December 9-19

HOLA FROM MEXICO!
First off, we are safe and sound and having an absolute BLAST :)

Our first night we spent just south of San Quintin at an Rv Park called El Pabellon. We were surrounded for miles by sand dunes and ocean. We left early the next morning headed for Guerrero Negro, while approaching the town we decided to push on to Santa Rosalia, searching for warmer weather the further south we went.

We arrived at the small RV Camacho which sat right next to the water just before dark. We introduced ourselves to our nieghbors, ate some dinner and then climbed into bed. The next day Chuck our new friend took us into town to see the sights, buy some produce at the local markets and treated us to lunch at a very quaint and delicious taco stand. We marveled at the beauty and uniqueness of the beautiful town of Santa Rosalia. The next day Chuck took Ben fishing all morning while Sadie and Em played on the beach and visited with our new friends Betty and Len. That evening we enjoyed conversation, listened to Betty play her guitar and sing, and laughed while observing the interesting method the local fishermen employed to get their boats into the water. Its a whole different way of life down here! Chuck cooked up a delicious meal of fresh fish that we caught that day. After picking up several great travel tips from our experienced neighbors, we said our goodbyes and hit the sack.

We set off at dawn the next morning, destination - Juncalito beach, just south of Loreto. After much confusion and several wrong dirt roads we found the entrance thanks to a helpful local.We found a beautiful campsite next to a little lighthouse with beautiful rugged mountains and palm trees for scenery. We immediatly struck up conversation with our neighbors from Illinois, Albert and Marga. While discussing motorhomes, Albert mentioned a solar panel for sale, which immediately caught our attention (just that day we were kickin ourselves for not getting a solar setup!) We happily purchased the 75 watt panel along with a deep cycle battery for an extremely reasonable price..What a blessing! We killed the afternoon visiting with them. A very friendly and fun couple :)

The next morning we woke early and went for a stroll down the beach. Along the way we got caught in conversation with a couple from Washington. Peter and Mary Kay have an organic orchard, and during the down season, spend their time travelling.We joined them and their dog, Sisco, for a hike through the beautiful desert mountains. We took a break overlooking the beautiful Puerto Escondido Bay. On our way back to camp, we came across a fishermen who had just brought his catch to shore. He offered us a healthy cut of Yellowtail (a delicacy here) and that evening we joined Peter and Mary Kay for a delicious mesquite barbeque. What a feast! It was the best meal we've had yet.

The next morning we enjoyed freshly baked rolls that Albert had given us the day before, such a special gift from our new friends. We were amazed at the provision, within hours we received fresh fish and fresh bread :) Again we spent time visiting with Albert and Marga, listening to funny travel stories and then headed a few miles south to Rattlesnake Beach. Just before finding a campsite, we turned toward the mountains to fill our water tanks with fresh spring water (yet another tip from our friends). While driving the winding narrow dirt road looking for a campsite, we came across a small wash that looked harmless. However, our back end was way too long! STUCK....After pulling a cactus out of the ground with our come-along, Peter and MaryKay pulled up right behind us! What timing!!! After jacking and digging, the boys successfully drug Homey free. YAY!! We obviously couldnt go any further, so we set off walking looking for another way in. While searching the beach for an entrance, we came across another couple from Washington. The friendly couple asked if we'd cooked dinner yet, and offered us (yet again!) fresh Yellowtail. What a treat! We could hardly believe it, 2 nights in a row! Again, we had a delicous mesquite bbq with our friends, visited well into the night, and also got many more tips for camping on the mainland.

We set out at dawn for Tecolote Beach, just north of La Paz. A beautiful sight. The water aquamarine and a long white sandy beach. We enjoyed a soda and beer at the open air bar and relaxed on the beach. Feeling anxious to get online and contact our family and friends, we headed into the town of La Paz the next day. We parked at Casa Blanca Rv Park, in town, and road the local bus into the center. We journeyed up and down the uniquely uneven side walks, then hopped back onto the bus headed for the large grocery store CCC. We loaded up on produce, rice and beans and a few other essentials (for an incredible price!) then headed back to Homey. That evening we met 3 travellers from Santa Cruz, exchanged stories and shared travel tips. We utilized the hot water showers Casa Blanca offered and also were able to wash the heap of laundry we'd accumulated thus far. Ahhh very refreshing!

