Diablo Junction - 18 miles

I gave Amanda a ride to the church. She’s using JB’s beater old Bianchi with the English tourister handlebars, kind of like the old 3-speed style, but she’s hoping to get a new bike to replace her stolen one soon.

I knew Mark P had already started up because I saw his truck. I didn’t see anyone else from work around but I saw the Diablo Cyclists going up so I started to chase after them. There was a fast core group that was losing one rider about every half mile so I passed one rider every few minutes but never got close to the front group.

I saw Edgardo at the bottom of the Bump – he hasn’t ridden in a while and it showed, but he looked like he was having fun.

Adam’s goal was to sub 30 today. His best ever is 30m30s I think and he has vowed to break 30 this year. I saw him closing on me just before Clavicle Cracker and I sped up to give him something to chase and then I gave him a shove when he went around me.

Then there was one OTB Diablo Cyclist in a red jersey up ahead and I just wasn’t gaining on him. I’d get a little closer on one stretch and then fall back again on another. Never did catch him but it made the last couple miles a little more fun. Turns out it was Dave, a guy I saw a lot last year and we seemed pretty evenly matched then too.

Junction time 40m10s. Adam did 32 something and JB did 37 something (but he rolled in after I did so he didn’t pass me!). Also came across Mark P who said he did a 46 so he’s getting better every week. He should stop giving himself head starts!

There was some interesting discussion with one of the rangers at the Junction.

• Apparently some kind of endangered owl called the “burrowing owl” has been spotted on the mountain recently and has caused lots of interest.
• The Summit Road repair project has been delayed until next spring so there won’t be any interference with the Diablo Challenge. I thought this was really something, setting construction schedules around a bike event.
• The Diablo Challenge this year will not be sponsored by Children’s Hospital or by the American Lung Association, but by Save Mount Diablo so the entrance fee will likely be significantly less than last year ($40 I think it was).
• The ranger also said that the State Parks system was losing money and suffered severe budget cuts under the Schwarzenegger administration so they count on Save Mount Diablo to help them out with projects.

(can you believe that "Schwarzenneger" is in my spell check? I got it wrong the first time I typed it)