heading up diablo

hey girls,

I'm heading up Diablo shortly (via north gate). I'll be wearing a "hill slug" jersey. I should be at the top around 1pm ish.

ok, my crew can't get their act together - and we now need to go to safeway. It will be more like 1:30ish when we get to the top.

I'll send V a private message with my number.......

Hey Cindy... did you make it????

yep - we got there about 1:30ish just like I said. I had to walk up the last 50 or so meters ("the wall"), but I made it up to that point. Of course, my two friends were quite gracious in looking back to check on me when I crawled up the steeper sections........

Hey all - how does Diablo compare to the hills in the tierra bella -- Metcalf? Giloroy Springs? Anybody care to compare. I'm wondering what I've got to look forward to in three weeks...........

Veronica - what does your krebs thingy say? Others who have done both diablo and tierra bella?

THANKS!

I don't have a Krebs for Mt. Diablo, but for Metcalf it shows 3 sets of 3 chevrons, one 1 chevron and then one 2 chevron right in a row.

Gilroy Hot Springs shows 3 sets of 2 chevrons on Roop Rd. and then one chevron a little later. Looks like you'll have a steep descent down Canada Rd. on the other side of the loop, so be careful.

Don't know how this all compares to Diablo... but Diablo is long (like 12 miles, I think?) These climbs only look to be about 3 or 4 miles on Metcalf and maybe 2 or 3 miles up to Gilroy Hot Springs.

Good for you making it up Diablo! WOO HOO! I think I still don't want to know. ;)

The climbs up to Gilroy Hot Springs and Metcalf are much shorter than Diablo. That said, I think there were some sections of the climb to the Hot Springs that were steeper than Diablo. I've never gone up Metcalf but my guess is that would be steeper in parts than Diablo too.

The ACTC website has a cool little tool which lets you compare climbs -

go to http://www.actc.org/profiles/index.php

I think the climb to Gilroy Hot Springs is listed as the "Canada Loop" here.

(errr, I just checked them out ... maybe you don't want to look) :eek:

I don't remember Gilroy Hot Springs being a difficult climb... if you can do Diablo then no problem. I've heard Metcalfe is hard, and based on that tool, approx 1000 feet of climbing in 2 miles qualifies as hard in my book.

CindySue, are you doing the 100 mile route? How are you training for it?

Shannon - What is the max number of chevrons given for the hardest ride on your krebs maps?

pokey - thanks for the tool - I wish there was a tool like that to compare more east bay routes. Hmmmm, metcalf looks intimidating. 2 miles, up-up-up-up after 60 miles on the Tierra Bella course, huh? Ouch!

Kim - I've just been doing some hills in the east bay: diablo, three bears, pigfarm, wildcat canyon. Depending on the weather, I'll ride anywhere from 30 to 130 miles per week (about 25-50 miles each day that I ride). I've been training regularly for about 2 months.

3 chevrons is the max. 1 chevron is 4 -6% grade (and I think it has to be sustained over at least a half mile to a mile to earn a chevron), 2 chevrons is 6 - 8% and 3 is 9%+, so once you get over 8% it's not very exact. They are VERY cool, though, and quite helpful. If you want one, they have Krebs maps at a lot of cycling stores, or you can purchase them online at www.krebscycleproducts.com.

WAAAHAAAAA I didn't see any for New Mexico! Maybe it's because we'd be OFF the Krebs maps?...too many chevrons per ride to fit on the page?? :p