Choose Your Adventure

Bob Jones Trail

city to the sea

WRITTEN BY PADEN HUGHES

I think it comes with the territory to evaluate your “greenness” when you hail from the Central Coast. One of my personal challenges as a local to San Luis Obispo is to get outside more and find transportation alternatives to my car. I rely too much on my CR-V to get me from A to B. But, if you’re like me, and you are ready to dedicate a few hours to getting out to see the beauty around, keep the car parked. By the time the weekend rolls around I get the urge to hear the calming sound of waves, lay out and enjoy the sunshine. But this time, I’ll be getting to the beach on a different set of wheels. Do you remember how old you were the first time you rode a bike? Teetering back and forth insecurely in the beginning, and increasingly becoming confident enough to speed down hills and race your friends. It was magic! For me it still is... aside from the moments you inhale a hideous amount of exhaust from those less excited about alternative transportation. That is why I crave bike paths away from the red lights, merging lanes and drivers who are rocking out to Def Leppard or updating their Facebook status as they careen past you. This Saturday I decided to go on my favorite bike ride in San Luis Obispo. My choice may surprise more serious members of the cycling community. There are a wonderful number of bike trails and routes locals will recommend. When asked for my personal favorite, I would have to say biking through SLO to Avila via the Bob Jones Trail. It’s by no means a hard route, but it is a fairly long one for a recreational biker. Plus the trail rewards you with panoramic views of the sparkling blue ocean swells, warm sunshine and sounds of happy tourists playing in the water with their children. For those wanting to avoid the road hazards I hinted at above, perhaps it may be worth the drive through town, at least until you get to Johnson Ranch on Ontario Road. You can take South Higuera until you go under Highway 101. Once there, avoid the ramp that intends to spit you out onto Highway 101 and turn right instead. From here you can park, gear up, and bike alongside the highway from a much more secure roadway that dips up and down, winding its way toward Avila. If you would like to start the Bob Jones Trail from the beginning, which I recommend, negotiate crossing San Luis Bay Drive carefully, and then continue down Ontario Road until you come to the park and ride, which marks the start of the trail to the right. Through the canopy of large oaks, along a slow river, I coast, I climb, I veer right or left, and breeze through the beauty around me. This 2.84-mile pathway is paved and winds past San Luis Bay Estates and the Avila Bay Club recreational area. From there the trail snakes through the golf course, up and over the bridge and alongside the town of Avila. If you want to hit the beach, you can turn left into the town. Or you can continue on headed for the piers further away and enjoy cycling along the curve of the bay. Fall is such a beautiful time of year in San Luis Obispo, the sun is still warm but the air can have a slight crispness to it that makes it perfect for riding. I hope you venture out and give Bob Jones Trail a try. It’s well worth the effort.

SLO LIFE

Arriving safely...

1. If you are going to bike on public roads, know your road signals so drivers know your intentions. 2. If you are biking in a group, do not bike more than two deep. 3. Avoid listening to music or talking on the phone during the trek, it could prevent you from hearing what is coming up from behind you or around the next bend.