We are now heading south for Todos Santos (we hear theres reggae every friday night!), and a hot spot for surfing in Los Cerrillos, just south of Todos Santos. We plan on spending a couple weeks here learning how to surf and enjoying the warm weather.

We miss you all this holiday season and send all of our love :) We'll make sure to post another blog after the new year to share our holiday experiences. Feliz Navidad :)

Ben and Emily

November 16 - December 8

We'd like to begin this post with an apology to you all for not keeping up with our travels. Because we are so far behind, we're going to briefly summarize these last couple weeks. We want to thank every one of you who have helped us along this adventure, all of the family and friends we've visited along the way, your love and support we are so grateful for, THANK YOU :)

After our visit in Santa Rosa with the Moosman family, we headed for Vacaville, Ca to see our good friend Dena. Our first evening there we spent painting a huge canvas with Dena and our new friend Joanna. We enjoyed a bottle of wine and let our creative juices flow, while listening to "mood" music, we had SO much fun doing this :) Here, you can see the product of our collaborative creativity. The next day Dena gave us the tour of the arts school she's working at, it was incredible to see, and so inspiring! Ben and I visited the Jelly Belly factory in Fairfield, Ca. At the end of the tour there was a section of discount candies and things, and we found a 25pound box of beans for 5 dollars!! We couldnt pass up such a good deal and plan on handing out little baggies of goodies along our trip. Just before heading out Dena took us to a huge farmer's market where Ben and I loaded up on extremely affordable produce, yum! We also snagged a few fresh lemons from the tree just in front of Dena's home.

We were on the road again, this time headed for Mountain View, Ca just south of San Francisco to visit our good friend Parker. We crossed over the bay into San Fran and found ourselves in loads of traffic, but it was moving pretty steadily, just an experience! We spent the evening with Parker and his girlfriend Megan, who so kindly cooked us a delicious dinner. We also enjoyed a soak in their hot tub. It was a short visit, but was great seeing our friend. The next day we were on the road to Martinez, Ca to visit Emily's Uncle David and Sandy. David works as the equipment manager of the Cal Berkley football team, and it just so happened there was a game that weekend. David was able to get Ben and I tickets to the rival game against Stanford. We decided to take the Bart (rapid transit system) to downtown Berkley, and what an experience! The cars were packed with fans heading to the game. Once we arrived in Berkley we wandered down the famous Telegraph Ave people watching and window shopping, many interesting sights to see! Not to mention the crazy parties going on down fraternity and sorority row. The stadium was packed, 70,000 people attending the game. Neither of us had been to such a large spoting event, it was a blast, and we had a great view of the field from our bleacher seats. That evening David, Sandy, and Em's cousin Lindsay treated us to Thai cuisine (our favorite!) We had an enjoyable meal chatting and catching up.

The next morning, on the road again toward Santa Clarita, Ca. This is where Ben spent about 2 years after highschool. First things first, we visited the old Starbucks he worked at while living there, he even recognized many of the old standby regular customers, after all these years! :) That evening we spent with Bens friend Ryan. His family offered us a yummy dinner upon arrival, and with our bellies full the three of us went out to enjoy a beer or two. The next morning Ryan was busy with his commitments so we headed on down the I-5 through the heart of LA. Passed through Hollywood, Anaheim (right by Disneyland) then took a trip to Huntington Beach. We played with Sadie on the beach for a while, then hopped on our bikes and cruised the boardwalk which stretched right along the beach.

That evening we arrived in Irvine, CA where Ben's friends Ricky and Clint live. Ricky so kindly opened his home to us and provided so much for us during our 10 day stay. We cooked many meals together, buzzed around town, went to a HUGE local market where we purchased Sham Wows for our trip, and ventured to the beach. We also spent an evening with Clint and his fiance Jules, had a delicious meal and watched the Matrix for the first time (very cool) Ricky let us borrow his car and we braved downtown LA looking to finish up Sadie's health certificate requirements for crossing through so many countries.

