Mt. Diablo: Two down, one to go
The last 250 meters of the climb to Mount Diablo's summit are graded at over 18%. It's like a sick joke, really. After over 90 minutes of climbing in 100 degree heat, I was in no mood for that sort of humor.
But wow, what a climb. The views were amazing - from the Sierra to the Farallons. The mountain was swarming with cyclists; I think we saw maybe four cars the whole morning. It was deeply satisfying to turn the bike around and point downhill after such an effort.
Brett and I hopped an early BART train from the city on Saturday morning to the ironically named Pleasant Hill. From there, we rode up into the park through North Gate road and screamed down South Gate back to Walnut Creek for a total of about 45 miles. Short but intense. A pint of iced coffee couldn't keep me from nodding off on the train home.
Brett has a triple on his bike and I'll eat crow on this one: I was jealous.
Next up, Mount Hamilton. 5,000+ feet with a 100 mile loop.
Comments
Yeah - I'll put this on my list of to-dos for the fall when it's cooler....with my triple
Jesus. You should come up here for the Mt. Hood/Gorge century. It's 50 miles from the gorge up to mt. hood for something like 6 or 7 thousand feet of vertical, then back down. I think it's in late summer.
A triple?
A triple chainring. That is, three rings up front and 9 or 10 in the back. He was able to spin comfortable in some disgustingly low gear while I stood and pounded on my cranks to get up the steep parts.
Some bullshit machismo/masochistic/Dutch Calvinist part of me thinks I should still be riding a double. Gotta get over that soon...
My new bike, which is not at all fancy or light or anything like that, has 24 gears (3x8), the lowest of which is insanely so and really helped on that slight incline on Lexington.
That's great Jeff, but I did that climb on a fixed gear bike - with no brakes and a semi-flat front tire mind you - the day after a herculean drinking session at my friend Slakey's bachelor party (he actually missed his wedding).
Next up for me: Mt. Hamilton, but I'm going to carry my bike for the whole loop.
Good luck!