Mid-Week Rides: Mt Diablo

Thursday, Oct 1 2015

Chris writes:

Alberto said “They’re tired of reading me, you do it!” Ergo, my report on yesterday’s great, though sparely attended, Mid-Week Ride.

Four ‘real riders’ gathered in Livermore at Mike’s Cafe, the former L&M, on First Street, they were John Guy, Alberto Sevilla, Paul Hampton and yours truly, Chris Weld. We ate well, tipped well, and will thus be invited back. The announced ride was ‘Morgan Territory’, a name that had Alberto scratching his head and other parts…seems he couldn’t find ‘Morgan Territory’ on any map. Oh well, he was relieved to find it was a road’s name and nothing more. There was no need to shoot his iPhone 6 after all.

Paul lead us over Morgan Territory with a stop at the park about mid-way (East Bay Regional Park type park). Chris had saved his delivered newspaper’s plastic bags for the receptacle there for ‘dog walker’s use’ Photos were taken (all sent to Marco I’d hope) by Paul and Alberto.

Back on the road it was a pleasant, traffic-free ride into beautiful downtown Clayton and a stop at ‘Cup’O Jo’ for a ‘jolt’er two’. Paul announced that he would have to leave us there, something about a guided tour that evening at Anchor Steam Beer’s brewery. That’s deemed an acceptable excuse. The remaining riders at 1 PM were keen on a ride up Mt. Diablo.

Neither Alberto, not John Guy, had ever had this experience. It was a ‘go’. Garmin readily accepted ‘Mt Diablo State Park’ and offered-up the North Entrance, off Oak Grove in Walnut Creek. We were gone!

Ranger Lady wanted $10./each at the gate (this is inflation, it was $6. about yesterday), we paid-up and started to climb. The weather continued to improve throughout the day. Yes, rain threatened as we left Mike’s Cafe, but that was it. It was a ‘drop-free’ ride throughout the day. We twisted and climbed from the gate. Lots of 15 MPH tight turns but no traffic and usually clear sight lines for spirited riding, all 2nd and 3rd gear stuff.

John and Alberto were impressed with the views, the museum and the film on the mountain’s geologic history. Me? ‘Too’ says it all!

We came down and out the southern entrance (Blackhawk) and upon reaching Hwy #680, parted for home. Great ride, great company but many ‘regulars’ were missed.