tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52859582012-01-29T12:58:22.600-08:00Cycling Mt. DiabloDiablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.comBlogger6871100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-19203950508017377642012-01-28T21:34:00.000-08:002012-01-29T09:35:38.992-08:00

NGR SGR Blackhawk Tassajara Everything started out fine; dressed, prepped, and pumped up my tires as usual.  Left in plenty of time.  Got two blocks from home though and my rear tire was totally flat.  So I limped back home and changed it... looks like I tore the tube near the valve when I was pumping. So I was gonna be late, called JB and he said he'd meet me at Junction.  Wow it was cold this

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-7935313370875160302012-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:002012-01-22T08:01:03.769-08:00

It was a dark and stormy night. Prognostications are for 15% of our annual rainfall in just the next few days.  But a window of ride-ability opened up for an 8 at the Gate iteration. Wildlife Encounter:  big ol' flock of turkeys near the horse boarding place. No cars, no joggers, only saw one other guy at the Gate waiting for someone. Took me several attempts to get this angle with the

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-29488398995077086132012-01-14T12:51:00.000-08:002012-01-14T12:53:53.257-08:00

JB and I arrived at the Gate at about the same time.  He was dressed warmer than I was, but it looked like the cold wasn't going to last long. Not really that many riders out today... maybe folks are out of town or something.  Little early for Death Ride Training. Dudes at Turtle Creek Ranch were burning wood on a spare the air day... nasty. JB stopped to take off his jacket so I attacked and

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-51973141635826607562012-01-07T15:20:00.000-08:002012-01-07T15:20:43.003-08:00

The health club got new spin bikes with USB data savers, so now I can make graphs just like the cool guys. If I could just hold on to that 800 watt figure for more than a few nanoseconds, I could set a new PB. The HMI of the Free Motion S11 GPS on my phone ... I was curious how well it would portray Diablo. Solo ride today.  Pretty nice and very clear until I got past Junction;

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-36105353396812611062012-01-03T06:51:00.000-08:002012-01-03T09:59:18.820-08:00

Got this for Christmas - thanks Mom and Dad! Giro Atmos The Giro Atmos gets a 10 out of 10 on the DiabloScott Helmet Form and Fashion Rating Scale.   I bought my first helmet in 1984; a Bell V1-Pro (also a gift from Mom!).  I think this new one is at least my 10th helmet in 27 years so this is a review with some righteous cred. First, the three tell-tale signs that you need a new helmet:Crumbly

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-57224580633611728062012-01-01T19:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T09:55:30.803-08:00

New Year's morning is a great time for outdoor enthusiasts to be on Mount Diablo.  I left the house at 7 at dawn and it was pretty light by the time I got to the Gate. Christmas Cycling Chwagg Not nearly as cold as you'd expect for January.  And it actually got pretty warm somewhere around the Ranches.  Saw my first rider descending about 8 o'clock.  There were a few runners and trail

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-1200131942584383492011-12-17T10:14:00.000-08:002011-12-18T10:15:35.666-08:00

The Summit Weather Station (925-838-9225) reported the temp as "eighteen-eight degrees". The fog was as thick as it comes down low, but it was bright and clear above about 300 ft elevation. Still not warm though. No wildlife other than birds and squirrels, no road kill. More runners than usual, must have been some kind of coordinated event.  A few riders, including Taleo and Wells Fargo guys.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-69903136637936481352011-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:002011-12-12T06:55:44.292-08:00

Dressed warm this morning!  Didn't give a thought to booties though... should have. The Walnut Creek half marathon was this morning too - went right up Ygnacio.  The traffic police were not quite sure the best way to accomplish their objectives... the runners were spaced out and the cars were jammed together. Total lunar eclipse this morning... wasn't that impressive; clouds and

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-4499302477783803792011-11-26T12:53:00.000-08:002011-11-26T12:53:12.465-08:00

Picked a bad day to forget my sunglasses - it was really bright and clear on The Mountain this morning. Just me so I rode leisurely; a couple guys passed me but I kept them in sight. Lots of people at Junction though... burning off Thanksgiving meals. First time I've ever seen a sign like this... poor guy's bike went missing - hope it didn't get run over by a car or eaten by a coyote. Not

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-67524546425718674202011-11-19T11:37:00.000-08:002011-11-20T18:38:38.630-08:00

Rained over night, sloppy but pleasant this morning. Going out Walnut Avenue this time of year, the morning sun is right in your eye.  I was watching the DishNetwork satellite image of the earth before I left and I could see the blanket of darkness being peeled away from the west coast and experience it in real life at the same time. Met with JB at the Gate.  I don't think we saw anybody else

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-66612665712240700122011-11-12T18:48:00.000-08:002011-11-12T18:49:49.838-08:00

Sloppy today - it's been raining the last couple days but it looked like it was done.Not really very cold either, but still needed full jacket and tights. Some guy passed JB and me near Moss Landing and we figgered him to be a flare.He pulled over at the top of the Bump to recover... looked like your typical tachycardia and anoxia.  I pulled out my cell phone and "checked my messages" when I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-49554975654004557282011-11-06T20:57:00.000-08:002011-11-06T21:28:57.945-08:00

I always think I can make it from my house to the Gate in 20 minutes; but heaps of data don't support that conclusion... I was five minutes late and JB had just started up but I caught him. Wildlife Encounter:  About 50 turkeys near Little Pine Creek.  I made my signature gobble noise and got them to all gobble back... that always cracks me up. Kind of a quiet day on the Mountain, but we did

