2014 SMR 08

Nice and sunny today... stiff winds in some parts.

Regular Rider Recognitions:  Dudley, Tuck, Keith, and Ernie.

Grass is green.  Poppies are popping.  The drought will take care of that soon enough.

Triathlon guy with mail-order bike and water bottle in 

his aerobars decides to pass me near the old nursery.

Triathlon guy with mail-order bike and water bottle in 

his aerobars decides to stop on the Bump for an adjustment

or something as we pass him back... snork.  

Had a great sprint up the Dips, but the Contour corrupted the file... sometimes that's so disappointing.

2014 SMR 07

Kind of gray and overcast today, but not too cold so I only needed a windbreaker and short finger gloves!

Wildlife Encounter:  deer and turkeys in Split 1

JB said much more rain and some of those burned areas would erode pretty bad.  I said that would be a bad thing because the Mountain would get flatter.

They're all done at the Lower Summit picnic area...
bathrooms look nice too.

2014 SMR 06

I was ready for the rain today. But by the time I got to Junction my motivation to continue had completely left me.

Roadkill Report: Big old bloated bull frog... belly up, not squished or anything; looked like he went peacefully.

Wildlife Encounter:  Whole family of deer at the bottom of the Bump.

Didn't see any other riders until I was on my way down there were a few coming up.

Lots of tree branches and rocks and stuff in the road, sounded like a few trees were nearly ready to fall over as well.  Also seems like the road is starting to sink in quite a few places.

In honor of Lincoln's birthday, black history month, and the Sochi Olympics... I made a video.

Drought Is Over from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.

2014 SMR 05

Turned out to be a lot colder than I thought it was going to be - I tried to put on some ChapStick at the Gate, but when I pulled off the cap the whole glob of frozen waxy stuff fell out onto the ground.  Things had warmed up by Junction.

Lots of SUVs full of Boy Scouts or something kind of detracted from experiencing nature.

Roadkill Report:  Raccoon on Walnut... looked like he'd been there since the rain showers the other day.

I scoped out a place to watch the Amgen Tour of California come up in May - still a secret, but it will require a little hiking.  Not guaranteed to get me on international TV, but if it works, it'll be a great shot.

Bottom of my downtube is crusted up with Cytomax and Perpetuem dribbles... probably not very aerodynamic.

Below the Gate, Chris from Berkeley (who's been riding Diablo longer than ME!) caught up to me and asked about my Contour - so this is for you buddy:

February from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.


More of my Contour videos HERE

2014 SMR 04

Beautiful day - lots of people wearing shorts and no jackets.

Looks like they're about done with the
Lower Summit Lot Picnic Area -
viewing spots, tables, grilles, and a new bathroom.

Then on the way down, near the Turtle Ranch there was a rider down.  Folks coming up warned us of the situation so we were going slow.  There were two bikes, one ranger truck, and one auto stopped there.  The ranger was helping the downed rider (who was in the ditch at a hairpin) and holding his head carefully like he suspected a neck injury.  The other bike rider was just standing there, and the two guys with the car didn't look scared or nervous or anything so I'd guess they weren't involved... but I have no idea really.  Another ranger pickup was coming down with his siren on.

A little ways below that a paramedic fire truck and an ambulance were coming up... so that's plenty serious.

When you see something like this, you say of course that can't happen to you... but you know it really can... and you're maybe a little extra careful for a while.  A half mile from home I was leaning in to a right turn and hit a patch of something wet and slippery and my rear wheel went sideways for a couple feet.  I managed to recover, but I was damn close to hitting the floor.  Probably the guy on Diablo isn't as good of a bike handler as me, so I don't have to worry.

2014 SMR 03

It was down-right toasty up here.

I want a fake rock wall like this in my front yard.

Apparently this guy didn't get the memo...
hideous cycling attire day was last week.

JB was totally knackered when he got to the Summit.

JBBonk from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.

I'm getting really good at memorizing the 19 Summit Road Landmarks.  As I ride by each one, I know which one is coming next.  Actually, I might add The Pipe - just to make it an even 20

Hotel Road is where the old Mountain House Hotel used to be - it's that little driveway/trail access that goes up to what looks like a storage shed opposite of Sunset Picnic Area.  I've never been up there, and I've never seen this visitor sign, but that must be where it is.

