Diablo Junction plus SGR

Lots of us from work today. Since tomorrow is bike to work day, a few people planned on riding home tonight and back in tomorrow, leaving their cars at the office. So Amanda, Robin, Jeff, JB, Adam, and I all rode the Mountain today. There were lots of other riders there too - dotted all along North Gate Road. Jeff said that Mark P was coming but we didn't see him at the Gate.

Just as we crossed the start line, Adam started sprinting and said "I'm going for 30 minutes!" and then he disappeared (he was sub 31). JB was feeling strong so he pulled as the rest of us sat on for the flat bits. He was strong though and pretty soon it was just me on his wheel. Robin was also strong because she did the 100 mile option on the Tour de Cure with some fast friends. By the time I got to the bottom of the Bump, JB was past the top of the Bump, and I hardly caught a glimpse of him after that.

It was pretty hot and my jersey was all the way unzipped and my frozen Cytomax was melted. I was pushing pretty hard but didn't seem to be going very fast… probably my tire pressure wasn't at absolute perfection - HA! Actually I was afraid Robin might pass me up - but then I realized the person that was catching me was someone else.

Then I caught up to Mark P riding with his friend Todd who appeared rider but not a strong climber (he later turned around and didn't make it to the Junction). Mark's going to Mexico with his family at the end of the month for a vacation.

So just under 45 minutes to the Junction where there was the biggest crowd I've seen in a long time. A lot of Diablo Cyclists and a lot of people I've never seen before. Probably 30 cyclists just out for a nice afternoon ride.

Robin asked me if I was going to go up any higher and I said I was thinking about going down South Gate and she asked to come along. Descending felt weird - maybe it was a funky wind or something but I wasn't cornering very well and didn't feel very fast on the straight bits either. Then after we went through the HOLE IN THE FENCE, I followed a pickup down the wrong road and we wound up on the busy section of Diablo Road that I was trying to avoid.

On the trip back up Danville Blvd Robin told me about riding here with the members of her triathlete team who sometimes train in this area. Then we were back at the office and the ride was over.