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Forty-Nining

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March 2019

After a long, cold and particularly busy winter in New York, I took a spontaneous trip to San Francisco, rented a big GS, and headed south. Rather than hug the Pacific on the epic Pacific Coast Highway, I elected to explore the back roads of the Coastal Range. The recent weeks had brought heavy rains to California, and many of the roads were barely passable because of rock and mud slides. Some of the old stagecoach roads are treacherous, with thousand foot drop-offs into ravines – ride off the edge and you will never be found. Carry a PLB! But the rewards are many – great riding, majestic views, and no traffic. None.

Nights were spent in some of California’s most charming towns: Carmel- by-the-Sea, San Luis Obispo, Ojai and Santa Barbara.

After bunking with the Coolidges, the first day ws a meander down the Peninsula through Big Basin, across the Salinas Valley, then up the Carmel Valley to Carmel-by-the-Sea
Because if you see cheese, you should eat cheese, especially from Cowgirl Creamery
Edie's car?
Entering the Big Basin State Park.
FortyNining-7
Probably the best hot dog I've ever had, at the House of Fifi (actually a hot dog stand) in Boulder Creek.
The eastern end of the Carmel Valley must have been where Ben Cartwright set up the Ponderosa Ranch.
Day 2 was a run back down the Carmel Valley, south to Fort Leggett and across the Coastal Range on the treacherous Ferguson-Nascimiento Road, then a relaxing cruis to SLO.
Near Sycamore Flat in the Carmel Valley.
Endless fields of rich soil in the Salina Valley.
The Ferguson-Nascmiento Rd lulls you in, but beware.
This kinky line doesn't begin to tell the story. Don't look down from some of the precipices. Rocks were strewn all over the road from recent mudslides.
And they're not kidding.
There had been heavy rains a few days before so there was water in the river and hills were lush.
Frequent stops to gulp in the vistas.
How green are their valleys?
The third day started on Rt. 58, a wildly varied cascade of scenic wonders, across the Carizzo Plain, then back West through the Cuyama Valley, over the mountains and south to Santa Barbara.
Sections of Rt. 58 were laser straight with brand new pavement. The hills ahead brought the curves.
Looking back up the Carizzo Plains.
And before you hit th oilfields, there's a large bison ranch.
Not shown here, but the Carizzo Plain is littered with solar ranches, which cover dozens of square miles and can be seeen from space.
The hills above the Cuyama Valley must hold some treasures.
Between McKittrick and Sisquoc are plenty of oil and gas rigs.
The state mascot.

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