Fish Gotta Swim, BIrds Gotta Fly, and I Need to Just Sit By and Watch

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Today I got sea sick. Kayaking. And now I envy birds.  I’ll tell you all about my bird envy in a bit.  I forgot that I tend to get a bit motion sick in all sorts of situations.  Cars--yeah, hasn’t everyone?  Planes--I’ve actually used the little white bags in the back of plane seats more than once and so motion sickness pills are staple in my wallet.  And now...Kayaks.

The morning started out very calm.  The light filtered through the blinds and when they were opened they revealed a beautiful sunny day with a very light breeze.  It was a perfect day for a paddle around the little islands just off the coast here. 

Christian was very excited and I was, too.  I remembered when my friend Dezi and I kayaked around Lake Powell a few summers ago and we had a great time.  But, that was on a lake and not the moving, rolling ocean.  But, I wasn’t worried.

We put in and I sat down in the kayak and I bobbed up and down and I got the “feeling.”  You know…it’s that feeling you get when your stomach does a flip flop and not in a good “Wow, look at that BMW Adventure motorcycle!” way.  But I ignored it and we set out. 

The morning only got more beautiful.  We were the only ones on the water and the color of the ocean was a multitude of mesmerizing blues, teals and turquoise.  The water rippled gently and if I were a baby it probably would’ve rocked me to sleep. 

It was completely quiet and all we could hear was the surf lapping along the beach and an occasional ripple of a wave.  Even the birds were quiet.  It was amazing.  We paddled along and slowly made our way to the little islands.  We didn’t say much and I enjoyed the quiet, peaceful morning.

I noticed as we were skimming along that when I stopped and floated, my stomach did a little flip.  It wasn’t anything too big but it was enough to make me not want to stop moving.  Looking at the water moving didn’t help either and what made it worse was looking at Christian sitting and bobbing.  We got closer to rounding the first island and I felt it: the first feeling of a gag.  I stopped myself and tried to ignore it but it didn’t work.  I looked around and saw how far away a little rocky shore was and Christian said we could try and land there.  By this time Christian was aware of my situation and was also looking to get somewhere I could land and recover but it was too late.   I said, “I’m turning around.” And I did.

I knew I was missing a great day of exploring but I also knew if I stayed it would be miserable and all I would remember was the sick feeling I couldn’t get rid of which would overshadow the beauty of my surroundings.

The paddle back was not fun.  I finally made it and we beached at the closest beach and dragged the kayaks back to the house.  I felt I was a slight shade of green.  Not a forest green, not a hunter green, more of an olive green to go with my olive complexion. 

The rest of the morning was a bit of a blur.  I woke up after a short nap feeling much better and sat out on the deck looking at the water.  It was then that I noticed the birds.

There were pelicans and seagulls on the beach, in the water and in the air.  I saw a hawk cruising by at top speed and this is where my envy started.  They weren’t getting sick!  They were bobbing up and down on top of the water, up and down, uupp and dddown and nothing.  They loved it!  I saw the birds in the air diving and climbing, twisting and gliding; things that would’ve made me do more than turn a slight shade of green.  It wasn’t fair. 

They get to do it all without a second thought.  None of that bothers them, they take it all for granted and here I am, beached and grounded because I can’t take the motion sickness. 

Dumb birds.

A Day of Awakening (MON, 23JAN12)

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Miles:  141km

Riding Time:  approx. 1.5 hrs

Weather:  Gorgeous (aka 70-80F/21-26C)

The hospitality of our friends in Mexico has completely reshaped the feel of our travels.  Before we even crossed the border, Dawn and Steve invited us to stay with them in San Carlos, putting to rest all of our fears about traveling in the region.  At the border, Louie was an amazing companion who helped us navigate our way through Customs and into a safe and comfortable hotel in Magdelena De Kino.  Anita and Kalolo opened their home up to us for the weekend, showing us the sites and introducing us to an even broader group of friends.  And, in San Carlos, we met Cap on the beach, shared fresh squeezed orange juice, and were given an open invitation to stay, should our plans fall through with Dawn and Steve.

Such unparalleled kindness has truly opened my eyes to what real hospitality is.  Real hospitality isn’t just about providing a place to stay or someone to go to the movies with, real hospitality is the kind of generosity of spirit that turns a desert into an oasis.  It is that magic je ne sais quoi that helps one fall in love with the journey, and forget about the destination.

