Summit Club and March Madness~

Hooray! I'm back.

I forgot my password/email for this blog. oops.

My highlight of Spring Break was taking off on Monday, March 24, with Doug and Walt in tow (as if THEY had a choice! lol) and headed to Heather Farms in Walnut Creek. There, we were met by none other than the Bike Goddess, aka Nancy. A fiesty, tall, grey cropped hair woman that was soon leading us down bike paths, alleyways, and byroads of Walnut Creek, Alamo and Danville. Eventually, turning into Round Hill Country Club (is it still called that?) and going through the 'hole in the wall' and soon to the base of the Southgate of Mt. Diablo!!

There, Nancy told the boys to go ahead and she'd guide the 'Little One' up to the summit. That would be me. HA! But, seeing as she was a no nonsense 67 year old mentor and standing tall at 5'9", most of it leg, who was I to argue with the Bike Goddess?

So up! And more up! And not as hard as the Northgate up!! At the 1st ranger station, there was Walt and Doug trying to fix Walt's rubbing derailer. And there, I had the pleasure of meeting Bob and Mick, also of the Benicia Bike Club, who had already gone up and down, and started on the bike problem. Nancy had us continue.

Beautiful day! Perfect day! Blue skies, warm, wildflowers, the bright orange of CA poppies everywhere. Nancy was awesome. Talked constantly, like a tour guide, warning me of hard parts, letting me know of relief ahead...way cool. We soon got passed by the 'Big Dogs' as she called them, and Mick and Bob rode with us.

Now I had no intention of making it up to the summit. 18% grade?? Heavens, no. My detailed plans read clearly that it would take 6 times up to the Ranger Station, roughly spread out to once a month, for me to take on the Summit.

BUT Nancy had her mind set. I was going. She spiked me up with some Sports Beans (oddly yummy after a lot of climbing!) and we started up. Bob and Mick were dears, and allowed themselves to be cajoled into going to the summit. That would be 1 1/2 times scaling the Devil, and a summit!

It was freakin' HARD, past the Ranger Station!! Just like I remembered. A couple of times I thought it was too much, but Nancy would work her ways with me with promises of easier grades around the corner. Well, that was, before the Wall. And what a wall! It was long, relatively straight, and reminded me of driveways along the ridge, where I wondered if my car would make it up or overheat! I started up too fast, because I didn't think I would stay upright if I let my momentum slow too much. Oh, mistake. Less than halfway up I was struggling mightily, and my brain was nearing the overload stage, when I glance up.

And there, at the top, was Doug, with his camera, aimed at ME!!! Aargh!! Not again! Flashbacks of a similar struggle up Pig Hill, and another camera aimed down at me, and the same flare up of ego -'Dangnabit, I will NOT stand to have MY picture taken walking my %^@#$& bike up this hill!!'

I made it up that 18% grade, legs shaking, with Walt and Doug calling out encouragement and tips. Here's a pic that Doug sent me. Photographic proof. I really did it!!


And that's how I became a member of the Summit Club!

March Madness miles - 636.64
Weight loss - 4 pounds