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-75417417382774442082011-10-29T21:40:00.000-07:002011-10-30T13:06:21.158-07:00

Whoa it was cold this morning.  Couldn't find my tights but found some leg warmers and my jacket.  Should have brought long-fingered gloves too but didn't. Wildlife Encounter:  a deer above the Bump. I decided to give a name to that place near Son of Chainbuster where I frequently see coyotes - I call it "Coyote Flats".  See Below Another Wildlife Encounter:  Coyote at Coyote Flats At the

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-21825203966024439132011-10-15T20:10:00.000-07:002011-10-15T20:10:02.871-07:00

Solo ascent this morning, so I went easy and went to the Summit. Wildlife Encounter:  Red Tail Hawk. Wildlife Encounter:  Turkeys at the Bump Roadkill Report:  spiders and snakes. Saw some guys working on one of the towers near the Summit.  They had some kind of hoist system and then they just grabbed on to the stairs... Looked like fun, but maybe a little scary too. TWO flats

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-8939842391941014782011-10-12T22:09:00.000-07:002011-10-12T22:10:14.549-07:00

Just me and Seppi tonight. Lots and lots of wildlife, including about 10 tarantulas, 12 deer, and coyotes (somewhere unseen but heard). And so the sun sets on another season of Wednesday Night Rides, and with them, my witty prose.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-11634752831851411592011-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:002011-10-09T13:10:26.525-07:00

Took a detour this morning and rode around The City on my Fixie.  Lots of tourists and Fleet Week enthusiasts.  Click the video for a San Francisco Treat. Saturday Morning in San Francisco from Diablo Scott on Vimeo. Biking Around Baghdad by the Bay. Finally, this is not me.The gentleman known as Diablo Scott on facebook lives in Pennsylvania and is seeking enlightenment through piercings,

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-36221399402318193992011-10-01T21:52:00.000-07:002011-10-01T21:52:18.399-07:00

Cool this morning.   Wildlife Encounter:  two deer at that estate across from the old nursery. Hooked up with JB at the Gate.  Passed a few guys int he first couple miles. Some guys at the Junction wearing fraternity shirts were asking about camping and fire pits.  Said they had some kind of ritual that required fire... I made a joke about sacrificing a goat.  Then remembered that with the

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-31913214900648390722011-09-28T23:41:00.000-07:002011-10-01T06:42:16.621-07:00

Took new guy Seppi up for his virgin Diablo ride.  He did fine. Probably only one or two more Wednsday Night Rides of 2011. Wildlife Encounter:  tarantula above the Bump

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-88038982781723647432011-09-24T18:16:00.000-07:002011-09-24T18:17:05.058-07:00

Late to the Gate.  This month I celebrate the 20th anniversary of my first Diablo ride. First ride of autumn.  Lots of stuff falling off of trees.  Some kind of seeds or something that make a noise like popcorn popping when you run over them. Way too many cars this morning... did a lot of riding near the edge of the road hoping they wouldn't pass around blind corners.   Roadkill Report:  

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-18843986480101710652011-09-17T16:27:00.000-07:002011-09-18T17:13:31.524-07:00

First ride of the season in tights!  We've been having cold nights but warm afternoons... wasn't a bad choice but maybe a little overkill. Went for a long one after the Upper Ranch but JB caught and passed me after Chainbuster... then I almost caught back up before the Junction. Some kind of ultra marathon running event happening on the trails but we didn't see much. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-59276182991285564772011-09-10T10:18:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:18:53.902-07:00

Me and JB. Bugs were really bad. Roadkill Report:  A really huge opossum. It was warm and humid and a little smoggy. There were some fires on The Mountain last night from lightning strikes but we didn't find any burned areas. We thought maybe this tree had been struck by lightning... probably not.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-16809329032256538512011-09-10T10:08:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:08:30.944-07:00

Warm, buggy afternoon. Wildlife Encounter:  Black Eared Jack Creepy how their eyes sort of bug out.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-87796237550523870952011-09-04T12:19:00.000-07:002011-09-04T12:19:16.068-07:00

Mornings are coming later and later.  School's started, weather's cooler.  Still not sure why the Mountain was packed with cyclists this morning though.  There were a bunch of guys in USO jerseys but they weren't the only group.  Bonus - I was faster than most of them. Wildlife Encounter:  deer near the Arroyo del Cerro. I was planning on a Diablo Spy Cam from this location, but the

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-43257065774500151712011-09-01T20:52:00.000-07:002011-09-01T20:52:17.580-07:00

Little windy Long Shadows Sunset's gittin earlier Adam blew by us with his high-zoot carbo-wheels.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-58299914267383161542011-08-27T12:08:00.000-07:002011-08-27T12:08:18.614-07:00

Another garage flat this morning!  Rear tire again, I started to think I had a burr in my rim or something but it looks like just bad luck... pinhole on the tube seem.  I was a little late but JB was waiting. Wildlife Encounter:  Turkeys at Little Pine Creek Roadkill Report:  Rat.  A whole mess of crows were breakfasting on this comestible but it was a little too heavy for any of them to

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-59264432277375834432011-08-24T21:37:00.000-07:002011-08-24T21:37:18.369-07:00