2014 SMR 02

Bad headache this morning, made riding a little less enjoyable, but a headache and a ride is better than a headache and no ride.

JB wasn't at the Gate so I posted a rock.  Turns out he passed me while I was at Round Top eating my Clif Bar... ran into him near the Summit as he was coming down.

The day started off cool but sunny, then the fog rolled in so it got quite a bit colder.

These two guys passed me in about
the same spot last week -
I even posted a similar picture in
last week's blog entry.

There were a bunch of Rivendell types on
The Mountain this morning.

Yeah, here's the fog.

From Round Top picnic area you get a bigger
perspective on this area of fire damage.

I thought this photo of the radio antenna piercing
the sun was going to look cooler than it does now
that I see it on the screen.

2014 SMR 01

 JB forgot his water bottle.  I gave him half my Clif Bar at Junction since he wanted to do the Summit... otherwise he wasn't too bad off.

Much quieter than Wednesday morning, but there were a lot of hikers or something parked at Juniper..

Saturday cast of regulars:  Dudley and Tuck.

Got pretty windy up high.

Hey - did they create a firebreak here near Toyon?

These guys were flying and still breathing easy.

New Year's Morning Summit

New Year's Day morning is a very special time on The Mountain... as beautifully captured in this sentimental video creation:

New Year's Day 2014 on Mount Diablo from Diablo Scott on Vimeo.


Wilflife Encounter:  Hawk and Deer

Regular Character Appearance:  Tuck


What?  Two videos in one blog post?!?!?!  I'm feeling a lot of love for my blog readers.

Year 2014 is the 150th anniversary of California State Parks.  To memorialize this event, I have created the Mount Diablo Anthem.

Click on the FULL SCREEN button for best effect - and turn your speakers up loud.

2013 SMR 41

JB called in sick... OK, no hurry then, I had an extra cup of coffee.

Got half way down my street and realized I had my regular glasses on - turned around to get my sun glasses and extra warm gloves.

Got half way down Walnut Ave and punctured - piece of glass I probably picked up on the Dam Road Tuesday. While I was fixing it I thought "Well, that'll probably be my last flat of 2013".

Got a half mile past the North Gate and flatted AGAIN! Jeez, maybe I didn't get all the glass out? Didn't find any more glass and couldn't find the puncture... I think I left the valve unscrewed though so maybe the air just leaked out as the core wiggled around.  I always have two tubes and three CO2 carts in my saddlebag so I was prepared, but now I had no more reserve... I think I'll get a glueless kit to go in there too.

By mile 3 the wind was just ferocious. Bits of dirt and gravel were pummeling me around some of the corners. At least it had warmed up a mite.

Above Junction it got almost bad enough to make me think about turning around at Juniper... I finished my Clif Bar there and it was difficult just to stand still. But I didn't come this far just to quit.

Mercifully, the Summit Wall was kind of calm - I don't know if because it's shielded or the wind was taking a break. The ride back down was a real white-knuckler, but I've done it enough times to know where all the tricky bits are... and no more flats!

New Christmas gloves!

Walnut Avenue Puncture

I like this shot because you can see the "sharp turn"
sign up above for folks coming down.

I love it when a capture a rider in front of a great background.

Passed-me #5 or 6

#6 or 7

7 or 8

Don't try this on a horse.

These guys asked me to take their photo on an
iPhone - I don't know if they noticed my handlebar
cam was getting the same shot.

Winding AND windy

Christmas Eve - The Bears and Pig Farm

Neither Kevin nor Edgardo had ever done this iconic East Bay ride - so today was it.

We were supposed to be about eight, but only the three of us showed up.  Kevin forgot his helmet and we decided he could do the ride without it.

We met at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park.

Maybe they call it Inspiration Point because
you might get inspired by that Mountain way over there.

Selfie on top of the Pig

Roadkill Report:  Raccoon on the Dam Road.

The Dam Road mostly has a nice wide shoulder, but it was full of broken glass and garbage and road debris; a shame.

The ride up Wildcat is really nice.  It looks harder than it is - so it feels like you're having a great climbing day.  It's a lot like Pinehurst but with a nicer surface and more traffic.