Enjoying the Moment...My Take on Riding Nor Cal

I want to move to Nor Cal

Keep it up!

It is a great place. There are a lot of great roads, views and the weather lets us ride almost year around

I spent some time there on the bike in September and I loved it.

Just between HW36 and the Oregon state line you can ride for 3 days and never find a road not worth riding.

Even when I was lost I was in heaven.

6:00Am

Armed with a hot cup of coffee and fresh clear mind I took a long, slow, review of your photo's. They're so good and inspirational. I'm amazed when thinking about the bazillion people who've passed by the same fields, pastures and mountains, never seeing what you have.

Last week I visited the Okla. Museum of Art where there was temporary exhibition of A. Adams and Brett Weston. Although I've seen most of the photo's before it's always a pleasure. But, I'm here to tell you, you've got the right stuff.

Backing up a bit, both Ansell and Edward Weston go down in history partially because their work is a historical record. Much like the Indian photo's taken by Curtis at the turn of century. Your pix, in my opinion, differ from theirs. Yours bring a statement of peace and beauty which we can all enjoy. It's the kind of beauty we can hopefully preserve. It's ours for the taking.

Your snaps got Soul.

Thanks for sharing and best of luck in the future.

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

I live in this area. I've been to most of these places, ridden these roads, some of them a zillion times, but when I look at your pictures, Dave, I feel like I'm seeing something new. I just haven't learned how to slow down, and look, and see beyond the road. Thank you for taking the time to share these images with us.

-dman

Me to! Oh wait, I'm already here. The couple of times I've considered moving I've known I'd miss this to much. Keep in mind so many of the locals don't appreciate our backyard, this is MY version of Nor Cal . Don't care much about the cities.

Thanks so much for taking the time to express that...you "get it" to!

It's strange for me this photography stuff, I've been doing it for about 5 years now, and it's the first time I've pursued something this passionately that wasn't about competition. Racing bikes was all about being the best I could...and faster than the next guy. Same story with shooting/marksmanship which I pursued for a number of years. Heck even playing guitar when I was younger wasn't just about being good, it was about wanting to be better than the other guy.

Photography is the first time I recall that I put all my energy into something simply to be able to share what I not just see, but what a place makes me feel. Couldn't really care to much how it stacks up against somebody else, if it allows me to share the moment. And increasingly trying to capture these moments has lead me to experiencing so many more of them, and so much deeper than before. Love your description of "Soul", never thought of it that way before, but that's where the inspiration comes from for certain.

If you get all of that over a cup of coffee, I'm stoked you made the connection. Thanks again.

You know that's one of the reasons I ride mostly local now. It's been years since I've done a multi week ride. While those are great, I used to feel I needed to see new roads all of the time to see something new. I wouldn't trade those experiences for the world, but it seemed like I would work all year for a week or two of riding bliss and then back to business as usual for another year riding the "same ol roads". Looking deeper at my usual roads it amazes me how I always see new things, in new ways, so instead of a week or two a year to live the dream I feel it's become a lifestyle year round.

And it's working for me right now As I always say in this thread, don't force yourself to slow down, but maybe try it on occasion, and some day it will maybe just feel right. If that day never comes that's fine to if you're doing what you love.

Oh yeah, there are certainly still days that are all about just doing the full tilt boogie with 100% concentration on apexes and traction.....but you don't see any photos from those days

Once again I'll let the photos do most of the talking...

Spent Sunday at Sears Pt. watching the Pro Superbike shootout in conjunction with the AFM club races and Supermoto USA. I'll post just a few photos here, there's more on my Smugmug page if you're a race junkie and want to see the rest

I just snooped around in your smugmug - you do have some great stuff in there!

Wow! Gorgeous photo

If only life was this simple.......

Actually it is




With all of the mid sierra passes open now and spending last weekend at the race track, I was really hurting for a ride. So I made up for it by criss-crossing the Sierras multiple times in two days and one awesome night!

Just a one photo ride report for now, if that doesn't scream "Enjoying the moment" I don't know what does.

Yes, I stayed out past my bedtime. Yes, my fingers got numb in the sub freezing temps and howling wind, but I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be!

Thanks, some really odd stuff to

I'll make more

Simply beautiful, Dave. Simply beautiful.

Superb, Dave. Absolutely superb.

Dave-

Time for me to lay on the couch for a little bit!

I have been a long time lurker here, but have never really posted to any of the forums. However, I feel compelled to write in and thank you.