Forgot to bring a jersey to work today so I had to ride in a T-shirt and didn't have a pocket for my camera. Wildlife Encounter:  deer on Burma Road Trail Pretty warm tonight and I didn't go very hard.  Had another appointment with the dermatorturist today and I'm still hurting. OK, no photos but here's a consolation prize: Scanned in a couple photos I found in my Big Box O' Junk... enjoy.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-41157798298582087422011-08-21T10:25:00.000-07:002011-08-21T10:25:28.769-07:00

While the rest of the country bakes in hellish heat, the Diablo weather was almost cold enough for arm warmers. JB and I met at the Gate at Eight. Those look like rain clouds! Wildlife Encounter:  deer at Chainbuster. It cleared up nicely at about 1500 feet elevation. Talked to a woman at Junction who started riding when she turned 50 and it hurt too much to run, she's loving

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-84590179824889899182011-08-17T18:15:00.000-07:002011-08-18T06:37:24.493-07:00

Warm tonight.  Frozen bottle trick worked great.  Got passed by about a dozen people.  One guy caught me but didn't pass so I attacked and held about a one-minute gap the rest of the way... PWN. Had a garage flat before leaving home.  Installed a new tube and put the bike in my truck before I went to work.  Looks like my rear tire has the requisite amount of missing tread to merit a replacement.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-26848174756138287552011-08-14T22:51:00.000-07:002011-08-21T10:26:41.691-07:00

Diablo Wife has been wanting to do this ride for a couple years now. Talked our neighbor friend and her son into coming along too. We signed up for the 35 mile ride. Diablo Wife thought we should have matching jerseys. Bought some from last year’s Tour of California… the “most aggressive rider / breakaway from cancer” classification jerseys. Hincapie Sportswear… very nice. Good deal too since

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-23392543875766713852011-08-13T11:37:00.000-07:002011-08-13T20:44:54.761-07:00

Met JB at 8 at the Gate. Hardly saw any other riders until the Upper Ranch and then there were about a dozen, not together, just all bunched up... funny how that works. I'm feeling pretty good, but not very strong.  And my heart rate is too high for my output but it's good to be back on the Mountain. Wildlife Encounter:  Black Eared Jack at the Windmill House. Saw Morgan at the Junction and

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-79630770352798510962011-08-10T21:41:00.000-07:002011-08-11T06:43:35.089-07:00

Quite a bit warmer, dryer, and browner than on my most recent ride last month. Felt OK but didn't push it... heart rate was high from 1) loss of conditioning, 2) heat, 3) excitement about new pedals.  Only got passed by three guys... I think there were only four of us up there though.  JB came up later and said he had a flat with a bad spare at Moss Landing. Wildlife Encounter:  deer at the

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-52403127003196423042011-07-23T14:55:00.000-07:002011-07-23T14:55:01.403-07:00

Seemed to be pulling out of my pedals a lot recently... apparently worn cleats were the cause: Look Delta... ole skewl. Went to Sports Basement to get some new ones - they were $15 but the Basement had a sale on new pedals that came with cleats, so I decided it was time for a change.  The old pedals were close to 10 years old and I start to mistrust weight bearing components at that age - plus

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-68911174014394473542011-07-16T18:12:00.000-07:002011-07-17T08:09:12.199-07:00

Yesterday it was so cool and windy that I joked we'd need tights for this morning's ride.  Wasn't far off, but I toughed it out with regular shorts and jersey. JB got to the Gate shortly after me  - he brought his winter jacket but packed it away for the ride. Wildlife Encounter:  a cute bunny with a cotton tail... looked like he was just waiting for something to catch and eat him. Near Son of

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-82417175672908484202011-07-10T10:18:00.000-07:002011-07-10T10:20:48.850-07:00

Good day for a non-Diablo ride.  Club ride started in Dublin and rode out Dublin Canyon Road and Redwood and a bunch of fun little back roads to the Oakland zoo. I split my time between riding with the two or three fitness fanatics (multiple Death Ride survivors, and Triple Crown royalty) and the ordinary middle-aged fitness buffs.  Worked out pretty well.  It was kind of an odd crowd because

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-91365063171266956502011-07-06T23:58:00.000-07:002011-07-07T12:09:17.218-07:00

HAWT!  One of those days you just want to get it over with...Frozen water bottle trick worked a little bit.There were a zillion squirrels out too, lying in the shade until you got close to them, then they'd run away.  Little ones, about the size of rats. I drafted these guys for about 3 revs in my 39x21... it was awesome. After that I chased "The Girl With The Yellow Tires" and pretty much kept

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-13197645807692115022011-07-02T14:55:00.000-07:002011-07-04T15:21:05.550-07:00

Met JB at the Gate and we rolled.Somewhere on the Bump he unleashed his inner Contador and the elastic snapped.Not nearly so many people as last week, but a large number of them were already descending, so they must have gotten a real early start.Then down the south side and the Hole.Wildlife Encounter:  two groups of black tail deer with spotted fawns.Going to be real hot the next few days.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-11030205893416441152011-06-30T06:27:00.000-07:002011-06-30T12:17:22.449-07:00

Just me tonight.Passed two old geezers - woohoo, things are looking up! Also, saw a tarantula on the way back down... he must've been confused or scared by the weird weather. Not much else to write about, so here's a video from 1988... anybody know if this guy is still around?

