Note: You must pre-register to join this ride.
Distance: 39 mi.
Pace: B (moderate)
Terrain: 4 (some steep climbs with some relief)
Elevation gain: 3,900 ft.
To download GPS file, map, and cue sheet:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45011527
resolution, n.
1. The sudsiding or termination of an abnormal condition, such as a fever or inflammation. 2. The act or process of separating or reducing something into its constituent parts. 3. The fineness of detail that can be distinguished in an image.
You know the routine: set aside sandbagging and excuses, dress warmly, ride up Mt. Diablo with your awesome fellow Spokers to start the new year correctly. This ride will let you see clearly who you are. Join Stephen and maybe Tony at a moderate B-pace; this is winter, and you’re warmly bundled in holiday fat; this isn’t the time to be killing it on the bike (unless you want to). Did you know the average grade up the north side to the top is less than 6%? (But of course you’ll be doing it for 12.3 miles.) You can do this!
We start at Pleasant Hill BART and take the Iron Horse and Contra Costa Canal Trails before taking back streets to North Gate Road, where the ascent starts in earnest. We’ll head up and regather at the ranger station at the Junction, (where we hope the rangers will fête us with coffee and donuts as they did in 2019!) Then it’s four miles to the summit where we’ll regather, do the selfie and social media thing before doing a SAFE descent on South Gate to Danville for lunch. After lunch we’ll roll easily north on Danville Blvd. to Walnut Creek BART. (If you drive to the start, you'll have to ride about a mile more to get back to Pleasant Hill BART.) If you don’t want to go to the summit, you can ride 12 miles and 1,700 feet to the junction with South Gate and then descend.
Dress according to the weather, i.e. make sure you have enough layers and warm clothing for the descent.
Note: The descent is serious. You should be both confident in your ability to descend prudently and cautiously amidst other cyclists and cars. The speed limit is 20 MPH. Car drivers routinely pass cyclists on curves even when unsafe.
Note 2: The usual and safe cut-through to the Diablo subdivision near the bottom of South Gate Road is currently blocked. We will need to go to Diablo Road to get to Danville.
Rain/black ice cancels.
Meet at Pleasant Hill BART outside the fare gates.
Meet at 8:45 AM, depart at 9:15 AM sharp.
If you are coming by BART, be sure to check the BART website for system delays and changes in the train schedule in order to arrive promptly. Trains from SF to PH BART are scheduled to arrive at 8:36 and 8:56 AM; trains from Antioch to PH BART, at 8:42 and 9:02 AM. Do not miss one of those trains or else you'll be chasing the group.