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Get of the details on the Golden Empire Region's 3 day driving excursion throughout some of the most scenic coastal areas California has to offer
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Inspired by the Italian Mille Miglia and the West Coast California Mille, The Golden Empire Region of the Porsche Club
of American is hosting it’s first (and perhaps last) Meta Mille Miglia tour. This driving tour will take place over three
days throughout some of California’s most beautiful countryside. And you can join us for part or all of this tour !
It’s a 500 mile tour that will take place over a three day period. From Friday though Sunday attendees will drive from
Bakersfield, through the twists and turns of Hwy 33 to Ojai and Santa Barbara. Over the weekend the journey will take
participants up Hwy 1 through the some of the most majestic scenery California has to offer. Ending with a thrilling
drive down Hwy 25 out of Hollister. Another twisty curvy back road experience that Porsche-philes thrive on.
Day One
From Bakersfield to Ojai over the exciting Hwy 33. Up the lower Central Coast to Santa Barbara’s Stern’s Wharf for
lunch. And into Solvang over Hwy 154 for relaxing shopping, dinner, and overnight stay. This
is the heart of the movie “Sideways”. Come and track one of our favorite “fun time” movies
throughout the wine vineyards of Los Olivos, just 7 miles to the north of Solvang. The sleepy
community of Los Olivos is a great place for dinner and some great wine sampling. Santa
Ynez, just minutes east of Solvang even host the gambling pleasures of the Chumash Indian
Casino, or the “Land of the Big Winner” as the local native Americans fondly refer to it. Then
settle in for a relaxing night’s sleep at one of the Solvang’s many rest spots. The Royal Copenhagen hotel still has rooms
available last time I checked.
Day Two
Wake up early Saturday morning for breakfast or Danish pastry in Solvang. Then it’s on more scenic
driving through the Santa Ynez valley’s vineyards and wineries. A 10am stop at the Firestone Winery is
scheduled on our way for a private winery tour and tasting of their fine Central Coast wines. The $20
cost per person should leave a wonderful taste in your mouth of the gorgeous Santa Ynez valley.
We continue on through the beautiful back roads of the Foxen Canyon which will lead us into the secluded oak forest of
Tepusquet. A very well maintained country road full of wildlife. Every time I past through Tepusquet I see deer, wild
turkey, tons of grey squirrels dashing from tree to tree. Tepusquet road put us out on Hwy 166 about 15 miles east of
Santa Maria. From there it’s about a 20 minute drive up Hwy 101 until we reach our lunch stop at the lovely Ventana
Grill, or former Shore Cliff restaurant for all of you “hipsters” who may recall the action filled evenings of great food,
drink, and live music of this hotspot overlooking the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean.
After lunch we drive north to San Luis Obispo to switch from Hwy 101 to a more scenic coastal
Hwy 1. Which will lead us through the marshlands of Los Osos, into Morro Bay, and up to the
lovely quaint village of Cambria, where the ocean meets the pines. Shopping and sight seeing will
last a couple of hours. For those of us “manly men” who can’t
hang with shopping for candles and blown glass there is the 100+ year old Camozzi’s bar
on Main St Cambria. A real throw back to the 1800s.
Betsy Wadman has arranged for what I believe will be a transcendent
evening tour of the Hearst Castle. I’ve been through the Castle many
times but never after dark. The warm glow of the alabaster lighting
fixtures will transport all who attend back into an art deco age of
Downton Abby. I’m truly looking forward to this evening Castle experience.
But wait, we’re not done with our Saturday evening yet. After the evening of
the Castle we drive on up Hwy 1 to the Ragged Point Inn for dinner and a night’s
rest just 15 miles north of Hearst Castle. Anyone who attended the 2014 Mon-
terey Porsche Parade may recall one of the driving tours to this magnificent ho-
tel and restaurant which sits 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean. All night long
you will be serenaded by the crashing ocean surf below.
Sunday
In the morning you will awake to one of the most beautiful and majestic
views that the California coastline has to offer. You will be nestled in pine,
oleander, and dramatic stands of cypress trees. The aroma of this area it-
self is simply intoxicating.
Breakfast will be enjoyed at the elegant Ragged Point restaurant. And
afterwards drive up one of the most majestic section of coast Hwy in the
world. The breathtaking Highway 1. There’s a little trick that I’ve found
out about other drivers on this road. If you tailgate it really annoys them
and they pull over and let you drive your Porsche spiritedly up this beauti-
ful highway.
Up to Monterey for lunch at Fisherman Wharf and onto Hollister for staging of the drive down in famous Hwy 25.
Another twisty curvy road that Porsche was born to experience. This road takes you out to Hwy 101 around the King
City area I believe. Then on home from there.
So if you and your Porsche thrive on the twisty and curvy driving experience this
weekend has YOU written all over it. Please don’t feel that you are obligated to
participate in the entire trip. I plan on joining the group early Saturday morning
in Solvang. And bailing out of the drive somewhere around the Big Sur area and
driving back down Hwy 1 and back home. This should be an amazing experi-
ence in whichever Porsche you choose to drive this weekend. Can’t wait to take
my little air cooled Targa up Hwy 1 for the first time !!