In all of my plans for riding around the world and providing humanitarian service, I was more focused on the actual destination, and perhaps the geographic experience, rather than the actual journey—discovering new experiences through the lives of those we meet.

My life has already changed because my paradigm has changed; my paradigm has changed because of the hospitality of the people we know, or have met.  In truth, this “trip” is anything but a trip because it has become a journey in every sense of the word.  A trip is merely about a destination, an adventure describes the creativeness behind a trip, but a journey is about the full experience—all of one’s senses, emotions, feelings, and engagements.  And, the people we have met, even in this short while, have transformed us.

Hermosillo (21JAN12--22JAN12)

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Although there are so many more interesting ways of recounting our adventures, it seems that chronologically accounting is so much easier.  There are just too, too many stories to tell, and by the time we sit down to write them, well...we're exhausted!!!

We arrived in Hermosillo after a short (192km/119mi) ride from Magdelena.  With all of our riding gear on, the easy (83F/28C) weather seemed infinitely hotter.  But, the ride was fairly easy and uneventful.  The countryside is very similar to South Utah and much of Arizona.

The city of Hermosillo is a very confusing one.  To start with, it is VERY old.  It was founded in the 1700's, and has evolved (to say the least).  There isn't a straight line to be found, and so our friends had to meet us at the local Starbucks and escort us to their home.  Anyhow, Hermosillo is the capitol city of the state of Sonora.  It has a population of approximately 610,000.  There are approximately 6 LDS meetinghouses and 1 LDS temple.  Over time, the city has expanded to absorb another town.  It has a very delicious and uniquely-Hermosillo flavor.

A Local Shop that Makes Fresh, On-The-Spot Root Beer and Uvolo (A carbonated-grape/lime drink)

Our friends are fantastic.  We met them on CouchSurfing, and they have been the most gracious hosts.  Saturday night they took us to El Centro (downtown) which is the social focus of the city.  There, you will find a bustling plaza with a very old Cathedral, government center, cultural center, street vendors, musicians, and nearly every inhabitant in the city.  There is so much energy there, it is incredible.

The Plaza with A Public Gazebo/Bandstand, and Cathedral

One Of The Delicious Flavors of The Area--Corn On The Cob with Local Cheese Sprinkled on Top

Our Friends' Lovely Home

What is so enjoyable about being here is that, although the people possess modern luxuries, i.e., gaming boxes, computers, iPads, phones, televisions, etc., they actually go OUTSIDE and play with the 3-dimensional people.  You won't find televisions as the focal point of the home.  In fact, we didn't see a TV in the living rooms, at all.

Our friends invited their friends for dinner, and we all had a fantastic time, staying up until late, bbq-ing, eating, talking, and enjoying each other's company.  Something fascinating about the people here is that they all speak excellent English.  And, what is more, they are so courteous--they spoke to us AND to one another in English so that we could understand the conversations around us.

Our Friends and Fantastic Hosts

On Sunday, we went to church and later went to visit the temple grounds.  It was a perfect day to spend quietly with friends, enjoying the afternoon sun, and the sweet aroma of the temple.  And, as with all good Sundays, we took a nap.  :)

At the Hermosillo Sonora Mexico Temple

We then went over to another friend's house for "Movie Night".  We watched a very good, and very insightful movie entitled The Station Agent (Descubriendo La Amistad).  It was a delightful evening, and could not have been a more perfect ending to our stay in Hermosillo.

Day 1 Into Mexico (Travel day FRI, 20JAN12) - Nightmare At The Border

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Wow!  Where do I begin???  Do I start with the roads?  Do I start with the gigantic speed bumps?? Do I start with the cool guy we met at the border???  Do I start with the border??  The food?  The “towns”??  The tiredness??  The angel who eased our anxiety about the border?? There is a lot to write.

To begin with I would like to describe the moment I knew we were no longer in Kansas.  It actually took me by surprise.  We had crossed what I assumed was the US border since it was an obstacle course.   I mean literally, it was an obstacle course.  The one narrow lane twisted and turned with gigantic concrete barriers, not to be incomplete with large speed bumps and what looked, to me, to be upside-down metal mixing bowls that you had to cautiously make your way over.  In a car this wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but on a motorcycle…it’s not so easy.  Oh, and lets not forget armed guards. Just standing there.

