Photoessay: A ride through Woodside, CA
fish
Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
I'm off work all week for bereavement. My mother passed away last Thursday, after a brief, but debilitating illness. Lymphoma, pneumonia, renal failure, and Kaiser. As you can imagine, it's been a very emotional and stressful experience for the entire family. It's kinda like I had both parents die, since mom never did anything with any of my dad's stuff, except for clothes, in the 10 years since he died. Work has sucked hind tit as well. Worse still, my cousin was killed in a car crash two weeks ago. It's been a pretty dark winter/spring so far.
After a set of PM exchanges with ian408, I realized that I hadn't ridden a motorcycle in months. Both of the batteries were dead, so I flipped a coin, and the GS won. As previously posted, it was a long, but relaxing exercise getting the GS back on the road. I actually can't remember the last time I rode the GS. When I've ridden, it's been the R1150RT, primarily because I frequently had to travel over the Dunbarton Bridge, that links Menlo Park with Newark. The GS is a real handful over that span. Anyway, the GS was running nicely, so I polished the tank, dusted the rest, and took off today.
But first, I asked ian408 if he'd like to go for a ride, and he responded back that he thought it was going to be a crappy day, with a foggy haze over the valley, wet roads, low tire pressure, poor lighting conditions, and no subjects to shoot. Plus he said he wasn't hungry. Well...:flip.
Actually, ian said that Thursday would be better for him, but I had to ride. I had to bust out of this funk I've been in lately. It was a good ride, over roads I've travelled hundreds of times, but all seemed fresh and new to me. The acacia trees were all in full bloom, undoubtedly making allergy sufferers miserable. Unfortunately, I didn't find a good place to stop and take a photo by an acacia. But I did do about 70 miles, and it felt good. I think I only cried in my helmet once, as memories of an RD400 I owned when I was 18 streamed through my head and linked to memories of my parents. No crashes, no tickets...it was a good ride. Photography, on the other hand, was completely uninspired. I just couldn't get into it. I took a bunch, and only a handful came out looking okay, and none of them grab my grunion at all, so I'm just gonna post them as a documentary of my ride today. If you don't like 'em, well take off, eh? Nobody is holding a gun to yer head making you read the rest of this post. Ooo...that was grumpy, wasn't it? Sorry.
Anyway...here are my piss-poor images from my ride through Saratoga and Woodside today.
Okay, so one bonus shot from last night in duotone.
I really can't remember the last time I washed this bike. It might have been one time at Santa Cruz BMW, when they replaced a set of tires, then gave it a bath, and displayed it during an Oktoberfest celebration they have there. Yeah, I think that's the last time. Two years ago or more?
So had the part about ian talking about the fog actually been true, I would have to bow to him. It was fugly. Beautiful weather on Skyline Blvd, but as you can see, Silicon Valley is covered in a nasty layer of fog and haze. I brought my 10-22 EF-S, but never mounted it. The landscape sucked with the fog in the background. On a clear day, especially after a storm, you can see amazing details in the valley, like Hangar 1 at Moffett Field, Hoover Tower on the Stanford Campus, the Dunbarton Bridge, the San Mateo Bridge, and on an especially clear day, you can actually see all the way up to San Francisco from this location. Since I couldn't get any of that, I decided to just shoot my bike. :dunno
I dropped by the Thomas Fogerty winery on Skyline, and rode around inside, but just never really stopped to take any pics of the swans in the pond, the various outbuildings, the vineyards. Nope, couldn't get into it. But I got one of the cast ducks on top of one of the front gate pillars.
I rode for about another half hour before stopping for photos. I must have shot 30 images today, most of which just went straight in the trash. As you can tell by the mediocre quality of these "keepers", it wasn't a very productive day.
I stopped in Woodside.
Well well well...I suppose if I owned a 7000 sf mansion in tony Woodside on "Why Worry Lane", I'd probably be pretty undepressed too.
So...that's all I've got. It sucks so bad, I'm just gonna stuff it down here in the basement (Wide Angle).
If you've gotten this far, thank you for taking the time.
fish out.
After a set of PM exchanges with ian408, I realized that I hadn't ridden a motorcycle in months. Both of the batteries were dead, so I flipped a coin, and the GS won. As previously posted, it was a long, but relaxing exercise getting the GS back on the road. I actually can't remember the last time I rode the GS. When I've ridden, it's been the R1150RT, primarily because I frequently had to travel over the Dunbarton Bridge, that links Menlo Park with Newark. The GS is a real handful over that span. Anyway, the GS was running nicely, so I polished the tank, dusted the rest, and took off today.
But first, I asked ian408 if he'd like to go for a ride, and he responded back that he thought it was going to be a crappy day, with a foggy haze over the valley, wet roads, low tire pressure, poor lighting conditions, and no subjects to shoot. Plus he said he wasn't hungry. Well...:flip.
Actually, ian said that Thursday would be better for him, but I had to ride. I had to bust out of this funk I've been in lately. It was a good ride, over roads I've travelled hundreds of times, but all seemed fresh and new to me. The acacia trees were all in full bloom, undoubtedly making allergy sufferers miserable. Unfortunately, I didn't find a good place to stop and take a photo by an acacia. But I did do about 70 miles, and it felt good. I think I only cried in my helmet once, as memories of an RD400 I owned when I was 18 streamed through my head and linked to memories of my parents. No crashes, no tickets...it was a good ride. Photography, on the other hand, was completely uninspired. I just couldn't get into it. I took a bunch, and only a handful came out looking okay, and none of them grab my grunion at all, so I'm just gonna post them as a documentary of my ride today. If you don't like 'em, well take off, eh? Nobody is holding a gun to yer head making you read the rest of this post. Ooo...that was grumpy, wasn't it? Sorry.
