I otherwise stay clear of Mt. Diablo this time of year due to the heat, preferring instead figure-eights through the Oakland/Berkeley Hills, the Three Bears, and maybe Martinez. This, despite the fact that I live only a few miles from Diablo's North Gate. Climbing Diablo in the spring is one thing. But in August?
Saturday's temps were a reprieve. North Gate to Junction is my bang-for-the-buck ride. Short on time and need a challenge? It's North Gate to Junction. Saturday stayed cool long enough to visit the summit.
Some milestones:
1) I was feeling a little under the weather and wanted to take it easy. To my surprise, I was able to do almost the entire ride under threshold. The exception, of course, being the Summit Wall. But even then, I was able to stay seated and skipped the rest stop at the lower parking lot. My heart rate monitor said I was at 90% at the top of The Wall. I had some left on the throttle. Now, if I can only achieve this in February then I know it'll be a good cycling year.
2) I've done North Gate to Junction enough times to break it into three sections:
a) North Gate to park boundary: Gradually ascending rolling hills. Descending this section is the bomb-diggity.
b) Park boundary to 1,000-foot elevation marker: Steady climbing begins. The first stretch of 10% grade comes at the 1,000-foot marker.
c) 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet: Includes a long, winding 10% grade approaching Diablo Ranch, followed by a series of hairpins, the last of which is tight and steep on the inside. The 2,000-foot marker comes soon after that, followed by the ranger housing then Junction station.
Not that any of this makes me any faster. It does mean, however, that I have to begin higher-intensity training so I don't plateau.
Starting the rollers just past the North Gate.
New-ish retaining wall just past 1,000-foot marker.
The hairpins. Maybe at the end of the season I'll spend the afternoon taking better pics.
Saturday's temps were a reprieve. North Gate to Junction is my bang-for-the-buck ride. Short on time and need a challenge? It's North Gate to Junction. Saturday stayed cool long enough to visit the summit.
Some milestones:
1) I was feeling a little under the weather and wanted to take it easy. To my surprise, I was able to do almost the entire ride under threshold. The exception, of course, being the Summit Wall. But even then, I was able to stay seated and skipped the rest stop at the lower parking lot. My heart rate monitor said I was at 90% at the top of The Wall. I had some left on the throttle. Now, if I can only achieve this in February then I know it'll be a good cycling year.
2) I've done North Gate to Junction enough times to break it into three sections:
a) North Gate to park boundary: Gradually ascending rolling hills. Descending this section is the bomb-diggity.
b) Park boundary to 1,000-foot elevation marker: Steady climbing begins. The first stretch of 10% grade comes at the 1,000-foot marker.
c) 1,000 feet to 2,000 feet: Includes a long, winding 10% grade approaching Diablo Ranch, followed by a series of hairpins, the last of which is tight and steep on the inside. The 2,000-foot marker comes soon after that, followed by the ranger housing then Junction station.
Not that any of this makes me any faster. It does mean, however, that I have to begin higher-intensity training so I don't plateau.
Starting the rollers just past the North Gate.
New-ish retaining wall just past 1,000-foot marker.
The hairpins. Maybe at the end of the season I'll spend the afternoon taking better pics....
BART sketches Aug. 4 - 8
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