Riding w/ pashnit: exploring the ca central coast
- Thread starter pashnit
- Start date
Parkhill Rd is a fun backroad and there are several good motorcylce roads spurring off of it. Las Palitas is one, as is Huer Huero Rd just to name two. If you ride it north from Pozo, it takes you right to Hwy 229.
Now that was fun says Tim !!
Highway 58 anyone? Just a short twisty jaunt over to Hwy 229.
Then north on the famous Hwy 229. Not familiar? Here, watch this!!
Clicky for 229 Ride Video - 1:05, 17M
When we hit Creston, final resting place of a one Ron L. Hubbard, time for a break.
Joseph & Tim
The Rockster
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780062 -->
Now that was fun says Tim !!
Highway 58 anyone? Just a short twisty jaunt over to Hwy 229.
Then north on the famous Hwy 229. Not familiar? Here, watch this!!
Clicky for 229 Ride Video - 1:05, 17M
When we hit Creston, final resting place of a one Ron L. Hubbard, time for a break.
Joseph & Tim
The Rockster
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780062 -->
The riders re-grouping at Bitterwater Rd & Hwy 58
We weren't the only ones out riding today- Harleys on Hwy 58
Not to mention, while we in Creston, we picked up another rider. This one probably brings back memories for a lot of old school riders. This Ducati was very cool, just look at that motor and pipes.
Andy and Malie checkin' out our mass of bikes in all shapes, brand and color.
The more I ride Bitterwater Rd, the more I fall in love with this road. About 50 miles long, Bitterwater Road might be the poster child for San Luis Obispo County (the locals probably wouldn't agree on that). During the springtime, Bitterwater Rd is anything but bitter. Rather it's bathed in a sea of flowing green grass that stretches off across rolling hills. Not a soul around, no sideroads to speak of and only an occasional ranch to denote any resemblence of civilization. During the Springtime months, the wild flowers blossom into vast fields of yellow flowers.
Breck
Another shot for my BMW Poster Collection
Barren, desolate, nothingness- that's Bitterwater Rd. Great motorcycle road.
We weren't the only ones out riding today- Harleys on Hwy 58
Not to mention, while we in Creston, we picked up another rider. This one probably brings back memories for a lot of old school riders. This Ducati was very cool, just look at that motor and pipes.
Andy and Malie checkin' out our mass of bikes in all shapes, brand and color.
The more I ride Bitterwater Rd, the more I fall in love with this road. About 50 miles long, Bitterwater Road might be the poster child for San Luis Obispo County (the locals probably wouldn't agree on that). During the springtime, Bitterwater Rd is anything but bitter. Rather it's bathed in a sea of flowing green grass that stretches off across rolling hills. Not a soul around, no sideroads to speak of and only an occasional ranch to denote any resemblence of civilization. During the Springtime months, the wild flowers blossom into vast fields of yellow flowers.
Breck
Another shot for my BMW Poster Collection
Barren, desolate, nothingness- that's Bitterwater Rd. Great motorcycle road.
As you make your way north, you're quickly greeted with scenes like this. Which make your senses a little punch-drunk with childlike glee. The road that stretches off to the next rolling hill, than the next.
Add in the Pashnit Busa...
Add in some fellow riders. Nothing quite like it. Another one of my favorite pics from this ride.
A quick photo tip: With the pic of the busa (or insert your bike), I've gotten in the habit of shooting a group of three shots from various angles. You'll always have a preference, although when you shoot them at first, you'll typically not have any idea how they'll turn out. The first one above sticks more to the 'Rule of Thirds', and puts the bike off to the side. Big emphasis on the road, the sky/clouds ads a nice touch.
So here's Version #2
And version #3 - bike never moves, just different angles and camera heights. This one emphasizes the bike a bit more. Also notice the photo is very clean. Smooth lines, no buildings, telephone lines, etc., even the lighting is even (compared to the light through the clouds in the previous pic). That's what makes the pic- simplicity. Try this next time you head out and see what happens.
And lastly, cropping the shot allows you to even create a 4th version. In this pic, I cut out much of the road, and create a photo really about the motorcycle (or a plug for the RKA Saddlebags which work really well).
Wildflowers! Yes, thousand of them. The next road to the west, Shell Creek Rd is also quite famous for the brilliant fields of wildflowers.
Quick exercise in Landscape vs. Portrait. Same shot, just cropped different. But the cropping changes the look and feel of the shot.
Or this. I like this one better since Bitterwater Road seems stacked in layers in this shot. This is the scene when you crest the rolling hills, and your jaw drops. What a sight!
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780241 -->
Add in the Pashnit Busa...
Add in some fellow riders. Nothing quite like it. Another one of my favorite pics from this ride.
