2016 SMR 15

Roadkill Report:  Jackrabbit at the nursery.

I think I should have waited.

Waiting for JB

Wildlife Encounter:  deer at the horse ranch.

Hmmm, not sure if I need my rain jacket or not.

Winds in the east, mist coming in.
Like somethin' is brewin' and bout to begin.
Can't put me finger on what lies in store,
But I fear what's to happen all happened before.

This couple was just ahead of us the whole way to Junction (see third photo above)...
but I had to outsprint them for the line... it was a matter of honor.

Above Junction, the fog and mist got a lot thicker.

Cleared up a little bit just before Summit.

Then it rained pretty good all the way down.

Riding in the rain, is life

2016 WNR 08

It was supposed to rain today, so I brought Eddy and a jacket.

Didn't rain, but it was kind of chilly

Wildlife Encounter:  Rattlesnake at the ZigZag.  I warned a couple of descending riders about him.

Kevin took off early and dusted us.
I stayed with the pack until the bottom of The Bump.

Shawn beat me to Junction last week and I didn't want that to happen again... 

He's about to do a multi-day tour and he's getting really strong, totally ready.

Maintained the gap the rest of the way, but I was in mild suffer mode.

2016 SMR 14

JB's on vacation, so just me today.

Devil Mountain Double was also today - so lots of extreme endurance riders coming down.

Oh hey... it's that guy again.

Wildlife Encounter:  jackrabbits at Turtle Rock

Friendly, familiar faces at Junction

Wind was really bad again this morning - strong gusts at all the wrong places.  I called it quits at Junction.

Wonder if all that luggage makes riding in the wind easier?

2016 WNR 07

 Nice crowd from work tonight, including Cindy... who's quite the big shot at the company.

Shawn's doing a North to South California tour next month

Shameless selfie

Artsy fartsy selfie

Selfie with Friend and Dramatic Clouds

Shawn was so intent on beating me to Junction that he just about hurled.

Elmar demonstrates "Le Dismounte Suisse"
#SwissDismount

2016 SMR 13

Beautiful weather and I felt good.

Hari texted his regrets.

JB got cold and turned around at Juniper.

Dumbass driver index was about 5 = average.

Ummm... excuse me.

This guy said he missed the turn to South Gate Road on his descent and didn't know how to get back to Danville.  He was from Los Angeles so I showed him some Diablo courtesy and rode him up to the trail and gave him some instructions.

2016 WNR 06

Today's ride photographed by Lou:
Special guest rider:  Edgardo

I attacked the pack early, to be the first photo.  Also swooped in close to Lou for a better shot - I don't usually ride in the wrong lane.

I felt really good and did my best Junction time since I started Strava.  JB couldn't even catch me.

2016 SMR 12

Hokey smokes it was windy this morning.

And there were hundreds of cars going to some event.

Totally not fun, and a little scary.

We called it quits at Junction.

Is that Vitas?

2016 WNR 05

Seven of us tonight.

Shawn got a new bike because his old one cracked at the back end of the top tube.  This is a Fuji Sportif disc brake frame he bought from Performance Dublin about a year ago and they honored the warranty so that's solid.  Gave him a new frame and transferred all the components and then he bought some new wheels because he wanted something tougher and more reliable than whatever was on there before for his commuting.  So he's been bikeless for about three weeks and this was his first Diablo of the season.

I don't know how they tell that there was no crash involved.

Shawn said his bike was feeling a little squirmy... HA!
He's lucky this didn't fail catastrophically at speed.

So many of us rode that staying in one group just isn't important or reasonable.  Plus some of the guys go to a kickball league after the ride and they need to get back down early.  So our little peloton disintegrated quickly.

Wildlife Encouter:  turkey

Just a little cool and windy tonight - nice riding weather.

2016 SMR 11

Here's the thing about riding in the rain.  First you have to just commit to doing it, and then you have to pretend you like it, and then eventually you come to enjoy it.

Only saw two other riders this morning.  #1:  Dudley - he even said "hi"... usually he doesn't even wave.

Roadkill Report:  a MOLE at the bottom of The Wall.  Big fat booger.

This is the new stone kicker the Park hired.  Clearing the road of falling rocks.

Other rider #2:  This guy.

Man, I look Belgian.

Those are hard-man wrinkles.