At the consulate of El Salvador we discovered there were several more necessary stamps that we had not planned for. At the Guatemalan consulate we ran into complications as well. Without getting too detailed, we ended up having to take Sadie into another vet, have another (very specific) certificate filled out, then took it to be notarized, approved by the county clerk, then to the secretary of state for an apostille. We also needed the USDA verification of her health certificate as well as rabies document. Then finally the stamps for Guatemala then Nicaragua. This unexpectedly extended our stay and delayed our plans of crossing the border. (we like to believe theres a reason for this :)

We are now the proud owners of two new surf boards. One we found for a great price at Costco and the other was given to us by our good buddy Clint for an incredible price. Now Homey is stylin with surfboards strapped to the top. Surfs up dude!

Special thanks to Ricky for all he has done for us, we couldnt have done it without you man! We are so lucky to be blessed with such good friends.

Now in San Diego, CA we are tying together all loose ends and preparing completely for crossing the border. We are heading for a campsite about 5 miles from Tecate, where we will be crossing tomorrow morning. We arent sure what kind of internet access we'll have the next week or so, but we'll post an update as soon as possible. We love you all, thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Next time you hear from us, we'll be on the beautiful beaches of Mexico!!!! Happy holidays :)

November 12-15

November 12-15
Drove down the coast to Mendocino this morning and spent a few hours by the sea. Ahhh the ocean! The 3 of us exploring, climbing over rocks and marveling at the ocean and its waves. Ben & I spent a short while meandering down the streets of the quaint ocean town peering through the windows of local shops. We continued driving that afternoon, vineyard after vineyard wizzed by until we reached Geyserville.
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We were told of Lake Sonoma by a local and headed that way. We reached the campsite early enough for a hike down to the lake for a refreshing dip as well as to launder a few items. Sadie had a blast barrelling into the water after her ball. It felt great finally able to relax in a natural, quiet setting. When we arrived back at camp Ben ran a line for laundry, it was nice watching the garments blowing in the wind as the sun was setting. After sunset we hopped on our bikes and rode to the entrance to submit our fee--only 10 bucks! The cheapest weve found yet. Em spent the evening reading while Ben was widdling his staff made of Madrone wood from Grandpa Moosman. The next morning Ben finished up his staff (looks awesome!) while Em did some yoga at our spot overlooking the lake. Beautiful, warm day!

We packed up camp and were on the road to Santa Rosa. We drove around the northern outskirts of Santa Rosa looking to finish up some errands. It was our first real difficult experience driving Homey, big city with tight roads and very fast moving vehicles! We must move so much slower than others (especially pulling from side roads or parking lots into traffic) otherwise our tail bashes the concrete. (Thankfully we have a metal bar and wheels which scrape nice and smooth when we go real slow :) The way we interrupt the seemingly nonstop flow is comical to us now, its certainly teaching us how to be ok with a slower pace.

We had another first experience today--dumping the tank. Everything was going great. We (Ben) attached the hose and released the valve for full flow. Meanwhile we filled our water tank with fresh water. We were about to head out when Ben decided to check the tank and discovered it was still full! We had a clog! Nothing serious though. After trying a second time to no avail, we headed down the road to the local Wal-Mart in Windsor, Ca to purchase a de-clogger. We were allowed to return to that same RV stop without being charged a second fee, and worked all the kinks out.

Unsure of how to navigate to the Moosman home in Santa Rosa (Emily's Uncle Paul, Alice, Grady, & Owen) we stopped into a gas station to check out a map, and surprisingly spotted their road name & exit right from the highway. We arrived just as Paul and the boys were coming home from dinner. The boys ran off excess energy while we visited with Paul, just before heading to bed. They had the perfect spot for Homey to chill in their backyard.

In the morning we woke to the sounds of boys jumping, climbing, swinging from trees :) Theyve got an incredibly large backyard full of tree houses, zip lines, tetherballs, and even a bunny! Theres also a great space for the garden and several fruit trees. All of us spent the morning playing in the yard, jumping on the tramp, etc. Later the family took us to the local farmers market, where we enjoyed delicious coffee and stocked up on apples. After the market, all of us set out on our bikes to Grady and Owens favorite places to ride. First stop the church parking lot for some sweet jumps, then around a loop, over a creek, and finally to see a couple emus (or ostriches, we werent sure) What incredible birds!! The way they move is amazing to watch. That evening Paul treated us to a savory fresh from the garden dinner and we visited on into the evening.

November 10-11

November 10
We went right to securing Homey for the road this morning. Grandpa Moosman helped me fashion a walking stick out of some seasoned madrone wood he had beside his garage. They also provided us a cooler that can plug into a cigarette lighter (which is going to be handy on long stints without power). Thank you for all your help!!!:) They sent us off with hugs and full bellies!

