East Bay to SLO tour

[wheel_muse]

Planning a quick 3 day getaway Thurs-Sat Nov 1-4 or one week later for weather delay. Hwys 680, 1, 33, 166, 101 & 25. Lots of county 2-laners. :ride. Trying to minimize slab and enjoy some great roads, but need to be back for dinner Sat nite. Probably staying at Motel 6 in San Luis Obispo both nites. Going solo but companions welcome.

 

[NoGall]

Niiiice! You'll have some quality time with the .75 in that neighborhood :thumbup

 

[Oh My Sack!]

I'm down here 10 minutes south of SLOTown. If you need some guidance as to where our awesome selection of roads are, just hit me up. If I'm not on the water chasing tuna on those weekdays, I may just try and hook up for a rideabout. I'm due.

 

[wheel_muse]

Back 'n Happy

I had a great time on this trip. I went solo (sorry Oh My Sack, BARF was down with technical problems just before I left) for the three days. I left Thurs at noon, after the weather and roads cleared. As it was, I got a little rain near Morgan Hill but conditions improved as I went south.

I opted to do Day 3's easterly route to go south, as the sky looked just a shade less threatening. I got a little more precip in Hollister, but ducked into Hollister Honda to check it out. Nice modern store, lots of staff.

Cienega out of Hollister connecting with Hwy 25 in Paicines. Cienega is one of the most scenic roads I've been on, and fun, good pavement after the initial few miles of potholes and crumbling pavement. But it improves after Hollister Hills OHV area. One day I'll ride that sucker.

Hwy 25 continuing was full of wonderful scenery---leaf in full color, rolling hills, a few small communities and almost no traffic. Horses on a low hill, backlit. Peachtree Rd was a wide single lane in great condition

I finally got to slab and relax after 100 miles of curves. It was a welcome relief to lean against my tank bag, tuck in and fit in among the traffic. Unfortunately it does increase especially between SLO and Beyond Santa Barbara. Old 101 is a little scary there with short ramps and merges mixing with some aggressive drivers. No fun.

But then, arriving in SLO I visited a Giro d' Cal friend. Visiting Mark was a hilite of the trip. Seeing his motos AND his bikes. We have as many bicycles in the garage, but sadly only a couple of motorcycles. ;( It was a lot of fun hanging out in the garage.

 

[wheel_muse]

Day 2

DAY 2 was a big loop to south coast, over a high pass, to open desert and return to SLO for the nite in the same M6.

Gorgeous ride, rollicking Foxen Canyon to Solvang for the moto museum. Another pilgramage to Virgil Erling's large, rotating collection. The NSU I included a pic of amazed me.

Hwy 154 east from Solvang is pretty and a fun road, but traffic is usually a problem. 150 east out of Carpinteria to Ojai is rambling, semi-rural/suburban, where the main event of the day starts. But first, gas and supplies in Ojai. The last chance for many miles.

Hwy 33 over Pine Mtn Summit, 5,080 ft was a spectacular ride. 40 miles of moto heaven. A few miles out of Ojai the mountains start. Through Wheeler Gorge and Sespe Gorge then over the summit to Lockwood Vly Rd. Enjoy!

Then, it's a spectacular valley and open roads. Hwy 166 gradually gets more traffic as you get a few dozen miles closer to 101, although the river valley was beautiful. Ugh, back up 101 to SLO. But it was good to make time on the slab.

It was a 2+ (15 min of Flight) movie nite at the multiplex, sneaking in to see Cloud Atlas after I saw Argo. My visual appetite was sated.

 

[wheel_muse]

DAY 3 was yet another amazing day, and my second of beautiful weather. 101 to Paso. The Plan was Peachy Canyon Rd out of Paso Robles, but I turned too early onto Kiler Cyn Rd. I thought, I remembered, it seemed familiar. But when I stopped to ask a walker if it connected to PC and she said, "Yes, I think so. Just stay right on the dirt road."

Turned out she was right. 5 MILES of dirt. Mostly smooth, but some rutted or rocky sections sometimes putting down a foot or two. 15 was max speed. I really didn't want to drop my 3 month old Gixxer and crunch plastic. Or have to deal with a flat. But it worked out OK.

Connecting with Peachy Canyon, Vineyard, and Chimney rock in some of the most scenic rider's and cyclist's roads that tickle the taste for tarmac. Then connecting on more open, lightly trafficed roads

G14 Interlake Rd was open, gentle sweepers with almost no traffic. Early morning hunters were parked along the road. From Lockwood I went straight onto the secondary road. Instead of G14, do yourself a favor and enjoy Lockwood-San Lucas road. Open wide single lane with an intimate feel.

Back to 101 tucked in to Greenfield. A nice valley downtown and lots of good burrito choices. But the next course after lunch was Elm Street to G16 Carmel Valley Rd. Again, another gorgeous road but a few more users as you get closer to tony Carmel Village. Less elevation gain than I expected. Good for bicycling I noted. I went over Laureles Grade back to Salinas, then on home.

REFLECTING on the ride: It was spectacular. Three days of a variety of scenery, great riding roads, the society of a few people, and a movie nite. It was fun visiting Mark, chatting with the attendant and another visitor at the museum, talking to a few shop keepers. I'm really lovin' on the new bike, happy that I'm relatively comfortable, even for a 900 mile/3 day-er.

 

[wheel_muse]

maps, finally

sorry the format of the report...

 

[Oh My Sack!]

Looks like you picked up on some of the roads I would have suggested. You missed a few secret routes, though. :ride

It's neat you caught Cerro Noroeste and Pine Mtn Club, too. That's one of my regular "day ride" loops after hitting 58 and then rolling to Santa Barbara for lunch then back home to Arroyo.

 

[Hoho]

Looks like a fun time! Thanks for sharing! Now post link to that Google Map! I haven't been on a nice long ride since I went to Highway 36 with Banjoboy and Smokester, so all I've been doing is living vicariously through everyone else's rides... :laughing busy weekends are busy.