June, 2021 Newsletter
 Back in November when the season was supposed to start and COVID cases were peaking, I didn’t know if we’d get a chance to ride at all as a team. During this time, riders rode by themselves or with friends for fun and fitness. I was encouraged seeing their posts on Strava. In February we were allowed to practice. The season ultimately took shape with 3 league races in April and May. I heard from many parents who said cycling was the one thing that kept their kids sane and happy during this unusual year. I’m so happy we were able to have some semblance of a season.
 Our last race was at Six Sigma Winery in Lower Lake on May 16th. Many of the team showed up the day before for a pre-ride and then camped for the evening. I enjoyed catching up with riders, parents and friends from other teams. The race started at 9am in the morning. Like the others, this race was also a time trial format. Each team sent all their riders, separated by 30 seconds. This was the hardest course in the series — 8.2 miles and 1400ft of elevation gain. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you’re sprinting in a time trial, it’s hard. The last mile of the course included some brand new trail. We had a great race. No injuries, no mechanicals… All smiles.
Our last practice of the season was a special ride. We took the team to Soquel Demonstration forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. For most riders, this was all new to them and they were thrilled. 3 miles of downhill flow trail is the best way to end the season.
 Coach Peter May (former ECHS student) is about to embark on a two month, 4,000 mile solo bike trip across America. On June 1st he’ll set off on a Specialized Diverge, loaded with all his gear, riding from El Cerrito to Massachusetts. You can follow his progress on his website: ca2ma.com. Peter is using his ride across America to help raise funds for San Lorenzo High School’s environmental club. The environment and educational opportunities is something Peter is passionate about. Please consider donating to this cause. Good Luck Peter!
This summer I’ll be hosting coach rides. We’ll ride in Tilden and also some fun places around the bay. It’s a great way to learn the trails, so we can take the riders back next season. If you’re interested in joining please let me know. We plan to start the next training season with the full team in November. Thanks to the vaccine, we’re optimistic about having a full season. We’ll kick off the newsletter again then. In the meantime if you want to become a coach or donate to the team, please contact me.
Doug Diego, Head Coach
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I did all 3 of the races this year. All 3 were very hard and intense and they got harder each time. In the second race my bike was having mechanical problems which deeply affected my performance. In Race 3, I put it all on the line and improved my position. In my senior year I have the goal to work even harder and improve my position even more. I had a lot of fun and am hoping for even more as co-captain now.
1. I started mountain biking probably when I was around 10 but I didn’t take it seriously or do it a lot until I was a freshman and joined the team
I started mountain biking at the beginning of my junior year. I’m heading off to Indiana University Bloomington, which is a big biking town. I plan to join a club and explore the trails there! My only advice is to just keep stepping out of your comfort zone and have fun! 
