When last you heard from us we were leaving the Bay area to travel down the coast. First stop Santa Cruz with the University of California, Santa Cruz. Guess what their mascot is? Are you ready for this? The banana slug!  Go Slugs!   From Wikipedia:

UCSC’s mascot is the banana slug. In 1981, when the university began participating in NCAA intercollegiate sports, the then-chancellor and some student athletes declared the mascot to be the “sea lions.” Most students disliked the new mascot and offered an alternative mascot, the banana slug. In 1986, students voted via referendum to declare the banana slug the official mascot of UCSC—a vote the chancellor refused to honor, arguing that only athletes should choose the mascot. When a poll of athletes showed that they, too, wanted to be “Slugs,” the chancellor relented.

UCSC was beautiful, in a redwood forest!  Had world’s hippest RV park. We were excited to see student protesters living in trees–they don’t want them cut down for campus expansion. They also had a group banging on drums in the parking lot as part of the protest–unfortunate, because I had a headache and was hoping to grab a nap! It was still good to see/hear student involvement, like the old days. But the campus is totally separated from the town, which is very yuppified and expensive. 

We camped at beautiful Sunset Beach and walked and ran on the beach the next day.  We stopped at Moss landing and Monterey for sunset dinner—  Zillions of sea birds plus sea otters and sea lions.

We camped at Laguna Seca Campground–which is above the Laguna Seca Race track.   So, we were awakened by the Sunday morning races! Local car clubs rent the track for the day—John enjoyed watching.   A volunteer living in an RV said they went on the road looking for a new home – fourteen years ago!

Then we started down the famous Pacific Coast Highway—Route 1, Big Sur, 72 miles of beauty. On the right, the rugged coast with waves crashing below us, and on the left, the wilderness and mountains! And of course, California sunshine all of the way!  John drove, so I got to look out and say “Wow!” at every turn. (John & old friend, Chip, drove this way in the 60′s, hiked, and got poison oak). It is a twisting, winding road with lots of pull off areas, so the driver can also ooh and awe.  Had a specular roadside lunch near Esalen:

Esalen Institute, is a center in Big Sur, California, in the United States, for humanistic alternative education and a nonprofit organization devoted to multidisciplinary studies ordinarily neglected by traditional academia. Esalen offers more than 500 public workshops a year in addition to invitational conferences, residential work-study programs, research initiatives, and internships. Part think-tank for the emerging world culture, part college and lab for transformative practices, and part restorative retreat, Esalen is dedicated to exploring work in the humanities and sciences that furthers the full realization of what Aldous Huxley called the human potential.

We had dinner at Morro Bay near Morro Rock. We camped at Montana de Oro (Mountain of Gold)  Campground. Great stars, view of Comet Holmes, surf sound. I had a lovely walk on the beach the next morning.

We continued down the coast to Ventura, below Ojai where John lived.   Met our friends from Pittsburgh, Dorit and Frank for dinner at Andria’s–outdoor take-out seafood restaurant at the harbor. They have been here for about a year and they want to move back to Pittsburgh!!!  Dorit has been working on her book—she rode on her motorcycle and explored different labyrinths across the country.  She is a German reflexologist who was trained in Israel–a fascinating woman! http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06208/708826-57.stm  Frank is a professional arborist–they miss their friends and family back home and Frank is a huge Steelers fan –go Stillars!

We stayed in a motel  and met our old friend the other John H. and had a fabulous breakfast on the beach in Ventura. Sunny and warm with a nice breeze–ahh, Southern California!

So good to see John again. I met him when we came out for a backpacking trip in 2004. He told us about the many fires they have had in the Ojai area. John is the original “van man” —he does live in his van and loves his simplified life. He appears to be very happy and needs nothing–except a little fresh food now and then. John advises that it is easy for one person to live in a van–complicated by two souls sharing the same small space! We can agree to that–we have decided that three nights of RVing and then a motel work best. Call me crazy, but I like being able to control the water temperature in my shower, although I have gotten really good at taking 6 minute showers (average time for coin operated showers in state parks).
     

So on to Santa Barbara Airport and lunch with Jay H. –John’s old friend from Churchill.  Once again, beautiful outdoor dining in November! Good to see Jay–he’s a really busy attorney and house rehabilitator–planning to retire to Santa Barbara and their new house in Panama next year. Way to go, Jay!

