glad you came up for this.

Meeting & riding Bostic & GW was great. And then there was Pete's tentmate Robert. On his old school Peugot, complete with a Pie Pan in the rear! He did the Aids ride on this the week before. Amazing. If he ever gets a modern ride, we'll all be in trouble.

Highlights:
Climbing up the canyon on Morgan Territory is so nice. Plenty of shade and not too hot. The Paceline into Danville was lively with everyone pulling. Lunch at Dragers. Big sammich's. I recommend the Tuna. Split it with someone, for it
is big. The water spigot at the junction. Nothing cools you down faster with that on your head. And finally, the Northgate descent. Keep an eye on Pete! With a stealth like grace of a cat, he'll announce "last one down is a ..." and he's gone. Oh crap, game on!

Good ride, good times.

Just a couple of action shots:
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/8...4mediumny5.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/9...3mediumwn8.jpg

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/7...5mediumxo7.jpg

Some more pics from the ride. Nice riding with you guys. Thanks - Glenn

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../6_14_08_d.jpg
Climbing Morgan Territory

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../6_14_08_c.jpg
Top of Morgan Territory

Bunch of Manning Road paceline shots:
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../6_14_08_a.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...9_edited-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...8_edited-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...7_edited-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...6_edited-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...5_edited-1.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...4_edited-1.jpg



http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../6_14_08_b.jpg
Climbing South Gate

Great pictures Glenn.

I was hoping to see be better pic of Roberts Peugeot.
I had one and am bummed that I sold it.

+1 ... but why does it look like I'm about to pass out?

Nice - wish I'd gone with you guys! The Canyon Classic was a suffer-fest for me.