The last couple days we have been in Pismo Beach where we enjoyed the company of Matt’s cousin and his awesome wife (she is a great host and cook). It was nice to be some where so enjoyable for three days. Matthew and I spent one day going to the beach. We received a text message from his brother that our Brazilian visas have arrived! This was exciting news for us, we not only got them but they were a week early. Now the clock is ticking to get in to Brazil by June 13, we must arrive with 90 days of us getting accepted for our visas.
We encountered our first unexpected maintenance, the crank shaft seal became faulty due to wear, and most likely dirt and grim. It is a c’mon problem on KL 250. We both got our hands dirty and were happy to discover the local CarQuest just a couple blocks away had all we needed. With us both being bicycle riders/Vw bus owners, pretty much have a green motorcycle mechanic. Matt is really savvy on research. Took us couple hours and we were off hiking.
Last night we arrived in Santa Barbara, Matt found us a place to stay via ADV rider. We found our selves in the warm company of Wayne and his wife Diane. They are adventure riders who have put the miles down here in the US. some 85,000! What a great couple. My favorite quote from the night consisted of being offered a shower and not excepting because we are cast iron pans that need to seasoned. And the reality is I have really been trying to not shower every time I get the opportunity because showers will be scarce more south of the boarder. It’s a strange discipline, I have been trying to treat this trip as though it is all a great adventure of doing thing I would not find my self doing. Not to bring all the comforts of home right alongside me but to know they will be there when I return to they just as they were when I left.

Not so much, we will try to get our Brazilian visas tomorrow, or at least find out what the whole process looks like. When you don’t have an entry date or departure or even a place to stay countries are not too keen on what you may be doing there. We will try, and hope they will be more helpful at the consulate than not. We are staying in Livermore which is east of San Fran. It’s relaxing, fun, and Burke and Norma have been helpful and exceedingly hospitable. Not to mention hilarious. We are taking the BART in to San Fran tomorrow, being a train lover I’m excited for our little trip under the bay!
This morning Matt went out to check on the tent because I had set it up yesterday for it to start drying out, he found it in the pool around 11, I guess it needed a swim.

Redwoods are so awesome. And they tower over everything with greatness. I have never seen the Red Wood Forest, it’s neat to find out that some of the redwoods are 2000 years old. They have survived fires, floods, insects, and most of all humans.
So today we drove down the avenue of the giants, a well known route just off of hwy 101. Today was also out first day with out crazy wind and there was
no rain all day. It gave our gear a chance to dry out from yesterday’s rain storm. We only made it 15 or so miles south befor we called it a day. The winds and rain made it a tad to dangerous for us to carry on and after setting up the tent in the dark the evening before, we found a place to camp along the beach in a county park and went to bed early. We woke up with wet gear this morning, nothing really drys in the cold moist air. It’s funny how I can go from wanting clean sock to simply wanting them dry. The ocean waves lulled us to sleep last night.

After our first night in California we meandered south to find our selves in a small cafe in Orick. It was the only resturant in town we were the only people there. Our waiter offered to toss any thing we needed in to the dryer he was super nice and exceptaly friendly he pointed us toward a “must see” fern gully. I was so glad we stopping in to get breakfast.

So I may have been seen shaking my fist as we went across the Washington Oregon boarder on the Louis and Clark bridge. It was a cold ride, and not being a regular rider I was stuck in my helmet head all day. Questions kept coming up: am I making Matt uncomfortable, what ways could I re-situate my self so I can be more comfortable, is this bike going to make it, what was I thinking oh that’s right adventure! I hope to soon relax and just enjoy the ride. It wasn’t an emotional day like I had expected, I got excited to think I won’t be seeing the space needle for a while or Everett. To really enjoy where you live I feel you must leave it once in a while so you can come back and see the place in a new light! Nice first day with a ton of people watching, freezing fingers and good friends.