Central California: good roads vs. crappy pavement, dirt, or both?

[FoolishMortal]

I'm setting up a Central California ride with a buddy of mine. He doesn't ride much, so I try to drag him out for a multi-day ride every couple of years. He's okay with stretches of so-so pavement, but not (at all) down with riding dirt on his VFR. :rofl

Here are the routes I've set up (so that we use SLO as a base):

1. Day One: https://goo.gl/maps/DuNYuMbcxwP2
2. Day Two: https://goo.gl/maps/ofLygeTNKCp - new Day Two route
3. Day Three: https://goo.gl/maps/U9VBgzziEuK2

I want to avoid dirt roads.

• I think Parkfield has about 5 miles of dirt, right?
• Any others that I want to be careful about?
• And are there roads that I'm missing that could easily be added or subbed in?

I promised him I'd keep it to 300 miles or less each day... :x

 

[Junkie]

Yes, Parkfield Grade has some dirt sections.

I don't believe your trip North from 166 on day 2 is doable. The end of Street View shows it turning dirt and I bet there are gates.

The way you take into Pozo is dirt too (look at street view, it turns dirt where street view ends and the road goes NNW, then a few miles of pavement once you get to Pozo proper, then dirt again when you enter the NF again)

 

[DataDan]

I'm setting up a Central California ride with a buddy of mine. He doesn't ride much, so I try to drag him out for a multi-day ride every couple of years. He's okay with stretches of so-so pavement, but not (at all) down with riding dirt on his VFR. :rofl

Here are the routes I've set up (so that we use SLO as a base):

1. Day One: https://goo.gl/maps/DuNYuMbcxwP2
2. Day Two: https://goo.gl/maps/T924bb6zRuH2
3. Day Three: https://goo.gl/maps/U9VBgzziEuK2

I want to avoid dirt roads.

• I think Parkfield has about 5 miles of dirt, right?
• Any others that I want to be careful about?
• And are there roads that I'm missing that could easily be added or subbed in?

I promised him I'd keep it to 300 miles or less each day... :x

Good choice of SLO County roads on Day 1--Chimney Rock/Adelaida/Vineyard then Old Creek. :thumbup

Pay attention to fuel on Day 2. There's a gas station in New Cuyama, but I don't depend on it. Better to refuel in Frazier Park or take the short detour up to Maricopa on 33.

Day 3 needs to be replanned. Hi Mountain is dirt from here (35.207700, -120.370700) to Pozo (35.303700, -120.376700). Parkfield Grade is dirt for about 5mi in the northern SLO County section.

EDIT: pretty much what Junkie said.

 

[dravnx]

For Day 3, try N River Rd out of Paso Robles to Indian Valley to Peachtree to 25.

 

[rrrdbw]

Brandon,

Take him on all day rides we used to do with SteveR1

 

[FoolishMortal]

For Day 3, try N River Rd out of Paso Robles to Indian Valley to Peachtree to 25.

Thanks, I'll take a look. I don't know the area at all.

Yes, Parkfield Grade has some dirt sections.

I don't believe your trip North from 166 on day 2 is doable. The end of Street View shows it turning dirt and I bet there are gates.

The way you take into Pozo is dirt too (look at street view, it turns dirt where street view ends and the road goes NNW, then a few miles of pavement once you get to Pozo proper, then dirt again when you enter the NF again)

I appreciate the insight. I'll have to look for other options, I guess.

Good choice of SLO County roads on Day 1--Chimney Rock/Adelaida/Vineyard then Old Creek. :thumbup

Pay attention to fuel on Day 2. There's a gas station in New Cuyama, but I don't depend on it. Better to refuel in Frazier Park or take the short detour up to Maricopa on 33.

Day 3 needs to be replanned. Hi Mountain is dirt from here (35.207700, -120.370700) to Pozo (35.303700, -120.376700). Parkfield Grade is dirt for about 5mi in the northern SLO County section.

EDIT: pretty much what Junkie said.

Good info. And yes, I'm getting the idea that I need to look for other options for Day Three. I'm trying to find good roads without retracing Day One. I'll look into what dravnx suggested.

