2025 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

[pashnit]

Single lane tree tunnels on Tabeaud Rd

Grapes & more grapes

 

[pashnit]

I've been riding my backyard a long time - here's a shot in the same place with a 35mm camera back in the olden days when we used film cameras imaged from a color negative. Has to be nearly 30 years ago. Same spot

 

[pashnit]

Reaching the main highway. Doing my best to stay off the main highway.

 

[pashnit]

Headed for Volcano to ride Rams Horn Grade, a twisty mountain road with some tight curves..

And lots of deer...

 

[pashnit]

At the top of the ride is a place called Daffodil Hill. It was a hill covered in daffodils, thousands of them, and it became a tourist attractions. Kinda place you take your little kids to get shots of them with the zillions of flowers. But it's very closed, indefinitely.

 

[pashnit]

Used to look something like this... 20 years ago...

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

Daffodill Hill, I used to bring my kids here when they were babies.

Heading up in elevation means rain.

Yah no, dropping down in elevation to get below the rain line. Had enough rain on Friday.

 

[pashnit]

Fiddletown, circa 1870

Giant fiddles in Fiddletown

Finally on the main road - Highway 49

 

[pashnit]

But not for long, single lane backroads... Union Mine Rd

As long as no one is coming at you around a blind turn, these are fun roads

 

[pashnit]

Old Frenchtown Rd

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

One of my favorite spots. No traffic on this road, ever.

 

[pashnit]

My first '08 just days after I got it in 2011. Brought it here first to get shots of it. Same road. The bike was 3 yrs old and had 900 miles on it. Guy never rode it. Still had the gooey white chain wax on it from the dealer.

 

[pashnit]

My 2nd '08 years later, same spot

The mighty '00, same lil shed in the background

 

[pashnit]

Full circle to the Gen 3

Headed for Death Valley next...

 

[pashnit]

Time to head for Death Valley.

The meet spot is in Tulare located at the southern edge of the Central Valley. That's four hours from me. But that’s four hours of freeway and who wants to do that?

Why not take twisty roads across the state riding the base of the Sierra Nevada Range instead. That thought sounded much more attractive than four hours of freeway. Plus, my plan to stay off the main highway (the fast way) meant I got to ride The Little Dragon - Highway 49, one of the twistiest sections of road in California.

This is what things look like when you stay off the freeway.

I like this much better - Highway 49 runs north-south along the base of the Sierra Nevada Range and I'm well below the snow line.

 

[pashnit]

New Melones Reservoir is full. Been a couple of years since anyone has seen this reservoir full.

 

[pashnit]

Racing the setting sun

Moccasin Powerhouse. The water in those penstocks over there is the drinking water for San Francisco.

Their water comes from Sierra Nevada snow melt and then it's piped across the width of the state.

 

[pashnit]

Hayabusa Golden Hour

Ha! I made it to The Little Dragon section of Highway 49 before the sun went down.

I've got about 30 minutes of daylight left.

Hwy 49 The Little Dragon | California Motorcycle Roads | Pashnit.com

Best Central California Motorcycle Rides - Highway 49 The Little Dragon

www.pashnit.com