Hog Canyon / La Jolla

December 21, 2022 to December 22, 2022

Wednesday: Hog Canyon

Facing perfect conditions for our last day here, we have to choose between riding out Hog Canyon again or driving over to the San Andreas fault line for one of the rides over there. In my opinion the best option is up Bitterwater Road, a truly spectacular ride I hope to revisit someday. Hog Canyon is outstanding too though, and with a great ride available that we can start right from home it seems silly to hop in the car and drive a half hour. So the choice is made.

We rode up Hog Canyon last December on our drive south, and were stunned by its ethereal beauty. The conditions were perfect that day for seeing it at its best, with a partially overcast sky setting off the shimmering hills and fields to their best effect. It was an excellent ride today also, but with a cloudless sky the colors were all just a bit washed out. Even with that though it was definitely the best of the rides from our stay here. Also, it was easily the best birding day of the set. In addition to the two shown here there were meadowlarks, hawks, ravens, quail, western bluebirds, a brilliant blue mountain bluebird, and a mockingbird being harassed off the scene by a pursuing blackbird.

A few miles northeast of town and we’ve already left town and traffic behind. This is definitely the best direction for rides starting from Paso Robles.

I really admire the fact that some isolated oaks have been spared in the expanse of vineyards that blankets the valley.

This is the third of these. Is it too soon to declare it a windmill of the day? For all I know this will be the last we’ll be seeing for awhile.

Cedar waxwing, one of about a dozen in this tree, looking like Christmas tree ornaments.

Heading home, with the Santa Lucia range ahead.

Video sound track: Tanglewood Tree, by Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer

Thursday: the drive to La Jolla

The five and a half hour drive to La Jolla turned into a seven and a half hour drive after multiple stretches of slow, stop and go traffic through interminable Los Angeles, and a half hour stop for second breakfast in Carpenteria. Stressful and exhausting, with by far the best part being the chorizo scramble and home fries in Carpenteria. That’s all I care to say about the day, other than the countryside around Solvang and Santa Ynez was glorious and looked like it could be a good base for some rides on the drive north. Needs more research.

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Ride stats today: 42 miles, 1,900’; for the tour: 218 miles, 11,900’

Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 218 miles (351 km)

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Kelly IniguezMany, many years ago we rode a tandem rally with Santana tandems that was based in Solvang. It was good riding.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Kelly IniguezThanks for the feedback. We stayed in Santa Ynez or Solvang long ago on a ride from San Jose to Santa Barbara and really liked the country. It’s time to give it a longer look.
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1 year ago