Mount Diablo

Route Review:

I biked from Diablo Vista Park to the summit of Mount Diablo.
The route starts Crow Canyon Road and quickly turns into Blackhawk Road. This part of the route was actually really nice in the morning because there were no cars. Even in the afternoon, it wasn’t too bad because the bike lane was well marked.
On Mount Diablo Scenic Blvd, I just hugged the right-side of the road as best as I could. Because the park opened sometime around 7:30am, I was able to enjoy the first part of the climb in total peace. This road then changes it’s name a few times, but basically, it goes all the way to the summit. There are plenty of rest stops on the way. Unfortunately, at the summit, there are a ton of bugs.
I then turned around and rode down hill, which was super fun.

What I Learned:

Because I knew this was a popular route for many cyclists, I definitely cycled faster than I would have if I were totally alone. It was both good and bad. Good in that it pushed me to exercise a bit more, and bad in that I wasn’t able to enjoy the climb more.
My left foot’s achilles flared up maybe 20 miles into the climb. I don’t think it fully healed from my Tahoe ride, so I think I just need to let it heal. It just means I shouldn’t bike something strenuous back-to-back.

Fears Faced

Will I be able to sustain a climb for 2-3 hours?—Yes I can! :D

Media Consumed:

The Making of Asian America—finished!

Friends Made:

There was a friendly motorcyclist at the summit and we talked about how fun the downhill portion would be. He said that when he was younger, he biked from San Francisco to Santa Cruz—he had enjoyed the SF to Half Moon Bay portion, but disliked the rest of the ride.

What Happened?

I woke up super early and got to Diablo Vista Park at sunrise. I then stretched, took a few deep breaths, and started cycling. I was hoping that the weather report was off and that it would be cooler than reported, but it really was around the mid 50s when I started, which is a bit warm.

I was a bit nervous when the climb started, but I found the road gradient to be very steady, and didn’t have too many issues climbing in a steady fashion. The only trouble was that at the summit, there is this 100 ft section of the road that is way steeper than the rest of the climb. On this part, I had to stop 3 times to recharge myself, even on the lowest gear. But, I eventually made it up, and was able to take in the view from the summit, before I cycled downhill, which was just pure fun.