So we get through this obstacle course and the guards just nod us through and we thought “Wow.  That was easy.”  But no, there was still more to come.  We are funneled onto this 2 lane highway that is straight.  I kept seeing signs that say 13 Kilometers.  I had no idea what they meant, but I guessed it had to do with another check point of some sort.  We obeyed the speed limit and were being passed by semi’s. 

As I think back on today I am completely overwhelmed that I am having a hard time concentrating and writing all of this down.

13 kilometers later we come to another check point with a sign that says “Tourist Permits” that were mandatory for US citizens.  We pull up and what did we see?  Well, I’ll tell you.  We saw another motorcycle loaded down with gear so I knew immediately that it was a fellow motorcycle traveler.  I say traveler and not fellow rider, because he was obviously traveling and planning on staying in the country for a while and not just riding his bike to his friend’s house. 

Speaking of friends…we made 2 new friends today.  The first I will simply refer to her as our border-crossing-anxiety-shattering-confidence-building-fellow American.  We were loading up to take off and had our helmets on when she walked out of the hotel in Tucson, Arizona and asked us a question.  I don’t remember the exact question but she initiated the conversation and we chatted for about 10 minutes.  We found out she lived with her husband in Mexico and she couldn’t stop saying how much she loved Mexico and the people and the town she lived in.  We asked her about the border, what it was like, how the roads were, safety, etc.  She was an absolute angel in every sense of the word.

She has a farm in Northern California, and lives in Mexico.  She is an older woman, and she told us that she used to ride motocross.  In fact, she was one of the first females to ever compete in the Baja 1000.  Anyhow, I digress.  She told us that she travels the road from Tucson, past Hermosillo, to her home on the coast, regularly.  She said that she has no problem traveling it by herself, and feels quite safe.  This tid-bit of information was precisely what we needed to hear.  We had so many preconceived notions built up in our minds that we were anxious about the day’s journey.  But, following our conversation with her, we traveled with peace of mind.

Now, let’s be clear—there is a considerable difference between peace of mind from a safety standpoint, and the inexplicable chaos that is inherent at the US-Mexico border crossing.  There is nothing sane, nor efficient, about the procedures for entering this country.

After standing in one line to be issued piece of paper, we then had to go to another line to purchase our visitor’s permits and vehicle permits.  Now, this is where things get crazy (imagine an “org” chart that looks like a pile of spaghetti and you might begin to visualize the ridiculousness). 

First, “oh by the way”…

After spending an hour waiting in line to get our permits, we found out we had to have both original copies of our vehicle registration, as well as photocopies of ALL of our documents.  But, that’s in another line!  (Luckily there were two of us, and one could go and get the copies while the other held our place in line!)  But, for the privilege of  getting these photocopies, you have to pay MEX$40

Next, the vehicle permit…

Each vehicle requires a deposit, price based on the year of vehicle.  For both bikes, the deposit came to US$600.  (That took us down a few notches.)  But, don’t worry, we get it back when we leave.  Oh, but wait…they return it to us in Pesos, so we get stuck with paying the exchange rate.

Third, the visitor’s permit…

Now, this is pretty easy.  You pay MEX$588 per person.  But, that’s too easy.  You see, both motorcycles are in my name.  But, LaNova is driving one.  Now, her visitor’s permit has to match the name on the registration.  Why?  Really?  Why drag logic into this!?  What you need to walk away with here is the understanding that this predicament demands that you go to ANOTHER line where you can prove marital ties to the owner of the vehicle.

Next, the marriage certificate…

It was by pure happenstance that we had scanned a copy of our marriage license.  That was NOT something that we had been prepared for by any website.  (Note to any future travelers to Mexico who would be driving a vehicle not owned under their name…)  But, the problem here is, we didn’t have a hardcopy.  So, LaNova was able to sweet-talk her way into the good graces of the attendant, who let us copy the marriage license over to the attendant’s thumb-drive, who then made a physical copy.

Step Go-Back-To-Beginning…

After proving marital status, LaNova returned to the line where she was able to finalize her visitor’s permit.  (Not without plenty of scrutiny by the officials.)  Oh, and did I mention that there was only one attendant for the entire line?  It averaged 15 minutes per person…we were #6 and #7.

Final step…

Once the proper permits were requisitioned from the land of the lost, we then returned to the first office where we were finally given the almighty stamp of approval.  Phew!!!

During this entire process, we had the fantastic support of our fellow rider.  Although he had finished processing before us, he stuck around to make sure we made it through.  He waited so long, however, that we all decided to ride to Magdelena de Kino.

