Showing posts with label country roads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label country roads. Show all posts

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Walnuts of San Benito County


Walnuts have been produced in San Benito County for many, many years. Although there are fewer acreage of walnut orchards, walnuts ranked third in the fruit and nut crops category in 2014 in terms of their value. Last year, the walnut crop was worth over $5.5 million, according to the San Benito County 2014 Annual Crop Report.



Thursday, July 23, 2015

Morning on Southside Road


A few mornings ago, I rode my bicycle on Southside Road. It pays to look up.



Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Looking West on John Smith Road


This is looking west on John Smith Road. Here's the view looking down from up there. 

It's Nature Footstep's Digital Art Meme today. Click here to check out digital artwork by other participants. 

Here's the original image:


Sunday, July 19, 2015

A View from KT Road


It was a wonderful morning for a bicycle ride on Southside Road. Pedaled a bit down Thomas Road and came across a neat old wooden bridge near the intersection of Thomas and KT Roads.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Red Barn on Fairview Road


This fading red barn is near the south end of Fairview Road, just past Maranatha Drive. In the distance is the Gabilan range.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Santa Ana Valley Road


Santa Ana Valley Road is a pleasant bicycle ride or drive, several miles east of Downtown Hollister. You can get there one of three ways.

The most direct route is to access it from the north by turning onto Santa Ana Valley Road from Fairview Road.

From the south, turn onto John Smith Road, and follow it all the way to the end. You have a choice of turning left or right onto Santa Ana Valley Road. Turn left and you pedal or drive through the valley floor.

The least direct route is from Tres Pinos. From Highway 25 (aka Airline Highway), turn onto Quien Sabe Road, across from Immaculate Conception Church. Simply follow the road, and at the end, turn left. Voila, you're on Santa Ana Valley Road.

Enjoy!

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Irrigation Pipes


I have a soft spot for irrigation pipes. Sounds weird, I know. But, they were a part of my childhood. The Daddy worked for various farmers in San Benito County as an irrigator. Between the ages of four and eight, he and the fields were my babysitter.

One of my memories is of playing next to the large irrigation pipes from which water rushed down vegetable rows from the small open gates in the pipes. I made sure to see where the Daddy was as he worked his way across the field to the other end. When the water reached the end of a row, Daddy held his shovel high above the row. My job then was to shut the water gate for that row. Looking back, it was one of the best jobs I've had.

By the way, this scene is on Union Road, near Ladd Elementary School.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

The House on the Corner


Every time I pass by the run down, abandoned house on the corner of Fairview and John Smith Road, I think photo opp. I finally stopped there the other morning when something got in my eye while pedaling my bike.

I wonder what the story is behind the house. Whoever had lived there once upon a time liked pepper trees. The trees are gorgeous.


Saturday, June 27, 2015

Illusions in Santa Ana Valley


Doesn't it look like the mountain is fenced off? And, that the mountain is quite nearby? For that matter, are those really mountain peaks?

I'm on Santa Ana Valley Road looking up at the Diablo Range through a fence, on which the other side rows of corn are growing.

See you tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Along McCloskey Road


It's Nature Footstep's Digital Art Meme today. Click here to check out digital artwork by other participants. 

By the way, here's the original image:


Sunday, June 7, 2015

Above Riverside Road


The last of the fog breaks over the hills above Riverside Road. Yet another short country lane to ride bicycles. It's only a few miles west of Downtown Hollister.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Best Road


Best Road is a short country lane outside of Hollister that connects John Smith Road to Airline Highway, also known as Highway 25. It's a fun loop of a bicycle ride.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Enterprise Road


Enterprise Road is a short country lane on the south side of Airline Highway (aka Highway 25). It runs from Airline Highway to Southside Road. It kinda parallels the highway. When you're bicycling from east to west on Enterprise Road, you get a sweet coast down the hill after the houses. Wheeeeeeee!

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Mustard in June


I hadn't been down Enterprise Road for awhile so I was surprised to see so much yellow. I don't think of orchards carpeted with yellow mustard in June. That's more of a Spring thing after a good rain.

Here's the photo before I played around with it in Photoshop.


I'm participating in Nature Footstep's Digital Art Meme today. To check out other participants or to take part, please click here.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Howdy! No Trespassing!


I don't know if the runner and "No Trespassing" sign go together. I sure like the combination.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Southside Road Orchard Nymph


Tell me that walnut tree doesn't look like a nymph. She gave my bicycle and me a bit shade while I took a sip of water.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Sun Coast Organic Farm Bakery


After a yummy lunch with friends at the 19th Hole Booze and Food in Tres Pinos, the Husband and I decided to take a leisurely drive back to Hollister via Southside Road. It had rained a little bit that morning, so life was refreshingly grand. How grand? By the time we reached the bridge by Thomas Road, I wanted some ice cream. But, neither of us felt like driving to San Juan Bautista.

As we crossed over the bridge, I remembered that Sun Coast Organic Farm made gelato. Whoo-hooo! Within a minute or so, we saw Sun Coast's sign and turned into the driveway. The bakery was open. Again, Whooo-hoo! 


We bought a pint each of handcrafted lemon gelato and blueberry gelato, which we ate at home while watching a Netflix movie. (I tell you it was a perfect afternoon). The lemon gelato had the perfect marriage of tart and sweet in each spoon full. Wowza! The blueberry gelato was delicious, too, with what I thought was a hint of cinnamon.


The bakery sells all sorts of handcrafted breads, rolls, cookies, and other sweet and savory treats. Their racks were nearly sold out. They do their own milling of organic grains, by the way. It's worth the drive to purchase the artisanal goodies. They also sell cups of coffee, so you can sit and enjoy some of your treats, as well as the scenery, on their cute patio.


The Sun Coast Organic Farm Bakery is open on Fridays, from noon to 7 p.m., and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The gorgeous—and humorous—view from the bakery's patio.


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Morning


I took this photo from John Smith Road. That's the Diablo Range in the near distance. I can't recall what steps I did in Photoshop to get this transformed image. I wanted to pop out the dried grass and barbed wire, and as I was doing that the lighting on the mountains became apparent. So, I decided to spotlight that area.

Here's the original image:


Today, I'm participating in Nature Footstep's Digital Art Meme. To check out other participants or to take part, please click here.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

John Smith Road


Back road, country road. Same thing, isn't it?

This one is John Smith Road heading into Santa Ana Valley. I enjoy wandering this road, which starts at Fairview Road and goes past the landfill. Pedaling the bicycle is even better. When you get to the end of the road, you can either turn left to cruise through the small valley or turn right to head towards Quien Sabe Road, which takes you to Tres Pinos.



Today, I'm hanging out at Our World Tuesday. Come join me. Click here to visit other participants from around the globe.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Thistles of Santa Ana Valley


Here's another view from my wandering the other day through Santa Ana Valley. Yes, it's a photo that I cropped and enhanced then dipped into the artistic features of Photoshop. 

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