Walnut Creek BART-Mt. Diablo Summit Round Trip

Mt Diablo, at 3,848 feet the tallest place in the Bay Area, begs to be challenged by e-bikes. Ride your e-bike up and let gravity do its thing on the way down. If you have regen, get some charge back on the way down. If you’ve never been to Mt. Diablo Summit, you’re in for good views on clear days. By all means invite your friends to drive to the top and enjoy the views or a hike of any length while they wait for you.

UPDATED DETAILS: Leave Walnut Creek promptly at 10AM (unless there's a consensus for 9AM to avoid some heat and traffic) and bike to the summit. The route we propose below is estimated at 20.2 miles, 3855 feet up and 194 feet down; for a non-e-bike, it's 3:11 up and 1:40 return.

RANGE: You can experiment with riding without assist except for the elevation, and see how much your e-bike’s range is affected by the elevation. Please join in on the discussions below about range estimates.

If you want to try out an e-bike, check well in advance with local stores (including the two by co-organizers) about one-day rentals. Ask if they have a special rate for SF Bay Area e-Bike Meetup outing. And feel free to invite VERY able riders of non e-bikes, who you think will be able to keep up. (This event is non-commercial; though it may may be sponsored/supported by local stores or bike makers, there will be no overt marketing/sales.)

Read about the Summit route at http://bestrides.org/mt-diablo/ , which says there will be lots of cars on the road up.

Find a Google Maps bike route from Walnut Creek BART via Monte Vista HS to the Upper Parking Lot at Mt. Diablo at http://tinyurl.com/e-bike-WalnutCree-MtDiabloSumm . If you know the area and can suggest other options, please post in comments.

PROPOSED ROUTE: Northeast from BART, Right on N. California Blvd (1.2). Left on Newell Ave (0.3). Right, then slight right on Iron Horse Regional Trail(1.1+2.4). Left at Alamo to Stone Valley Road West (3.0). Right after Monte Vista HS (at that point 8 miles/47 minutes) on Green Valley Road 0.7). Left on Diablo Road (1.6). Continue on Diablo and left near Athenian School on Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard, also known as Blackhawk Rd. (0.9) -- or Calle Arroyo and small roads through Country Club to Athenian School and MDSB. That becomes South Gate Road (2.0). Right at intersection with North Gate Road (ranger station with bathrooms and water) on Summit Road to the Visitor Center (4.4). The second half is about 12 miles, and very strong traditional bikers do it in an hour.

MORE ABOUT THE MOUNTAIN: The official site for the State Park is http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517 . For more info and to support the efforts of those who volunteer and organize events at this state park, see/join the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association http://www.mdia.org/ And maybe next year e-bikes will participate in the annual Mount Diablo Summit Ascent Time Trial, May 15, 2016: http://www.diablotimetrial.com/