On Sunday, October 2, 2022, the Valley Spokesmen Bicycle Club will host the 39th annual Mount Diablo Challenge Memorial. The Challenge is a 11.2-mile, individually timed ride that climbs 3,249 feet to the summit of Mt. Diablo, starting up South Gate Road, in Danville, California. Mt. Diablo is one of the highest peaks in the San Francisco Bay Area, with views of the Farallon Islands and the Sierras. On the day of the event, the road will be closed for safety, and more than 800 cyclists will ride to the summit. The ride welcomes all ages, abilities, teams, and bicycle types. It is a once-a-year opportunity to enjoy riding the mountain, car-free. The event culminates with an awards ceremony, which crowns the King and Queen of the Mountain and presents many other prizes for winners in various categories. The post-ride festivities include music, food and drink, and many vendor displays. A portion of event proceeds will fund bicycle safety projects on Mt. Diablo.
This event is produced in memory of two individual cyclists. It was first created 39 years ago to remember Joan Walt, who loved riding Mt. Diablo several times a week. She succumbed to a heart ailment at age 26, and her family asked the Valley Spokesmen to create the Mt. Diablo Challenge in her honor. Last year, a beloved cyclist named Joe Shami, at age 86, was close to reaching 100,000 cumulative miles on his Trek Bike while riding Mt. Diablo weekly for 615 consecutive weeks. In April 2021, he was struck by a vehicle in a local traffic roundabout and killed. The Mount Diablo Challenge Memorial will be held in 2022 in memory of both Joan and Joe, and proceeds will continue to support bicycle safety on Mount Diablo.
Event Details:
October 2 — Mt. Diablo Challenge Memorial Ride, Danville, CA, The 11.2-mile, individually timed ride climbs 3,249 feet to the summit of Mt. Diablo starting up South Gate Road. Mt. Diablo is one of the highest peaks in the San Francisco Bay Area, with views of the Farallon Islands and the Sierras. The road is closed for safety and more than 800 cyclists will ride to the summit., Mark Dedon, [email protected], mountdiablochallenge.org