I have grown up in NorCal, including Tahoe and Mammoth, and like many of the people who have written in, I have taken the area for granted and never really stopped to truly look around me and enjoy where I am.

I have just recently begun to get into motorcycling, and have less than 500 miles under my belt so far! I came into it way later than I should have. I fear that I spent far too much time listening to other people tell me why I should not do it. So, I still have a tremendous amount to learn and am looking forward to the journey.

There are a couple of things you said that really struck a chord with me that I wanted to share. The first is early in your posts when you talked about the idea of getting better at something. I frequently am accused of throwing myself fully into hobbies and projects, only to find new things that interest me. I have long viewed this as a personality defect, but appreciate the idea that maybe this is just a way to learn and appreciate new things. It can be as much about the process as the product.

Secondly, I started my time with AdvRider with the idea that I had to travel the world, or at least the country, to have adventures and to have lead a full life. Thank you for reminding me that there are plenty of amazing, beautiful experiences to be had much closer to home.

Please keep up the incredible work. It is amazing to me the following that you can create when you are passionate about what you do, whether you intended to create a following or not.

BTW- One final thought. Kirkwood Inn for lunch. Up Highway 88, about halfway between Jackson and the Highway 88/89 split. A perfect place to stop on your way to fall colors in Hope Valley and Blue Lakes. Well worth the trip if you get the time.

+1 for Kirkwood Inn.

Thanks for the feedback on what you're getting from this. I always think it's so cool when people get more from this than just looking at some nice pics

You hit the nail on the head with that line, it's taken my whole life until a few years ago to figure it out and I'm glad I've still got plenty of time to do this. In ADV circles it almost seems shameful to "admit" that my dream isn't to ride around the world, if it was I would be doing something about it instead of dreaming. Now there's plenty of places I think would be cool to ride but no longing desire. I think the idea that "living the dream" is isolated to a short vacation or two a year then back to real life is backward. The stuff you love should be a way of life.....whatever that is. That's what I'm doing now.

Yeah, been to Kirkwood Inn quite a few times for eats or just beverages and never went away dissapointed thanks for chiming in!

So a few more shots from last weekends Sierra Pass overnighter.
Little spot I've passed on Tioga Rd so many times without a photo. Friday morning it was in my head that this would be my first stop, wanted to get there before the sun came over the ridge for the best light. Because it was such a cool spot and I was in no hurry, I hung out until the sun crested to see what I could make of it. Glad I did.




The Eastern Sierra/Desert is such a contrast. I see these clouds sometimes, but only when it's really windy. I have a theory that's what a normal cloud looks like if you streamline it in a wind tunnel I could also be full of it.






Leavitt Meadow looking gorgeous for me the first time I've seen it since last fall.





My destination for the weekend was some night photography at high elevation. I wasn't dissapointed. A few examples of the mystical world up there at night. The moon was so bright I swear I could read a book.















On another note....

I suppose I should intoduce my new lady, after all you are going to be seeing lots of photos of her here in this thread. Picked up my new '14 Strom this week. I'll save all the technical talk and evaluation stuff for the strom thread in the forums, but put simply I'm very happy.


Had her on TWO rides so far. First was maybe 40 miles when I picked her up after work. This just shows why this bike fits what I do, here I am with a brand new bike, all excited wanting to focus all of my attention on learning about it and I STILL have the time to enjoy what's going on around me.


Our first sunset together.



Ride #2 had a nice 350 mile day which was 300 miles of twisty. From dry rugged hills to coastal roads, what a variety of riding.

Right at home here




A bit of a glamor shot for those who find such things sexy




Some coastal redwoods. Love the earth tones on this bike. Fit's me and my riding style perfect, just flying under the radar doing my thing.



Why the strom is a great sport tourer, this is my idea of paved



A day at the beach



And what kind of a ride would it be if I didn't get home well after dark?

Ride#2- Sunset #2......I think we're getting along





One thing I'd like to point out, I'm often asked about my photo gear in PMs and this thread (and I love talking that stuff almost as much as bikes) and I mention some shots are with point and shoots. Because I don't really have space on the new strom for my regular gear yet, all of the photos so far have been taken with a pocket camera, my Canon S100. With full manual control and raw capability I still get amazed with the quality of some of these shots.

Those night shots are incredible.

What kind of camera are you using?

Thanks, night photography amazes me . It seems surprising so many riders feel the need to be home before dark

The camera that I used for the nocturnal stuff is a Nikon D5100.