Brandon,

Take him on all day rides we used to do with SteveR1

Ha! Man, it's been so long that I don't remember anything about those lesser-known roads. In the future, though, I'll try to get him out in the Copperopolis/Angel's Camp/49 area. :thumbup

 

[FoolishMortal]

Day Two edited in the original post.

 

[DataDan]

For Day 3, try N River Rd out of Paso Robles to Indian Valley to Peachtree to 25.

To expand on that a bit...

From SLO, take US-101 NB to SR-58 EB.

Go through Santa Margarita, then take Pozo Road where it forks here (35.3885, -120.579050). Continue on Pozo Road to (you guessed it!) Pozo. That's where Hi Mountain would have taken you in release 1.0 of Day 3.

About 1mi E of Pozo you'll come to Park Hill Road (35.310650, -120.357600). Park Hill will take you back to SR-58 (35.412650, -120.560600). Turn right, EB, for an incredibly fun but short series of esses, up to SR-229 (35.423750, -120.546900) and turn left, NB.

SR-229 has been called "Rossi's Driveway". It's great fun, but it's also narrow, unstriped, and has some blind curves. At the northern end (it's about 10mi), turn right, NB, on SR-41 (35.534200, -120.526000). This, too, is great fun, but without the hazards of 229.

After 15mi or so, 41 NB joins SR-46 EB in Shandon. Continue EB/NB. Just past the Jack Ranch Cafe and the James Dean Memorial, you'll come to Cholame Valley Road (35.734000, -120.286900). Turn left, NB at this odd intersection just before the SR-41/SR-46 split. Check it out in street view.

Cholame Valley Road takes you to Parkfield (35.899700, -120.432800). Instead of taking Parkfield Grade N, take Vineyard Canyon and Indian Valley W to San Miguel (35.752900, -120.695500). Refuel. There's a Chevron at 10th St and US-101.

After gassing up, go back the way you came, Indian Valley, but don't return to Vineyard Canyon. Continue on Indian Valley, which eventually becomes Peach Tree, and ends at SR-198 (36.187500, -120.820200) at the SR-25 junction.

Take SR-25 NB to Hollister and then to US-101 just S of Gilroy.

Have fun.

 

[dravnx]

Nice work Dan.

 

[FoolishMortal]

To expand on that a bit...

From SLO, take US-101 NB to SR-58 EB.

Go through Santa Margarita, then take Pozo Road where it forks here (35.3885, -120.579050). Continue on Pozo Road to (you guessed it!) Pozo. That's where Hi Mountain would have taken you in release 1.0 of Day 3.

About 1mi E of Pozo you'll come to Park Hill Road (35.310650, -120.357600). Park Hill will take you back to SR-58 (35.412650, -120.560600). Turn right, EB, for an incredibly fun but short series of esses, up to SR-229 (35.423750, -120.546900) and turn left, NB.

SR-229 has been called "Rossi's Driveway". It's great fun, but it's also narrow, unstriped, and has some blind curves. At the northern end (it's about 10mi), turn right, NB, on SR-41 (35.534200, -120.526000). This, too, is great fun, but without the hazards of 229.

After 15mi or so, 41 NB joins SR-46 EB in Shandon. Continue EB/NB. Just past the Jack Ranch Cafe and the James Dean Memorial, you'll come to Cholame Valley Road (35.734000, -120.286900). Turn left, NB at this odd intersection just before the SR-41/SR-46 split. Check it out in street view.

Cholame Valley Road takes you to Parkfield (35.899700, -120.432800). Instead of taking Parkfield Grade N, take Vineyard Canyon and Indian Valley W to San Miguel (35.752900, -120.695500). Refuel. There's a Chevron at 10th St and US-101.

After gassing up, go back the way you came, Indian Valley, but don't return to Vineyard Canyon. Continue on Indian Valley, which eventually becomes Peach Tree, and ends at SR-198 (36.187500, -120.820200) at the SR-25 junction.

Take SR-25 NB to Hollister and then to US-101 just S of Gilroy.

Have fun.

Brilliant! Thanks muchly. :cool