My Local Ride

[Veronica]

I got in a short ride ride today between storms. It was windy, blowing a steady 18 mph, with gusts up to 25. This storm is coming from the south so the wind was ALL wrong. It started raining about twenty minutes before I got home. I was wearing my rain gear, so I was kind of glad when the rain began.

I took some pictures while on Empire Mine Road today though. This is my normal after work training ride. Just out and back from my house, it's about 16 miles with almost 800 feet of elevation gain. Sometimes I'll do Empire Mine twice or I'll add in hill repeats in the nearby 'burbs. It all depends on how much time I have and how I'm feeling.

Empire Mine Road is about 3 miles long and closed to most traffic. There's one house on it and lots of cows. It's a great training road with some varied terrain. Since I do it as an out and back, the downhills aren't free.



This is from one end of the road. It's a nice sweeping downhill. The final corner that you can't see is a blind one. You need to exercise caution because you never know what you will see on the other side: cows, a motorcyclist, old appliances... Today the wind was coming up the hill.



The view off to the right as you roll down the road in the previous picture. That's Mount Diablo in the distance.



This is the one house on the road. But the reason I took the picture is the trail on the ridge behind it. Not surprisingly, it's called the Ridge Trail and if I'm going to mountain bike after work, that's where I go. It's part of Black Diamond Regional Preserve. The trail goes right along the spine of the ridge with nice views to either side and continues on the back side climbing a little more. In the summer you would never notice the trail because everything will be brown.



Since the road is closed to most traffic, it's not being maintained that well. I know I should know the names of these trees. They smell really good, but they sure do make a mess.



One of the many cows.



This is the view at the turnaround spot - another shot of Mount Diablo. This comes at the end of a straightaway, that's nearly a mile long and slightly downhill, about -1.5 % grade. Usually the wind is behind me on the downhill and I've been able to hit speeds in the low thirties. Not today.

It was a slow ride today, too windy and I was too busy looking around.

V.

[Starfish]

WOW! What an awesome ride out of your garage! Very beautiful...I'm envious. Thanks for showing us these pics!

[maillotpois]

Those are eucalyptus.

Edit: At least I think they are. That's what the bark looks like, but the photos of the trees themselves aren't quite clear enough to be 100% sure.

It's great seeing the photos - I am not too familiar with that part of the Bay Area. Nice cows! I know how much you love them....

[Veronica]

I took that cow picture just for you MP.

V.

[maillotpois]

I do love the cows.

I swear I will do the Petting Zoo tour of Marin one of these days. Mandatory stops to pet the animals. There'll be a lot of stops.

[emily_in_nc]

You live in a stunning area, Veronica. I can't imagine having all that right out my driveway. I mean, yeah, the NC piedmont is pretty, lots of farms and such, but nothing really dramatic like that. I think I'd ride more if I lived where you do!

Emily