Jan. 16, 2013 - Day 16: buen viaje (Have a nice trip)

Que tengas un buen viaje y Eric Curt!

Off from SFO to Mexica City for an open-ended backpack trip to the south. Be safe and enjoy!

Jan 15, 2013 - Day 15: Pick up kids

We did some housekeeping this morning - showered and filled the propane tank at the largest U-haul operation on the west coast about 2 miles from Candlestick Point RV Park.

Then back to Courtyard by Marriott for some office time until 2:00 when it was time to go meet Eric. He rented a place to park his car in an outdoor long-term storage lot in Alameda for the months he will be traveling. We went there to pick him up and bring him back to our place for the night.

We took a quick spin through REI Co-Op in San Francisco because Eric needed to get a water purifier for his upcoming travels and we had dinner in San Francisco at an old favorite - Henry's Hunan Restaurant. Curt came in on a train from South Lake Tahoe where he has been since Chistmas. He got in late, so missed dinner with us, but we had a cozy night at home together at Candlestick.

Takin care of business - like father like son.

Jan 14, 2013 - Day 14: Work day

We spent until mid afternoon at Cafe Mezza Luna at Piller Point Harbor, then took a drive in to the New Leaf for groceries before taking a nice hike out to the Mavericks surf beach. It is COLD, and there were no surfers today.

We cooked a light dinner at home in the coffee shop parking lot, then moved back to South San Francisco for our next rendeveux with our kids tomorrow.

Jan 13, 2013 - Day 13: Need some steps

Today we spent a good part of the day in Cafe Mezza Luna for their food, coffee and internet cafe atmosphere. Our break was a walk along the coast of Pillar Point harbor where we found some steps to climb. After 13 days we can already feel the need to replace the energy we used to climb the steps inside and outside our old house in Lake of the Pines.

Back at the cafe, we found a Farmer's Market operating in the parking lot outside, so we got some fresh veges and bread to go with the fresh crab we bought at the fish market at the docks and cooked dinner at home. We are getting better at manuvering in the very small kitchen - it is an adventure:) Check out this sunset behind the Pillar Point landmark tower.

Jan 12, 2013 - Day 13: The Cabrillo Highway

Today we packed and drove north to Half Moon Bay. We stopped for a late lunch along Highway 1 at Bean Hollow State Beach.

Then on to Pillar Point Harbor, just north of Half Moon Bay for dinner at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company with a bunch of other 49er fans to see them win their first playoff game against Green Bay. Go Niners!

Jan. 11, 2013 - Day 11: Walk to lunch

Today we did not leave New Brighton State Beach Campground except to take a great work break at lunch time to walk to Capitola to have lunch at El Torra Bravo.

Here is a view of our neighborhood on the walk home. We crankedat work and have a nice dinner home and a movie - Midnight in Paris.

Jan 10, 2013: Day 10 - First beach walk

Today was a beautiful day. Mike worked at home in the park and took a short run for exercise in the AM. I had a potential client appointment with the finance staff at Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County - one of the reasons we are here in Capitola now. We ate lunch at home and went for a nice beach walk in the afternoon for a break. This is what we were picturing when we talked about traveling in the motorhome - work wherever we are, and enjoy new scenery for recreation. So far, so good!

Jan 9, 2013 - Day 9: Santa Cruz

After a good night's sleep under a very warm quilt, Pat and Tom provided breakfast this morning, and a place to work, visit and relax until the morning commute traffic cleared and we could be on our way. Before we left, we got to pick oranges, lemons and avocados from the back-yard trees. How luxuious! Thanks again, Pat and Tom for being such cheerful and willing hosts.

Next stop, New Brighton State Beach campground just south of Capitola.

We got lunch and dinner shopping done at Whole Foods in Capitola, then went to Starbucks to work for the rest of the afternoon.

We are trying to make some room in the freezer (lots of stuff left from the move out of Woodhaven), so tonight we had freezer food - sloppy joes with sweet potato fries for dinner. Delicious.

Jan 8, 2013 - Day 8: Visit with Tom and Pat

After the conference today, we drove off in both vehicles to get a propane fill-up at a U-Haul store on the way to an evening visit with Pat and Tom Thompson who live nearby in San Jose. We parked on a side street, and were hosted for a delicious roast beef dinner, a shower and a good night's sleep in the guest room. We enjoyed seeing Tom's home improvement handiwork and Pat's quilting - both finished and in-progress projects and their chest resorations They both do beautiful work!

Tom in his office.

Pat displaying a pile of finished quilts.

Jan. 7, 2013 - Day 7: San Jose

Today I attended an income tax continuing education conference which I was originally scheduled to attend in Sacramento. This conference series is being presented in many cities, so once I knew about our travel schedule, I relocated my registration to fit our plans and here we are, getting to know the San Jose area for a couple days. Day 1 of the conference was good, as usual, especially with current news of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 recently passed by congress, but I won't bore you with the details.

Tonight Mike and I went to Casino M8trix to watch the national college championship football game and get some dinner. The game was a blowout for Alabama against Notre Dame, but the dinner, company and experience was good.

Jan. 6, 2013:Day 6 - First move

Today we checked out of Candlestick RV Park at noon. The trick was to secure all the loose items so they did not fly and fall during travel. This is where my Bag-of-Bags that survived the move came in handy: contain all the loose items in several sturdy bags so they can be easily unpacked and accessed later. Then clean out the underside of the rig, unplug and off we go from our first stop.