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-18709761303140662882011-06-25T19:44:00.000-07:002011-06-27T10:10:37.068-07:00

I was feeling slow, so I got a head start on JB. Cool and windy at the start, warm and calm a little higher up. Then JB and I went up to Juniper. Then I went up to Muir for a DIABLO SPY CAM. Hella lotta riders today, lots of people training for the Death Ride I guess... good day for a DIABLO SPY CAM. Milliron Beaker

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-39563668473134568662011-06-22T19:00:00.000-07:002011-06-23T12:02:08.349-07:00

HOT!  Felt good though. Big shady oak was a nice relief. JB disappeared up the road around Upper Washout, leaving me to finish alone. Lots of people at the Junction, mostly talking about how hot it was. Wildlife Encounter:  Coyote at the Bump on my way down.  He watched me come to a complete stop, posed graciously while I pulled my camera out, and then disappeared into the tall grass with

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-9398829777457305992011-06-18T13:12:00.000-07:002011-06-20T09:43:17.937-07:00

First things first - got this video of a rattlesnake near Junction...  JB had a garage flat and called to say he'd be late so it was just me to the Junction.  I got passed by a steady stream of single riders... about one every 5 minutes. The only guy I passed caught me back up a few minutes later. At the Junction there was a downed tree all cut up... couldn't figure out where it came from

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-75948922084914051282011-06-11T16:32:00.000-07:002011-06-12T15:41:57.793-07:00

Ride left from Orinda and it took me almost an hour to get there. Roadkill Report:  An opossum just down the street from my house. Eight of us including Coach Janet; owner of a Triple Crown jersey.  She explained the route and distance and then asked if anybody was worried about the ride... everyone knew what to expect, so we rolled. Did The Bears first with that long grind up Pumphouse Hill

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-91341632558016065792011-05-28T15:32:00.000-07:002011-05-28T15:32:08.024-07:00

Almost summer and I'm still wearing tights.  JB even brought his GoreTex Wildlife Encounter:  turkeys and a jackrabbit Went up to Juniper - would've been nice having winter gloves and arm warmers but I survived. Saturday morning regular shoutouts:  Dudley, Chris, Keith. May have an organized event for next weekend.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-63342201508430088172011-05-21T14:59:00.000-07:002011-05-21T15:00:44.947-07:00

Plan today was to meet my health club team at the Junction - they were coming up the easy side.  I got caught by another guy on the club team coming up NGR and we rode together to the Junction.   Wildlife Encounter:  Jackrabbit and turkey. We were early so he went up Summit Road and I hung around Junction for a while.  Then Peter came up the South Side and said he'd just moved to San Ramon to be

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-64009122411997705392011-05-18T06:04:00.000-07:002011-05-20T08:42:28.754-07:00

Sorry but Blogger is doing some weird things with photos again - if you see a picture that isn't awesome, you should click on it to get the full awesomeness. Got a pair of vintage sew up rims off eBay for $25 (only needed one but now I'll have a spare too.) Built it up this week.   A very satisfying project.  There was a lot of glue residue that was hard to get off - maybe from Tufo tape?  I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-9832596034081724532011-05-14T21:38:00.000-07:002011-05-15T10:11:29.214-07:00

Bike to work day was Thursday - there were a few more bikes than usual in the garage - and a few more stashed in empty offices inside.Had a rear flat this morning when I took the bike down from the hooks - then I buggered up the repair so I was going to be really late... called JB and he said he wasn't coming anyway, so I took my time.Cold but not too windy.Storm's coming... really?Stopped here

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-24255120910093179972011-05-11T06:29:00.000-07:002011-05-13T20:44:58.847-07:00

Was up at Rock City for a Mother's Day gathering Sunday and came home with A FREAKIN TICK!!!!Before the ride this afternoon - Adam asked if any of us had a chain tool. Turns out he put his chain on and missed the little tab that holds it on the derailleur pulleys. He was excoriated with a judicious amount of newb-rank by the veteran mechanics in the office.He even raced it like this in

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-19886909580840033482011-05-07T11:17:00.000-07:002011-05-07T13:41:30.600-07:00

Got my new wheels last night, rode 'em today - see video review:Review Excel Sports Boulder Wheels from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.They ride real nice - maybe a bit less susceptible to crosswinds than the Race Lites.Wildlife Encounter: deer at the goat yard.Strong gusty winds defined the whole ride, with short sections of calm... it was weird. Coming down I wished I'd brought winter gloves.The swap

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-70775056384625973552011-05-04T21:19:00.000-07:002011-05-06T18:28:31.502-07:00

Man it was hot. I forgot to pack any Cytomax so I had a single bottle of plain old CCWD H2O.Met Edgardo and new guy Chad at the Church. Chad's several orders of magnitude too good for us but he has an injury that slows him down a little.Edgardo's on a borrowed bike - his Specialized broke at the rear dropouts and he's looking for a replacement.Wildlife Encounter: Turkeys and LizardsHeard a

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-90418130815878927692011-04-30T22:07:00.000-07:002011-04-30T22:44:42.507-07:00

Looking at the Mountain from my office yesterday, it appeared as though someone poured yellow all over the park.This morning was cool and windy. The last of the Devil Mountain Double riders was off the Mountain by about 8:20.Saturday Morning Regulars: ThatGuy, Dudley.All this yellow and green and orange and purple will be brown in another month or two.Still feeling a few hematocrits low so I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-3403371007760278802011-04-27T21:47:00.000-07:002011-04-28T12:44:32.754-07:00

Nice weather tonight. I felt pretty good on Saturday's ride so I was expecting to have a good ride today too. JB and I got to the Dumpster Gate though, and when my lungs put out the word for more power... it wasn't there. That's when I remembered I donated a double ration of red blood cells to the BCOP after the ride on Saturday. Wiki says humans have about 10 pints of blood so I figure my

