Time to Go Home

As I was riding my bicycle yesterday, I noticed the goats on Enterprise Road. Of course, I had to stop and photos. I watched a black and white goat for a while. It was apart from the others, gazing up at the barn. It took a few steps up the hill, stopped, walked a few more steps, stopped. Then, slowly it made its way up the hill as if drawn by some alluring music.

When I looked at this photo hours later, I noticed goats hanging out in the shade of the barn and in the fenced area to the side. Maybe the black and white goat was missing its partner. One can imagine.

Until tomorrow.

Looking Upward on Enterprise Road

It was a beautiful blue sky earlier this morning. Now, it feels like the fog is coming back in. Unless. Perhaps. Maybe. Gathering rain clouds. We can hope.

I'm participating in Our World Tuesday. Click here to see what's going on in other parts of the world today.

Morning on Southside Road

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

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:

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.

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.

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!

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.

Hey!

Pun intended. He-he. Or, should I exclaim, "Hay!" 

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

And, should you be curious, here's the original image:

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Tasty Meals at Dunneville Corners

Crrrrrrussssssh! 

From behind the windows at Dunneville Cafe and Market, I watched a repetitive scene going on across the street at Clean Green Recycling. Humongous yellow mechanical jaws mangled, pounded, and chewed away at the huge piles of forsaken wood, which would eventually become wood chips for landscaping. The wood must've tasted pretty good to that machine, just as the broaster chicken and tri-tip meal that we bought at Dunneville tasted to us. Yummmmm.

Z is for. . .

Zip! Zap! Zee!

The challenge is done. No more thinking in ABC. Hooray!

Tomorrow, we shall be back to regular programming. Which is uhm I dunno.

By the way, there are still a few windmills around Hollister. This one is at the Suncoast Organic Farm on Southside Road, where the Husband and I stopped to buy a pint of yummy lemon gelato. Talk about a zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay taste!

Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.

W is for. . .

April 2015, Cienega Road

Water. More specifically, the lack of water.  Essentially, drought!

California officials mark the beginning of our drought as 2012. They report that Winter 2015 has been the driest year in the state's recorded history.  It's very evident when you see the hills and mountains surrounding Hollister. If it weren't for the cooler temperatures, I'd think it was August.

Check out how Hollister has looked in April over the past few years.

April 2014, Southside Road

 

 

April 2013, Brigantino Park

April 2012, intersection of Highway 25 and Highway 156

April 2011, San Benito River by Nash Road

April 2010, Cienega Road

For information about water conservation tips, visit the Water Resources Association of San Benito County website.

Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.

Driving the Back Road Home

Yesterday, the Husband and I took San Juan Grade Road back from Salinas. We figured the scenic route was the best way to get back home during the evening commute. I drove the wiggly road at an old fogey's pace, but it seemed like we got to San Juan Bautista just as fast as if we took the highway.