At the visitor center (where I came only so I could exchange my $20 bill and therefore pay for the entrance), they tried to persuade me that trying to reach the peak from there is a really difficult business which will take me up to 10 hours to complete and that I'll be totally exhausted after that. But I understand, they did it in a good will. If I saw myself with their eyes; this a bit chubby girl with taped knees and ankles, I'd probably think about my abilities twice, too (not that I didn't).

After giving me a paper map and wishing me good luck (all of us thinking that they have actually convinced me to do only Eagle Peak and come back), I finally got on the trail.

It took me only about 200 yards and a woman with a number on her shorts to realize something; today was the day of Mt Diablo Trail Run.
I spent the next few miles yielding to the runners (and picking one up after she slid on the rocky trail – she had my full admiration as this white-haired sixty-something lady took on the 10K).

I stopped on Mitchell Rock and Eagle Peak for longer breaks than just a few seconds and to enjoy the view (which was truly mazing). I contemplated giving up on a crossroad right after Eagle Peak – I could make it a loop from here and go back and maybe attempt Mt Diablo some other day. But… well… in the question of completing what I once decided to complete, I'm quite stubborn.

The upper half of Bald Ridge Trail kicked my butt and I found myself thinking: “Please, please, give me a mile of boring flat path with no uphills or downhills. Or just a half of a mile. Or maybe only a hundred yards…” and the little I had to walk on North Peak Trail was the worst mile of the whole hike.

Summit was… Nice. Beautiful. Amazing. I had to start with “yeah, nice” because I was too exhausted even to be excited about reaching the peak. I peeked inside the Visitor Center.
“We're closing,” was the very first thing the ranger right behind the door said.
“I know, can I just ask if the water here is drinkable?” I pointed to the old faucet hidden behind a bench in a corner. It was, I thanked the ranger and gladly re-filled my very thin water supply. Honestly, I'd probably take the water even if it wasn't drinkable – or I'd have to get a hitch back to my car (and I didn't want to do that).

The way down, however, was even easier than I thought it was going to be and I made it back to my car with the sun already behind the horizon (yes, I admit, I started late into the day), broken sunglasses, a few scratches (which I don't even know how I got them), my knee hurting so badly I almost couldn't drive back home and chafed – in some parts so badly that it was almost bleeding (and no, it wasn't because of my clothing or anything like that). Yikes.

But I loved the hike, every single part of it, even the ones I hated at the moment.

Trails:
Oak Rd
Mitchell Rock Trail
Eagle Peak Trail
Bald Ridge Trail
North Peak Trail
Summit Trail
North Juniper Trail
Deer Flat Fire Rd
Mitchell Canyon Fire Rd

Total: 14 miles