TRAILBEAR on the RR Bike Path – short and sweet.

San Luis Obispo, 5.31.2010

Four days out on the Spring Migration and already the TrailBear is homesick for the SoCal. Hard to believe, but then there are lots of trail choices in the SoCal. If you are looking for Class I bike trails on the Central Coast of CA, the pickins is slim.

The TrailBear has already surveyed the 1 mile Morro Bay Embarcadero Trail and the 4 mile Bob Jones “City to the Sea” Trail on both ends – the delightful beach ride in Avila Beach and the educational sewer plant ride in SLO. About the only other Class I trail around SLO is the Rail Road Safety Trail, a challenging 1.5 miles.

Normally TB would eschew a 1.5 mile trail. It takes him that long to adjust his helmet mirror. However, this one is an orphan trail on TrailLink. It has the map, no pix, no reviews. TB is a sucker for an orphan trail. It has something else – a magnificent three story overpass on the tracks with a ramp and stairs. There should be some good photo angles there. Which is why Der Bear is assembling the Gutterbunny in the station parking lot.

First stop – the station. The map does not show any restrooms on the station end. Surely there are some. Sure ‘nuf, there are some. They are for the Amtrak customers. You need a token to open the door. This might explain the row of used TP wads alongside the bushes beneath the overpass ramp.


NOW, THAT’S A RAMP, GE: N35.27493 W120.65525

TB is impressed. This is not your usual prosaic overpass. It’s a symphony in steel. The bike/ped/wheelchair ramps rise three stories to the bridge deck over the tracks. Great views of the town from up here. Interesting place for photos. TB snaps away. Then over the bridge, down the far ramp and off down the trail to …

BUSHNELL ST. ACCESS, GE: N35.26957 W120.65238
You can access the trail from the bottom of Bushnell St. You will notice that the trail is well-signed. There are informational signs where you need to find them. They call the trail the Rail Road Bike Path. The dedication plaque at the far end calls it the Railroad Recreational Trail.

Nowhere does the name “safety trail” appear. Wonder where TL got that? Probably off some document. These trails start out with grand names which morph into truncated forms when the sign makers get a hold of them. Onward to the …


DEL CAMPO ACCESS AND SINSHEIMER PARK, GE: N35.26747 W120.64920

There is street end parking and access at the end of Del Campo. This is also the access to Sinsheimer Park and the baseball stadium. There is no bike path access to the Sinsheimer complex. Take the dirt paths uphill. You probably can find restrooms up there. TrailBear rode on to the …


TRAIL END ON ORCUTT RD., GE: N35.26144 W120.64425

That’s all, folks. 1.5 miles of good blacktop and a turn around here on Orcutt. You can retrace your steps or take to the bike lanes which SLO has in some abundance.


Ride on!

TrailBear
Riding the ramps at the station overpass