May 21, 2003 - Diablo Bump de Bump

Bump de bump is what we call it when we ride up North Gate Road to the Junction, then go down South Gate Road and then turn around and come back up South Gate Road. Today was the regular Wednesday after work ride and I got a head start on everybody, passing the gate at about 5:30. The DCers were congregating at the church and I'm not sure when they got started but Mark passed me at about mile 4. Adam passed me about 8 minutes after that and JB passed me up around the ranches. About 4 or 5 of the faster DCers passed me too before I got to the Junction. I started out pretty fast but it was really hot with almost no breeze and I could feel my energy just melting away. Quite a difference from last week when I was wishing I had long finger gloves and arm warmers! There was a big crowd at the Junction and almost everybody went down South Gate Road but I was the only one who turned around at the park boundary gate and came back up. South Gate Road had a lot more shade since it's more on the eastern side of the ridge and the sun was a little lower by the time I came back up...also seemed to be greener than North Gate Road.

Junction time from North Gate: 43'55" - barely in the respectable range
Junction time from South Gate: 39'20" - almost a mile shorter

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