Black Diamonds Mines Regional Preserve

Everything felt like it was holding me back from tour. The night before I was originally supposed to leave, I got called into work. Then I spent all day waiting for my camp stove to arrive from Camp Mendocino, which would never arrive. As 5 o'clock rolled around and I got the official word that my stove did not come back, I mustered up my energy to get going. My month turned into a mere 2.5 weeks, but a short tour is better than no tour.

Jim's Place, maybe a cozy place to live. Probably not.

The sun going down over the Oakland/Berkeley Hills.

Ridges lit up by the setting sun.

After the Delta, I realized that there was more to see at Black Diamonds Mines Regional Preserve and that it would be worth while to head back, plus they had a backpacker campsite, so that's where I pointed my wheels. The six miles through Concord and Clayton was about as enjoyable as it usually is (harrowing traffic and lots of road rage), but once I was back on the dirt, the sun was arching it's way downward and my mind relaxed. The stress of camp stoves, work, rent, money, everything just melted away. I powered up the hills, and rocketed right back down them. I hit up the sweet scenes in the park and made it to the Backpacker site just as the sun settled in for the night. A tasty meal and a comfortable camp and I rested real easy on my first night out, looking at the black sky, listening to the coyotes yip and the owls hoot.

The sky was brilliant colors in the park.

The campsite. I had a weird dream about someone shining a bright flashlight on me at 3AM, but all was good otherwise.

The morning, I was up early. Behind camp was an overlook, so I left my gear and climbed up before the sun was hardly peaking over the hills. This park is so photogenic I couldn't help but keep snapping photos of long stretches of brown rolling hills. A quick enlivening decent and I loaded back up to hit the dirt roads once more. The fire roads stretched out to backroads stretched out to closed roads, and then eventually I was back in with traffic.

The sun was hot even early.

Diablo always makes it's presence known.

The valley out to the burbs out to the Bay.

I down know if this stuff was more fun going up or down. Ouch.

Prospector's Tunnel, you could walk about 200' into the tunnel.

I was amazed as this flower was reaching out onto the road how no cars destroyed it.

Then I realized the road was closed to vehicular traffic.

If only every day of tour could be like these first two. It would have been the ultimate overnighter trip, but my directions were onward from there and the rest of the day would not shape up as well (details to come later). Black Diamonds Mines Regional Preserve is definitely going to become a regular spot for me now, for day rides, overnighters, what have you. This park is a serene setting to photograph, mountain bike, hike, or just get away.