Summer '18 California Coast bike tour: Day Four: Rest Day - Back over the Coast Range & down to Morrow Bay

After yesterday’s slog over the Coast Range from Big Sur to Paso Robles, I planned in a nice, short little run back down to the Coast to Morro Bay— just 55 miles, and roughly 3000’ of climbing. Last night I collapsed into bed about 8:00pm, and got the best nights’ sleep that I’ve had in a long time! I even slept in til just past 7:00am, and then walked to a little cafe up the road for a leisurely “real” breakfast of eggs, home fries, and all the trimmings (as opposed to wolfing down a couple of granola bars in my room and then hitting the road really early!). I managed to finally roll out of Paso Robles at 9:00, with the temperature at a much more pleasant 75F! I started by running out south for about 5 miles, before hanging a right on CA 46, and beginning the long climb up to the crest of the Coast Range. After another 8 or 10 miles, I topped out the main climb, and took the cutoff toward Cambria, on Santa Rita Creek Road, which was part of the L’Erioca California ride that I did last year with Darrell & Julie Hand. This road was part of the “Coastal" and "Heroic" Routes, which none of us rode (it was 120 miles, a lot on dirt roads, and riding “antique” bikes). I can now happily say, I’m glad I didn’t try to do the long ride that day— the steepness of some of the climbs was brutal, and I was really happy I had more modern gearing (34x32 low gear, as opposed to 42x26 on my old '82 Italian Somec!). Even so, I’m really glad I took the back road... it was very picturesque, with zero traffic (probably due to the “no thru traffic” sign that I ignored). The road surface was pretty poor in places, but is was truly out in “rural” California, and there’s not a lot of that left this close to the coast. It was also the setting for the day’s wildlife sighting: a wild turkey right on the road, who didn’t seem to care at all that I stopped about 20’ away to take his picture. Clearly, California wild turkeys are a lot more tame than NY wild turkeys! Eventually, I arrived in Cambria on the coast, and stopped for fish tacos (yes, there's a bit of a Mexican food theme emerging on this trip I guess!).

After lunch, a quick 22 mile run down the coast to Morro Bay wrapped up the "recover ride." Plus, I did give in to temptation along the way and stop to do a wine tasting at Harmony Cellars, in Harmony, CA (population 13, according to the sign!). I’d probably ridden past 50 different wineries during the last day & a half, but never seemed in the right place or time to stop and try one out. And I’m glad I did— they had a Chardonnay that was great, and a petit Syrah to die for! So... I got to my hotel in Morro Bay before 2:30pm, and I’ve been wandering around the waterfront lazing away a cool and foggy afternoon and blogging. Tomorrow I’m headed for Los Alamos, inland a-ways in the Santa Ynes valley, the heart of the wine country north of Santa Barbara. For now, I’m sitting dockside enjoying a really nice grilled salmon with a local Chardonnay. Not a bad way to end the day!

So, here’s the days’ pics!: