I recently had the opportunity to travel to Monterey and San Luis Obispo for work. Knowing I would have a few mornings off, I decided it would be a mistake to leave without my bike, so I headed to mtbr.com and google to find the good places to ride.
I knew I was bringing my hardtail, so I didn’t want to ride anything too nasty. I decided on Fort Ord for the first leg of the trip. It had minimal elevation change with miles of smooth singletrack, which would leave me not too beat up on my old steel steed. It was a bit sandy at times, nearly washing out my front tire on several high-speed turns, but the fun and flowy trails proved to be a great ride.
For more info on Fort Ord, check out www.morcamtb.org or www.ftordbeta.org You can download an updated map by clicking on the one below.
Above: I was hoping the rider above would get his front tire washed by the sand, but he made it. No endo shot this time!
Below: A panoramic shot of the rolling hills that make up Fort Ord. The max elevation is not very high, but it is possible to string together a long ride and do 5K + of climbing. The 2012 Sea Otter course spanned 20 miles with 3,750 feet of climbing. Click here for more info about that course.
The second leg of the trip in San Luis Obispo brought us to Montana de Oro State Park. Located right on the coast, I knew it would offer scenic views along with great singletrack. Check out the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers for related info on MDO. Click on the map below to download the pdf version.
Below: The Bluff Trail offered the chance to ride right along the coast. Don’t slip to the left!
Below: The climb up Hazard Peak Trail was dusty and exposed. It made for a thrilling ride down!
Above: Thanks to the CCCMB group, the trails were in fantastic shape. You’ll notice the concrete pavers lining the turn above to keep it from washing away and taking down riders with it.
Below: The Barranca Trail offered challenging climbs with loose rock and dirt. We had planned on riding longer this day, but decided to hang out on Barranca for a while and session its more difficult sections.
