2022 Diablo Day 26 - Saturday Junction

Nice day.🌞

The Devil Mountain Double was on today... we saw mostly the late starters I think. Several riders with Cal Triple Crown jerseys.

I rolled the Icy Hot on good and thick, knee still hurt.

Me and JB talked about safety turnouts, pavement condition, and neighbors that do weird stuff.  At Junction we talked about riding on Wednesday.

Wildlife Encounter:  turkeys and a jack rabbit.

Jackrabbits are actually hares, not rabbits. Hares are larger than rabbits, and they typically have taller hind legs and longer ears.

OK, whatever. 

https://www.velofix.com/

Cal Jersey Autoblog

2022 Diablo Day 25 - Saturday Junction

 Just me today. Took the Klein again. Knee hurt more than I was expecting, but it got a little better after a few miles.

Started late. More bikes, more cars, but no big caravans of Boy Scouts or anything.

The weather was more perfect than I could have prescribed... warm, sunny, and slight breeze.

About Mile 2 my neighbor Mark rode up from behind me and said "Hey neighbor".  I told him a joke, and then he left the road to continue on Burma Trail.

Finished with an OK Junction time, aerobic system seemed to have improved some because it was the knee that was holding me back today.

On the bike maintenance topic... I'm getting some annoying creaks and gear skipping... probably time for a new cassette and chain and a good lube job.

Mark rides away on Burma Trail.

Oooh, nice MOOTS.

2022 Diablo Day 24 - Wednesday Junction

Everybody was busy or away except me and JB. We started at 2PM.

We talked about Gilbert Gottfried, income taxes, rain, and getting slower.

Not many riders today, but did see a few regulars.

Cool and windy for April - good thing I haven't put my winter kit in storage yet. I took my Klein again and did much better - drove to The Church and my knee felt almost good.

Oddball Encounter:  Sheep on a leash

Paris-Roubaix on Sunday

This is what a tire looks like when you've done one ride too many.

Bugs like this don't bug me so much.

2022 Diablo Day 23 - Wednesday

OK, today JB had to start early and I couldn't, and no one else was coming... so I decided to ride from home for THE FIRST TIME SINCE MY KNEE FRACTURE. And I decided to ride my Klein for THE FIRST TIME SINCE MY KNEE FRACTURE.

It was very warm though, and I thought I was ready for it but I wudn't. The heat and lack of fitness and loss of muscle, and the extra miles, and higher gearing all conspired to make me way too tired. After 4 miles or so I wondered if I'd even make Junction. But I stopped at a few shade spots for rest and recovery and soldiered on.

I'm still tired.

This was bright green just a few days ago.

The Shady Rest

Son of Chainbuster

2022 Diablo Day 22 - Saturday Junction

 Sunny, windy, poppies, and bugs.

Yeah, there were a lot of bugs, but they were the early-season bugs that haven't yet figured out how to maximize their annoyance factor. At Junction though, when you're just standing there, they attacked - I swatted one on my ankle and got a big blood spot - not sure if it was my blood or bug blood.

De Ronde is tomorrow!  I wore my Flanders socks and put up my Flanders flag and of course I was riding my Belgian bike.  Got a few compliments from old guys who remember stuff like that.

Also at Junction, one old guy went up to another old guy to congratulate him for being an old guy who rides Diablo - I thought it was interesting that me and JB weren't old enough to get a similar kudo.

All right, it's April... I'm getting my Klein off the hooks at least for some practice rides.