From The West Coast of America to the West Coast of Israel!

Wow, what a spectacular couple of weeks I have had! It has been difficult to blog because I love to share pictures and have found it tough to travel at warp speed and blog with an iPhone. Any of you reading this who have good skills on using iPhones to blog please call and give me a lesson.

That being said, here is my life in brief as of today. I'll fill in the blanks with pictures and details when I return from Israel. That's right, I spent the day on the beach in Tel Aviv today!!! What a spectacular place, what great food and what beautiful people. Zach and Debby are here, Chris arrives tomorrow and we will then travel together around the country. But, that is the subject of future blogs.

The thirty second version of my trip from Santa Cruz to Washinton DC is this. Monday to Sunday of last week we traveled over 3600 miles by car. Day one San Joachin Valley and Barstow for the night. Day two, Death Valley and Las Vegas for the NCAA Finals and a very fun night at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino. Day three, the Hoover Damn and the Grand Canyon!!, Then Gallup, New Mexico for the night. Day three, Sante Fe and on the way to climb the high point of Oklahoma, Black Mesa, spent the night somewhere near Black Mesa. I need to look at a map to recall the name of that city? Day four, to Black Mesa, Up across it to the high point of Oklahoma and down! Then off again across more cowboy country and stop for the night just outside Fort Smith, Arkansas. Day Five, a visit to Fort Smith, my mom's childhood home, a visit to Little Rock, home of Bill Clinton's Presidential Library and night in a hotel just pst Memphis Tennessee. Day six, run/drive like the wind over 800 miles in one day to Washington DC, spending the night at my friend Sandra Jean Sand's house after successfully delivering her 1992 Buick Century station wagon. Day seven, walk the Mall in Washington DC, enjoy the lovely dinner and birthday celebration that Jean made for John and me, and catch a midnight Megabus for New York City. Day eight, consult with Chris Sands on our apartment, rent a car and drive Chris to the airport, continue to Albany to drop off John and return to NYC for a long, deep sleep.

I will post pictures and related stories when I have access to a good computer. But, now I am in the Holy Land for Passover and Easter!!

From Coast To Toast

Today I had my first surfing lesson from Spencer Sands.  He was a great teacher.  We surfed in Santa Cruz which is an historic center of surfing.  On the way to the beach, Spencer explained the steps involved in finding a wave that can be surfed.  Turns out we went at high tide.  For you surfing novices, that is not good if you want to catch a good wave because waves form near the beach as the force changes direction by hitting the ocean floor and breaking across the beach.  Hence deeper water is not good for wave formation....Did I get that right Spencer?

I rented a wet suit and a board at the Arrow Surf and Sport Shop.  For those of you unfamiliar with the area, this is the recommended place to go.  It is way less expensive than places near the beach, the guys are friendly, they surf and are knowledgeable about all things surfing related.

Spencer and me ready to hit the surf

I wish I could say I was a surfing prodigy, as I had hoped, but it was only a fantasy.  I spent an hour and a half of zen filled bliss at one with the ocean, but the combination of inferior wave forms and inadequate shoulder muscles led to the inability to paddle like a bat out of hell and jump to my feet riding the wave.
However, I did master the technique for paddling the board to the spot where Spencer caught a wave and I was able to sit comfortably on the board in a rolling surf without falling off.   Spencer tells me that this is good progress for the time I spent.  I know it was good exercise.  I used muscles that I did not know I had.  I may not have gotten on my feet this time, but it was still a great experience and I have not given up hope of catching a future wave.

Really, that is me sitting on the board and looking for the perfect wave!

Alas, I had to call it a day, having expended maximum effort and reaching my "flame out" point.  We paddled in and bailed via a set of steep and wet moss covered stairs near the rocky shore, not a simple method, but I survived!

Showing Dean how "pumped" I got.

The support crew, Dean John, Chris and Josie helped us pack up our boards and refueled us with soda pop and fish tacos.  We then returned to Los Gatos to watch the final four battle it out for a chance at the NCAA Championship Game.  You must be saying, "how could your day have been more eventful and exciting".

Well take a look.

Yes, there are two firemen on the roof of Chris and Lynn's house

And that is one of two big fire trucks that arrived in response to our  911 call

It began innocently enough, the steaks were ready to grill, I was preparing the salad, but as the fire was being lite in the fireplace, the creosote in the chimney ignited, an unfriendly and unwelcome fire began to rage and climb to the roof.  So, we did what all responsible men do.  We called 911 and climbed on the roof with a garden house to save the house....The firemen soon arrived in support and the house remains unscathed.  The steaks and salad were delicious.  The games were exciting.  And I am going to bed with the confident feeling that I had enough excitement for one day.  Tomorrow I had back east via Route 40 or thereabouts.

Lame attempt to make a cool surfer dude gesture, sorry Spencer.

From The Great Redwoods To The Sunny Pacific of Santa Cruz

After leaving Susie's house in Portland, Oregon we headed back to University of Oregon for a quick stop enroute to the Avenue of the Giant Redwood Trees.  By chance we found the football stadium open and with a little encouragement, both John and Alex agreed to a clandestine visit on to the field!

The Duck's Home Turf

After buying more Tshirts we made it to Crescent City, CA by dark and decided to spend the night in a great old 50s/60s retro motel named The Curly Redwood Lodge.  John thinks this place should be on the historic register as a great and classic example of a well preserved 1960s style architecture, complete with all the furniture and furnishings.  I had to pinch myself to be sure I hadn't become my father for the evening.

Our car in front of room 19 at the curly Redwood Lodge

Early the next morning we were on a Highway 101 South undeterred by a mudslide that had wiped out the road just south of the Avenue of the Giants and we were rewarded with the first sight of old growth redwoods for both Alex and me.  These things are over 300 feet tall and among the oldest living things on the planet, over 1000 years old!!

We took our time to drive through the redwoods and followed a detour over a mountain ridge to avoid the washed out roads, crossed the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset (sorry no picture, it was a long day and my iPhone battery gave up the ghost).  Arrived in Los Gatos to the spectacular hospitality of Chris and Lynn Sands.

That brings me to today, April 1st, when we enjoyed a tasty mexican lunch, lounging on the deck of the house and a drive to downtown Santa Cruz where we were treated to a remarkable display of surfing and California beach culture....Humm, I think I will try some surfing tomorrow.  Spencer has offered to give me lessons and I need the exercise.

Old Santa Cruz Surfer Dude Using Green Transportation

Local Santa Cruz Hipsters

I felt a need to check out the competition in preparation for my lesson

As the day ended we headed back to Chris's for a crab dinner.  My sister-in-law Judy, Dean and Rusty joined us.  We had a great meal and enjoyed each other's company and conversation.

I have yet to move eastward on this trip, or to reach one new high point, but chill dude, this is California, don't ruin the vibe by putting pressure on me.  I will move toward those goals when the time is right.  In the meantime maybe I will enjoy a local burger?