Pig Farm and Bears CounterClockWise

Bike turnout lane construction on Northgate Road is going on so JB suggested this alternate ride.

I thought it might be a little too much since I haven't done much besides Diablo since the patella incident... I climb just fine but don't start and stop without some pain and wobbliness. No worries though, I did fine and enjoyed the change of pace.

Just before Pig Farm, JB got a flat, and then his spare was bad - there were about 5 patches on two tubes - so I gave him one of the two unused and perfect tubes in my saddle bag and we continued.

We met three women going up who said they were in town for a wedding and hadn't been up this famous hill before - so we confirmed that this was the one they were looking for... although we were doing it from the easy side.  Then JB's flat happened and we didn't see them again.

The Pig Farm building is only recognizable to real old timers... that's' kind of what makes it fun.

Lots of curvy windy roads in wooded rural areas made it really fun. Bad pavement and narrow lanes reduced the fun factor a bit.

Happy Valley Road was a little tougher than I remembered, I paced myself good but I didn't have much left at the top of a couple climbs.

Then we were back in Walnut Creek and familiar roads - we rode on the trail past the old office, my old apartment, my old commute route, and back home.

Good to remember that there are some alternative routes when Diablo isn't an option.

Yes, this IS the climb you're looking for.

Yup... it's flat.

Pigs for Sale

 Home is that way.