Mt Diablo 5/27/06 -TE Girls' Hill Training Prog back in progress

[jobob]

Way quick report -

Wow, what a great turnout ! Basically, everyone on the list, including new gal Marie, who will be introducing herself to the rest of us soon , I hope !

It was wonderful to see spazz, it's sure been a while. Don't be a stranger now, y'hear?

We rolled out at about what, 7:45, and poor MP/Sarah and Em had a flat on their tandem only a few miles out on our approach to Diablo. A couple of the guys hung back to help out (the report later being she needed no help whatsoever ) and since we were such a huge group the rest of us trudged onward.

Was it ever windy on the mountain this morning. And chilly ! Many of us remarked how chilly we felt even riding uphill. You siply don't expect to be cold on Mt. Diablo at the end of May.

Oh but boyohboy, it was beautiful up there. Thanks to the very late rains (can't believe I'm saying that) the landscape was still very green. And it was so clear up there, probably thanks to all the wind (I *really* can't believe I'm saying that). Pics to follow. I spent much of the time gawking at the scenery.

Pics probably won't do it justice.

But I'll give it a try anyhow


Ho-hum, just another day in paradise


The speedy folk went on ahead. I was sort of in the middle of the pack and a lot of the time I was on my own, which was fine and dandy with me. Like I said I was happy just sort of watching my surroundings. I did ride a bit with spazz early on, and Lisa and Ann, and then I hooked up with Ann's friend Nicole a bit. Nice gal that Nicole, hope she joins us again sometime !

Here's Nicole riding into the clouds


Here're Ann and SK:



I hung out with SK/Sarah and Kim and Ann for a bit at the South gate, then rode a bit more with Ann. Then as we passed Rock City I encountered Veronica who was on her way back to check up on MP/Sarah and the others. I kept going for a bit and then hung out at an overlook where I saw MP and Em on the tandem approaching Rock City so I thought I'd go back & say hi.

My vantage point, view of the back of Rock City


Encountered Veronica again, we hung out for a little while with Dita and MP/Sarah and Em, who had stopped at Rock City and was having a great time clambering around the big rock outcropping.

Who's having more fun?


I decided to keep heading up to the Junction, and possibly call it a day there. So, when I reached the Junction I called Lee on the cell and told him not to wait up for me. Did I mention it was cold up there ?? I needed to put my leg warmers back on, it was that cold, and that was to keep going up!

Veronica pulled up and we decided to keep going toward the summit and turn around when the others passed us. Soon thereafter Ann zipped past us with a big smile on her face, clearly this ride was going so much better than her first assault up Diablo with the broken spoke! V & I turned around when we were about what, 1/2 of the way up to the summit, when Thom, Cindy, and Kelly whizzed pased us.

We met up at the Junction and I continued down with Ann. Her descending is quite good ! We reached Rock City were a bunch had congregated, including MP and Em, and we all set off again.

I have no idea what was so fascinating here ...


Just before we set off again Marie appeared, so she and Ann and I had a nice little group going for the rest of the descent. Dang, it was cold ! But it was also beautiful. We all took the descent fairly carefully since it was gusty-windy. It seemed pretty much everyone had at least a vest w armwarmers or a jacket so while probably no-one was comfy warm on the descent at least there were no near deaths from hypothermia. At least none I heard of. And as we were heading down we encountered little or no car traffic heading in our direction, which is always nice.

We reached the bottom of the mountain and Marie continued on to the parking lot (she was mighty chilled by then) and Ann and I waited for the rest of the group that had gone on to the summit. We then all headed back to the parking lot. There was no sign of anyone else from our group so we just assumed they went on their merry ways. We dawdled, yakked, tried on sample size jerseys, and just as we were about to mosey on to lunch Ann got a call from Lisa asking where the heck were we and that they were all waiting for us at the restaurant. Ooops!!!

So we hightailed it over to the restaurant and lots of yakking and noshing ensued. We had a room off to the side all to ourselves which was very nice since we were quite the animated bunch !

This was a really fun ride, and it was so great to see so many of you.