By Olivier de Vaulx
Whether you live in the Bay Area or congested Los Angeles, you might want to escape the stressful urban environment during a peaceful weekend on backcountry roads. The goal is to free the mind with some easy miles under warm weather, but also to enjoy magnificent sceneries and good food. With all these parameters in hand, a quick look at the map of California made one itinerary stand out right away. A trip from Paso Robles, in wine country, to Big Sur, on the Pacific Coast, would check all the boxes.
Our 2019 Africa Twin DCT, outfitted with Cyclops LEDs, Outback Motortek crash bars, ACD Racing skid plate, Trail Tech Voyager Pro GPS, and Kriega bags, is quickly called upon duty and starts the journey to Paso Robles from Los Angeles.
With only thirty thousand residents, Paso Robles is a small town with a big reputation among wine connoisseurs. Restaurants with great menus are plentiful, accommodations are charming, and it’s easy to find a place to rest and refuel the body before the real start of the ride. Waking up before the sunrise feels difficult, but the first miles through the yellow and red vineyards illuminated by the nascent light are rewarding. After crossing the dam on Nacimiento Lake, the road takes some elevation, giving an unlimited view of the rolling hills. There’s no traffic, and if it wasn’t for some hawks circling the bike during photo stops, it would be totally quiet. The route on our GPS brings us to a fire road, crossing a nice forest. A deer jumps just in front of the twin and disappears in between the trees. Close call! But the journey on dirt will stop here, as two big signs forbidding visitors to “trespass” on Hidden Valley Ranch private property are confiscating a great deal of fire road through the forest. With no farming operation in sight, it’s hard to understand the need to refuse the way of going through this mainly unmanaged land. A sign preventing to go off the trail would be legitimate, but a full closure seems abusive.
Back on the pavement on an alternate route, it’s fun to notice that even the army shows more moderation in allowing thru traffic across Fort Hunter Liggett. The tank at the entrance might be intimidating, but the road itself is just beautiful, with endless corners, and fall colors shining under a perfectly blue sky. A few miles after the camp, two OHV trails are open to the public, giving miles of dirt to play with the CRF1000 and great views of the sea in the distance. Since the winter days are short, it’s soon time to go back on the road to start the incredible downhill toward Highway 1 and the coast. It’s hard to decide between going fast on the perfect pavement of this narrow winding road, leaning the bike as much as possible, or to slow down to soak up the incredible scenery. A few corners above the ocean, the sunset’s golden light paints the rocky cliff of the coast, making it look like a painting from the 16th century and a mandatory stop. Going down to the highway is like going back to civilization. The night settles quickly, and the coast disappears in the darkness, only cut sharp by the powerful Cyclops LEDs. The famous Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey is a good place to grab seafood and some energy.
The fog is up to its reputation, and the next morning starts under wet conditions, which disappear like magic just when crossing the most iconic bridges of the coast. From here, it’s possible to skip part of the pavement to enjoy more dirt time on the Coast Rd. This fire road is also private but open to traffic, proof that it’s possible for landowners to offer this option, and allows a really pleasant ride with a mix of hilltop and redwood forest. Yet this fun dirt road is a unique exception since all the other trails along the coast are closed by gates. The rest of the trip will, therefore, be made on the pavement, with gusty winds but endless postcard-like views. There are gas stations every twenty miles or so, which is good news in such remote places! To avoid being stuck in the heavy traffic building up around Santa Barbara, the best option is to divert on Highway 46, climbing back to Paso Robles on a fun road with plenty of switchbacks. The loop is closed, and it will take weeks for the memories of this colorful trip to fade. Then, it will be time to ride again.