Because the border took over 2 hours, we missed our window to go to Hermosillo—our destination with a nice house and beds waiting for us.  So, the three of us road to Magdelena.

It’s a quaint town.  It stands right on the way to Santa Ana, and has a well traveled thoroughfare.  But, navigating the town in search of a place to stay took some doing.  We rode over some slick cobblestones and pavement of every texture, there were speed bumps from hell, and pedestrians and semi’s and…well…you get the point. 

Finally, we found a hotel.  For a mere MEX$400, we found a sanctuary.  The clerk let us park our bikes on the grass right in front of our rooms, and we were none-too-happy.

Overall, it was a successful day.  But, notice I chose the word ‘successful’ rather than ‘good’.  We were successful because we arrived safe.  All of our prayers were answered, we didn’t push ourselves, and we made solid contacts.  But, I must say that it was a very taxing day.  There was so much anxiety, stress, and delay that by the time we got to our room, we were done.  We still love each other, we are still happy, and we are still glad to be embarking on this journey.  But, we’re also very glad to be done for the day!

***

Magdelena de Kino is a very old town.  There is a church, with a gorgeous plaza, that is dated 1711.  Located in the plaza is an enclosed structure that entombs an excavated skeleton, with placards and photos narrating the plaza’s long history.  Vendors dot the perimeter of the plaza, and a gorgeous (yet empty) fountain adorns the center.

Happy we're at the border.

Annoyed that the guy at the counter cut in front of us!

3 bikes because we met a fellow traveler.

Look at that smile...the food was soo good.

Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico town square...free wi-fi.

Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico town square built in 1711.

Riding on slippery cobblestone is hard!  

Creature Comforts

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Pillows.  Pillows are very important.  We found that out last Saturday.
Lotion.  Lotion is very important.  We found that out two Saturdays ago.
Lip balm. Lip balm is very  important.  We've known that all along.
Deodorant.  Deodorant is extremely important.  I've decided that the unscented isn't worth it.

As we travel more and more we are beginning to find out what is really important, what we need to do differently and what creature comforts we thought we could live without.

We found out after camping 4 days in a row that the travel size camping pillows we had just didn't cut it; especially after riding for hours day after day.  At the days end of riding we would lay down in our sleeping bags and our necks that were already aching from the ride didn't get the proper support or comfort from the tiny pillows we had.  So, we decided for our own sanity and for the sake of our marriage that we would splurge and suffer the consequences of buying and hauling around human size pillows.  So far they're worth it.

So we can't live without nice pillows and I can't live without fingernail clippers and a nail file.  I usually always have them but didn't have to use them very often but now, they are saving our trip.  My fingernails have become so dry that they've been cracking and splitting.  I've tried to keep them nice and painted, but after a few days all the polish starts chipping off.  I can't understand why this is happening.  I guess maybe because I am often putting on riding gloves and taking them off, could it be the fact that I am always digging in a bag or trying to zip up a stuffed duffle bag?  At any rate, I think I'm going to have to switch to clear polish or nothing at all.

It's tough trying to be a real biker and stay at least a little bit pretty at the same time.  My hair is also a constant dilemma.  I used to be able to fix my hair.  Now, the only hairstyle that is practical is a low ponytail.  Lucky me.  I'm sure you'll all notice in the many photos that we've taken that I have the same hairstyle in every picture.  And frequently I have "helmet head."  There's nothing much I can do about it which is somewhat depressing.  I suppose I could cut my hair...

One last thing...last night we ate at the Frybread House and had our last piece of fry bread for who knows how long.  We went with my cousin and her daughter and scarfed down tacos and fry bread with powdered sugar.  It was sooooooo delicious!!  Christian René even got another taco after he finished his first one.

Also, we went to the construction site for the new Gilbert LDS Temple.  It's pretty close to where my cousin lives and it was pretty cool to see it going up.  By next year sometime there will be 2 open Temples in the Phoenix area.  That's pretty exciting.

I don't know if we ever mentioned it before, but CR and I are planning on attending as many Temples as we can along our route.  We're both looking forward to this and are excited.  We'll be able to check more Temples off our list.

Chipped Nails

Helmet head

Mesa Arizona Temple

Mesa Arizona Temple

Frybread house or Frybread Heaven??

Singing his praises

YUM!

DOUBLE YUM!! YUM!!

