"California Dreamin`"

My route south down the 101 brought me into California and a town called “EUREKA” (at last I`d found it!) unfortunately I couldn’t find a suitably cheap place to stay. Eventually, after riding around for a while I ended up in the less salubrious part of Eureka and got a motel room for $44. Deja vu! Very rough round the edges, sticky carpets, and clientele who looked “interesting”.



Downtown Eureka Motel

I chained my bike right outside the door that night and after a fitful night`s sleep I headed out of town at a brisk pace searching for the “real” California. I stayed for two nights in the little town of FORT BRAGG, mainly because I found a good value motel that was really clean! It also allowed me to catch up with my e mails, source a replacement netbook battery buy some automatic transmission fuel for the chain (I`m looking after this chain like it`s part of the family!) and liaise with my next couchsurfing hosts in the town of PETALUMA.

Couch Surfing in Petaluma!

My hosts in Petaluma were Payette and "J.C." Payette being named after a river in Idaho (discovered by a French explorer) and J.C. being named after, well..... J.C. They were going to be at “The Rivertown Revival Festival” down by the river in Petaluma, so I arranged to meet up with them there.



Payette



"J.C."

That was the theory! For some reason I just assumed I would bump into them! Still, the best laid plans of mice and men (by the way, when did you ever hear of a mouse making a plan?) In the meantime I enjoyed the music, had a beer, and watched a demonstration of robot wars. It was like something from Terminator 2 (or was it 3?). I finally met up with them at their house. A great place on the hills overlooking the town. J.C. invited me in and within a couple of minutes said, “Do you wanna beer?” I was going to say, “Is the Pope a Catholic?” but wasn`t sure he would get the reference. After a very quick shower (didn’t want the beer to get too warm), the conversation flowed as easily as the beer. We covered lots of topics - travelling, computers, politics, ecology and the delights of commune living, well into the night and well into another 6 pack of very fine Alaskan Amber (which I promised to replenish the following day). Before I got into discussing religion, I thought it time to turn in as they both had an early start the next day. Sunday was their designated kayaking day. They would get up early, drive to the sea, and paddle with some kindred spirits to a secluded bay, where they would eat food,drink wine and then paddle back. A very pleasant way to spend a Sunday! Meanwhile I caught up with internet stuff, did all my washing (aren`t clean clothes great!) and picked up some more beers. Another fascinating Couchsurfing experience.

"Jets and belly dancers"

I got up early the next day and leaving as quietly as I could, headed towards SAN FRANCISCO. I`d posted a request for help in servicing my bike on the “Chain Gang” website (you remember “The Chain Gang?”). One of its members, very kindly, not only offered to help me work on the bike, but also give me a room for the night, and so I was heading for SAN RAMON, in the Bay area of San Francisco to meet Paul. Thank goodness for sat navs! Negotiating the bridges and freeways of San Francisco was an interesting challenge! I`d arranged to meet him at 10.00 a.m. and as I pulled around the corner, there he was, waiting for me, garage door open and ready to go! I rode straight in, pulled my helmet off and introduced myself properly.
Paul turned out to be not only a top bike mechanic, but also a top aircraft mechanic. A local multi millionaire employs him to look after his two private jets, so when he`s not keeping the jets flying, he`s riding his Triumph Tiger on dirt roads for fun and helping out people like me!
We got going pretty much immediately. With Paul`s help we stripped the bike down to get to the valves (don`t ask me – but apparently they have to be checked!). While they cooled down, we jumped in his truck and he took me round to several shops so I could get the parts for the service. The day went so quickly we didn`t even have time for food. We stopped off to buy something for dinner and headed back with two huge steaks (which he cooked to perfection!) and an extraordinary bottle of wine. I couldn`t resist it - $1.99! I thought it was a mistake, so I checked again, “Yes, sir, $1.99. It`s our own brand”. By a country mile, the best value wine I`ve ever tasted!
The following day “we” finished off by changing the oil, replacing the throttle cable and cleaning all the remaining Dalton Highway dirt off (yes, there was still plenty left!). He wouldn`t take any money for all his troubles.
“Think of it as my contribution to your journey!” He said.
So thanking him once again, I wished him the best of luck with the “hot date” he was going on that night - an attractive, belly dancing member of Mensa! (Who wouldn`t be fascinated!)

And so, the road was calling again and the delights of Santa Cruz were beckoning.