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-37289016476238524362011-04-23T19:18:00.000-07:002011-04-23T19:32:38.033-07:00

The DMD was coming down Diablo as JB and I went up. My highest admiration goes to everyone who does that most awesome ride.Wildlife Encounter: lots and lots of turkeysStill a bit colder than I would expect for late April. Arm warmers and tights.Roadkill Report: I'd like to pretend this might be a badger, but it's probably a plain old coon. Extraordinarily odoriferous though.There were dozens

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-85094030366540217102011-04-17T22:00:00.001-07:002011-04-18T09:30:43.296-07:00

First things first - awesome ride by Meneer Van Summeren. Proost. OK, this is the third year for the Diablo Century but the first year I've done it. Here's the map and profile. I expected this to be a medium difficulty ride. Most of the tough climbing is at the beginning. I planned for a 6:30am start and a 3:00pm finish. Couple hiccups with my plan: 1. I drop my wheels into the truing stand for a

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-90309433586117418832011-04-09T12:34:00.000-07:002011-04-09T13:12:02.287-07:00

After watching the RONDE VAN VLAANDEREN last week, I was inspired to create this chart:Man, if they could replicate the Wall with cobbles in Flanders, de Ronde would be an even more awesome race.I'm late, there's no rock, so I start up alone.Wildlife Encounter: Turkey before the GateReally looking like spring on the Mountain.Another Wildlife Encounter: More turkeys near the Dumpster

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-43588186339071282922011-04-03T22:27:00.000-07:002011-04-03T22:49:33.080-07:00

Best weather in many months. Still kind of cloudy and not exactly warm but the Mountain was teeming with riders enjoying the beautiful day.My computer went kind of wonky at the Lower Ranch; I replaced the battery in the transmitter and that seemed to fix it. JB caught up to me there and we got to Junction together.Wildlife Encounter: Coyote above Ranger House on NGR. Looks like the same guy I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-75645612474845293962011-04-01T00:01:00.000-07:002011-04-01T00:01:06.399-07:00

Enough is enough!Finally, the Park Service has recognized the environmental impact and general unpleasantness of horse manure.Either diaper your steed or pack some giant poop bags!Set a new PB to the Loading Dock... then faded a little bit.Roadkill Report: Chupacabras just past the Ranger HouseDidn't stop until Devil's Thumb Wildlife Encounter: spider near Surface of MarsHope this bullshit is

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-32453983081447597652011-03-30T21:40:00.000-07:002011-03-30T21:50:58.386-07:00

All the crappy weather of the last few weeks is over and tonight was warm and windy.I'm not in my groove though so I forgot my HRM and floor pump at home and my camera in my truck... so you get a photo of my bike in my truck:Wildlife Encounter: Jackrabbit at the Loading DockAlso, Grape Cytomax is some good stuff, but if you don't get it mixed up really well, the undissolved powder looks like

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-7907234686017551392011-03-12T16:24:00.000-08:002011-03-13T17:10:16.161-07:00

Another beautiful morning on the best Mountain in the world for cycling.Wildlife Encounter: Coyote at Son of Chainbuster. Check out my new YouTube channel (link in sidebar) - I've been uploading some old racing footage from VHS tapes. The Vimeo page is videos of me and my rides, but the YouTube channel is stuff I recorded off the TV. Lots more to come - subscribe and thumb me up!

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-78693600722008926092011-03-06T14:24:00.000-08:002011-03-06T14:46:17.469-08:00

Wow, great weather this morning. Could have done it without a jacket. Big change from last week. No JB at the Gate so I went up alone. Wildlife Encounter: Bunny below Bump Then at Junction I went looking for a new viewpoint for a photo... When suddenly... THAT GUY came down and I managed to trip the shutter on him... He looked at me like "what are you looking at?" Then I started down and

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-38225609403161750832011-02-26T21:48:00.000-08:002011-02-27T15:38:04.332-08:00

A mile from home I was already wishing I had my booties on... and figured I'd later be wishing I had my neck gator and ear jock. Fortunately, I thought to bring double gloves.We were supposed to get a news-worthy blizzard last night, but instead got squat.OK, this is worth some Belgian Hardman® Points though...I sent out a request for Diablo Snow photos thinking it was going to be a photo-worthy

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-90036940915588290502011-02-22T06:52:00.001-08:002011-02-23T14:26:14.499-08:00

Another snow show is expected this weekend - go take your best snap and send it to me and I'll publish it with whatever credentials you'd like to include.Here's one I took from DVC on Sunday afternoon. Blog reader Pumpkincycle sent me this one, taken by a friend with a helocopter.While I'm at it - here's another great website with old time photos and racing history:http://www.cyclingpassions.eu/

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-56225533336133276942011-02-19T14:06:00.000-08:002011-02-19T15:13:53.159-08:00

Came down with a really nasty bug last week, and this week the weather has been awful. The rain finally let up over night and exposed the blanket of snow on His Majesty.Left a rock on the post but JB didn't show.Drizzled on me most of the way up, it was divine.Not as many cars as I might have expected... probably the rain was keeping them away.The snow level was down way below 2000 feet, but

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-67337425871957782552011-02-05T16:18:00.001-08:002011-02-06T08:18:00.462-08:00

JB was late, caught me at Chainbuster.Nice clear skies, but the wind was not my friend.A shame that visitors won't get the greatest view in the Bay Area for a while.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-27504106544861543662011-01-29T17:25:00.002-08:002011-02-02T12:22:06.968-08:00

