I always enjoy it when ST folks post pictures from their favorite routes. I recently moved to the East SF Bay Area, and I’ve been looking at this since I got here:
That’s Mt. Diablo, which is a looming backdrop to life out here. Some ST folks rode a race up there on Sunday (jens went around 52’!). I’ve ridden it probably fifty times going back to 1992 (I lived here in 92-97). I’ve always wanted to go up on foot. So, for my 46th birthday, I took the afternoon off work and hit the trail to the summit.
Here’s the gear:
I pre-fueled with a quart of Gatorade and took one tall bottle with me. A camera and my trusty Shuffle and my wife dropped me off at the Macedo Ranch trailhead, at about 800’ elevation. The summit was some 3300’ higher (with lots of up and down along the way).
This is about 10’ into the run; summit in the distance:
I came across this little scene. Momma cow never budged. I had to go around.
Looking back west (from whence I came) about 45’ into the run. I say “run” but I had to walk the steeper pitches. I’m in offseason shape.
This is a pretty part of the trail right before the junction and the Ranger Station. About halfway up.
Gettting closer! There’s the summit. My glutes were pretty touchy by this point.
The view from the top, looking west. That’s the SF Bay out there. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Shasta and Half Dome from up here.
Total time – 1:50. Not nearly as long as I thought it would take. My wife and kids met me at the summit and we had a little picnic. It was a great day, one of many great adventures I’ll be having in my new home.
Nice!!! I love it when there is no fog or haze and it’s a 3-mountain day (when I can see Mt. Diablo, Mt. Tam and Mt. Hamilton from the Golden Gate Bridge.)
I was hoping to see you at the bike hill climb. Maybe next year. It was mainly exploratory for me this year since I’m FAT right now. I did learn a few things that I thought I’d pass along though:
Register early and get in the right wave. I was late so I got stuck in the 3rd wave, which meant I was dodging people the whole way up.
A lot of the climb is like a real road race – a very scary road race in the 3rd wave, with dodgy bike handlers, not to mention people with tri-bars, recumbents, and unicycles. It was kinda like the Star Wars bar scene, except with wheels.
There are a number of flattish and downhill sections. Drafting is a factor for at least half the mileage.
The last hundred yards – holy $%@%!!. This didn’t show on my topo map. Must be like 18% grade. I hit peak power of 1200+ watts. I noticed in the photos that some sub-60 minute finishers walked up it.
Send extra clothes up. You may have to wait more than an hour before they let you down and then it takes 30 minutes to get down. I was shivering uncontrollably most of the way down in my lightweight skinsuit.
Nice to see the trails aren’t too chewed up yet. I used to live in Clayton, and have run all over that side of the mountain - never to the top, though. You picked a tough but beautiful route to the top.
Hey! Another great trip down memory lane. Thanks for posting those. Running and riding on that mountain was the real beginning of all things long and strong for me. Having been a 100 mile/week guy when I was a runner at De La Salle H. S. and then Los Medanos College I spent many runs exploring every side of that sucker. 5 solid years of it. Then when I started doing tri’s going up that mountain that was the main ride I did. Its a great place to train. Good for you! Cheers, Scott
Nice!!! I love it when there is no fog or haze and it’s a 3-mountain day (when I can see Mt. Diablo, Mt. Tam and Mt. Hamilton from the Golden Gate Bridge.)
Hey! Another great trip down memory lane. … Cheers, Scott
You know, I was looking out to the NW from the summit and thought, “Hey, Scott grew up over there somewhere. I bet he did some running out here.”
Much of what you remember as fields and cow pasture is now tract homes. Fortunately, there is a measure on the ballot this fall that should rein in further sprawl.
Great pictures of a great run. What shoes are those you have, Reeboks? Funky pattern on the uppers;-)
Nike XC race shoes with the Union Jack uppers. I like them on trails because the soles are thin and light, but very tough. No rock bruises on my feet. I find that I don’t need any cushion in the shoes on trails since the ground offers enough cushioning.
Wow! and a trail all the way up. I thought you were going to show pictures of you running up the road.
I only had to run 100-200m on the road. The trail is shorter than the road, but of course it’s steeper. The last 45’ is almost too steep for running (at least for me).