After leaving Jay, we started (way too late) toward San Deigo and had to see the many horrible lanes of traffic with one person in each car. People do this every day??? I was way too stressed doing it just one time and John was driving!  We finally figured out that we were eligible for the HOV lane and we zoomed by the others. It really is insanity!! Arrived at Molly and Dan’s somewhat frazzled, so good to be settling in for awhile.

We are cat/house sitting while they jet off to Amsterdam for a working holiday. We are watching Boca, Scooter and Fiona or as I call them “the girls”. They remind me of my three daughters sometimes!
    

Molly’s close neighbors were lucky to excape the fires (except for ashes and very poor air quality).  However, just down the hill many homes have been lost. It is odd the way two houses on a cul-de-sac are completely lost and the others are still standing with no apparent damage.
         

We attended a free concert in the park given by the San Diego Symphony—”a concert for heroes”–very nice. The contrasts were amazing though–some green in the park but all around is charred and burned–the trails in the area are closed–but the dog parks are open! There is still discrimination:
    

Dan’s in the skateboard business. Look at John’s flow:

We have continued to look for housing and are trying to focus on one or two spots–very hard! We read a quote last night that could be our slogan:

Have no destination, and you will not get lost.

Here we are in sunny California!  But first, I have to tell you where we have been! 

After Eugene, we camped in the forest, enjoyed hot springs with mushroom hauler Hippie, wife, and beautiful 2 yo daughter Jasmine, and saw spectacular Salt Creek Falls. Crossed Cascades again to beautiful eastern Oregon and Crater Lake–what a sight! It’s enormous and we were treated to a rainbow to boot.

The lake was formed by a volcano forty times bigger than St. Helens and is now 2,000 feet deep. Very windy and cold but breathtakingly beautiful—

Then we headed to Ashland, Oregon. What a cute little town! We dropped in on a wonderful yoga class and walked all over the downtown area.  We decided to leave after seeing that they have an enormous spider problem:

 and people who dress really funny——I knew we were in trouble when I saw Einstein walking down the street!

Then we headed south to warm and sunny California. We stopped at the visitor’s center and were told about the “sundial bridge” in Redding so we had to go there–and celebrated wearing short sleeves in November.
 

John acting as human sun dial–

Then we started our tour of University towns–Chico first–California State University-(go Wildcats!)- also a small town–nice people; great biking and a large park in the city.  One lady told me it’s too hot in the summer–June, July & August–close to 100 degrees!

Then to Oroville–not a university town but famous because of Ishi, the “last wild Indian” who walked in to the town in 1911. Interesting story—”Ishi in Two Worlds” by Theodora Kroeber is a good biography. He only lived five years more and died of TB. But it put Oroville on the map–actually a very depressed town–looks like McKeesport in some areas.

Next stop Davis–University of California at Davis–(go Aggies!)  Large School of Agriculture–lots of cows lined up at one place on campus. The students are excited because the town voted and finally allowed a big box store–Target—so they can have more choices for shopping. The town has a lot of unique stores, but you have to leave town to find any major chains (yeah!)  The drive from Davis to Sacramento is full of strip malls and very flat.

 We then headed for another respite(like we need a respite!) at our friends’ house–Mary and Ray S. in Walnut Creek. Yeah! They have a big, comfy house and allowed us to come and go as we pleased. We headed in to San Francisco on Sunday via the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Very efficient way to travel! Walked up up up to Russian Hill and nephew Jimmy’s apartment. He left Pittsburgh to work as an architect in San Fran. We also met his adorable girlfriend, Sam(antha) , who is also an architect–they met in a review class, studying for certification.

 We walked around this warm, wonderful city and I kept telling myself “it’s November!”. Had a great lunch (outside) and walked to the Marina to see lots of sailboats, Alcatraz and of course, the Golden Gate Bridge.  Then back to BART and Walnut Creek.

Mary is off on Mondays so we all went for a nice long bike ride–and stopped for lunch at Costco’s–big salad and sushi–that’s California for you!

Ray is happily planning his retirement and is only working part-time; He’s too busy with his life–and being a terrific Grandpa–to work now.  He’s planning a huge celebration in early December, so we may have to come back for it. Mary is an accomplished artist and art teacher–here she is with Ray in front of the Redwood column that she carved for her porch:

Loved using Mary and Ray’s house as our base and catching up with old friends in Silicon Valley–Paul & Beth.  Likewise enjoyed visit with Dick G., even if he didn’t bring his Harley V-Rod!

We have decided that our theme song is “Love the one you are with”! We are so good at being in the moment that we love all of the places that we have visited!

Now heading South to Santa Cruz and John’s old home around Ojai…and then Molly in San Diego!