A quick photo tip: With the pic of the busa (or insert your bike), I've gotten in the habit of shooting a group of three shots from various angles. You'll always have a preference, although when you shoot them at first, you'll typically not have any idea how they'll turn out. The first one above sticks more to the 'Rule of Thirds', and puts the bike off to the side. Big emphasis on the road, the sky/clouds ads a nice touch.
So here's Version #2
And version #3 - bike never moves, just different angles and camera heights. This one emphasizes the bike a bit more. Also notice the photo is very clean. Smooth lines, no buildings, telephone lines, etc., even the lighting is even (compared to the light through the clouds in the previous pic). That's what makes the pic- simplicity. Try this next time you head out and see what happens.
And lastly, cropping the shot allows you to even create a 4th version. In this pic, I cut out much of the road, and create a photo really about the motorcycle (or a plug for the RKA Saddlebags which work really well).
Wildflowers! Yes, thousand of them. The next road to the west, Shell Creek Rd is also quite famous for the brilliant fields of wildflowers.
Quick exercise in Landscape vs. Portrait. Same shot, just cropped different. But the cropping changes the look and feel of the shot.
Or this. I like this one better since Bitterwater Road seems stacked in layers in this shot. This is the scene when you crest the rolling hills, and your jaw drops. What a sight!
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780241 -->
Malie and Yours Truly. She & Andy had stopped along the road to take in the scene. Yes, it's the sort of road where you can just park in the middle. Not much of anything around. Being from England, this was really their first experience, or taste rather, of the wonder of California riding.
Stopping to view the old General Store at Annette Rd midway. You have to wonder what in the world this is doing there, since we're miles from anything.
The comment from Kevin is he was really quite speechless at the roads. This was also his first experience with this region of California. Although he'd read some of my previous threads on this region, and some of the photo shoots I'd done the previous Spring, just not the same as being there. The sequence of roads we'd glued together for the riders floored him. Each road only got better than the last, which of course we'd planned it that way. Naturally.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780349 -->
Stopping to view the old General Store at Annette Rd midway. You have to wonder what in the world this is doing there, since we're miles from anything.
The comment from Kevin is he was really quite speechless at the roads. This was also his first experience with this region of California. Although he'd read some of my previous threads on this region, and some of the photo shoots I'd done the previous Spring, just not the same as being there. The sequence of roads we'd glued together for the riders floored him. Each road only got better than the last, which of course we'd planned it that way. Naturally.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145780349 -->
This region is also best known for James Dean who died near Cholame in a car wreck as he was driving his Porche Spyder up to Laguna Seca to race it. Unfortunately he never made it and died tragically. A memorial now stands around a tree here along Hwy 46.
Andy & Breck read the memorial
A jaunt up Cholame Valley Rd took us to the Earthquake Capital of the World: Parkfield, this tiny ranching town literally sits atop the San Andreas Fault.
Riders coming into Parkfield
The bridge that leads across a wash to the town is actually bent at one end because that side of the bridge (which you can see in the center of the photo) is moving 1 centimeter per year in relation to the other end of the bridge as the plates of the earth slide past each other.
Earthquake Capital of the World, Parkfield, California
The bikes
Alex
Andy & Breck read the memorial
A jaunt up Cholame Valley Rd took us to the Earthquake Capital of the World: Parkfield, this tiny ranching town literally sits atop the San Andreas Fault.
Riders coming into Parkfield
The bridge that leads across a wash to the town is actually bent at one end because that side of the bridge (which you can see in the center of the photo) is moving 1 centimeter per year in relation to the other end of the bridge as the plates of the earth slide past each other.
Earthquake Capital of the World, Parkfield, California
The bikes
Alex
There's a great restaurant here that is a favorite among bikers in the know. Equivilent to the Rock Store, Alice's, 4-Corners, or Newcombs Ranch- you can dine under a ceiling of branding irons, and a wall covered in one dollar bills. The Parkfield Rodeo takes place here, and according to our locals, was a REAL rodeo mostly comprised of local ranch hands. The rodeo at Parkfield dates back over 100 years and has been taking place even from the days when farmers all parked their Ford Model T's in a giant circle and the rodeo was just held in the middle of all the Model T's.
Let's eat!!
I have this thing for Hot Ham & Cheese sandwiches
Heading back to civilization on Vineyard Dr.
This is pretty open country and distances are rather vast. I had warned the group that we'd ride 160 miles without seeing a gas station and Alex made it 157 on the SV650 before running out of gas. Since Tim & I carry siphon hoses, we quickly transferred some fuel and were back up and running again. Highly recommended, and a mere 3 bucks at your local auto parts store. Andy and Malie ran out of gas just as we pulled into our gas station at San Miguel. See, planned that one perfectly. The trip computer on the 1150GS showed 0 miles of fuel left. Now we know that it's dead accurate at least. If we do have rider with a shorter range, we sometimes also carry MSR Fuel Cannisters of gasoline.
