2021 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa
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Pashnit Central Coast Motorcycle Tour - Part VII
A few weeks ago on a previous motorcycle tour (several pages back), I departed San Luis Obispo on the Central Pacific Coast at 5am and was annoyed with myself. I’d left late knowing full well I had to ride 600 miles that day. Now two weeks later, with another tour group, I was given the chance to redeem myself.
The best way to do that is look up the time of the sunrise, and subtract backwards the mileage to get to the target area. The goal being having enough light to take photos. Doing the math backwards meant I had to be on the bike by 4am and headed off into the dark of night. The plan was to reach the twisties on the other side of the state at first light and ride the boring straight stuff at night to maximize the seat time. It seemed like a good plan.
My plan was to reach Sequoia National Park at first light, and while my timing was spot on, when I got close to the park, it was quickly apparent the park was still closed due to the KNP Complex fire in the park. The fire was due to a lightning storm way back in early September, but was still not contained by the time I arrived in the area well-over a month later. Oh well, win some, lose some. We’ll be back next spring to check out the park, plus ride into Kings Canyon NP with the all-new Sequoia Pashnit Motorcycle Tour in April 2022.
The alternative to bypass the park is a remote <paved> ranch road known as Dry Creek Rd which I had not ridden in many years. Dry Creek Rd always reminds me of the brand-new Buell Ulysses, 5-miles on the odo, I was handed nearly 20 years ago and asked to write a review for a magazine. I put 1600 miles on the shiny new Buell in a few days, provided a detailed bike review and the article was published a few months later. I loved the suspension and the travel capability of the new Ulysses, but couldn’t get used to the motor. Too many years of in-line fours, perhaps.
The Buell posed on Dry Creek Rd
I shot the photographs for the Buell article on Dry Creek Rd and took the bike into Sequoia NP and down into Kings Canyon NP. (the canyon is a mile deep) I then had to rush 6 hours home to attend my daughter’s Hula recital, yes Hula. She's now in college, so that dates this tale, but still.
A few weeks ago on a previous motorcycle tour (several pages back), I departed San Luis Obispo on the Central Pacific Coast at 5am and was annoyed with myself. I’d left late knowing full well I had to ride 600 miles that day. Now two weeks later, with another tour group, I was given the chance to redeem myself.
The best way to do that is look up the time of the sunrise, and subtract backwards the mileage to get to the target area. The goal being having enough light to take photos. Doing the math backwards meant I had to be on the bike by 4am and headed off into the dark of night. The plan was to reach the twisties on the other side of the state at first light and ride the boring straight stuff at night to maximize the seat time. It seemed like a good plan.
My plan was to reach Sequoia National Park at first light, and while my timing was spot on, when I got close to the park, it was quickly apparent the park was still closed due to the KNP Complex fire in the park. The fire was due to a lightning storm way back in early September, but was still not contained by the time I arrived in the area well-over a month later. Oh well, win some, lose some. We’ll be back next spring to check out the park, plus ride into Kings Canyon NP with the all-new Sequoia Pashnit Motorcycle Tour in April 2022.
The alternative to bypass the park is a remote <paved> ranch road known as Dry Creek Rd which I had not ridden in many years. Dry Creek Rd always reminds me of the brand-new Buell Ulysses, 5-miles on the odo, I was handed nearly 20 years ago and asked to write a review for a magazine. I put 1600 miles on the shiny new Buell in a few days, provided a detailed bike review and the article was published a few months later. I loved the suspension and the travel capability of the new Ulysses, but couldn’t get used to the motor. Too many years of in-line fours, perhaps.
The Buell posed on Dry Creek Rd
I shot the photographs for the Buell article on Dry Creek Rd and took the bike into Sequoia NP and down into Kings Canyon NP. (the canyon is a mile deep) I then had to rush 6 hours home to attend my daughter’s Hula recital, yes Hula. She's now in college, so that dates this tale, but still.
Dry Creek is a single lane ranch road, remote and unused, cut into the side of Dry Creek Canyon. It’s not the first choice for anyone riding this area, rather it’s the second-string quarterback. Nearby is Highway 245 from Woodlake, one of the twistiest roads in the state and if you must know, Highway 245 trumps Dry Creek Rd by a country mile. But the cornerstone of Pashnit Doctrine is to ride them all.
The two lane on Dry Creek Rd quickly fades away. Just me n the cows. Saw only one other person the entire length of this road.
This shot has a slightly wider perspective, it's shot with a 11-18mm lens I have but have never used. Finally, pushed this into service and resolved to use it all day. I normally use a 18-200mm lens which is most versatile for travel and road photography.
It would suck coming around a corner and hitting one of those steers.....
Believe it or not, it's happened.
Hitting a small calf in the road at speed broke the bike in half.
Rider kept it up, zero damage to rider fortunately, but calf in the road had to be put down. Crazy scary experience.
Dry Creek Rd is the blue. The super-twisty super-amazing Highway 245 is what I skipped. Another day, another ride.
Dry Creek Rd leads to an old biker bar at Mountain House. It used to be rather run down but the current owners have fixed the place up and it looks great. It was deserted (hours promised it to be open) and not a soul around.
Dry Creek Rd leads to an old biker bar at Mountain House. It used to be rather run down but the current owners have fixed the place up and it looks great. It was deserted (hours promised it to be open) and not a soul around.
Looks like a fun place to hang out.
Now situated due west of the fire in Sequoia NP, the sky was smokey, but the massive rainstorm to the north could now be seen. I elected to don the rain suit here as I was headed directly into the storm that dropped 9 inches of rain in 24 hrs
On comes the rain suit.
Mountain House was my first break at 8am after 4 hours on the bike. Still another 8 hours of riding to go.
Now situated due west of the fire in Sequoia NP, the sky was smokey, but the massive rainstorm to the north could now be seen. I elected to don the rain suit here as I was headed directly into the storm that dropped 9 inches of rain in 24 hrs
On comes the rain suit.
Mountain House was my first break at 8am after 4 hours on the bike. Still another 8 hours of riding to go.
Highway 245 has delicious curves and I found myself completely alone. Likely the storm warnings kept everyone home.
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