Saturday, June 23, 2012

Bob Jones Trail SLO, California

We have been vacationing at the seaside in San Luis Obispo Californina for the past week and will be here for another week. This place is a running and road biking paradise: 60 degree temps, foggy in the morning, plenty of scenic routes and challenges.
A great guy.
Trail Head
The Bob Jones Trail is a 5 mile paved trail in San Luis Obispo that runs from the beach at Avila to the freeway entrance on the 101. Eventually it will run all the way to the town of San Luis Obispo. My wife ran it yesterday and I ran it today. We will both run it a few more times in the next week.

If this isn't a mafia front, then I just don't know. Just next to the trail head.... Right??!??
The BJT is a benign path, really a two-lane golf cart style pathway shared by runners, bicyclists, walkers (called arm-swingers by my 4 year old), and shitters. Seriously, the path smells bad from all the dog droppings (I hope they are from dogs), and despite the warning signs and baggie stations, the first mile or so of the path is bordered by dog poop. Get past that and the path winds through shaded woods along a creek, opens up to scenic mountains and a more conventional road that crosses through a golf course, and after a bridge or two, ends at the Avila beach.
You can juuuust see the troll down there
My Garmin shows and elevation differential of about 100 feet or so. The trail dips up and down pretty much throughout the course, so you get a chance to say you ran hills, but overall it's a wash. The distance was exactly 5 miles from car door to car door. I chatted with the local rangers who said that the path plan to extend to the town of San Luis Obispo (another 9 miles one way with MAJOR hillage) is on hold while they decide  how to handle the dangerous freeway overpass. Officials want something like 2 million dollars to build an overpass, but that kind of cash is not ready. In the meantime, there is an unpaved path that follows the same basic route. This was a unique run also because I didn't need to use my inhaler, and I left my calf compression sleeves at home. No issues. They are easy enough to put on, and I'm so pattern oriented that I will continue to use them even though I'm not convinced I need them.

Cougar Taking a Crap Warning. When will I get to "encounter" a cougar?
The SLO creek

The bridge that passes over a salt water creek

The creeks connects over there to the ocean
The scenery includes mountains, I just can't stand it!


My running partner Norman
Let's goooooo!!
This trail goes down as one of my favorite spots to run of all time. If you are ever in Central Coast Cali, make sure you stop by. If you have an extra 2 million bucks, please get involved right away.



2 comments:

mariag said...

Just an FYI honey, that's a mountain lion, not a cougar. For future reference when you see one, of course. Love ya!

Christina said...

cougars and mountain lions are the same thing.

Yes, I am a zombie stalking you! We went to a coffee shop called the grind on central/dunlap.