Gilbert, Arizona Temple 

Destination CHANDLER (Travel Day SUN, 15JAN12)

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Departure: Joshua Tree National Park

Destination: Chandler, Arizona

Distance: 246 Miles

Time: 4 hours

The ride from Joshua Tree was largely uneventful.  There were probably a sum total of 43 rain drops.  It was a little brisk in the morning, but the we couldn't have asked for better riding weather.  LaNova did a fantastic job, hoping on her bike and riding for the second consecutive day of 200+ miles.  That might not seem like a very big deal, but anyone who rides knows that long rides, day-after-day, are physically exhausting.

When we arrived at our friend April's home, she was so wonderful.  She gave us her master suite while she took the couch.  (She insisted!)  It was a wonderfully welcomed luxury.  Since our poor bodies are still adjusting to this new lifestyle, we loved it the posh night's rest in a King-Sized bed.

April had prepared a delicious home-cooked meal.  We even got a chance to watch our new favorite TV drama...Downton Abbey.  A perfect end to a perfect day.

Joshua Tree National Park (Travel Day SAT, 15JAN12)

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Departure: Camarillo, California
Destination: Joshua Tree National Park
Distance: 200 Miles
Time: 4 hours

After 2 weeks in Camarillo, California we were able to get back on our motorcycles and hit the road.  It was really good to be back on the motorcycles.  I had no idea I would miss it as much as I did.  The weather was perfect for riding, cloudy but not cold.

I will say now that I prefer Highway riding to Freeway riding.  Highway riding is soo cool.  Especially when there aren't any cars around you and the road is stretching out before you, taking you to fun destinations, family and friends.  It's surprisingly relaxing to hear the wind in your helmet, to feel the sun warming up your riding pants and jacket, to feel the gentle hum of the motorcycle.  I'm really starting to enjoy riding.

We enjoyed the ride and made it to Joshua Tree National Park.  The plan was to camp in the closest campground in the park which was conveniently just off I-10.  As we turned on the road to the park, we noticed a could of RV's sitting just off the side of the main road and people sitting in their camp chairs.  We pulled over ...on a dirt road and debated what they were doing there and if we they were possibly camping there.

Well, it was quite an experience riding on dirt, sand and a bit of gravel.  I was pretty proud that I was able to keep the bike up and didn't drop it once.  The front tire wobbled back and forth as we rode through some sand.  I wasn't too worried about falling since I was only going about 2 miles an hour and it was soft sand.  We found a spot and pulled over and I walked over the other campers and asked if we could camp there.  The said we could because it was BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land and that we could even camp for FREE!!  So we rode a little ways off and set up camp.  The ride was fun but I was glad to stop for the night.

The day was warm but as the sun started to go down it started to cool off.  By the time the sun was completely down there were so many stars!  I forgot how many stars you can see in the desert.  I unzipped part of the tent and stuck my head out and marveled.  I thought about getting out the nice camera and setting up the tripod to take a picture with the stars moving and the silhouettes of our motorcycles in the foreground...but I was too warm and toasty in my sleeping bag.  So, sorry guys maybe if the chance comes along again, I'll get out of the sleeping bag.

We did take some pictures of our campsite and here they are.  I hope you enjoy them!

1 Mile to Joshua Tree National Park

In The Middle of Nowhere

A Room With A View

Perfect Nothingness

Our Clothesline 

This Is The Pace Life Was MEANT To Be At

Wandering Nomads... 

...In Love

We Killed the House (MON, 17JAN12)

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

As we mentioned before, we have fantastic friends.  Among those fantastic friends is our very good friend April.  April lives in Arizona and has recently moved into her lovely new condo.  We spent all of last night talking to her about her move in last week, the week long painting project, and her long-term goals for the unit.

This morning, she headed off to work, and we got up slowly.  We had an easy day planned...doing a quick load of laundry, updating the blog, changing our Facebook status, picking up a housewarming gift for April...you know...easy.  Right? WRONG!

Our friend and happy host, April.

They're both so happy....

An emergency phone call from April notified us that the washer overflowed (on the second floor) and flooded the entire house.  ENTIRE HOUSE!!!

Poor April.  Her brand-new painted walls...dripping down to the floor.  Laptop...fried.  Kitchen...obliterated.  Everything was soaked...upstairs, downstairs, garage.

An inch of water across the entire downstairs.

Three hours worth of steady water came THROUGH the ceiling! 

