The vibrant city of San Luis Obispo sits a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, at the base of the Coast Range Mountains of California. I spent my night in SLO, on my way to conduct a photography workshop in Monterey (photographs I came back with are here) with Ken Rockwell.

The next morning, I hopped on my fixed gear bike and went for about a six mile ride. Yes, I know, I'm about 40 years to late to the fixed-gear party. I wouldn't bother if it weren't so much fun to ride. That "It's the Zen of being one with your bike cliche" is of course hackneyed yet all that needs to be said. That and "Don't knock it until you've tried it." With, brakes, though.

My route took me through the quaint downtown. And I cycled onto the beautiful Cal State Poly campus, which sits nestled amongst the mountains of the Coast Range; the conical remains of a volcanic plug rise up on the south side of campus.

San Luis Obispo is bike friendly to its cyclists, which would be expected of a college town. And there are so many places to ride beyond the confines of town and campus: out to the coast, at Los Osos and Montana de Oro State Park, or up among innumerable roads in the mountains north, east and south.

I managed to find a quiet road of my own, and met another early-morning cyclist, who told me a little of his travels across the country on his bike, before I returned to my motel for a shower and then the drive up to Monterey.

Click on the photographs for full-size images.