Wildlife Encounter: Peloton of turkeys.It's not fog - it's steam coming off the weeds as the sun warms up the Earth and evaporates the dew... kewl. THAT GUY passed me before the Gate, he was in shorts already.Then JB and I did the Hole. It was a little colder on the South Side.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-67364123223210428442011-01-22T18:06:00.000-08:002011-01-23T07:57:31.231-08:00

Much less foggy though. Met Rick and JB at the Church and visibility was pretty good. By the time we got to the Dumpster Gate it was clear and almost warm. Then the wind picked up and it was kind of a warm wind that made me want to take off my jacket. When we got past the Bump, the wind was so strong it made riding close together pretty tricky... three to a lane was just making me a little

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-80531118417271083542011-01-15T18:19:00.000-08:002011-01-16T00:02:46.272-08:00

Pretty much just like last week.Even got pretty much the same photos - LOL.Fog ceiling was a little lower.Almost 70°F at the Junction.This chunk of road is doomed. For a little perspective...OBTW - I've added a favorite blog to my list: Fast Eddy's Flandria Cafe for lovers of Flemish cycling past and present. Really great stuff over there.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-37995164511665570962011-01-08T13:31:00.000-08:002011-01-08T16:33:13.614-08:00

JB and I were both about 10 minutes late so that worked out great. Fog was thick and got thicker as we got higher. I wasn't sure we'd ever climb out of it.Just about Chainbuster though was the ceiling, just as JB had predicted, and it was glorious. Sunny and blue skies, dry and (sorta) warm.Re-washout is getting worse. I suspect contractor malfeasance.After a short break at Junction we went

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-51821845929910584012010-12-18T11:48:00.001-08:002010-12-18T12:39:56.410-08:00

Surprised this morning that it wasn't raining harder... forecast was for heavy precip. I was prepared to cancel when I woke up but when I looked outside I decided to go for it. Got my new crank on earlier this week but I needed to put on the chain and pedals before the ride.New and clean... that won't last long.No one at the Gate, I put up the rock. Nice to hear the creeks burbling.One nice

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-83918502702984894082010-12-12T10:10:00.000-08:002010-12-15T21:17:54.948-08:00

Hit "snooze" a few too many times this morning. Was late to the Gate and the rock was on the post.Stopped to watch a hawk (?) eat a rat (?) on the power lines near the Loading Dock, but he (?) wouldn't let me get close enough for a good photo.North Gate pavement is getting pretty bad... some combination of age, construction, and weather I guess.Up past Chainbuster the fog started to clear a

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-70374065039418504342010-12-04T23:22:00.001-08:002010-12-08T06:49:03.842-08:00

JB told me he wouldn't be coming... he's got some kind of throat bug. So I gladly slept an extra half hour and prep'ed for a solo ride. Forecast was for rain so I was expecting some Belgian Hardman points.CLICK ON THE PHOTOS! Blogger software is clipping them so you're only seeing half the shot... I'll get this figured out before my next post.The weather was holding out though and things were

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-17378394508486012962010-11-20T10:58:00.001-08:002010-11-21T14:52:14.585-08:00

Second ride of the season requiring my full jacket, first ride with my winter gloves and rain jacket. Some blue sky mixed in with black rain clouds... I knew I was going to get wet at some point.Met Peter and JB at the Gate. After the Bump I quit watching my watch and just plugged along. Always nice to see other riders unafraid of a little precip.Put the rain jacket on near the Upper Washout,

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-24522785905902053572010-11-13T10:14:00.000-08:002010-11-14T11:11:06.574-08:00

Left home and it was chilly enough to wear my winter jacket for the first time this season. Turned on to NGR and it was like riding in a clothes dryer vent: warm and humid... very strange transitional weather.Met up with JB and Peter at the Gate. They dropped me at the Bump.Above the Bump it was really windy - the kind of wind that makes you get out of the saddle just so you don't get blown off

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-71494366477239592142010-11-06T12:00:00.000-07:002010-11-06T15:58:40.247-07:00

Wow, four weeks in a row with no Diablo rides, that might be a record for me. Today was nice weather, and it's the last Saturday of Daylight Time. Got to the Gate a little early and gave myself a head start on JB.Not too many riders, only got passed by one guy.Newsbit from the Mountain:When JB got to Junction he asked if I'd seen the guy on the odd eliptical motion running bike. I said "no",

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-50832866722221733022010-10-16T19:29:00.000-07:002010-10-17T21:14:06.246-07:00

Diablo daughter and I did this ride in great weather through nut and fruit orchards, watermelon fields, pumpkin patches, horse ranches, and assorted agricultural acres.Two minute fun movie!Foxy's Fall Century 2010 from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-48145425454586681962010-10-09T18:28:00.000-07:002010-10-11T12:51:42.428-07:00

I'm losing my status as a morning person - had a real hard time getting going this morning.No rock so I didn't try to catch JB.Wildlife Encounter: Coyote Tarantula Tally: three. Local paper did an article on them this week so there were a bunch of cars driving very slowly looking for them. Pretty easy to photgraph since they move pretty slowly.Approaching Chainbuster, I see four riders coming

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-53211974325876734752010-10-06T17:53:00.000-07:002010-10-07T18:07:12.170-07:00

