# Diablo Challenge coming up. Any tips??



## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

I have been practicing as best I can considering the summit closure. It looks like I am good for a 65 minute climb (I plan to win the "fastest hairy legged guy" category) but I can just see a throng bunching up and crawling at 4mph as soon as the grade gets past 4%. I therefore put myself down in the sub one hour group so I can avoid the throngs. Is this ok? 

Also, is the road closed or do we have to watch for traffic? 

Thanks!!


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## DasMud (Jun 8, 2003)

I'm pretty sure the road is closed to traffic for the morning. I've also heard rumor of them starting people in intervaled groups to avoid the mass start this year, but I can't recall where I've read/heard that.


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## jasonwells4 (Aug 7, 2006)

how many feet of climbing is it?


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

*3249 feet in 10.8 miles*

Check it out at www.savemountdiablo.org 

North gate road is still closed -grrr!!!


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## jasonwells4 (Aug 7, 2006)

Whoa! That's no small feat...




So far I've been practicing going over the hill to Del Valle and that's about 1,600 ft round trip... I'm only a month into practice and I barely reach 70-80 rpms in the lowest gear. Have no idea what I'd do at Mt. Diablo...


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## cy1 (Dec 7, 2004)

The road is closed to traffic. They also hold everyone at the top until most everyone gets there before they start to let folks descend.

If it's still a mass start, I'd recommend lining yourself in the group where you "optimistically"plan to finish. You don't want to be behind a lot of slower folks to start, but it's also polite not to hinder faster folks.

It does thin out pretty quickly if you're in the 60 minute range. The last time I did it (95 or so), I noticed I had a flat in the starting line so I had to go back to my car and fix it. I started dead last. The first mile or so was crowded, but it kept me from starting too fast and blowing up ;-) I still ended up ~ 55 minutes or so. 

If I remember correctly, the time to the ranger station (intersection) was almost exactly 1/2 the total time for me. The first half if a bit longer, but the second a bit steeper.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Is there normally a centerline rule? If there isn't then it ought to be easy to pass slower riders.

A guy I met on the santa cruz mountains challenge said that this year the Mt Diablo race was going to be run in waves, and they were going to use ankle transponders that they use in running races to keep time.

I haven't ridden Diablo in about 20 years. It ought to be fun.


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## cy1 (Dec 7, 2004)

*No Centerline rule*

There was no centerline rule that I remember. The road is pretty narrow though, and with the old 1000 person mass start, it's edge to edge traffic until it spreads out.


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## parity (Feb 28, 2006)

I just got this e-mail:

"The Mount Diablo Summit Road will reopen to the public today, Friday September 22. The road has been paved and is very smooth! It should be a great ride. Please be carefull on the downhill. And please obey all traffic laws in the area!

The Summit Road will be closed next week on Friday, September 29th only. Northgate Road will be closed on Thursday, September 28th."


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

ucancallmejoe said:


> I have been practicing as best I can considering the summit closure. It looks like I am good for a 65 minute climb (I plan to win the "fastest hairy legged guy" category) but I can just see a throng bunching up and crawling at 4mph as soon as the grade gets past 4%. I therefore put myself down in the sub one hour group so I can avoid the throngs. Is this ok?
> 
> Also, is the road closed or do we have to watch for traffic?
> 
> Thanks!!


 Why not just shave your legs? That'll take 5 minutes off your time and you won't be in the wrong category. It'll also give you a little more mincing time at the top  

Road open or closed always watch for traffic- some camper might not know about a closure and just drive out half asleep, or a ranger might have to head out for an emergency, which reminds me- don't go off the edge. It's a long way down in some places.


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## b987654 (Aug 18, 2005)

anyone know when we can come back down the road? 
thanks


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

b987654 said:


> anyone know when we can come back down the road?
> thanks


 You can probably go down the Mitchell Canyon side anytime you want- keep in mind it is a dirt road- and a bit of a butt bruiser on a full suspension mountain bike  

Seriously, has anyone ever done this? Where is the staging area?


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

*First attempt at full summit run = sliced tire after 500 yards*

Curse you Devil Mountain! 

And the punchline is that I mistakenly packed one of my wife's 650c tubes so I had to make an emergency tire boot and limp back to the parking lot. Did the China camp loop later on since it was too hot by the time I sorted things out. Maybe I will shave my legs once I can sort out my tubes. 

Anyone been to the summit yet?

The staging area is some school close by and the start line is near the beginning of Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I got my info mailer and it said that I'm in the 3rd wave. I should be able to finish in under an hour and I checked the 'under an hour' box on the signup form.. Are they starting the faster riders in the last wave? That doesn't make sense.


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

*Same issue -stuck in third wave*

I asked them about this and they replied that the first two waves were filled out early and there are many sub one hours stuck in the third wave. They suggested to show up for the third wave early but I am wondering if I shouldn't go five minutes after the third wave (if that is permitted) because there is going to be a bunch of eager beavers hammering past me at 14mph for about a mile and then causing a pace killing log jam. 

I timed myself at 61 minutes solo but I am not sure how much energy I am going to use up trying to dodge tandems and such. 

Ah well. I will have a great excuse for not getting my T-shirt at least


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## cy1 (Dec 7, 2004)

*You'll be fine*

If you can do 61 minutes by yourself, you'll be fine. ;-)

I don't think I ever broke 60 minutes in training, but I never went over 58 minutes in the event. The extra adrenalin of a "race" and the crowds to pace with make a big difference in your speed. Even though you're not in the first wave, you won't have to worry about the majority of the folks who would slow you down. 

Good Luck!! and have fun.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Yea, if you can do 61 on your own you should be able to break an hour easy on the day. Just don't start out too hard and blow up.


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## ucancallmejoe (May 17, 2006)

*Just got the call -got bumped up to the first wave*

I dunno. For some reason they had a spot or two left. 

As luck would have it, I have a mild cold but if I latch onto a modestly fast wheel I should be able to forget about it and maintain my pace. If my cold is really nasty by then, I will find one of you guys stuck in the third wave and give you my place. 

I've raced with colds before and it is not that big of a deal -for about an hour.

Good luck everyone!!


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## California L33 (Jan 20, 2006)

So, how did everyone do?


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