Cow Trailing in SLO, CA

I have a one-week project to manage at the county airport, working nights, which gives me mucho time during the day to have some fun.

Today I parked on the Cal State campus to launch a ride on my MTB up into the surrounding grazed hills. Boy, this is one outta shape dude here! Good no one was around to see me stop often to catch my breath but the horses. And they all wanted to be petted - one-by-one they approached, some didn’t want the stroking to stop, at least until this one male showed up, who came huffin’ and puffin’ over a hill with this cocky attitude.

Of course I understand it was me who was surround by six of the mares waiting in line for my personal attention, and not he: geesh! getta grip, stud. He moved on after checking me out, finding me harmless to his harem, but not before licking parts of my bike (strange custom?!); it came to a point when I had to shoo away “leather lips” as he and the others were getting waaaaay too close to my water bottles. Yucky smucky, alfalfa aroma.

OK, so it wasn’t cow trailing, though horse trailing sounds rather odd. It was sure fun to ride my bike up & around the oak-covered hills; no whoops either, as they were predominantly hoofed-established trails.

The cowboy cookies (meadow/mountain muffins?) – at least the dark ones – were to be avoided at all costs as my MTB stays with me in the hotel room. Quite the maneuvering challenge.

There’s some awfully pretty country here along California’s central coast. For riding, there’s the Los Padres NF (Pozo) where the Cal Poly Penguins used to run a D/36 enduro; don’t know if they still do. Ballinger Canyon is ~ 1 hour + away, and Cold Creek can’t be that far either. Any DRNers live in these parts?

I went by the Pozo saloon a few decades ago (1979?); the Cal Poly Penguins had an enduro scheduled, but it was cancelled due to snow of all things! I checked out the area since I didn't bother to call/check before leaving home.

Would I could enjoy the area even more by living there.

Yes, Tony: the farmer's market is a blast; been there 3x so far. I too had the tri tip sammich.

Enduros? I haven't been to one in over a year; sure miss the camaderie, especially around a camp fire, then on the trail. The club events are incomparable.

My ability to come out is greatly affected by my recent employment: directing airport construction 9pm-5am. I haven't been adapting well to the little sleep I get - it's not safe for me to drive out then race too. The weekends are used simply to rest up and then go out and do it again. Plus my youngest is busy with tennis tournaments; it's frustrating they seem to occur on enduro weekends; if not that then it's lessons. Then my lovely wife wants me to take her shopping here & there (she's afraid of driving). My life is anything but boring.

It may get slow again: it came as no surprise to me there will be another pink slip waiting/layoff this Friday, so they said. The progam I am on has been extended twice before; I doubt they will push it out again, but there is some hope.