Quick, Overnight Bicycle Touring

By Nick,

We violated the technical rules of S24O but expanded its heart. Don, as if to assuage the upcoming violation of our door to site biking ethics, rode his bike to arrive at my house at 7:30AM. It gave me time to at least appear to be helpful to my wife and our two young ones. We then jumped in my car to drive to Lockwood to meet Brett, a cornerstone of many of my best outdoor trips (too few, Brett, but always memorable).

Don and I made good time but gave it away in attempting to connect (Brett was coming from SF).  Finally, we parked in the Lockwood post office parking lot (next door to the middle of nowhere) and launched.  Brett pushed the pace early (per usual) and Don and I hung on. The sky was beautiful, the weather perfect, and the soldiers across the rode taking target practice felt like a world away.

We made it through the gates of the fort with ease, jammed down the main road, then eased off to our goal —Nacimiento Ferguson Road. Our personal soon to be Roadway to Heaven (cue the music).  The last vestiges of humanity dropped away, especially the background hum of urban areas.  The silence was surprising, inspiring and sweet.

Brett’s flat broke the rhythm but gave us a chance to practice team tire changing.  We jumped back on the road, and before we knew it, the fort exit was upon us.

The expansiveness of the fort landscape gave way to the entrance of a narrow river valley.  The road gently headed up, the Nacimeinto River hugged the left side of it, and a forest of fall trees provided a canopy.  The headwaters of the river lie somewhere above us in the Ventana Wilderness

We hit the Ponderosa campsite, made a quick circuit, and got to work setting up camp. Despite the warnings of our camp host (its 7 miles and 2 to 3 thousand feet to the summit you yahoos), we set off into the fading sunlight and shadows.  We were ready to head back at 5 miles, but Don said lets go and we did. Our reward, the summit silhouette photo and quiet satisfaction.

We changed attitudes and raced off (me in the rear) down the mountain to get our fire roaring before the temperature dipped to the low 30s.  We feasted, fed the fire, swapped tales, sipped whiskey and wine and collapsed into a solid sleep (me first).  I can’t wait for another Roadway to Heaven out here and perhaps a dip down the other side to Big Sur for a plunge in the ocean!  Life is sweet.

The s24o bicycle adventure is good for the spontaneous soul. But even a short getaway requires some planning skill and commitment. I am grateful to bike camping advocate Brett for rounding up a group of us for a trip that starts tomorrow morning, February 4th, 2012.

I am sure that there are many cyclists who also love football. This is not the case in my social circle. I would rather ride with friends than watch TV with friends. This superbowl weekend trip will find us back on the Central Coast of California, climbing more than 2000 feet and then dropping down the roller coaster road to the Pacific Ocean and the Big Sur coastline. Big waves are pounding the shore and our tents will be enveloped in sea mist and campfire smoke.

NFL football fans, we raise our water bottles to you and appreciate the empty highways you’ve left us to occupy on a beautiful, California weekend.