Return to the Cyclonaut - Mountain and Road page.
Created 11/19/95 - last modified 12/2/95
Ace Rph - rtoevs@tcf.com
It was quite chilly at 5:55 am, convincing most riders to don leg warmers, arm warmers, undershirts, a windbreaker, and full fingered gloves. The first 10 miles brought a short climb up Nacimiento Rd. to Adelaida on through several vineyards. A short jaunt on Rte 46 then off a York Mt Rd. to climb a junglelike winding, heavily wooded roadway with streams and water draining down the rocky walls that bordered this hidden passage way. Back onto Rte 46 for about 2 miles and again a side road, Santa Rosa Creek Rd., it wove its way gradually and gently through the wine country and the last mile ended with a very steep, yet short climb to the top where the first rest stop (30 miles) awaited the riders with homemade cookies and breads and plenty of fruit and water. For the first few miles of the downhill side of this twisting turning Santa Rosa Crk. Rd. it was slow going due to some road damage from the winter's storms, but well worth the bumps you took for the scenery was spectacular and peaceful...the sound of the streams and water still dripping off the land from the heavy rains, the flowers, the plush greenery and the birds! And that's only the beginning of the ride!
Once over SRC Rd. we descended onto the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) northbound. The shoulder for the first 20 miles was ample and the traffic very light as we cruised comfortably by the ocean with a cool breeze, clear beautiful skies and the ocean slapping against the rocks to our left. The next rest stop was Ragged Pt. (66.8) rocky cove on the coast. Leaving here we rode some serious rollers for 20 miles of incredibly gorgeous rocky cliffs. The water below was a blue as any tropical paradise. The next rest stop was at Mill Creek campground (87.5) at the base of our next major climb - Nacimiento-Ferguson Rd.
You don't want to spend to much time at this rest stop because if you get too cold the beginning and most difficult part of this climb will only be made more difficult. The grade was 8-10% for the first 4 miles, then it "leveled out for a short distance before it began to become steep again (6-7%) for most of the remaining 3 miles. It was a crawl if your gearing didn't fit the terrain! But, somehow the climb didn't seem as tough when each time you came around one of the many u-turns you looked out over the very blue ocean and the rock cliffs you just rode by to get here! It was a breathtaking moment at each turn! As the climb neared the top I kept expecting to be in the clouds as they loomed coldly overhead. But, somehow they just kept moving higher as I climbed.
The east and downhill side of this mountain road took us past a treasure of greens and trees weaving patterns of light on the roadway..it was a cold very winding decent. The road suddenly became very open and smooth as it became the Hunter-Liggett Army base. From here it was a warm cruise to lunch (113.5) at the base sports center. Lunch was ample and the volunteers very friendly and helpful making you comfortable before you rolled on. For about 5 miles or so it was a flat cruise ride. Then a left turn onto Jolon Rd. - a gradual climb (which isn't obvious at all at first) into a very stiff headwind. The downhill side of this was a fun spin. A few more right turns and you were at Lockwood-San Lucas Rd. for the next rest stop Harden Square (149.5).
The volunteers delighted to see riders and held my bike for a quick pit stop in real restrooms and then to get some water. (there were NO smelly outhouses on this ride!!) Another left turn threw us headon into more wind then a bit more comfortable cruise on Interlake Rd. (G14) more wind on 9miles of Nacimiento Rd. then a 1.2 mile stint on the 101 put us off at Bradley Rd. The gentleman at the Bradley (183.6) rest stop was glad to see me again we had met the evening before at the Bikemasters bike shop in Paso Robles, where the sign in was. The food again was plentiful and a local girl had come out to help at the thrill of seeing all the riders go by this burrow, asking for autographs on here copy of the route slip, if they could spare the time that is, but of course. (Brian Stark, ride director, told me later that another local person had come out in interest of the goings on and offered use of his place, the restroom, and his wife's cooking and who knows what else would appear, for next years's ride!) In a 3 minute stop, I filled my camelback and retrieved my windbreaker from the bag that had been transported there earlier, thanked the volunteers and zipped off on the next leg, for it was getting on in the day and I wanted to try for a daylight finish on this 13000+ foot ride.
I was told I had one more 'gradual' climb of only 2-3% rolling on Hare Cyn at the next left....with a very stiff headwind it became a crawl of 9-12 mph. and many chats with all those cows that populated the roadside. I swear one of them had a bicycle chain hanging out of its mouth and tire around its neck. but, maybe it was the wind all day getting to me...the next right turn down Indian Valley Rd. was a screaming breeze 26 mph most of the 8.8 miles to the last reststop (200). I stopped here to pick up the lights I had transported just in case they day had more in store for me than I had planned..my lights just would not go on the bike, but after 10 min. I just decide they were on good enough, I rolled up my leg warmers against the ever cooler damp evening air and rolled off.
Once again the volunteers were extremely kind, one even offered, as I fiddled with the lights, to shuttle me over the river crossing that flooded the roadway up ahead. We all knew the water crossing was there from the ride director that morning and it was on the route slip, the winter storms had flooded this low point in the road and would not dry up. This shuttle was offered to all participants as it was deemed unsafe to cross on other than a mt bike. If you were to get stuck in the sandy bottom and fall or even have to put your foot down, the water was icy cold, (apparently a few attempted the crossing and finished with cold and wet feet). The road to the water crossing and the rest of the route to the finish was smooth and had a fairly strong tailwind giving a fast and pleasant cruising feeling, and daylight finish for me, to the end of the most beautiful double I have ever ridden (213.8).
There was a meal at the end. The ride was timed at all stops for the interest of the riders. For those of you who know the CA rides, doubles in particular, this rates as tougher than TOTF (Tour of Two Forests) but not quite as difficult as TT (Terrible Two) the latter of which I have not ridden as yet but plan to this year, these comparisons are mine and others on the ride who have done both and many other long rides. Everyone finished except one guy who broke his chain and was sagged in. First riders were in around 6:40 pm and last around 10:00 pm. All were sesaoned double/distance riders.
Positives:
Well, I could go on but I think you get the picture of a most beautiful ride! I vote this the most beautiful double in California, and recommend it be apart of the Triple Crown!