"I met a new nemesis today too - there's a trail I never tried in the Coyote Hills called the Meadowlark Trail, which is a paved, fairly steep (to me, anyhow) uphill grade which goes for about 0.5 mile - Mt. Diablo it ain't. But still, I only made it maybe 1/2 of the way up that sucker today Something to work on. "

I haven't been to ACT in a while, the last time I was there the trail near the staging area near the town of Niles was closed. haven't been back since.

sounds like the trails fixed now, I'll have to go back.

I think I know where your nemesis is, as you head west, towards the bay on the flat part of the trail there's a place where the trail curves and then you take a sharp left and imediate uphill. Is that it? If I don't downshift in preparation for it that stops me too.

TREK