Diablo Overnighter

It's winter. The days are short, making time to ride short. Of late, I've been finding myself wandering more and more after the sun has hit the horizon. When Manny invited me along for some Diablo bikecamping (which I have yet to do) I couldn't resist. We met at Walnut Creek and left long after the last shred of sunlight had gone.

The junction was so quiet.

Nightviews

The gate was closed at the front, which meant that Manny, Tony, Chris, Ely, and I had the road all to ourselves. We spun with our lights on for a bit, but we quickly realized that the moon was strong enough to hold the center line, so we shut off our lamps and rode by moonlight. At one point I pulled ahead of the group to feel that eerie sense of isolation that came on this dark mountainside. An incredible feeling.

Camp was a tad cold. Setting up my tent for the first time led to a rather sad pitch, but it did hold. I gnawed on a burrito and then tucked into my bag hoping for a good night's sleep. Unfortunately, the chilly December air kept me awake longer than I would have liked. Before I knew it, it was morning and we were pulling ourselves back onto our bikes, aiming for the summit for some incredible views with our coffee.

Bikepacked or Rando's doesn't matter, as long as you came to ride.

Manny has some of the most incredible photos. Check out his photos on his Flickr.

Chris completed this tough journey on his Specialized Hardrock from high school.

Manny's bike at the summit.

Can't think of a better place to have morning coffee.

Prospector's Gap.

Chris descends.

After breakfast and coffee we descended back to pack up camp. Once we filled everything back into the bag it came from it was time to hit some dirt, as any ride with Manny inevitably leads to. This was when things got real fun and real whacky.

This "road" was a straight drop down. I walked it. Manny and Chris rode it. They thankfully walked home with all their limbs in intact.

Those dots are cyclists.

This amazing detail is part of Ely's handiwork. Check out the rest of his work at Ruth Works.

Last week was one of the biggest mileage weeks I've had in a while and to end on such a fantastic trip with such majestic views will be hard to forget. Thanks to Manny, Ely, Chris, and Tony for the great ride!