I was pretty sure this would be my last 2010 WNR.Parked on Doncaster and both tires were flat!Pumped up the rear and it seemed to hold, but the front had an audible leak from the valve area so I replaced the tube and got a late start.On the way up I got passed by no one… seems not to be related to my actual speed though since most everybody on the Mountain was on their way back down

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-86361742237807275482010-10-05T08:31:00.000-07:002010-10-06T08:13:49.612-07:00

My fourth year as a mule. Got to the Athenian at 6am and helped direct the volunteers, showed them where to park or where to go. Helped another guy who was coordinating the trainer drop off.Rick's had a breakout year and was expecting a PB so I packed a "post PB recovery snack" for him (banana muffin and chocolate milk).At about 8am I started loading backpacks into my truck. There were 4 drivers

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-23568865551301451192010-10-01T15:48:00.000-07:002010-10-03T21:47:09.687-07:00

OK, I'm 100% NorCal, but this was pretty sweet.Was in San Clemente for family matters and had Friday morning free for sand combing, wave diving, and beach cruiser riding up and down the shore. I could get used to this. This is apparently the equivalent of the Peet's in Danville. If you get down this way, check out Urban Bicycle Outfitters - tell Pete that Diablo Scott sent you. He also sells

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-66730280996628155232010-09-25T13:52:00.000-07:002010-09-25T14:47:14.717-07:00

Ready to roll and I position the bike for a tire pressup and was surprised to find I'd pushed the envelope a little too far on this tire. Not only could I see cords, the rubber was coming away from the casing. No way would this have made it through the ride today.Now I always have an extra tire hanging in the garage. And my normal procedure is when the back tire shows cords, rotate the front

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-89527560112494123042010-09-22T22:30:00.000-07:002010-09-23T21:38:18.727-07:00

Last weekend, I unsuccesfully attempted to install the Velo Orange fenders on my Masi fixed gear commute bike. The directions sucked and it didn't seem like they gave me enough mounting bits... so I took it to the friendly pro's at Encina Bikes. They didn't have an easy time either. Fender mounting is frequently one of those things that requires a lot of creativity and kludgery and I just didn't

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-6397027933251684902010-09-18T10:06:00.001-07:002010-09-18T10:16:42.903-07:00

Wildlife Encounter: two young deers below the Gate... wouldn't hold still for a good photo though.Thick cool fog this morning, sort of like a locker room after many steamy showers but after it's cooled down and the condensation is on everything. Had to take off my sunglasses to see after a while. Road was pretty wet too in the higher ups. Couple times I spun the rear wheel around a hairpin.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-4018061203287148412010-09-15T21:48:00.000-07:002010-09-18T06:30:13.966-07:00

Only a few more Wednesday night rides left this year. Coming down there were several places where you're looking right into the sun and have to remember what the road does until you can see again.Wildlife Encounter: TWO tarantulas.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-4608611874854216092010-09-11T18:29:00.001-07:002010-09-12T07:43:19.940-07:00

Regulars on the Mountain today: Me, JB, JayK, PeterC, The Guy, Rick, and Dudley. Started off a little cool, got warm real fast. Conversation topics: gas line explosion in San Bruno, Hawkeye football, Vuelta curfews, Quran burning, and mosque building. JB turned around at Junction and I went to Juniper... very slowly.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-5435029686247330652010-09-04T23:19:00.000-07:002010-09-05T19:43:53.178-07:00

Spare the Air please. Three days of sub-optimal atmospheric conditions. Today was a little better but you could see a lot of smog along the freeway corridors.JB caught me at mile 2, then we came across Peter coming down, then a couple other guys caught up to us and one of them was from New Zealand... he told us jokes about Australians and some personal insight on earthquakes in Kiwiland (there

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-45005066087401405752010-09-01T05:45:00.000-07:002010-09-02T05:50:41.698-07:00

HOT HOT HOTI hate when "spare the air" days are on Wednesday because that's usually the only day I drive to work. Waiting at the red light.Tarantulas are out, haven't seen one yet. It wasn't the kind of killer heat that makes you not want to ride at all, it was the kind of heat that sucks out your energy and makes you kill yourself. I was really wiped when I got to the Junction. Bagpipers

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-44700351436239258382010-08-28T15:30:00.000-07:002010-08-28T21:08:43.564-07:00

See??!! Wildlife Encounter: Buck just past the Bump - far enough away that I didn't scare him off... too far for a really great photo. These two guys came around me on the descent just after Chainbuster... then slowed me down the rest of they way in to town.Seems like construction is done on the Overpass... probably they just want to do some landscaping before Arnold comes to cut the ribbon.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-42438439350585461172010-08-28T01:20:00.000-07:002010-11-29T10:11:15.737-08:00

Product Review: Masi Speciale Commuter (say “spay - chah - lay”, not “spesshy - yaal”… this bike is Italian… sorta) I finally sold my old Specialized Rockhopper Comp – that thing saw 17 years of hard use from MTB trails, Critical Mass, baby trailer pulling, kiddie tandem add-on pulling, and most recently… foul weather commuting. The frame was still going strong but the shifting and brakes got

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-7093107372561852792010-08-18T23:25:00.000-07:002010-08-20T19:44:37.153-07:00

Twelve days post blood donation. I could push a little harder but still went into oxygen debt a little earlier than I should've. Nice day, almost felt like a real summer.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-44203474257737873912010-08-14T19:27:00.000-07:002010-08-15T07:44:31.696-07:00

