To the Summit of Mount Diablo
My son, who lives in New York City, had been in San Francisco on business when he called asking if there was any chance that he could come for lunch the next day. Of course, there was every chance in the world. I began to plan for the problems on the computer that he could help me solve, along with other chores in the yard.
He arrived shortly before noon on a bright, clear Saturday. After greeting me, he went on, “I think this is our day to visit Mt. Diablo.” It was a destination we had long planned to see since moving to Northern California from the far southern border of the state. “We’ll leave right after lunch.” My plans for help on the computer and in the yard flew out the window. His smart phone, told us exactly how to get to the summit of Mt. Diablo.
The road got narrower and curvier the higher we rose. There is an ongoing contest among bicyclists to decrease the minutes it takes to pedal to the summit of Mt. Diablo on the 10.3 mile bike route. The cyclists are on their honor to pledge that they have not put a foot on the ground as they ascended, trying to break the current record of 43 minutes.
Finally we reached the summit. My son is a friendly man who does not hesitate to approach strangers offering to take group shots of them, and they often reciprocate by snapping a photo of mother and son together.
My son can also be mischievous. He asked a cyclist if he could borrow his bike to be the “prop” for a picture. The young man saw the humor of the set-up and laughingly handed the bike over. Peter had me grab the two handlebars and try to look exhausted. My walker was barely visible in the background.
When we got back home, Peter posted the pictures on Facebook. It was amazing how many people fell for the joke, replying with admiration at the 91-year-old woman who could still ride a bike up a mountain. One friend asked how I got the walker to the summit and the answer supplied by my son was “Mom must have pulled it up behind her.”
There is no limit to the gullibility of some people.
