Riding in whine country

What some cyclists do for fun: Shot-put bikes 20 feet or more in a Huffy Toss or change a tire to beat the fastest time of close to a minute. For 39 years, bicyclists have gathered at the Great Western Bicycle Rally in Paso Robles, Calif., to test their skills or just pedal up and down the rolling hills east of the Coastal Range. Distance cyclists can ride 60-, 62- or 70-mile routes to the craggy coast of Cambria or pedal 100 miles to loop east and south of Paso Robles before heading west to Harmony (population 18) and returning via Highway 46. “They really come for the cycling,” says co-director Rod Doty. “It’s such a nice area to ride in.” He expects more than 1,500 riders this year to tackle some of the 25 routes, such as Only One Left, a 10-mile course around town designed for the cyclist who fears threading SUVs to hang a left. Around the Hills to Adelaida demands heavy breathing along a scenic 34-mile back-road route that has long been a rally fave. In a new diversion, riders can veer into five wineries. (“We’ve cut out some of the hills to give you more wine,” the rallying spiel goes, and “less whine.”) Go to www.gwbr.org.