Lone Tree Road

There's nothing like a morning bicycle ride on a country road.

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A Downtown Reflection

 

As I was walking past the empty shop on San Benito Street, next to Wentz Alley, I noticed the  reflection in the shop's window. It's the biker mural on the side of the infamous Johnny's Bar & Grill. Click here to see how it looks first hand. A pretty cool mural, don't you agree?

Take 25 in Hollister is six years old today! Whoooo-hoooo! For the curious, here's the link to the first post, What a Cute Town! Hollister most certainly is.

I'm hanging out at Weekend Reflections today. To see other reflections from around the world, please click here.

Limekiln Monorail

 

Limekiln Monorail
Built in 1894 by J.J. Burt to carry "diamond brand" lime from Harlan Mt. to the S.P. Railroad at Tres Pinos.

The track was a single wooden rail. The locomotive was wood fueled steam operated. On its maiden voyage, the engine exploded while taking on water from Pescadero Creek thus ending the operation forever.  

So states this E Clampus Vitus plaque that stands towards the southern end of Cienega Road, which was erected on April 21, 1979 by Monterey Viejo Chapter 1846. 

Doesn't the idea of a monorail at the turn of the 19th century running all the way from Tres Pinos to Cienega Road just astound you? It does me. 

J.J. Burt was the owner of the Cienega Lime Works, which makes sense for the name of Limekiln Road off Cienega Road.

The New York Railroad Men reprinted an article about the monorail in its October 1891 issue, Vol. 5, No. 1, page 722. It begins: 

A curious little railroad train goes crawling up and down the mountain from Tres Pinos to Burt's lime kiln in the Gavilan range, San Benito county, every day. It is probably the strangest railroad that ever was seen; yet, thus far, not a word has ever been printed regarding it. The train moves on a curious single track and is drawn by an engine set low on it.

If you'd like to continue reading the article, click here. For a relatively more current article, check out this piece by David B. Simons Jr., that's posted at The Monorail Society website.

Hiring in Hollister

Ah, the things you can see while taking a walk. I wonder why the band members decided this lamp post next to K-Mart would be a perfect place to put their help wanted sign.

Today Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday features the letter H. Click here to check out what other bloggers have posted.

A Rocky Hillside

This hillside on Lone Tree Road is riddled with rocks all the way to the top. It reminded me of the hillsides to the east of Lassen Volcanic National Park, in Northern California, that are landscaped with rocks, which had been spitted out of a volcano millions of years ago.

Seeing this hillside got me wondering if the rocks had hurled out of a long forgotten ancient volcano in San Benito county. What do you think?

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A Mellow Yellow Tractor

I saw this old guy on Southside Road. Notice the crank? I wouldn't mind having it standing in our front yard. I can already see it sporting many kinds of flowers.

Monday Mellow Yellows is where I am today. Click here to see what bloggers around the world are posting.

Rain, Rain, Please Come Our Way

No, it hasn't rained. I caught this reflection on San Benito Street during one of the rare showers back in Spring.  Just thought it would be nice to see some rain, even if in a photo.

Long ago, I read that weather comes in cycles of seven—seven years of heavy rains, seven years of drought, and so on.  If that's true, I hope this summer  is the worst part of the drought  for California and we see rain soon. Let us continue to hope, wish, pray, and dance for rain.

Hanging out at Weekend Reflections today. Come join me by clicking here.