Mt. Diablo - the first assault
Mt. Diablo - I grew up under that mountain. After Cantelow, after Cardiac, there was Diablo. Here's a profile that Chris posted on BF from his birthday ride when he and Red did it with Smoooth and Sassy. Too small to read here, but you get the idea! 3847 ft at 22 miles for the peak, from the Southgate.
Well, this Saturday, I tried it. From the steeper Northgate side.
I was supposed to meet a number of TE riders in Walnut Creek. I got there early, and waited 15 minutes after the appointed hour! Did I get the day wrong? Wrong week? All possibilities for me! Lots of kiddies and parents at the park, but no cyclists. Well, after driving over an hour to get there, I wasn't going to leave without giving it a go! Surely, I could find the mountain on my own. So I hopped on my bike, and headed back out to Oak Grove, and hung a left. Sure enough, within a few blocks, there was the sign to Diablo.
Heck, I was winded before I got to the park! I was also bundled up, as per a suggestion for the descent. I stopped at the park entrance, was waved through by the rangers, and I was in!
The weather was perfect. Sunny, no wind. Here's a pic from just inside the park. 
It was a great ride! I always did like uphill better than down, and it certainly was a lot of up. Previously my max for an up was maybe a bit over 3 miles at Shasta. This just wouldn't stop! Steeper parts, bits of relief. Hardly any cars, lots of hardcore riders! The kind that have legs twice as long as mine, and half my age. lol. But I kept on...
and on...
and on!
At this point, I had climbed over 3000 ft in about 11 miles. I was hungry. I was cold. Trying to trick my mind with 'just up to the next corner, and you can eat!' was NOT cutting it anymore. My mind was coming back with 'You're gonna bonk, and you still have to get down the mountain!' 'If you're too tired, you'll get sloppy, and you'll crash.' '18% grade at the Wall? HA! You'll never make it!!'
Needless to say, I stopped to contemplate, ate my Luna bar, and Mind over Me won again. She had the decency to sooth me by the remindar that riding Diablo was a goal timelined for the next 3 years if ever; and I didn't do too darn bad for the first time, alone.
The little round tower is the peak. True, at this point I knew I was ready to turn. It was only about 0.75- 1.0 miles up to that tower, but it looked a gazillion miles away from my vantage point. Better to make it safely down the mountain and come back another day!
And the TE riders? Apparently there are 2 parking lots! They went up to something called the Junction, and took the South road down. That would have been fun! Next time. There's always be a next time!
posted by deedo @ 12:08 PM
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