Road Trippin’ to Cali’s Central Coast
Upon visiting California, most visitors focus on either Nor-Cal or So-Cal. Famously lying between the two is the central coast and (it’s jewel)…
Upon visiting California, most visitors focus on either Nor-Cal or So-Cal. Famously lying between the two is the Central Coast and (it’s jewel)… Big Sur
Big Sur, a 70-mile nirvana of curvy road, spectacular ocean views and interesting people. Jack Kerouac lived there; Henry Miller left Paris to write there; Ansel Adams recorded the coastline’s stark beauty in his photographs. Central California is the home of the SLO Club, an 80-member scooter pack. SLO is an abbreviation for San Luis Obispo county, a region once
known for cattle, but now a large part of California’s wine culture. For the second year scooterists came to participate in the Mudhole Rally, two crazy days of endless backroad riding.
Hoping for Spring
The winter rains had let up in northern California and the San Francisco Scooter Girls were ready to turn our wheels down Highway 1 through fabled Big Sur. But as we reached Big Sur the cold breath of fog was hanging heavy. No time to wait, so we cautiously navigated the switchbacks as the dense fog curled down the flanks of the Santa Lucia Mountains. I gazed back to barely make out the glow of a headlight. It was Lauren Harp on her Vespa 150 slowly winding around the mountain curves. I promise on a sunny day you can Great turnout for Friday evening gathering
see the beaches, the rock formations and blue water below. You may even catch a glimpse of a California Condor, a scavenger with a 10-foot wing span, but we could barely see anything today because of the fog.
Shivering, we finally pulled into the warmer climate of Atascadero where the party was cantered. Fernando Castillo, who is SLO’s ‘go-to guy’, led us on an evening ride. His club puts on a monthly ride that often has a dozen or more members showing up. The Mudhole Rally drew 49 riders from both ends of the state. Fernando, a part-time cabinet maker in his family’s business, has his own IT company, and owns POP POP Scooter Shop. “I started Mudhole to bring my scooter family together, and to show off our beautiful area,” he explained.
Under Fernando’s direction we met up for a late dinner at Tin City. He calls himself a “food whore”, hence there was no lack of artisan food this weekend. This was an industrial maker’s market nestled among oak trees, with craft beer, wine, distilleries and the crazy delicious Cubanissimo Cuban food truck.
Caffeinate and speed op!
On Saturday morning Jojo Mañosa said he couldn’t believe how seamless the day was starting out, and said it was “super organised”. Ben Gary, owner of Scoot a City rentals in Los Angeles, served espresso out of his van, which was filled with rental scoots. It worked out especially for rally riders whose personal bikes were out of commission.
Fernando led us on three more adventures with great climbs, corners and scenery filled with sweeping turns. We sped by the rolling green hills, oak woodlands, meadows and vineyards. The wildflowers were in bloom. Both almond and olive orchards were in abundance. Several times we stopped short for wild turkeys and dodged snakes slithering across the road.
I could talk you through literally every twist, turn and curve in the road, which is still so electric and vivid in my mind, but to be honest I think I would fill the whole magazine and still not do the tours justice. So instead, on this occasion, I’ll let the photographs do the talking, because they capture the essence superbly.
When the event came to a close, scooterist Brook Dain from the South Bay Scooter Posse commented: “SLO has done it again… what an outstanding rally. The rides, the attendees, the food… it is all just a cut above!”
Mike Bobadilla, who rides with Vespa Club Los Gatos, summed it all up nicely… “What great vibes at this rally. A very chilled two-day affair with amazing riding, stunning roads and scenery, great folks and good times.”
If you fly into Los Angeles, or San Francisco, rent a scoot and visit California’s scenic backroads. Don’t forget to get in touch with a local scooter club because there is always a ride. Words: Penni Gladstone