As you may have noticed we each wore our same riding suit the entire trip.

Didn’t seem to bother anyone

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Nh6iRpzXgOrHYt8OABeo8kPlXUrbzqXT&usp=sharing

Today we traveled from Colfax, CA to Susanville, CA. The majority of the time was spent climbing up and down a twisty mountain road through the Tahoe National forest. A very beautiful passage following rapidly flowing mountain streams of snow melt. It’s a great time to pass here as everything is very green and the forest fire danger is low. But today’s temperature hovered around 95F even as we passed over the top of the Sierra’s at 6700 ft.

Once past the summit the topography and vegatation immediately changed from heavily forested to wide sparse valley with cattle farms, but still at 5000 ft elevation.

Lunch was at a tiny eclectic eatery in Sierraville, CA that featured excellent smoked meat sandwiches. We’ve found it better to eat a hearty lunch and a light dinner. The prolonged butt rest in an AC environment.

Joanna had accompanied us this far and we parted company at a hot spring spa (clothing optional). We’ll look forward to learning her impressions.

After leaving Joanna we continued on to Susanville.

As usual taking photos on beautiful twisty mountain roads isn’t feasible but here’s a couple in the Sierraville area.

After a great visit with friends Steve and Jeannie in Santa Monica we’ve been busy with events surrounding Cassie’s son, Parker’s university graduation from California State University at Monterey Bay.

We left Santa Monica and headed toward Monterey with an overnight stop in San Luis Obisbo where we succeeded in finding our first dark beer since the trip started. Just as in food and coffee, regions of the US have different taste preferences for beer and wine. We’re glad to be out of Budweiser territory and into California wines.

After spending several days in and around Monterey we back-tracked south to Morro Bay

to travel one of the most prized roads in the US…the Big Sur on the Pacific Coast Highway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1)

over the next two weeks we will be traveling favored sections of the PCH as we head to the Napa valley wine country. We will forgo hotels and camp along the way, weather permitting. We are still dealing with abnormally cold and wet weather and are concerned about our route back as snow continues to fall in areas we planned to pass through. Yesterday was one of he few days without some rain on us in the last three weeks, and it’s been chilly. Today we’re staying over in Morro Bay due to very high winds along our PCH route…..not a good thing when riding along cliffs with steep drops into the Pacific Ocean.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1

I’ve updated our route so far.. 4300 miles and counting.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JEQ09BShC0i6khEE0GOrFmMAwjLYSbi9&usp=sharing

Santa Monica and Venice are well known for their substantial boardwalk and beach activity scene. We took advantage of the dry weather, pleasant temperatures for an extended walk along the route. There’s many others doing the same.

Our bodies needed the chance to stretch

Today was spent in Santa Monica, CA with our artist friends Steve Behal and Jeannie Catchpole.I thought I’d share a moment of their teamwork on an in process painting

You won’t find any photos posted for yesterdays ride across to Mojave desert. Anyone who think this trip leg might have some adventure or romance would have been badly disappointed.

With temperatures reaching 96F, gusty cross winds and traffic at 75 mph there wasn’t anything we found to enjoy. Even the burrito I ate at Bartstow, CA gave me heartburn and indigestion.

Rating 0 on any scale

Total climate change. Spent two nights near Hoover dam to acclimate. Today we cross the Mojave desert and end up in Santa Monica, CA on the Pacific ocean

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam

You may be disappointed about the lack of photos on the way. But with the wet, cold and gray it was difficult to justify stopping to snap shots….and much of the way since North Carolina has been despressingly impoverished and dismal.It did serve as a good reminder of how beautiful the places we live are in comparison.Starting in North Carolina we passed through the first native American reservation and took the time to refresh our knowledge of the awful history of their abuse by the government and incoming settlers.Oklahoma serves as the prime showcase of all the tribes, 38 of them, that were forced from their native lands into reservations in Oklahoma….at a substantial cost of lives in these forced marches. Very sad.We have finally entered dry warm climate of Nevada. Currently at Hoover dam/ Lake Mead not far from Las Vegas. We are considering returning to the four corners state area (Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico) on our return trip east in June. Cold, snow and rain prevented us from visiting that area this trip.The high desert of northern Arizona and New Mexico that we did pass through, with it’s cliffs of many colors, is memorable.And it may be warm and dry enough to dare stop for photosCactus in bloom in Boulder City, NevadaNorthwestern Arizona/Nevada

Waited out the morning thunderstorms. Ended up with a great day.
Passed through the Texas panhandle and are now in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.Should be past the dangerous weather part