WANTED--Criminal On The Loose

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

As is consistent with all things related to our adventure, a simple visit to Camarillo ended more involved and entertaining.  Less than an hour before our planned departure on Wednesday, we received a phone call informing us that our accountant was recently arrested for embezzlement, fraud, and a number of other charges.

ONLY US!!!  Not to be too ego-centric, but this is the kind of thing that would ONLY happen to us.  Right???

So, for those of you who are interested in the nefarious affairs of our accountant, check out these links--

MUGSHOT of our Accountant

http://www.vcsd.org/press-release.php?id=120

http://redondobeach.patch.com/topics/Paige+Hibbits

http://redondobeach.patch.com/articles/top-10-stories-paige-hibbits-arrested

http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2011-12-09/Front_Page/Jones_Hibbits_arrested_on_multiple_counts_of_fraud.html

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-09-18/local/me-2111_1_william-mcclelland

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-11-21/local/me-4584_1_william-mcclelland

Needless to say, this little development posed a minor inconvenience to our plans.  Previously, we had mailed all of our receipts and tax documents, for the filing year 2011, to her.  We spent the balance of Wednesday and Thursday contacting the Prosecuting Attorney, lead Detective, and Defense attorneys trying to locate those documents.  Friday was spent meeting with a new (and, legitimately registered CPA with the State of California) CPA.

PHOTOS

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...


Check out our  new Photo Page on the blog.

It has come to our attention that, although we are a mere 400 miles into the trip, and still haven't left the sweet beaches of California, we have been remiss in our photo-journaling.  But please note, we are still trying to figure out the best way to keep everyone abreast of our adventures.  This whole "blogging" thing is new for us, and the photo-journal is, as well.  There are programs like Picaso and Flikr, to name just a couple, but we're not entirely sure how to execute them.  Besides, we're not even sure if what we're documenting is even something that people want to see/read.  Please let us know.  No doubt, if you've found our blog, you're a friend.  So, send us an email.  Let us know.  We want everyone to feel as though they are on this journey with us!  (From the safe confines of your home computer.)

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

The Mundane Adventures of Sitting Hamsters...

Much to the chagrin of our many hosts, our well laid plans have hit a temporary snag.  As previously posted, LaNova's motorcycle is in the shop.  It all started with a slipping second gear.  But, once the mechanics had the block opened up, they discovered that, for want of a simple shim, second gear, fifth gear, and a shift fork all needed to be replaced.  The snag comes about from fifth gear.  Fifth gear meshes with second, and as a result of second's dodgy performance, fifth gear was damaged...but fifth gear seems to be a rather elusive gear.  It is so elusive, in fact, that there isn't one to be found in all of the 48 lower states of America.  A new one has to be shipped in from Germany.  So where does that put us?  2 WEEKS!!!

Now, we know that the shop is working double-overtime to try and get us back on the road, but that is little solace for any host.  When you host a guest for one or two days, that's decent.  But, hosting a one to two day guest couple for two weeks is just...excessive.

But, consider this...  When your entire day is riding a motorcycle, and your entire day's goal is to travel from point A to point B, what do you do for 2 weeks?  I mean, what exactly does one do when one's entire life sits on a motorcycle?  (Seriously, we'd like to know!)

Right now we are just chilling.  Taking walks.  Organizing our gear.  Visiting with friends.  But, eventually...we're going to need to leave.  Eventually, the road's call to us will become deafening.  And, we hope that in that day, we'll be back on our way rather than sitting around, waiting for the bikes to be ready.

BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

A couple of months ago, LaNova's motorcycle (Maggie) was experiencing a peculiar problem, it was slipping in and out of gear under acceleration. After a number of attempts to resolve the issue at home, we decided to take the bike in to the shop for a professional repair.

BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County has always held a rather special place in my heart since they were the ones who sold me the pair. But, since we were up in Petaluma, California (North Bay), it was a difficult choice--take the bike to Santa Rosa to be worked on, or take the bike 7 hours to Newbury Park. I got on the phone with Corwin (lead mechanic at BMW of Ventura County), and explained to him that we were under a time crunch because of our pending departure date. He said that he would move some things around in order to accommodate our schedule. With that, LaNova and I loaded the bike into the back of our truck and drove all night to get the bike into the shop, first thing in the morning.

Howard (shop supervisor at BMW of Ventura County) received the bike and moved heaven and earth to get us taken care of. Less than a week later, they had all of the pieces back together and running. WHAT A RELIEF!!!

