The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

2018 Paso Robles Ramble

February 18th to February 24th

Ride Director: Wil Gorrie
Report by: Kent Johnson

Twenty-one riders attended this year, many of them “repeats” for this popular mid-winter ride in Central California.  This was my fourth straight Ramble in Paso Robles and I’ve written the “tripper” reports for the last three years.  If you are considering this ride and have not been here before, reading the reports from the last three years will give you a very good overview of the rides and landscapes. 

The ride conditions certainly vary from year-to-year:  last year heavy winter rains left water everywhere, this year the Salinas River was dust.  This year saw cold mornings in the twenties and, in response, riders left later and wore layers.  Fortunately, the clear blue skies allowed the sun to warm things up nicely and the riding was wonderful.  There was one day of windy conditions just to make things interesting and provoke lively conversation at happy hour.

The menu of rides to choose from in Paso Robles is really amazing and when we each named our “personal favorite”, the votes were spread widely across the board.  That’s testimony to the great routes available as well as the wide variety of scenery they offer.   There is bound to be an element of unpredictability with a mid-winter ride, but that is part of the “adventure” in BAC, and every year brings a rewarding experience that keeps us coming back.

The group is warm and friendly and welcoming.  This year fewer people stayed at the Paso Robles Inn and we had our daily meetings in the spacious and comfortable living room of a vacation rental house close by.   This was the last year for Wil Gorrie to serve as the ride leader and the reins have been handed to Rich and Marianne Reinecke.  As always, Wil went above and beyond to make sure that we all had the best possible trip and we are grateful for his efforts.  Great happy-hour gatherings.  Awesome restaurants. He sets a high bar for the Reinecke era but Rich and Marianne bring great energy and enthusiasm to the task.   This is a fabulous ride with a long tradition.