2022 Pashnit Touring on a Hayabusa

[pashnit]

The black rims are starting to grow on me.

We had several standards on this ride.
Those riders were in heaven with the tight, twisty backroads.

 

[pashnit]

The black canister under my top case is an MSR fuel canister. Yes, it's been used multiple times. It holds about a quart of gasoline, which is good for about 10 miles.

The black bracket, is actually the original license bracket off the stock Gen-II Hayabusa.

 

[pashnit]

Right outside Calistoga is The Petrified Forest.

Want to guess how old these redwood trees are?

 

[pashnit]

3 million. Yup millions.

Tree? It used to be, 3 million years ago. Now, it's rock. Fascinating stuff.

 

[pashnit]

It was time to take the kids out for lunch in Calistoga. We love the Hydro Grill.

Then, more twisty bits.

 

[Zerks]

Headed up Monitor Pass, it's a low pass at 8300 ft. But it has a fire lookout tower on the peak adjacent to the main road. I've been staring at it for years.

I wonder how you get up there?
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I keep thinking someday I'll ride the Hayabusa up there, but the dirt road up to the peak is pretty gnarly. I took my Z1000 up there and that was easy with the wide bars & bolt upright street fighter seating position.

Would you take a Hayabusa up this road?

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So far, my answer has been nope.
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That section of road looks fine when on the Busa. However, with snow in the background the possibility of a muddy spot in the road could mean a 6 point turn might happen before the summit.

 

[pashnit]

A year ago, I stumbled onto the Estrella Warbirds Museum outside Paso Robles along the Central Coast & the group toured the airplane museum and many, many race cars on display.

I found the military museum so interesting, started to wonder if they had something like that in Northern California.

Found one along our tour route at the Sonoma Airport, the Pacific Coast Air Museum. This museum is small in comparison, but it looked interesting, and I had to check it out with the group. No one had ever been there.

 

[pashnit]

First thing you see is the plane from the 1983 film Octopussy. I loved all the James Bond movies as a kid. Cool to see this is person. BEDE BD-5J jet, the world's smallest jet plane.

Fill 'er up please.

 

[pashnit]

 

[pashnit]

The museum was quite proud that they have one of the Top Gun jets from the movie, one of the planes that was used in the original 1986 film is on display, and they have one of the fighter jets that flew overwatch over New York on Sept 11.

 

[pashnit]

 

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[pashnit]

We were pleasantly surprised when Ken got rather excited. Ken was a pilot in the air force and this T-38 Trainer was his plane.

He was an instructor and taught young airmen how to fly when he was in the air force.

 

[pashnit]

I thought this was super cool. A D-21 Drone which resembles an SR-71.

Did you know the nose of the SR-71 was interchangeable? I didn't. I do now. that's very cool.

 

[pashnit]

To all the aircraft mechanics out there, we salute you.

I change the oil on my motorcycle and feel pretty good about myself.

 

[pashnit]

Ever wandering around Sonoma, and you like planes, check this place out.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

There’s another one near me off 99.

Castle Air Museum – Castle Air Museum gives visitors a peek into the past and lends insight into the evolution of aircraft and the past milestones of aviation.

www.castleairmuseum.org

 

[pashnit]

That section of road looks fine when on the Busa. However, with snow in the background the possibility of a muddy spot in the road could mean a 6 point turn might happen before the summit.

There’s another one near me off 99.

Castle Air Museum – Castle Air Museum gives visitors a peek into the past and lends insight into the evolution of aircraft and the past milestones of aviation.

www.castleairmuseum.org

Been to the Castle Air Museum in Central Cal once, long long time ago. The closest one I've got to me is the airplane museum at the old McClellan Air Force Base on the north end of Sacramento. Took my kids there awhile back. My son just got accepted into Humboldt State for engineering, so I like to think these field trips contributed to that.

 

[pashnit]

After our visit to the airplane museum in Santa Rosa, headed over to one of my all-time favorite roads, Hopland Grade, a superfast, tight curvaceous romp over a low range.

Highway 29 outside Calistoga - It's a fun as it looks.

Highway 175, Lake County | California Motorcycle Roads | Pashnit

Ride Middletown to Hopland, California Motorcycle Ride

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Highway 175 - Hopland Grade