On the Road to Who Knows Where

The Photo Walk that Wasn't

I was in Templeton today for a doctor appointment I didn't know had been cancelled. But I decided to make the most of it and take a photo walk. I started at the construction site on the corner of Posada Lane and Las Tablas that I started photographing last week. The plan was to then go to rural east Templeton and take some pictures, so I headed off on Templeton Road. I parked along the side of the road and hadn't walked far when I found this lost glove in the bike lane. I don't want to even think about what's on that glove.

Lost Garden Glove on the Road, © B. Radisavljevic

Construction

When I visited the doctor a week ago, I noticed construction was underway to replace the medical building that had burned down a couple of years ago. Last week the foundations were almost finished. This week framing was off to a good start. I took several photos, but I'm just sharing these two now. I took these shots from Las Tablas Road.

Construction on Posada Lane in Templeton, © B. Radisavljevic

Below is a new trench. I noticed when I uploaded the photo that I'd shot past this olive tree which is loaded with olives.

Olive Tree Loaded with Olives near Construction Site on Posada Lane, © B. Radisavljevic

East Templeton

When I'd finished shooting my construction photos I drove over to Templeton Road in rural East Templeton, where I intended to shoot a lot of rural photos. Here are the only two I have to share. First this odd shaped oak tree caught my eye. It's had quite a pruning job. It is currently sharing its space with some trailers, trucks, and heavy equipment.

Grotesque Oak Tree in Rural Templeton, © B. Radisavljevic 

The horse properties were a bit prettier. I took several photos at this farm, but liked this one best.

Horses Grazing in Rural Templeton, © B. Radisavljevic 

After I shot this, something strange started happening to my camera lens. It zoomed and wouldn't come back. then I got the message that there was a lens error and my camera would shut down automatically and I'd have to restart it. So I put it back in its case and decided to take the scenic route home to Paso Robles via El Pomar.

I got as far as Finley Family Nursery and decided to park there and see how the camera was doing. This is how it was doing.

Blurry Photo Taken When Lens Malfunctioned

I kept trying to get it in focus and couldn't. Then I got the message that it was shutting down and I needed to charge the battery. Fortunately when I finally got home and charged the battery, the camera started to work again. Meanwhile, I missed a lot of good shots, including a spectacular sunset on the way home.

Getting Home Was a Nightmare

I thought I knew how to get from El Pomar to South River Road. I've done it. I wrote down the instructions for my husband. But I didn't have them with me. When I got to Creston Road, I turned south instead of north and got lost.

I drove for miles trying to figure out the way home and my gas tank was getting dangerously close to empty and the sun was going down. All I could see were vineyards and farms and no people. Finally I found a couple of men near the road and stopped. They told me to turn around and go the opposite direction on Creston and I'd finally get to Paso Robles. I guess I had driven all the way to Creston. Maybe it is time to get a smartphone -- or at least carry a map.

It's awful to be going full speed who knows where until one can find the way home. But I finally got to territory I recognized again and made it home without running out of gas. I've not been so happy to get home in a long time. It's what we think we know that we don't know that can get us in trouble.

Have you been lost lately? How did it make you feel? 


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