Art's AIDS/LifeCycle Journey: Shallow climb to Mt. Diablo

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Shallow climb to Mt. Diablo

Distance 79.1
Moving Time 6:10:46
Elevation 6,335ft
Avg Speed 12.8mi/h
Max Speed 34.7mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 132bpm Max 158bpm
Calories 2,602
Temperature 68

Wakeup Time: 5:00 a.m. / Meet Time: 6:45 a.m. / Ride-out Time: 7:30 a.m.

Thank you volunteer AIDS/LifeCycle Training Ride Leaders Mary Vencill, Dawn Tso, Deanna Tanner, Ali Mirzazadeh, Guru Swamy, and Ron Marshall, with special appreciation to Diana F-W and Em Howard for being wonderful SAG supporters.

So the following two pictures are the reason the post is entitled, "Shallow climb to Mt. Diablo." More about the shallow pics further into the post. Also, post will be updated (and grammatically corrected) once I receive Lady Christine's photos.

I woke up this morning and took this picture. And, when I got back home about 3:30 p.m., I took the the second picture to show the view in daylight.

Good morning East Bay Wildcats.

View from our deck. See you at 6:45am for AIDS/LifeCycle 70-mile training!

The daylight view from the deck.

After my morning training ride ritual, and after giving John and Mama a kiss goodbye, I casually walked down the stairs and packed my bicycle for my short ride to MacArthur BART Station. Ally Vertigan showed up at the station and we talked a bit about comedic situations in relationships. We got to Orinda BART in a few short minutes and we're greeted and we greeted with hugs, love and fun from and for everyone.

Em and Diana, wonderful SAG women smile for the camera

Dawn works her magic, again.

She swears she's going to get it right along with everyone else.

Queen Mary has spoken and she has everyone's undivided attention.

Even from those behind her.

Except for Vincent, Alf and Jeff's

And Lady Christine and Pallav

And our fearless leader Eli

With Linda, ready to attack Mt. Diablo half-way -
this was taken after Mary spoke, really.

So was this one with Naomi.

Well, maybe not. Mary is still going over the route.
TRL Ali is focused.

Newbie couple, started training with Hugo's Del Norte group.

After the all-important Safety Speech, Eli led Christine, Pallav, Chris, Vincent, Varun, Chandra and me towards our first rest stop at mile 22.2 at Starbucks in Lafayette via Castro Ranch Road, onto Alhambra Valley Road to Bear Creek. With Eli, Christine and Chris ahead of us, and eventually Vincent, Pallav and Chandra, Varun and I kept each other company and met the rest of the six. We took a few photos and we were off to our next stop after only 7 minutes after my arrival.

A reminder in Lafayette

Lady Christine is at it again

Smiling, commanding the attention of her gentlemen in waiting

And, we're off to mile 31.8 for the second rest stop, Lunardi's in Danville, a very nice grocery store. We converged with the Orinda late starters and the group at this stop began to grow.

Don't tell me this is the only shot I got of Margaret :(

with Kathy, an all-around lovely person

and, this is Susan with two "g's"
Huh? How do you spell Susan with two g's?
She said, I'm Susan with a tutu.
I heard Susan with ... go figure.

Amy from Hugo's group - she makes me smile

I love Emily and her "Green Eggs and Ham" kit

What's Wick thinking?

And, we're off, again. Varun and Chandra left earlier to get a head start to our third rest stop mile 47.2, the ranger station about 7 miles from South Gate. Karen from the late starter group joined us. She (at 60) inspired me, keeping up with everyone - I was the tail not wagging the dog. Eli took us through a shortcut through Blackhawk's Country Club. Very posh neighborhood with its private road that dead ended into a fence with an access gate for residents - private, exclusive, quite the 1% living. From that shortcut we were on our way to Mt. Diablo.

I'm not sure how long the group had waited for me at the ranger station, but I had 7 minutes to get ready to go on to the next rest stop. NO! Onwards to the summit. But, it's not on the route sheet. Erika Dumaine, She Spoke Captain, at Lunardi's said as I was getting ready to cycle away that I should go to Mt. Diablo's summit. I smiled and said, "Next time when it's on Mary's route." All I can say is that she spoke the truth and we were head up, up and up.

Interesting rock formation

Nature creating art

Failed panoramic

If you look really close, you can see San Francisco

I made it to the summit

with Pallav

Proof is in the pudding

View from the ? side of the summit

What? More of me?

And, guess why I'm smiling

Eye

Candy

Pallav's supposedly excellent stretching

$5k'ers Art and Karen

So back down to rest stop 4 in Walnut Creek at mile 57.4, but we've already gone more miles with riding to the summit. Quick stop for some wonderful SAG snacks of watermelon and kiss cookies - so tasty. Onto Walnut Creek for the quick stop so that we can head home.