The heart of WeSTOC has been, for 10 years now, the Rides. Each year, the site selected is determined largely because one factor, that is the quality and quantity of great riding opportunities for WeSTOC attendees. People coming to WeSTOC know they will be riding in the premier riding areas of the weSTern USA and Canada. This is what keeps them coming back.
This year is no different. The ride selection team has come up with some great loops in the area around SLO. From the mountains, to the ocean, this year's rides have something for everyone!
[Please note, all ride maps and riding directions are in pdf format. If you need the free pdf viewer, click on the "Get Adobe Reader" icon at right.]
1. Coastal Curves Loop - 336 miles: Directions Map
This is the signature ride for WeSTOC X, if you have never ridden California 1, you are in for a treat. The road has both technical and fast sweepers and amazing vistas. You can ride it fast but it pays to slow down enough to take in the view. Interesting stops include Morrow Bay, Cambria, San Simeon (Hurst Castle) and Big Sur. At the north end, head inland on highway 68 right past the south entrance to the world famous Lagua Seca raceway. Watch to your right for road G20 (Laureles Grade). This takes you into Carmel Valley and road G16 – a personal favorite. Watch out for the cattle crossings strategically placed in the corner apexes though! G16 will take you to 101 in Greenfield, then south on 101 to G14 near King City. Keiffer’s Restaurant is a good place to eat if you are hungry at this point. G14 takes you south to SLO again via Naciamento, Adelaida, Vinyard, highway 46 and back to 1.
2. Ojai / Santa Barbara Loop - 310 Miles: Directions Map
This loop includes Hwy 58 out of SLO and 33 down into Ojai for some nice twisties – some of the best in the area, then routes you past scenic Lake Casitas and Lake Cachuma on the return leg. In Ojai you might take the opportunity to visit Widder for some heated apparel or Bill Mayer for a custom seat. For Mayer you will need an appointment. At the top of the San Marcos Pass on 154 above Santa Barbara you can take a side trip along Stage Coach road and visit the Cold Springs Tavern. This a good lunch stop and was once a functioning stage coach stop for the US postal service. On weekends it’s quite a bike hangout and offers live entertainment. Further along 154 you can take a side trip into the Danish town of Solvang. Pretty touristy, but there is a very nice motorcycle museum there worth visiting. Finish up the 154 at 101 and head north back to SLO and some tire kicking and foot peg feeler inspections at the Embassy Suites base. If you are into wine tasting, stop at Los Olivos where you will find numerous tasting rooms along the main drag.
3. Extreme Twisties - 343 miles: Directions Map
This is a
modification of the Ojai / Santa Barbara Loop but with a side trip out Cerro
Noroeste / Mil Protrero and Lockwood Valley Roads. Fun, fun, fun. Be aware there can be
some water crossings in a few places along Lockwood Valley. All the same POIs
apply.
4. The Big Dog Ride -
490 Miles: Directions Map
This year’s Big Dog Ride may not
be as many miles as some previous years but I tried to throw in every local
favorite road I could think of. The
northern end includes highway 58, which offers sweepers, technical twisties and
has been frershly resurfaced this spring. The southern end includes Bouquet, San
Francisquito Canyon, and Lake Hughes roads. If that’s not enough for you there
also Pine Canyon (N2) Cerro Noroeste/Mil Protrero, 150 out of Santa Paula and
highway 33! By the time you reach
166 (not so twisty) you’ll welcome it’s more relaxed, open pace. Take 166 back to 101 and a rest at the
Embassy Suites – you’ll need it!
5. The Wine and
Burgers Run - 163 Miles: Directions Map
This route is designed for a more
laid back ride. Start off heading
north out of SLO and then southeast through the Edna Valley vineyards area of
SLO county. There are numerous
tasting rooms along the way and I recommend the Rose at Bailyana Wineries and
the Pinot Noir at Claiborne & Churchill – but then I’m a red wine
enthusiast. There’s also a
demonstration vineyard at Edna Valley Winery for those interested in how it’s
done. There are many others to be
explored as well. Some allow free tasting (C & C), while others charge $3 -
$5 for each glass to taste all the wines on their menu that day. Most allow couples to share a
glass. It’s best to start
this run with some free luggage space so you can pack a couple of bottles to
take back to base with you. Make sure you have a DR (designated Rider too!).
After a leisurely bit of testing, head south via SSR1 and 1 to Jalama Road and
head west to Jalama Beach through some nice twisties. The road dead-ends at a campground where
the local snack bar serves their locally famous Jalama burgers!
6. The Li'l Pup Loop - 122
Miles:
Directions Map
Designed as a morning or afternoon loop, this ride takes
a more relaxed, less demanding, open route for a nice tour, stop and smell yur
flowers, if you will, up Highway 1 to 46 inland, back down 41 to 229 through the
vineyards and some tasting opportunities back to base camp at the Embassy
Suites.
7. The Pozo Loop - 150
Miles: Directions Map
This ride is a modification of the Pozo Loop ride
described in Clement Salvadori’s book “Motorcycle Journeys Through
California”. This book is highly
recommended and would be very handy to have at WeSTOC this year. According to
Salvadori, the Pozo Saloon, is a viable stop for lunch but is pretty slow during
the week. Looks like some fun back
roads and twisties and several opportunities to detour such as continuing on
Pozo road instead of taking the left on Park Hill as recommended in the
book. Looks like some serious
twisties on Pozo between Park Hill and the 58. You can then pick up Shell Creek and
resume the recommended route to the north end of the loop
again.
8. The
Parkfield Loop - 243 Miles: Directions Map
Another ride borrowed from Clement Salvadori’s excellent
book. This ride loops you up the
coast to Nacimiento-Fergusson road, one of the very few east-west roads
accessing highway 1 north of highway 46. From there you take some nice scenic
back roads via G14 and Cross Canyon through Santa Margarita and Parkfield on the
San Andreas fault (the earthquake capitol of California). Return via Cholame,
41 and 229, through the vineyards (hard to avoid them here!) to
SLO.
Click here to download a zip file containing all
rides in SA7 format
Click here
to download a zip file containing a Garmin Mapsource rides file with all
rides.