Anyway...here are my piss-poor images from my ride through Saratoga and Woodside today.
Okay, so one bonus shot from last night in duotone.
I really can't remember the last time I washed this bike. It might have been one time at Santa Cruz BMW, when they replaced a set of tires, then gave it a bath, and displayed it during an Oktoberfest celebration they have there. Yeah, I think that's the last time. Two years ago or more?
So had the part about ian talking about the fog actually been true, I would have to bow to him. It was fugly. Beautiful weather on Skyline Blvd, but as you can see, Silicon Valley is covered in a nasty layer of fog and haze. I brought my 10-22 EF-S, but never mounted it. The landscape sucked with the fog in the background. On a clear day, especially after a storm, you can see amazing details in the valley, like Hangar 1 at Moffett Field, Hoover Tower on the Stanford Campus, the Dunbarton Bridge, the San Mateo Bridge, and on an especially clear day, you can actually see all the way up to San Francisco from this location. Since I couldn't get any of that, I decided to just shoot my bike. :dunno
I dropped by the Thomas Fogerty winery on Skyline, and rode around inside, but just never really stopped to take any pics of the swans in the pond, the various outbuildings, the vineyards. Nope, couldn't get into it. But I got one of the cast ducks on top of one of the front gate pillars.
I rode for about another half hour before stopping for photos. I must have shot 30 images today, most of which just went straight in the trash. As you can tell by the mediocre quality of these "keepers", it wasn't a very productive day.
I stopped in Woodside.
Well well well...I suppose if I owned a 7000 sf mansion in tony Woodside on "Why Worry Lane", I'd probably be pretty undepressed too.
So...that's all I've got. It sucks so bad, I'm just gonna stuff it down here in the basement (Wide Angle).
If you've gotten this far, thank you for taking the time.
fish out.
"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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Comments
I really like the duotone picture of your bike. I've been thinking of experimenting with duotone, you've given me the inspiration to get started.
Take care.
Cheers!
David
www.uniqueday.com
That was done completely in-camera on the 20D. Easy enough to do in PS tho.
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
Next time you're passing that winery tell them that their duck sucks. They could class up their place by replacing it with an egret.
As for Ian what can I tell ya. Guys with jobs just ain't that much fun.
Take care, I'm thinking about you.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
37 degrees here...trade ya!
Many times the boring, uninspired rides are the best ones. The steady rythem of that boxer speaks volumes, no? Just the right amount of soul in those engines. It always calms me, no matter how 'off' I am. I ride an r1100r, and the things she's helped me through are more then I could begin to detail.
We're with ya, be well,
Chris
Thanks johnr, harry, and rtr. You're absolutely right. The boxer gets it done. It was running so sweet today, almost as though it had sympathy. Do bikes have souls? This one does. I don't really remember twisting the throttle much at all today, except when I got close to home and punched it as I ran over a gravel patch, getting it all crossed-up. No fear.
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
The 20D's in camera B&W capabilities are kind of an unsung jewel I think. I like the in camera direct B&W & duotone it is capable of.
And your GS is MUCH cleaner than mine on the front of the engine. You must be sticking to only paved roads with it...... I've given up cleaning mine - it only gets dirty again anyway.
When the timing belt needs replacement I'll clean it then. But I do change the oil every 2000 miles. It is clean where it counts - inside.
Get some more sunshine, and shoot some more pictures
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Sorry to hear about your loss. Hang in there man.
Emily Dickenson wrote:
And all we need of hell.
Anyway, please accetpt my sincere condolences.
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
any more
Nice report and glad you got to blow the cobwebs out (you did do that, right?).
Ian
you and your family are in our thoughts.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
You've always got a riding buddy up here in the foothills. Sorry about mom. Thinking about you right now. Take care, and good on ya for getting out for a ride.
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
Hang in there, man!
I'm very sorry for your losses!
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
helmet time is good for the soul.
nice report Fish
dave
Shay.
RM
"It's better to bite the hand that feeds you, than to feed the hand that bites you" - Me
www.edhughesphoto.com
I would like to offer you a big gator hug and tell you that your memorial ride probably did more for your soul and the soul of that bike than you know. So, sorry to hear of your losses. You needed that time to connect/reconnect and it's good that you took it.
We don't have brain bucket laws here anymore however, I have found comfort in mine on more than one occasion when we did have them. Have to say, I am a Harley lover but, that is a good lookin' ride ya got there.
I think coming across Why Worry Lane speaks volumes. Sounds almost prophetic. The photos weren't near as bad as you let on. I enjoyed reading your words and viewing the pictures.
Take care Fish, keep ridin'!
Take care,
Tim
Hutch wife and I send our condolences. I have not yet lost a parent so I do not yet comprehend your pain. It must be one of the toughest times in life.
Ride hard, ride safe,
Hutch
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
Nothing like a ride alone in the hills to clear a person's mind. Even better when you bring your camera along
It was good to hear you got out for a ride and some shooting. Enjoying at all the beauty you saw while riding hopefully helped offset some of the recent darkness.
Steve