From Turlock California we drove several hours towards the coast our goal being San Francisco, like any kiwi we loved to see the ocean again and feel the salty warm breeze kiss our face. We had three contacts in San Fran but had had the most contact with an older couple named Bill and Karen so headed their way. We had heard about their house when we originally met Bill back in Colorado but seeing it in person was a whole other thing. The house was humongous over 10,000 square feet and Bill and Karen had spent the last twenty-five, yes twenty-five years meticulously building it almost completely on their own. It was lavish modern design with its huge arcing corners all in bleach white but they still had a way to go before it was finished. Will and I had to fight the urge to say a month and help them finish a few things. Needless to say we had our own room in the house for a few days while we explored San Fran. But what I remember most about Bill and Karen was their meals. We were getting used to California's and their healthy food obsessions and Bill and Karen were no exception. For breakfast each morning we felt pretty healthy eating a huge bowl of oatmeal topped with organic fruit, nuts, yoghurt and a natural sweetener called Stevia. But they had whole roots of ginger and green kale shakes to start the day as well.
With our base at Bill and Karens and Scout being looked after in one of the outdoor courtyards we spent the day catching the bus into town then taking the ferry to Alcatraz Island. The history on display at the Island was captivating even if the buildings were basically concrete rubble and metal bars. We thought the audio tour through the cell house was especially good and made for a nice quiet environment with all the people walking around in their head phones. Afterwards we thought we might walk down to the Americas Cup sailing village but the pain of losing the final race to the Americans was still too strong. No not really we just ran out of time so took one of the famous cable car's through the city to our bus station for the return home in darkness.
The following day with the Dodge this time but still without the dog we drove into Golden Gate Park. We had planed to go to the Natural History Museum but were put off by the high price and finding out part of it was closed, instead we walked across the park to the De Young Art Museum and had a wander around the collections. That afternoon we visited the famous painted ladies which are some old historical houses that display San Francisco's classic housing style contrasted against the emerging city buildings behind them. After the painted ladies and a drive down the famous zig zagging steep street we headed over the Golden Gate Bridge for a post card perfect sunset.
Our second contact in San Fran was one of Wills Dad's old friends named Ewan Lithgow. He hailed from the days when Wills Dad, Greg and Uncle, Rod ran a sheep and beef farm in New Zealand. They hadn't seen each other in twenty-five odd years but an email was sent and Ewan replied warmly to have us come and stay. We met Ewan his, wife MJ and daughter Erin early one evening and had a few drinks and nibbles after being shown our room. Strangers one minute friends the next Will was thoroughly enjoying hearing Ewan's stories about his Dad but further stories would have to wait as we both already had plans that evening. We were off to celebrate the birthday of the third person we knew in San Fran and Ewan and MJ were heading out with their neighbours.
As we were walking down Height St to meet up with Alex the brother of a fellow overlander who had been following us on our trip we realised we didn't really know what he looked like. It was no bother though we found Alex straight away and he immediately brought us a martini like we were old friends. We wished him a happy birthday then spent the evening getting to know some of his friends who were all interesting characters with a story to tell. Alex and his wife Jessica wanted to move the party back to their place so we stopped in at a liquor store before six of us piled into the Dodge, his three hilarious gay friends ending up on our bed! I drove us up the hill to their apartment which had a stunning panoramic night vista of the city. As for the rest of the night you'll have to ask us yourself if you want to know what happened... It was wild fun that's for sure and after a few hours sleep in the Dodge we headed back to Ewan and MJ's a little, ok no A LOT worse for wear.
MJ had suspected this may happen when we mentioned the bar was on Height St so when we returned to their empty house in the morning their was a note saying "two pot pie's in the fridge for you, call me on this number..." and next to the TV their was another note with instructions on how to turn it on. MJ you legend!!! We crashed out for a few hours then spent a few more hours in front of the TV eating our pies. The pies were great but we still craved the meat pies we have in New Zealand. I think it was later that day or it could have been the next day Will and I took two bikes from the garage and biked down to the nearby beach. It was meant to be the middle of winter but the weather was hot and sunny. We took Scout for a swim at the first beach then rode over to the next bay for an ice cream. It felt so good to have the sand between our toes and writing this from Cold Canada I look back with envy to the day we had.
On the weekend Will convinced Ewan to help him replace our totally worn out upper front ball joints while I went for a walk along the beach with MJ. We returned to find them cleaning up with the new ball joints in and I was shocked to see the terrible condition of our old ones. The left one looked close to failure. We hoped our tires would now stop wearing so badly on the inside and even tried to get a wheel alignment for the first time on the trip. But they said we still had so many other steering issues that they could only do so much. The steering wheel did go back to having the correct centre for a while but it's quite far off again now…
On Sunday January 19th we went down to the local bar with Ewan, MJ and Erin to watch the San Francisco 49er's battle it out against the Seattle Sea Hawks for a Super Bowl position. Unfortunately for the 49er's the game didn't go their way so after a close 23-17 defeat we left the suddenly solemn pub and headed over to a neighbours house where we had been invited to share a massive bowl of delicious Chili. There were dogs and kids and people coming and going at the house and we could see what a cool little community they had going on.
