2011 SMR 28

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:  Squirrel.  I usually don't bother with these guys but this one appeared to be very recently defunct... no maggots or raptors had yet found the cadaver.

Lots of riders at the Junction... mostly complaining about all the cars.

Thanks to blog reader PumkinCycle for this notice which appeared in the CoCo Times.

By Gary Richards (9/11/2011 CCT)

Q      I have a question regarding Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard in the Danville area. I have ridden my bike up Mt. Diablo pretty regularly for the past 10 years and the stretch shortly past Athenian School is in such a sorry state, with potholes as deep as 4 to 5 inches and as wide as a few feet all over the road for maybe a quarter-mile. Why has this road not been repaved? It's been like this even before our state's budget crisis, so money might not be the only issue. ... Can you make some sense out of the rotten condition of the road leading up to the South Gate entrance to Mt. Diablo State Park? It's a mess. ... There are rumors that somebody likes the road the way it is, because it discourages traffic of all sorts. ... It's apparently a private road without a maintenance agreement with Contra Costa County, and it's not clear what group of people are responsible or what it would take to motivate them to do anything. It's hard to believe nothing can be done.

Brian Fong, David Brower, Jim Clark and more

A        I'm sure you're right, but after years of complaints like this, now there is hope. Residents along this private road and county officials could reach an agreement by the end of the year to pave this road. It is a private road belonging to all the landowners between Diablo/Blackhawk Road and the park entrance gate on South Gate, and they must come up with money to do this needed work.