Next stop is San Jose, but first we went to our favorite work spot - Courtyard by Marriott.

Yes, I know it is Sunday, but it is also the first of January, and busy season for accountants. Mike has a big project that needs to get off to one of his client's auditors. One of the good things about being self-employed is we can take a week-day off in exchange for a Sunday work day - and I'm sure we will :)



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Jan. 5, 2013: Day 5 - Rendezvous with Eric

The day started out cloudy and turned to rain in the mid afternoon - perfect day to lay low and catch up on some early busy season computer work at home. We took a break in the early afternoon to walk along the waterfront at Candlestick Point and discovered the trail we have been enjoying for the last three days at Oyster Point extends north to Candlestick Point as well. Apparently it is not a 5.5 mile trial, but "The Bay Trail" which hopefully will circle the bay some day - we'll have to do some research on this subject, but we know the parts we have seen this week are beautiful.

Tonight we had the first of what we hope are many connections with our kids in cool spots around the world. Eric is staying with a friend in the Richmond district of San Francisco while he attends a 10 day Wilderness First Responders certification class. We drove up into the city and had dinner with him at one of our favorite Italian restaurants - E'Angelos on Chestnut street. Delicious. We enjoyed reviewing the experience of moving out of the house, play by play, and he was an interested listener. We drove him to his place after dinner, then said goodby for another 10 days. We will see him and Curt again on the 15th before they fly off to Mexico City for their adventure.

Jan. 4, 2013: Day 4 The Bay Trail

The Courtyard by Marriott hotel where we have been working this week is located on the Oyster Bay waterfront area of the San Francisco Bay. There is a 5.5 mile bike and walking path called the Bay Trail that we

use to take a break for exercise. Today we did not go out for lunch, but went for a walk in the mid afternoon rather than after work, so we got some good sunshine, too.

We walked all three days for 45-60 minutes each day and still have not covered the entire walking trail.

Jan 3, 2013: Day 3 - settling in

Today I realized how much more efficient I can be in the kitchen when everything is within reaching distance in one or two steps. Much unlike my kitchen at our previous home where a walk from one end of the kitchen to the other was as long as our motor home itself! Also, the smaller space demands a smaller number of pans, dishes, etc. so cleanup is easier. Use it, wash it, store it. Here is a picture of the cooking and dining area just befor dinner - turkey noodle casserole assembled this morning befor leaving for work, then baked tonight in 30 minutes Nice!

Jan. 2, 2013: Day 2 - first day of work on the road

As far as work goes, this day was too good to be true. We learned about a work-space program offered by the Marriott suite of properties and registered for a no-charge work pod area in the lobby of Courtyard by Marriott in South San Francisco. It was close to our lodging, easy to find, had lots of space with electric outlets, comfortable chairs and adjacent to the lobby coffee shop which served Starbucks coffees. Not only good for work hours, but after work we took a three mile walk along a public bike and walking trail on the bay shoreline at sunset. Beautiful! When we returned to our vehicle at the Marriott, we went inside for the facilities and discovered we could access their lobby printer. Too good to be true, but so far we think it is true and will be going back for more work fun tomorrow and Friday.

Jan. 1, 2013: Day 1 - Candlestick Point RV Park

Today is the first day of Mike and my next phase of life - empty nesters, no grandkids on the near horizon, able to work wherever we are  - compliments of the Internet.  How fitting that we start in San Francisco - where we began our life together 31 years ago in January 1982 after moving to San Francisco from Michigan. 



First order of business is to review the last few days and thank the people who helped launch us on this journey. 



The move out of our house was WAY harder than we anticipated and could not have been accomplished in a timely manner without the help of  two generous and hard working couples who came by and recognized our need for help. Heartfelt thanks go to John and Chris Boykin and Rich and Dollie Little-Graydon for the energetic way they helped us sort, load deliver our household belongings to the appropriate place - motor home, storage, donate or trash. 



Thanks to Chris and John for feeding us the first two nights or our move out experience and for housing us the last 3 nights we spent in our Lake of the Pines neighborhood.  Thanks for bringing your trailer to ferry our goods to storage. You are hard workers, good hosts and  great friends. 



Thanks to Rich Graydon and Dollie Little Graydon for your eagerness to help with the move, for your truck to haul away the trash and for your willingness to sort and organize the donatable items. You are hard workers, good hosts and great friends. 



Thanks to Boykins, Gardners, Yvonne Turner,  Curetons, Jenny Redmond, and all the other who spread the word to find a new home for our two cats and to Patti Heapy for stepping up to adopt them. What a wonderful gift that was, to us and to the cats!



Thanks to Kelly Trayer Dempsey for help with stuff and for housing us the final night befor our departure. 



Thanks to all our friends who came by the house to purchase some of our household belongings to "keep it in the family".   I look forward to future visits to see some of my favorite things of your homes. 



We are grateful for all your help, well wishes and friendship. We will be back to visit, but in the meantime are happy to share our travel experience with you via this blog. Please keep in touch when the spirit moves you and we will do the same.



After a visit with local family on  Dec 31 and Jan 1, off we went to San Francisco and Candlestick Point RV Park -very much looking forward to the future!





Happy Road Trails!

Denise and Mike Tomczak