7 days post double-red blood donation and I was feeling fine.Surprisingly cold and windy this morning, I wore an undershirt.Wildlife Encounter: turkeys on this guy's lawn outside the Park.JB joined me at the Gate, seemed to be coughing a lot.On the Bump, I went anaerobic and never really recovered so I guess that was a blood thing... slow recovery, low stamina, quick to go over the aerobic

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-9549926626357323852010-08-11T23:22:00.000-07:002010-08-12T22:44:05.187-07:00

Four days post double-red blood donation. This time, my hematocrit dropped from 43.8 to 38.7 so I ended up a couple percent higher than I did last time. I felt pretty good and was hoping there wouldn’t be much noticeable effect.Parked on Doncaster and happened upon old-regular Dan who used to ride with us before changing jobs and moving around. We started off together since JB was a no show. Dan

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-6439115473927526052010-08-04T23:11:00.000-07:002010-08-04T23:28:22.937-07:00

Abandonee at Moss Landing.Ed started up before me so I was looking forward to chasing him down. JB hadn't started yet so it seemed like a good beginning. Talked to a guy named Steven on Doncaster and he was looking for a group but didn't know when they were supposed to be there. I said, "Just go, you'll find somebody to ride with."So just after the dips, the Gruppo Taleo came by with another half

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-82416837585382052772010-07-31T17:43:00.001-07:002010-07-31T20:43:16.594-07:00

No JB. I rocked the post.Got to Moss Landing and wow...Wildlife Encounter: Bobcat at Little Pine Creek TrailMy first thought was, "is that a mountain lion?". And my second thought was, "you don't see mountain lions... they see you." But it was definitely the biggest bobcat I've ever seen. He saw me too and crouched behind some weeds for a while. I stopped and waited for him to walk away so I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-43456010436011820792010-07-27T23:31:00.000-07:002010-07-31T06:43:49.574-07:00

Very enjoyable, ordinary ride tonight. Then Blog Reader Ward came zooming by. First he passed me, then he passed along these photos. He must have a fast shutter because I'm pretty sure I should be blurrier here. Space time was warping in his wake. Blog reader Joe wrote me asking if I might know anyone who would like to buy his "near mint" Klein USPS Masters Team Quantum Pro XX. Well, do I? I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-8624728646410052722010-07-24T11:56:00.001-07:002010-07-24T12:11:33.275-07:00

Got to the Gate a little early so did some stretching, then figured I'd start up so as I went to put a rock on the post, I see there's already one there... wasn't sure if JB had gone up or if it was leftover.Then about 20 riders went by and it looked like I was faster than most of them so I gave them a head start with the thought of running up the score on my passing ratio. It was a little

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-65678283984557515282010-07-21T22:38:00.000-07:002010-07-23T22:41:40.847-07:00

Not a bad moon rising. JB was late to the Gate. Played dog and rabbit with a couple guys and that was fun.It was pretty windy but still managed a sub-shameful time.

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-5300209593860181722010-07-17T20:08:00.000-07:002010-07-18T08:20:35.362-07:00

Met JB at the Gate. Warm and windy. We both had stuff to do today so Junction was the end.On the way home on San Carlos I looked down and saw something stuck to my front tire - I envisioned myself doing a sew-up style tire wipe with my left hand, knocking out a goat head, and then hearing that PSSST PSSST PSSST and then fixing a flat. And then it all happened just as in my prophecy. Now I'm

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-50947726667520496772010-07-14T21:37:00.000-07:002010-07-14T22:24:17.053-07:00

Wildlife Encounter: Three small deers near Wunderbar. Only one stopped to pose.Hot today - I made a mental note not to melt my sew up glue and Beloki the descent... then I remembered I wasn't riding my sew ups.Wildlife Encounter: Two jackrabbits at the Loading Dock. On my way back down I came upon a group of about 20 riders on their ways up. Must have been TnT or something.Earlier this week I

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-79845785638125704522010-07-10T14:28:00.000-07:002010-07-10T22:04:42.479-07:00

The Death Ride is today, so only we weenies were on the Mountain.Livestrong San Jose is also today.Seattle to Portland is next weekend... there goes my consecutive streak of one.JB's on vacation so I gave myself an extra half hour before starting. It was already pretty warm... frozen Cytomax thawed right on schedule.So, didn't push too hard to Junction, then went to Juniper.Wildlife Encounter:

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-6946229964421039202010-07-07T20:22:00.001-07:002010-07-07T22:32:40.878-07:00

Got a late start tonight... nobody to slow down. Roadkill Report: rodentus nonidentificatusGreat weather and I did a pretty decent time. Wildlife Encounter: coyote near Lower Ranch

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-48759864843478287512010-07-03T12:47:00.000-07:002010-07-04T06:29:00.532-07:00

Got a few minutes head start on JB, but he caught me before the Bump.Really warm this morning, with a pretty strong wind.The wind was warm too, but it was still an effective heat transfer fluid.Roadkill Report: Jack rabbitThis one's a little more gory than most, click HERE to see the photo.So we got to the Junction and word from the Summit was that the wind was a lot worse up there and then we

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5285958.post-76771596455281556712010-06-30T21:00:00.000-07:002010-07-02T17:49:32.961-07:00

Warm afternoon. JB and I started up together. Then this guy passed us, then he slowed down and we passed him, then he tried to catch us again, it was fun.I'm having some soccer withdrawls but the Tour starts in a couple days so I think I'll survive.I can donate blood again in three weeks... good, another excuse for being slow!

Diablo Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17186138821702336405noreply@blogger.com0