Although our departure was delayed due to the holidays, it just added one more star to their already impeccable record of high quality customer service.

Tragedy struck two days into our trip when the bike started "tripping", again. Luckily, our next stop on our way to the border was going to be Newbury Park. We had already planned on bringing the bikes in for a simple "once over", just to make sure that everything was running well before we crossed over into Mexico. But, the re-emergence of this issue had me in a bit of a panic. The first time I had brought the bike into the shop, it set me back a pretty penny. And, already operating on scarce funds to make this whole journey happen, I was very worried.

We brought the bike into to the shop and explained the situation. After about 10 minutes, Howard approached us and explained that he had no idea what the problem was, but he assured us that they would find it and fix it. The cost? Nothing. NOTHING! Now, it has already been fairly well established that I like BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County--from George, who sold me the pair, to Matt who always takes FANTASTIC care of me at parts, along with Kyle, and Howard and Corwin in service. But, the fact that they stand behind their work, they work with you when you have a scheduling issue, or they are simply there to walk you through a bone-head spark plug screw-up, BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County is the place to go. Yes. Even if it is 7 hours out of your way...it is worth it!

In a day where so many sales, parts, and service departments are only interested in up-selling you at every turn, these guys simply fix the problem and get you out the door. It is a hassle-free experience, and takes on more of a family feel than a dealership.

Day 6 (Monday, 2JAN12) - A Day To Chill

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...


Today was pretty relaxing.  We had a few things on our list to do:

1. Get a massage
2. Go through our gear and get rid of stuff
3. REI
4. Mail stuff
5. Have dinner with friends

I can't say how wonderful the weather is here.  I could go on and on.  Let's just say that it's 85 degrees and it's JANUARY!  Imagine a big smile on my face.

Here is how our day ended...

Our good friends (Blake and Maren) returned last night from their pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Having been touched by the Spirit, they immediately offered up their home for us to stay.  In fact, they insisted that we stay.  So, having spent a very, very relaxing time with Dan, Melissa, and family, we allowed them to return to a stay of post-holiday quiet, and moved all of our "stuff" to Blake and Maren's house.

Today was also notable because it was the FIRST time LaNova has ever ridden her motorcycle AT NIGHT!  To all of you cagers (an endearing term reserved for non-riders who enshroud themselves in gobs of steel caging), riding at night is not as easy as one might think...mainly because all you cagers out there are particularly oblivious to anything other than your own hood ornament, so seeing a motorcycle seems to be more of an exercise in target practice than anything else.

LaNova is a bona fide biker.  She has successfully executed tricky environments, night-time riding, and many other feats of skill...all in her first week on the trip.  Kudos!!!


Did we mention that we have AWESOME FRIENDS???  Yes, it's true.  From Dan and Melissa, Tyler and Candace, Jared and Bonnie, Jeff, and Blake and Maren, and everyone else, suffice to say that we have awesome and hospitable friends.  In fact, as part of this evening's great triumphs was Ashley's magnificent manicotti masterpiece, with Blake skillfully baking a delicious loaf of French Bread.

Day 5 (Sunday, 1JAN12) - The Day of Rest

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...


The day started out better than the previous morning so that was an improvement.  We had pretty much talked out all our frustrations and hurt feelings the night before so we were on the mend.

We had breakfast with our friends and then got ready for church.  We drove down to Camarillo and attended our old ward good 'ol Camarillo 2nd Ward.

I looked hilarious!  Picture this, me with a long skirt, long socks, a windbreaker, hiking shoes and my helmet.  I had to wear my skirt and had to hike it up over my legs to get on the motorcycle.  I was wearing leggings underneath my skirt so I looked especially ridiculous.  I really wanted someone to take a picture of us, but no one was around.

So we took my bike to Camarillo and attended our old ward.  It was good to visit.  After church we drove around Camarillo for nostalgias sake and then headed over to our friends house for dinner.  Ooohhh......the dinner was sooooo good!

We had pasta with a white sauce, spinach and red bell peppers with chicken.  We had sautéed zucchini
and salad.  We drank orange cream soda and for dessert we ate homemade with chocolate and ice cream and marzipan.  It was fabulous!  We talked and laughed and talked and laughed and it was good for our souls.  We had been away from friends too long and I can't say enough how happy we were to see them and hang out with them.  We have such good friends.

Again, there aren't any photos.  :(  I don't know what I was thinking!  I should've taken photos of the delicious food!

