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The Tour de SLO Wine Region
 San Luis Obispo, CA – Cyclists and race enthusiasts worldwide anticipate watching the two biggest cycling events of the year – the Tour of California and Tour de France. But while these exciting races may be fun to see, just watching a race isn’t enough. Those looking to enjoy a remarkable ride can travel to San Luis Obispo for its unique combination of spectacular scenery, world-class wines and back-country roads.
Here in San Luis Obispo, we don’t just watch…we ride. And one of the most enjoyable ways to ride is through the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo wine country. Here in SLO, we like to stop for a little refreshment along the way (just not too much refreshment). So let us introduce to you the do-it-yourself- Tour de SLO Wine Region.
One of the unique ways to experience the San Luis Obispo Wine Region is to cycle through the scenic rolling vineyards and rustic ranch roads of the area. With over two dozen local wineries, there are plenty of places on your journey to stop, rest, relax and grab a picnic.
The San Luis Obispo Bicycle Coalition has put together a ‘San Luis Obispo Wine Country by Bicycle’ guide that you can download here. The guide maps out three scenic rides throughout the wine region ranging from 19.7 miles to 29.5 miles. Of course, the time it will take to complete the rides depends on how many ‘refreshment’ stops are made. All three rides begin right outside of the downtown core of the city of San Luis Obispo at the train station.
The first ride is the Tiffany Ranch Road Loop, which focuses on the Edna Valley appellation of the SLO Wine Region. On this ride, the first major road of the loop will be Orcutt Road. Orcutt is full of some of Edna Valley’s finest wineries. The first “refreshment stop” is Baileyana Winery, set in an old school house. As you tour the rest of the way down the road, you will see Wolff Vineyard, famous for its Petit Syrah, and Chamisal Vineyards, the very first vineyard in the Edna Valley. To head back into SLO, make a loop on Tiffany Ranch Road to Highway 227, where you’ll soon see the next stop at Kynsi Winery. Kynsi was an active dairy in the 1940s. Claiborne and Churchill is just a bit farther down the road on your way back and is famous for being a tasting room made out of hay…well, it’s a straw bale building, but it’s a great story and keeps the wine nice and cool. Sextant is located at the town site of Edna, in the old merchant building. As you keep heading back into town the last refreshment stop on the tour will be Tolosa Winery, named for the historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa in the heart of the city, which is also where some of the vines Tolosa uses to make its incredible wines originated.
The additional two rides that the Bike Coalition developed for cyclists in the SLO Wine Region are the Corbett Canyon Loop and the Tour d’Avila. The Corbett Canyon Loop highlights both the Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande wine appellations and takes cyclists out past Lake Lopez, east of Arroyo Grande. The Tour d’Avila is a ride to the beach town of Avila and back into San Luis Obispo through See Canyon Road, famous for its apples. Each ride is picturesque and we recommend that you take your time and bring your camera.
There are many other great wineries in the SLO Wine Region to check out, either on one of the two other tours or by car. So be sure not to miss:
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For more information about events, attractions and visitor services in San Luis Obispo, phone the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce at 805-781-2777 or visit the Chamber’s website at www.VisitSLO.com.
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