The Grand Tour: Inside the Mind of Pashnit California

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[pashnit]

So it begins... 4 days of riding the best of California's roads with a newly designed tour, a hand-picked route. All new. All Pashnit.



Far and wide came the riders, here's Bob, who's ridden with us several times. He always calls me on Monday, days, hours before the ride- and says in a heavy exasperated voice... "Tim, I really need to get away & just ride."

Got just thing Bob. Meet me on Friday morning.




Oh, and did you notice that little silver number?



Stealth look is out. Stubby is in. The all new Honda CBR1000.

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Well then, follow me!




Haroldo says welcome to Yosemite National Park.





Billie, our season pass holder.




And Bob. Cool pic.

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Here's Sean, one of our 4 Canadians who flew in from Ontario for this tour.




One more of Haroldo for good measure? Cool bike, eh?
(there were Canadians on the tour, so we got to say 'eh' alot. )




Now if you are sitting there looking at these pics, and you are no where near California... This is why Yosemite NP is such a household name.








Kind of boggles the mind. Just a majestic place.

Do this, look at the pic.

Then look at the car for scale, and re-look at the pic. Cool, huh.

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Pic of a pic. Hard to date this one, can't quite make out the auto at left. Suffice to say, it was quite a view back in the day.




Bring the lawn chair.




Haroldo & Billie. We had to tease Haroldo a bit, as awhile back when he rode with us, he had a 42" waistline. Something about Brazilian Ninjutsu turned him into the lean mean svelte fighting war machine he is now. Billie of course is just as bald as ever.




Bob & Kim



Kim, Paul & Sean looking down on Yosemite Valley from Glacier Point




No, you can never come up here too many times.

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At the Sierra Sky Ranch in Oakhurst, dip in the pool, some eats, little relaxation, good conversation.




This was a 7000 acre ranch at one time. A TB hospital in the 1920's, and a place for WWII troops too. Lot of history.




I had the steak in case you're wondering.



Bob, Steve & Haroldo. Check out the pot belly stove.

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Yamaha Seca & Suzuki Hayabusa. Pashnit is all bikes. Gotta love that.




See those rolling hills? Now picture roads that curve and undulate around and over.

Never straight, and you can always see the next curve.




Anybody recognize the sign?




Michelle and a set of long legs.




Ready to ride. Maxon Rd to Trimmer Springs Rd to Elwood Rd. Get all that. No?

No problem, follow me.

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And into Sequoia National Park. But here's the problem with this photo. Scale. Or lack thereof.




Better. This is inside the tree.




Little better. Haroldo, Steve, Bille, & Bob.




Now how's this. Get a sense of scale? See the person?

Big.




The pic just doesn't do it. Just how big?




Another one for scale. Just massive.

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Your assignment for today...

To capture the very essence of riding.




Same shot with Haroldo this time on his new Concours 14.

Little different feel this time. Funny how the camera can do that.




So you want to take a photo like this? Okay, I will share with you all my secrets. Or accumulated wisdom. Something like that.

Here's the trick. First off, you don't need to be going excessively fast. You can create speed. I gave Bob some instructions like this. Ride up, turn around and we'll wait to make we've got a clear road with no cars. This is in the bottom of Kings Canyon NP and a great photo spot with the shape of that curve.

2ndly, we lucked out with the clouds. Notice, there's no shadow? That was luck. Moments later sun came out.

3rdly, I instructed Bob to come at me, but aim for the yellow line right in front of me. Practically want him to touch it with his front tire. Note how I'm looking right down the lane with the lens. As soon as he does that, I want him to wrench the bars (literally!), and cut the corner. What that does is creates the lean. While Bob is carrying a smooth speed, I'll pre-focus the camera (holding the button halfway down), and track him right to left. At just the right instant, I jerk the camera left (literally jerk it) to the left panning on him (trick to the whole thing!), staying on him with the lens. That creates the blur- or rather sense of speed in the photo.

Bob on the other hand is crisp in the photo as the shutter snaps as he zips by. I think BMW HQ will be calling any moment to put this one up wall-size in the lobby of BMW Headquarters. (And no, I don't have a fancy camera, a 4-yr old Canon Pro1 SLR shooting on auto.)

Takes a bit of practice, but just great bit of luck and good timing.

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Bob's RT & that salavatious curve.




Enough already. Put the damn camera away and let's ride.






Quick stop at Boyden Cave. Anybody got $6500?

Anyone into rocks & gems?