In our on-going quest to stay off boring freeways and explore local back roads, this month's installment of Porsche Roads takes us south from San Jose toward Monterey and the Pacific Ocean .

From San Jose, take the Almaden Expressway and go to its very southern end. You will reach a T intersection, where you make a right onto Harry Road and then immediately turn left on to McKean, a 2-lane road and the true start of our trip. As soon as you leave the last housing development, McKean takes you back to earlier and quieter days in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains .

The rolling hills are green this time of year, cattle enjoy the new grass, and wildflowers are sprouting everywhere. The first point of interest is Calero County Park , which offers boating and quiet hiking trails from which you can see great views of Mount Hamilton . About a mile south of the park, McKean becomes Uvas Road and follows the contour of Uvas Creek. There are not too many curves, but there is seldom much traffic, especially on a week day, so it makes for good driving. Uvas reservoir is another popular boating spot in the summer, and I understand the fishing is good, too. I just cannot put fishing rods inside the 911.  

At the end of Uvas Road, turn right onto Watsonville Road and you enter the Gilroy wine country. The first winery you encounter is Sycamore Creek, then in succession: Kirigin, Thomas Kruse, Fortino, and Hecker Pass Winery. If one of you is a designated driver, you may want to pull over and sample some of the fine local production of Charbono, Carignan, Cabernet, Chardonnay and many more varieties.   

At the end of Watsonville Road is another T intersection. Turn right on to Hecker Pass Road , also known as Highway 152, and prepare for the curviest part of this trip. As you head west, the road soon enters the redwood forest in Mount Madonna County Park and starts climbing the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains . The pavement is smooth and, if you are lucky enough not to get caught behind a slow truck, the curves make a Boxster sing. Past the summit, the road descends rapidly toward Watsonville . There are several places to pull over and enjoy the terrific views of Monterey and the entire Bay. You can stop at the Mt Madonna Inn for a drink and a bite (if it is open). For the history buffs, the pass is named after Henry Hecker who built a road to connect Yosemite to the Pacific Ocean in the 1920s.   

At the bottom of the mountain, 152 enters the Pajaro River valley and its rich agricultural lands. Unfortunately, the Pajaro River has the dubious distinction of being listed as the most endangered river in America , as flood control aficionados want to line its natural bed with concrete and eliminate all vegetation and animal life.  Drive a couple of miles, go through Interlaken , and turn right on Holohan Road . Another mile or so, past Green Valley Road , and you reach our destination for today: Freedom, California.  

Janis Joplin sang: "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." Truth be told, there is not much happening in Freedom on a Saturday afternoon, and Janis may have been inspired by this Santa Cruz county town. Freedom is known worldwide thanks to KPIG radio, available to millions on the Internet at www.kpig.com. It was one of the first radio stations in the world to webcast its programming, as early as 1995. If nothing else, you will be able to tell your friends and coworkers that you have been to Freedom. What a cool name for a town!