We missed our afternoon nap, but it was still a great day!

Day 4 (Saturday, 31DEC11) - NEVER AGAIN!

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Distance: 205 miles
Travel Time:  4.5 hours
Weather Conditions:  EXTREME Winds (gusts >20mph)
Road Conditions:  Highway/Freeway with holiday traffic

This wasn't one of my favorite days in my life.  It started out windy and proceeded to get even more windy.  Christian René and I were having an argument and our Scalas (our motorcycle to motorcycle communication units) weren't working.

It wasn't fun riding in the wind.  It was cold.  I was following Christian René and could see his bike swaying in the wind and as soon as I got to the same spot, I would sway too.  It was harrowing, but we got through it.

That was the first 2 hours.

We stopped for lunch in Buellton and it was hot.  We were still mad at each other so lunch was quiet.  A guy passing by noticed our bikes and started talking to us.  He was pretty excited about the trip and our gear and everything.  We smiled and chatted with him a little but we were still mad at each other.

The last 2 hours were warm until we got to a certain part just before Santa Barbara and then it got cold.  I was a little worried about Santa Barbara traffic.  It seems like almost every time we drove through there or to there in the past, traffic was always super backed up and really slow.  But luckily for us it moved right on through town with no problems.

When we were just north of Santa Barbara, I think we both took deep breaths because we were so happy to be back.  The view and the weather and knowing where everything is....knowing our friends were not very far away...it was soooo nice to be back.

We made it to Thousand Oaks where we were staying with friends and I was super tired.  By the time we stopped I was fuming because we rode through the wind and since the Scalas weren't working it was harder to communicate on the freeway.

Anyway, after we stopped at our friends house I took a walk to calm down and boy the day just got worse.  It was wonderful to be done riding for the day and our friends were soo nice to let us stay.  I got to shower in one of the nicest showers I've ever used and things were looking up.

But then...downhill again.  We had another argument and pretty much our New Years Eve was ruined.  It was a bummer.  There was a block party that I missed and  I missed all the good food.  But I will say that Christian René being the good man that he is, saved me 2 homemade donuts that our hostess had made and I ate them the next morning.

I don't even had any photos to post because we didn't take any.

It was a terrible day.

Day 3 (Friday, 30DEC11) - We're Alive

The Wild Adventures of Roaming Hamsters...

Distance:  38.8 miles (Paso Robles to San Simeon)
Travel Time: 1 hour
Weather:  Heavy Fog
Road Conditions:  Slightly Winding

I know I told everyone that I was going to post everyday, but yesterday we went to Hearst Castle and then camped so we didn't have any internet service until this evening.

So, yesterday we went to Hearst Castle.  It was about an hour away and I was shocked to see how many people were there.  There was a huge Visitor's Center and you have to take a bus up to the house.  I always thought that the house was built on the ocean...as in the house was built on a cliff and down the cliff is the ocean.  Well.....the house it actually quite a ways from the ocean, built on a hill where you have a view of the ocean.  I won't lie, I was a little disappointed.

The house was crazy.  The gardens were beautiful and the pools were both a little over the top although swimming in them would be cool. (Pun intended).

Ready to jump in!

We're thinking of adding this indoor pool to our must-have list...gold tiles and all.  The yellow is real gold. 

Anyway,  we took the Upstairs Suites tour which was most of the upstairs, with libraries and guest rooms and personal rooms.  The whole place is extravagant to say the least and gaudy was the only word I could think of going through the house.

It also seemed a bit sad to me.  I didn't get the whole story of his life but it seemed sad.  He was married and then separated had 5 sons that all lived back east and lived the most of his life with his mistress and a gigantic house with lots of Catholic art that took 30 years to build.  He eventually lost most of his money later in his life and it seems there wasn't much sense of family or friends.  Perhaps he did, but by the way the tour guide talked and the melancholy mood of the house it just seemed more sad then cool.

After the tour, we decided to camp and were lucky enough to get a spot at the San Simeon State Park just a few miles away.  That's where we were the rest of the night.  With no internet.

Here are pics of Hearst Castle...enjoy

Gaudy or Chic?  For the guest to decide.

I wouldn't' mind having this library in my house.

But I wouldn't really want 2 libraries.....

There was cool vintage stuff. 

Lounging pajamas for the discerning guest.

Proof that I was there.  (P.S. Christian René was there, too.)