Pozo Road

Cyclist riding down tree shaded road

Pozo’s downtown business district is open two days a week, Saturday and Sunday. Riding there on your two-wheeler is a mixture of delight and consternation. You can take delight in the pastoral scenery and solitude of back road riding. Consternation begins when you try to figure out how to get there from San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo to Santa Margarita—Eleven miles of adventuresome riding. Caltrans has closed Highway 101 over Cuesta Grade to bicyclists. They feel that the current reconstruction project presents grave risks to their two-wheeled friends. They offer Old Stagecoach Road as an alternate route from San Luis Obispo to the north county.
The good: There is still a way to get there.
The bad: If you ride from Mission Plaza, you have to contend with the detour up Old Stagecoach Road. Ride up Highway 101 from Monterey Street. Cross four lanes of freeway to get to Stagecoach Road. Ride 2 ½ miles of dirt road to the summit. Walk your bike a half mile on the shoulder on the wrong side of the freeway to Cuesta Forest Crossover. Cross four lanes of freeway to get to the right shoulder. Continue on the freeway two miles to the Highway 58 off ramp at Santa Margarita. Get off the freeway. Whew!

Santa Margarita to Rinconada General Store—Eight miles of fairly level riding through cattle country. Ride through Santa Margarita. Follow Highway 58 as it turns right out of town. When it turns left, past the cemetery, continue straight ahead on Santa Margarita Lake/Pozo Road.
The good: The downtown Santa Margarita Mercantile Company provides provisions to hungry bicyclists. There is a county park with rest rooms on your right as you leave Santa Margarita. Class two bicycle lane begins after Highway 58 turns off to the left. Rinconada Store, at the turnoff to Santa Margarita Lake, can supply you with water, sodas, Snapple, sandwiches, burritos, worms and bait.
The bad: Shoulder room is sparse on Highway 58 leaving town.

Rinconada General Store to Pozo—Ten miles through oak-covered hills and dales. There is a one-mile climb shortly after you leave the store. From there, it’s all downhill to Pozo. Cal Poly Wheelmen use this section to host the Western College Cycling Conference Championships, the annual Cal Poly Classic, in April.
The good: Traffic thins out after the lake turnoff. The countryside is fun to watch as it passes by your pedals. Pozo Saloon is open weekends. There is grub here for hungry bicyclists. Jan Guidotti serves up tasty burgers and other delights that will restore your spirits.
The bad: You lose the shoulder at Santa Margarita Lake Road. Watch out for flying insects. One of the delightful thrills of bicycling is to have a bee fly inside your jersey when you’re racing downhill at 40 miles per hour.

Pozo to Turkey Flat Road—Four level miles. Pozo Road turns off to the right. Continue straight on Park Hill Road.
The good: Solitude, if you love it.
The bad: Solitude, if you don’t.

Side Trip—Turkey Flat Road to the radar station atop Black Mountain—Seven tough miles. You climb over 1500 feet. Some of it exceeds 10%. It is a narrow, undulating, rough paved road with random patches of rocks and sand. I did not ride this section. I don’t know if I ever will. A couple of times a year, Coach Randy Warren takes Cal Poly Wheelmen to the top, when they’re feeling frisky.

Turkey Flat Road to Las Pilitas Road—Seven delightful miles through farmland and foothills.
The good: It is pretty and picturesque. There is virtually no vehicle traffic out here.
The bad: No water. In the heat of the summer, you will sweat as you negotiate short climbs and sharp descents.

Las Pilitas Road from Park Hill Road to Pozo Road—Seven miles of thrilling downhill. Las Pilitas is a left turn off Park Hill. (Park Hill Road continues another eight and a half miles to Highway 58.)
The good: Downhill solitude. Little traffic. Picturesque roadway. You swoop down to the Salinas River. Cross the river on a wonderful old bridge. Stop to admire the meandering water wending its way coastward.
The bad: It’s over too soon.

Pozo Road from Las Pilitas Road to Santa Margarita—Retrace your earlier outbound route. It is five miles to the park in town.
The good: It is mostly level. You’re headed home. Santa Margarita Mercantile Company lies ahead.
The bad: You have that nasty downhill run on Old Stagecoach Road to look forward to. At least you won’t be walking your bike against traffic on the freeway. And you won’t have to cross four lanes of busy freeway to get back to San Luis Obispo.

Robert Davis enjoys the solitude of backcountry riding. He is not a big fan of dirt riding on a road bike.

You can email Robert Davis at slobike@yahoo.com