We decided to break new territory and drove up to Mt. Diablo in the East Bay Saturday. It was no Pt. Reyes or Mt. Tam. Thumbs up on the taxidermy display at the visitors station but everything else didn't measure up. The Lance Armstrong wave has hit pretty hard so the mountainside is just crawling with spandex clad racers in training, not so good for the hiking. Plus it's surrounded by McMansions packed onto half acre lots with signs saying "Patrolled by Sheriff" in big gold scripty letters with gave the whole area a sort of grasp-exceeding-the-reach wannabe upper crust creepy sort of vibe.

Here Mr. P expresses both feeling that I had about the spot:

You live, you learn.