2017 SMR 22

Water bottles frozen to absolute perfection, our intrepid hero-blogger embarks on another Saturday Morning Ride.

This new pavement on Walnut Ave is pretty sweet.
Not sure what the striping means - cars can't cross a double white 
but OK to turn across solid-dash?

Faithful sidekick awaits.

This guy was definitely channeling Rigoberto Uran in the Pyrenees...
but he flatted at the Ranger House.

Kind of a shame when you have a bike pullout but no cars wanting to pass.

JB talked about turning around at Livermore Overlook and we went down SGR.
Been a long time since I rode any flat miles, so I reluctantly agreed.

After the Hole in the Wall, it was just a suburban stroll back home.

2017 SMR 21

Three Saturdays have passed without JB and I doing a Summit together... order has been restored.

Wildlife Encounter:  A coyote, defecating in the road.  Captured on the DiabloBikeCam, but too far away to be interesting.  I wondered if they do that so they don't leave a scent in their hunting area, or if they just don't like bike riders.

Ran into Elmar coming down.  Since he changed jobs he has to ride by himself now.

JA! JA!  Dat iss Elmar!

2017 WNR 07

Death Ride is over, Mountain is a lot less crowded.

Four of us from work, plus acquaintance Robert.

Not too hot, not too windy... but hot and windy.

Charlie:  Hey look, there's still a little water in the creek!

Scott:  That's cow piss.

I was behind this guy for quite a while.
When I finally passed him he cheered me.

2017 SMR 20

Tour de France is ON.  First tough mountain stage today.  Lots of folks dusting off their bikes for a Diablo ride.

One of them wasn't JB.  Just me today, but I had 65 Strava Flybys.  Most of them named their rides something about HOT.

32°C at Junction at 9am... one day I'll applaud myself for doing the sensible thing and skipping the Summit.  But today it felt like I was wimping out.

Got bit by a giant horsefly at Junction, but I slapped the bastard in the act.  I enjoyed seeing my blood ooze out of his mouth as his he writhed in agony on the hot pavement.  Sorry, no photo.

Lots of new pavement patches on the road.
I'm embarrassed to say I don't remember any crack in this section.

This rider had her saddle a little too high,
but she passed me too fast to benefit from my fitment advice.

I checked my recent results.
I should probably rename the "4-minute sign" to the "5 minute sign".

Wildlife Encounter:  a coyote pup near the ZigZag.

I tried to make friends with him, he did not reciprocate my offer.

C'mere little fella... I won't hurt you.

2017 WNR 06

Just me and Kevin tonight.  Quiet on The Mountain too... folks must still be in holiday mode.

Pretty hot; it was a factor.

My FlightDeck bike computer is starting to mess up... might be time to look for something else.

Mt. Diablo APP

There's now a Mount Diablo app for your phone. Read about it below, download and install today!  This post from Colonel Al and the Mount Diablo Cyclists Facebook group.

MOUNT DIABLO APP

We now have a mobile application for use while in the Mount Diablo State Park! It is called “Mount Diablo” and is designed to provide you easy access to important information as well as report issues. You can check the weather out at the Summit or the Junction, get park info, contact park staff or report issues. To report an issue, just use your mobile phone, take a picture and the application captures your exact location and sends it to park staff. No more sending emails trying to describe where the issue was.

How do I get the application?

Go to the Apple App Store or Google play and download the application called: “GORequest” by GOGovapps, Inc. Once installed, run the application. If your location services are turned off, you will be prompted to turn them on. Depending on where you are in the park, you may be prompted to “Select a City”. If you are prompted, you will have several cities listed such as Pittsburg, Oakley, San Pablo, Danville, Lafayette and one called “Mount Diablo”. Select “Mount Diablo” from the list. It should be at the bottom of the list. If you are not presented with a list, the application will simply appear. If you run the application elsewhere in the Bay Area, you may not see “Mount Diablo” as a choice. Quit the app and wait until you get closer to the Mountain. This is a temporary situation and will be resolved in the coming months.  Please share the Mount Diablo App with all park visitors!!

2017 SMR 19

Gave myself a 15 minute late start since JB is out of town.

Felt good but low energy.

Today will be a Junction day.

This rider asked about my camera - I noticed she had a 508 jersey and at the Junction she talked about doing PBP ... impressive.  

Edit:  Thanks JK!  Kitty Goursolle   Impressive indeed!

Check out the 10 second video of a guy in a hand-cycle recumbent passing me at 15mph.  He had a front wheel motor.

2017 SMR 18

First Summit ride in 5 weeks!  Today is gonna be HOT.

They're doing some re-paving on Walnut Ave... very rough, a little loose, and the asphalt smells terrible in the heat.  None of that tar splatter to clean off your bike though.

Today's special guest riders:  Juan from Davis and his Death Ride partner Steve from San Jose.

Still fighting the last remnants of the combo virus/allergy thing that kept me off the Mountain for 3 weeks... felt OK but low energy and a low threshold for panting.  JB said he was at a good speed anyway so we matched well.

 Not insanely hot yet... but all the ice in my water bottles was gone.

 Bugs were really bad...not so many of them but the ones that were there were big and mean.  Like they thought it was my fault it was so hot so they decided to bite me.  I'm calling them Assflies instead of Horseflies from now on.

New rule:  Cal Jerseys AND hot pink socks get autoblogged

 I was really dragging after Junction though - stopped at Juniper and Muir for rest breaks, and skipped the Summit Wall.  Trifecta excuse:  sickness, lack of training, and heat.

 Juan and Steve went down SGR for a Double Diablo.

_________________________________________________________________________

Bonus:  There's now a Mount Diablo app for your phone. Read about it below, download and install today!  This post from Colonel Al and the Mount Diablo Cyclists Facebook group.

MOUNT DIABLO APP

We now have a mobile application for use while in the Mount Diablo State Park! It is called “Mount Diablo” and is designed to provide you easy access to important information as well as report issues. You can check the weather out at the Summit or the Junction, get park info, contact park staff or report issues. To report an issue, just use your mobile phone, take a picture and the application captures your exact location and sends it to park staff. No more sending emails trying to describe where the issue was.

How do I get the application?

Go to the Apple App Store or Google play and download the application called: “GORequest” by GOGovapps, Inc. Once installed, run the application. If your location services are turned off, you will be prompted to turn them on. Depending on where you are in the park, you may be prompted to “Select a City”. If you are prompted, you will have several cities listed such as Pittsburg, Oakley, San Pablo, Danville, Lafayette and one called “Mount Diablo”. Select “Mount Diablo” from the list. It should be at the bottom of the list. If you are not presented with a list, the application will simply appear. If you run the application elsewhere in the Bay Area, you may not see “Mount Diablo” as a choice. Quit the app and wait until you get closer to the Mountain. This is a temporary situation and will be resolved in the coming months.  Please share the Mount Diablo App with all park visitors!!

2017 WNR 05

Recovering from a 2-week viral infection... still coughing and not breathing well... but The Mountain calls.

This guy was protecting a snake in the road.

I taught him the "throw rocks at it" method of getting the snake to move.
Not a rattler, not a whipsnake... must be a gopher snake.

 I do not understand the appeal of the group photo... but I'd be a jerk to complain.