Having arrived to our new home, the skies are nothing but sunny, the air dry and breezy. I'm beginning to believe all this rain talk is just to keep out the riff-raff, at least until I mention to the locals. Watching their face drop to a meloncholic whimper, I suppose it's true. After being home for just enough time to change clothes, grab a shower and eat some granola, we're back on the road. This time California bound. We stop in Ashland, Oregon for a little time in the tent. Interesting town really, lots of very happy, very healthy people. We stop in the local food cooperative to grab some greens and then off to the woods. The site was pleasant, not too many folks to speak of; the sleep was mildly lumpy, our pads having been swiped in New York, but all in all nothing bad. We did wake up in the rain though, which just made for an earlier stomp back to the city center for a hot cup and a warm croissant.

We arrive in San Francisco that evening, the weather beautiful. A friend meets us at her place with some wine and smiles. She prepares another increadible meal, and all is well.

We should note that really the whole reason for getting back in the car, driving another two days down the coast to San Francisco was to gracefully meet Kate's sis and neice at the airport, their flight coming in from Hawaii so that we could all then converge on Guerneville, CA where her dad would be, for about 2 weeks of enjoying the climate and spirits of the California wine country.

We rise the next morning with much of the day at our disposal. Our only commitment is SFO in the evening. We decide to walk, and walk we did, about 9 hours of it that day. Having never really understood San Francisco we both thought it woud serve us well to hit it two by two. After making it the Haight we slip into Golden Gate Park where we receieve the call, that we wouldn't be needed at the airport because again, the sis missed the flight and wouldn't be joining us at all for these weeks. I breath a sigh of frustration, having reached the end of my car patience and knowing we could have come half as far. The park was lovely. We see the DeYoung Museum.