As we were walking down Height St to meet up with Alex the brother of a fellow overlander who had been following us on our trip we realised we didn't really know what he looked like. It was no bother though we found Alex straight away and he immediately brought us a martini like we were old friends. We wished him a happy birthday then spent the evening getting to know some of his friends who were all interesting characters with a story to tell. Alex and his wife Jessica wanted to move the party back to their place so we stopped in at a liquor store before six of us piled into the Dodge, his three hilarious gay friends ending up on our bed! I drove us up the hill to their apartment which had a stunning panoramic night vista of the city. As for the rest of the night you'll have to ask us yourself if you want to know what happened... It was wild fun that's for sure and after a few hours sleep in the Dodge we headed back to Ewan and MJ's a little, ok no A LOT worse for wear.
MJ had suspected this may happen when we mentioned the bar was on Height St so when we returned to their empty house in the morning their was a note saying "two pot pie's in the fridge for you, call me on this number..." and next to the TV their was another note with instructions on how to turn it on. MJ you legend!!! We crashed out for a few hours then spent a few more hours in front of the TV eating our pies. The pies were great but we still craved the meat pies we have in New Zealand. I think it was later that day or it could have been the next day Will and I took two bikes from the garage and biked down to the nearby beach. It was meant to be the middle of winter but the weather was hot and sunny. We took Scout for a swim at the first beach then rode over to the next bay for an ice cream. It felt so good to have the sand between our toes and writing this from Cold Canada I look back with envy to the day we had.
On the weekend Will convinced Ewan to help him replace our totally worn out upper front ball joints while I went for a walk along the beach with MJ. We returned to find them cleaning up with the new ball joints in and I was shocked to see the terrible condition of our old ones. The left one looked close to failure. We hoped our tires would now stop wearing so badly on the inside and even tried to get a wheel alignment for the first time on the trip. But they said we still had so many other steering issues that they could only do so much. The steering wheel did go back to having the correct centre for a while but it's quite far off again now…
On Sunday January 19th we went down to the local bar with Ewan, MJ and Erin to watch the San Francisco 49er's battle it out against the Seattle Sea Hawks for a Super Bowl position. Unfortunately for the 49er's the game didn't go their way so after a close 23-17 defeat we left the suddenly solemn pub and headed over to a neighbours house where we had been invited to share a massive bowl of delicious Chili. There were dogs and kids and people coming and going at the house and we could see what a cool little community they had going on.
At some stage while we were in San Fran Will made a video skype call home and got his Dad and Ewan together on the phone, that quickly turned into an hour long foray of laughter and story telling from the good old days back on the farm, Will sat listening to every word of this insight into his dads younger days. I think he enjoyed the conversation as much as his Dad and Ewan did. Our stay with the Lithgows was a really lovely time and with all the kiwi stuff around their house it had us missing home more than we had yet.
Just as the time had come to leave San Francisco we got an offer of a place to stay just north in Petaluma through the online overlanding community. David had promised to cook us some home grown bacon and eggs and we were interested to see how he and his wife Ann had their lifestyle block set up. David even took us to a brewery tour at the nearby Lagunitas brewery. I stupidly forgot my ID but still managed to sneak a few sips of Wills beers. We really enjoyed the beer as well as the tour though David swore the other tour host was better at telling all the stories about how the beers got their names. For example were told the "Lagunitas Sucks" beer was developed when everyone criticised the company after a new beer vat got damaged so they couldn't fulfil their special winter beer orders. In the end they repaired the vat and came up with a new beer that matured very quickly and they were able to get it out on time as their winter special so they named it "Laganitas Sucks" and it was a huge hit.
Just as the time had come to leave San Francisco we got an offer of a place to stay just north in Petaluma through the online overlanding community. David had promised to cook us some home grown bacon and eggs and we were interested to see how he and his wife Ann had their lifestyle block set up. David even took us to a brewery tour at the nearby Lagunitas brewery. I stupidly forgot my ID but still managed to sneak a few sips of Wills beers. We really enjoyed the beer as well as the tour though David swore the other tour host was better at telling all the stories about how the beers got their names. For example were told the "Lagunitas Sucks" beer was developed when everyone criticised the company after a new beer vat got damaged so they couldn't fulfil their special winter beer orders. In the end they repaired the vat and came up with a new beer that matured very quickly and they were able to get it out on time as their winter special so they named it "Laganitas Sucks" and it was a huge hit.
From David and Ann's place we didn't travel far only the 60km to Ewan's families holiday house where Ewan was getting in some fly fishing practice. The house was really nice and just a few minutes drive from the peaceful Russian river. We joined Ewan down at the river and had a fun time getting Scout to fetch his bumpers from the river. Finally he seemed to have mastered swimming! That evening we had dinner while watching a TV mini series called Klondike Men that showed us what we might be in for as we got into northern Canada we weren't sure whether to be excited or worried. Tempting as it was to stay another night at the house after Ewan left we hit the road finally north bound again after the last two months of traveling west.
Rochelle & Will
Rochelle & Will