Let's eat!!
I have this thing for Hot Ham & Cheese sandwiches
Heading back to civilization on Vineyard Dr.
This is pretty open country and distances are rather vast. I had warned the group that we'd ride 160 miles without seeing a gas station and Alex made it 157 on the SV650 before running out of gas. Since Tim & I carry siphon hoses, we quickly transferred some fuel and were back up and running again. Highly recommended, and a mere 3 bucks at your local auto parts store. Andy and Malie ran out of gas just as we pulled into our gas station at San Miguel. See, planned that one perfectly. The trip computer on the 1150GS showed 0 miles of fuel left. Now we know that it's dead accurate at least. If we do have rider with a shorter range, we sometimes also carry MSR Fuel Cannisters of gasoline.
One of the things that San Luis Obsipo County is known for is these short 10-15 mile long roads through low canyons. There are quite a few of these roads and we ran a series of them, best described as swoopy, the local riders in the Central Coast region of California have quite a playground around them. What Tim & I enjoy with these rides, is quite often showing local riders their own local rides, which is a comment I get that seems to be re-occuring. I think that's a complement.
San Marcos Rd
Taking in Hidden Valley along Adelaida Rd
But Peachy Canyon is one of my all time favorites
Maybe for Alex too
See that smile? Just that good. Alex, who remember is local to this area, mentioned to me that he'd never ridden any of these roads. What a paradise!!
Joseph and Dianne, having flown in from Texas for this ride, where having a great ride too!
And of course, Tim doin' the sweepin' duties!
Now that was fun!
What a great day of motorcycle riding will do to you! Then it was off to get some eats! And the hot tub.
San Marcos Rd
Taking in Hidden Valley along Adelaida Rd
But Peachy Canyon is one of my all time favorites
Maybe for Alex too
See that smile? Just that good. Alex, who remember is local to this area, mentioned to me that he'd never ridden any of these roads. What a paradise!!
Joseph and Dianne, having flown in from Texas for this ride, where having a great ride too!
And of course, Tim doin' the sweepin' duties!
Now that was fun!
What a great day of motorcycle riding will do to you! Then it was off to get some eats! And the hot tub.
Sunday with foreboding skies and water that seemed to hang in the air, the two couples along with Tim and myself headed over to Hearst Castle while the other riders headed northward.
The twisty 5-mile long road up to Hearst Castle.
William Randolph Hearst inherited this vast property from his parents and began buiding Hearst Castle at the age of 56. During its heyday in the 1920's and 1930's, the likes of General McArthur, Clark Gable, Winston Churchill stayed at the home. The home is the expected oppulence but still like no other castle-like home I've ever toured. Hearst basically built the home to showcase his vast art collection and antiquities that'd he'd collected from around the world for most his life.
One of several stairs to the home
A lot of this around, in fact, every direction really.
He also had a rather extension gun collection. And a motar or two. A canon was nearby.
Stepping into one of the sidedoors to the house which is made entirely of concrete. To guard against earthquakes common to the region, they dug down 30 feet into the bedrock to create the foundation for the massive home.
No, it's not a dungen, but rather the spiral staircase up to the next floor. It was somewhat odd at how unfinished certain parts of the home were.
But once you step into one of the bedrooms, it all comes alive. Paintings, ceilings, tapestries on the walls, tables, chairs, and many many statues.
I've toured the house before, but have never had a chance to shoot photography of the interior. Takes a bit of concentration since it's all done with a shutter speed of about 1/8th of a second. Really slow, so it's get set up, planted, let out your breath and hold it, and press the shutter. So come along with me on a Pashnit Tour of Hearst Castle.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145782118 -->
The twisty 5-mile long road up to Hearst Castle.
William Randolph Hearst inherited this vast property from his parents and began buiding Hearst Castle at the age of 56. During its heyday in the 1920's and 1930's, the likes of General McArthur, Clark Gable, Winston Churchill stayed at the home. The home is the expected oppulence but still like no other castle-like home I've ever toured. Hearst basically built the home to showcase his vast art collection and antiquities that'd he'd collected from around the world for most his life.
One of several stairs to the home
A lot of this around, in fact, every direction really.
He also had a rather extension gun collection. And a motar or two. A canon was nearby.
Stepping into one of the sidedoors to the house which is made entirely of concrete. To guard against earthquakes common to the region, they dug down 30 feet into the bedrock to create the foundation for the massive home.
No, it's not a dungen, but rather the spiral staircase up to the next floor. It was somewhat odd at how unfinished certain parts of the home were.
But once you step into one of the bedrooms, it all comes alive. Paintings, ceilings, tapestries on the walls, tables, chairs, and many many statues.
