A beautiful hike on a beautiful day! At first we thought we might be hiking Bob Seger style, aka “Against the Wind”, but other than some big gusts in the parking lot and at the summit, it was relatively calm and absolutely ideal for hiking. Macedo Ranch is a great staging spot: parking, bathrooms (with soap  and water!) a map, and friendly cows to greet you as you start your hike. You'll share the trail with your equine friends at the beginning, so watch your step…:). This was a significant trek; we clocked in at 14.7 miles round trip, and every inch was glorious. We took Wall Point Road to Summit Trail all the way up, passing through woodlands, chaparral,  and grasslands, and their accompanying variety of flora. It was nice to see new pine trees on the same hike as grandpa oak trees! Mt. Diablo State Park does a nice job with signage along the way: “Trail through Time” explains the geologic formations, fossils, and other interesting features of the hike. The “Eye of Diablo” at the summit is a wonderful place to take lunch, and a clear day will afford spectacular views of the snow capped Sierras, the Altamont Pass out to the central valley, the bay. delta, and beyond! Our hiking group agreed that you could spend every day on Mt. Diablo for a month and hike a different trail each time. This majestic mountain is truly the east bay's playground.