Mount Diablo State Park is Closed 2017 October 09

BlogReader MIKE reports the Gate is closed.

Photo from his STRAVA page.

2017 Mount Diablo Challenge - Volunteer

This is the 9th time in 11 years I've volunteered for this event.
Check out these blog post links:

1. 2007
2. 2008
3. 2009
4. 2010
5. 2013
6. 2014
7. 2015
8. 2016
9. 2017

Everybody results are HERE.

Diablo Daughter and her boyfriend came along to help.

Difference this year was that the apres-ride events were all back at at the bottom of The Mountain, so people weren't hanging around for hours at The Summit, and they didn't need comfortable shoes and sweatpants and stuff, so there was a lot less to carry up.

Also, there was a stiff wind, so no course records were set, but plenty of people had good results.

Totally click-worthy:


2017 Diablo Challege from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.

2017 SMR 33

Wasn't supposed to be this warm... light jacket was uncomfortable.  Still, it's not July at 6pm.

JB was only a little too warm in full tights.

Spent a lot of time looking down at the road because the sun was in my eyes.

Hey look, I screwed up the cropping on this photo!

Roadkill Report:  TWO raccoons, a squirrel, and a bird.

There were some Marines doing exercises on The Mountain this morning.  I didn't see them but heard them grunting.  Colonel Al said he had a discussion with someone driving cars for them about proper passing.

2017 SMR 32

Another short one cuz I got work to do!

Is this thing on?

Waiting for JB, time for a bike photo.

JB isn't usually late.

Maybe I better check my text messages.

Yup... looks like a solo short ride today.

Oh HEY!  Rick again! Good company.  

Rick's going for a PB on the Diablo Challenge next week.  Be sure to STAR the DiabloScott-branded segment: Д Mt. Diablo: Diablo Challenge

This guy's jersey said "75th Anniversary Golden Gate Bridge"

Tarantula Tally:  one.
Roadkill Report:  snake... might've been the same one as last week.

Bon jour Jean et Michelin!

Hola Isaac!

2017 SMR 31

Going to a wedding in Oakland today, so called a short Junction ride.

Special guest rider: RICK!  Rick's doing The Challenge in two weeks, so he was going to do a 

Double Diablo today... first time with the slow guys.

First SMR of autumn - this calls for arm warmers and windbreaker... JB went full tights.

New bike turnout is at the end of Segment 5 - about 5.5 miles up from The Gate

This guy took video of us on his phone as we passed, so I aimed my camera at him too.

2017 WNR 15

Only 15 WNR's this year?  Last year I had 28... where did they all go?

The Gruppetto is together as they approach The Gate

The fans are lined up along the course.

The leaders are confronted with a headwind.

 Tarantella Tally:  One going up, one coming down.

Roadkill Report:  snake

The last photo of the last WNR of the 2017 season.

Hoisting my bike into the truck, in the dark, I knew for sure, the season was over.  Soon I'll be riding my foul weather bike on Saturdays in tights and a jacket.  Welcome autumn.

2017 SMR 30

Quickie Junc Run today because company picnic.

Good weather, good air, good sky... good riding.

Wildlife Encounter:  deer.  Actually two... I stopped to watch and then saw the other one across the road... always assume there's another one.

Tarantella Tally:  one crawler on the go-down.

2017 SMR 29

JB and I got to The Gate at about the same time this morning, that usually means things will go well.

We talked about people we know in the hurricane zone... expressing the proper amount of concern.

Air was pretty good today, and there was a pretty fog layer over the 580 valley.

Right about here I always think "I'm almost there."  and "I might not make it."

Tarantella Tally:  Three crawlers on the climb.  I almost popped one.

This guy is a role model for young, skinny twerps.

Had to pull over for a fire truck with sirens... looked like they were really serious.

2017 WNR 14

Brought along a dead camera battery, so my loyal readers get a recycled photo today!

Same time of year two years ago.

Tarantula Tally:  1 on the way up and 2 on the way down.

Me, Shawn, and Charlie tonight... the end is in sight.

Shawn played our requests on his Bluetooth speaker... mostly disco!

2017 SMR 28

Too hot, too much smokey air, rode anyway.

This guy had a custom jersey that said "DUTCH DIESEL"  He stopped for a lot of photos.

Diablo Shoutout to Punkin' Jay