I've toured the house before, but have never had a chance to shoot photography of the interior. Takes a bit of concentration since it's all done with a shutter speed of about 1/8th of a second. Really slow, so it's get set up, planted, let out your breath and hold it, and press the shutter. So come along with me on a Pashnit Tour of Hearst Castle.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145782118 -->
Every detail is stunning!
Oh, and the view out the window you say?
Then this.. Note the ceiling are all hanging ones. They're simply attached to the concrete floor above and hang.
Little panorama. Note the posts. If they only had one, there were skilled woodworkers and carvers that would make a copy from scratch to match exactly so they'd have a matching set.
Then down a hallway on the exterior of the home. This was on the Pacific Ocean side, and originally didn't come with the windows. After enduring way too much water and wind, Hearst insisted architect Julia Morgan add in windows. What's interesting is the opposite side of this wing of the house is exactly the same hallway, but no windows. Not on the ocean side and still open air to this day.
Some of the side rooms for guests. Note the two separate beds. If you weren't married, you stayed in a room like this.
Oh, and the view out the window you say?
Then this.. Note the ceiling are all hanging ones. They're simply attached to the concrete floor above and hang.
Little panorama. Note the posts. If they only had one, there were skilled woodworkers and carvers that would make a copy from scratch to match exactly so they'd have a matching set.
Then down a hallway on the exterior of the home. This was on the Pacific Ocean side, and originally didn't come with the windows. After enduring way too much water and wind, Hearst insisted architect Julia Morgan add in windows. What's interesting is the opposite side of this wing of the house is exactly the same hallway, but no windows. Not on the ocean side and still open air to this day.
Some of the side rooms for guests. Note the two separate beds. If you weren't married, you stayed in a room like this.
Note the paintings are always attached to the ceiling molding
They didn't have electric lighting in the mansion till the 1920's. So that was all added. There were fireplaces in almost every room.
Then we stepped into the Library. It's ringed by vases which you can see up top. When an inventory was done in 1910, they were valued between $5000 to $25,000 each, in 1910 dollars. And all of them are dated B.C. As in none of them are dated A.D., basically each and everyone one of them in the collection dates 2000 years old or more.
Hearst also collected rare books, some of which are worth tens of thousands of dollars, each!!
This silver scroll dates to the 16th Century
They didn't have electric lighting in the mansion till the 1920's. So that was all added. There were fireplaces in almost every room.
Then we stepped into the Library. It's ringed by vases which you can see up top. When an inventory was done in 1910, they were valued between $5000 to $25,000 each, in 1910 dollars. And all of them are dated B.C. As in none of them are dated A.D., basically each and everyone one of them in the collection dates 2000 years old or more.
Hearst also collected rare books, some of which are worth tens of thousands of dollars, each!!
This silver scroll dates to the 16th Century
Finally, we were led into the kitchen. Again, I wondered aloud after such opulence they wouldn't finish the kitchen, but the reply was it simply wasn't a priority back then.
This is the back of the house. If you look closely, Hearst wanted to create a massive ballroom in the middle of this courtyard. Plans that never came to fruition.
Remember that window from one of the previous pics?
The indoor pool. See the diving platform?
Or, you could use this one. This is merely a lap pool, it's 10 feet deep throughout.
The saying goes, if it looks like gold, it is. We're standing atop real gold.
This is the back of the house. If you look closely, Hearst wanted to create a massive ballroom in the middle of this courtyard. Plans that never came to fruition.
Remember that window from one of the previous pics?
The indoor pool. See the diving platform?
Or, you could use this one. This is merely a lap pool, it's 10 feet deep throughout.
The saying goes, if it looks like gold, it is. We're standing atop real gold.
Well, I'll leave you with this shot as I was leaving Hearst Castle, and making my way out Highway 1 & pilot the Hayabusa across the state for the ride home (6 hr nonstop jaunt). I never tire of shots like this.
More heavy rain in the Central Valley
A PostScript.
When I get back from these rides, I'm absorbed in state of motorcycling bliss. It's not uncommon to park the Hayabusa as it stands, and not even touch it or even unpack it for a few days. I'm good. It's all good. But that addiction always comes calling. It's pretty simple really- soon I'll wondering when I can get the Busa out on the open road again. All for the Love of the Ride. -pashnit
Good times.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145781025 -->
More heavy rain in the Central Valley
A PostScript.
When I get back from these rides, I'm absorbed in state of motorcycling bliss. It's not uncommon to park the Hayabusa as it stands, and not even touch it or even unpack it for a few days. I'm good. It's all good. But that addiction always comes calling. It's pretty simple really- soon I'll wondering when I can get the Busa out on the open road again. All for the Love of the Ride. -pashnit
Good times.
<!--EDIT|pashnit
Reason for Edit: None given...|1145781025 -->
Similar threads
