2024 Diablo Day 09 - Saturday Morning Junction

Not a cloud in the sky this morning - beautiful day and lots of riders on The Mountain. More like this please.

First ride on my summer bike; I was ready. Got some bright white new handlebar tape so he was looking sharp.

Roadkill Report: skunk - he'd been there at least a couple weeks.

Met JB at Junction. We talked about the weather and getting old.

Lots of poppies and lupines - I plucked a couple for a tabletop bouquet.

 

2024 Diablo Day 08 - Saturday Morning Junction

We had a hail storm yesterday afternoon. Today was pretty nice - like a cold spring morning with good sun and a little wind.

Roadkill Report: skunk. Most of his volatile organic compounds had dispersed and diluted already.

Trail runners having an event today, and some really big club ride - I thought it might have been the Diablo Double but nobody had numbers on. Hundreds of riders that looked like they could churn out a 200-miler with confidence.

At Junction there was a rider just headed down NGR when he tried to execute a slow-speed maneuver and fell over. I wasn't fast enough with the Diablo Cam to document his embarrassment. He got up and left before anybody might recognize him.

Strava was thoughtful enough to inform me that my Junction time was 18 minutes slower than my personal best. I just cancelled my premium subscription - bastards.

2024 Diablo Day 07 - Saturday Morning Junction

Spring!  Poppies! Still not warm enough for shorts though.

Wildlife Encounter: dozens of turkeys everywhere.

Happened upon my old Club Sport ride leader Glenda on Blackhawk Road. She recognized my wind breaker and I recognized her voice and then we reminisced a little. She said she already did her Diablo day this week so wasn't going up The Mountain today.

Lots of hikers this morning too - appeared to be some kind of club.

At Junction I talked to a guy who had never seen downtube shifters before. He asked how they worked.

Glenda

From this spot you can see a lot of North Gate Road - 1: The Retaining Wall,  2: Coyote Flats, 3: Chainbuster.

First poppy of the season.

Famous Pink Lady cyclist Alison.

2024 Diablo Day 06 - Saturday Morning Junction

I was prepped for drizzle, but it was clear and dry this morning. I took off my gloves and unzipped my jacket at the Tire Poppers.

Roadkill Report:  A small deer or a big jackrabbit or something on the sidewalk near Blackhawk Road- the vultures were all over it.  Also a big rat a little farther up the road.

I have lost a lot of fitness this winter - I had no reserves for intervals or power climbing or fast spinning... pretty much just twiddled the whole way and I was wiped out by the time I got back home. I hope I'm in better shape by summer.

Buzzard Bunny Brunch