It was a beautiful short drive to Grants Pass where we stopped to pick up a few totes for dog-food and small vaccum bags. When we returned to our vehicle we met a fellow vagabond (who's name has escaped me) driving a modified Volkswagon Vanagon.
We talked about travelling, solar panels, water capacity, water pumps and of course, politics. He gave us a short tour of his modified ride and we bid him adew.
We had homemade soup for lunch that Grandpa Moosman and Pat had sent with us. (yum-yum)

After lunch we continued down the Redwood Highway toward Crescent City. Just before crossing the border into California, we came upon a funky wood shop in Kerby, OR called the Burl Gallery.
The three of us wandered through the paths leading to fun tree houses and unique wood creations. We recommend checking out this neat shop if youre ever in the area.


The ocean at last!!!
We were really on our adventure now. We were finally at the coast :) We spent our evening parked by the ocean reading, eating and staring at the water listlessly, mesmorized by the endless breaking and retracting of the waves.

November 11

This morning we had the wonderful privelage of playing on the beach to start our day. It was raining pretty hard but we were not going to let that stop us. The two of us were clad head to toe with our nice new rain gear.
Our new outfits kept us perfectly dry and were worth every penny. Sadie ran up and down the beach chasing her ball and did not seem to mind the rain one bit. We gave her a bath in a nearby freshwater inlet with our biodegradable soap. This was a big releif to the both of us because she was beginning to smell terrible. She must have gotten into something stinky on the road!

We drove down the Redwood Highway marveling at the amazing forest. Giants of trees seemed to be creeping their way onto the winding road, forming tunnels which encircled us all around. The forest and its famous trees were incredibly massive and we could sense its ancient presence.
A redwood tree can live to be 2000 years old, its bark grows up to a foot thick, it can reach heights of 370 feet tall and may span twenty-two feet in diameter. This forest can really make a person feel small!! The red ground was covered with short, soft firns giving the forest floor a whimsical appearance. It truly is a magical place :)

We continued down the curvy Redwood Highway to our next ocean-side stop, Fort Bragg. It seemed to be a good place to park Homey for the night. We were both hungry and ready for some rest.

November 8-9

November 8
Woke early this morning to secure Homey for the road again. Mom and Ken were already awake and cooking a big breakfast for us. With full stomachs, many prayers, and a few added necessities for our adventure (a large medical reference guide as well as an axe) we were ready to get movin. The clouds were breaking in front of us and the sun began to shine, giving us a fighting chance of making it to our next stop on time.

We had been informed the day before that a new wing of the St. Vincent De Paul mission (in Medford, OR) was being dedicated to Emily's grandpa for the work and ideas he had had for an "urban rest stop". (The idea behind the "urban rest stop" was to be a place where the needy would be able to shower and wash thier clothes). I finished buttoning my shirt as we jogged to the door making the ceremony in the nick of time. You should have seen the look on Grandpa's face when he saw us there!!!:) After the priest blessed the new wing and we had our share of home-made cookies we went to Ashland OR to visit our good friend Molly Boone and her new friend Carl.


She took us to beautiful Lithia Park in downtown Ashland. The unique park had such attractions as a natural lithia water-fountain (which seemed to be an acquired taste) and the sweetest rope jungle gym that we have ever seen. After the park we headed to Molly's house and cooked burritos and visited. We said our goodbyes and headed for Moosman Manor (Emily's grandparents) in Jacksonville. When we arrived it was late and dark and we called it a day.



November 9
The next morning Ben was up early tossing his line in the river in hopes of a catch. When we finally mosied into the house, we made up some eggs and toast. Grandpa and Pat had Sunday morning engagements and could not join us until the afternoon. We enjoyed a relaxing morning and afternoon working on the blog and watching the river run by from their beautiful home.
Later Grandpa drove us into the quaint town of Jacksonville so Ben and I could explore the darling shops. After we had our fill of window shopping, Gramps gave us a tour of the area including a trip to the dam, the covered bridge and even crossed the border into California. We saw more deer on that winding road than ever in Idaho, such beauty!

Gramps and Pat treated us to a steak and potato dinner, along with scrumptious smoky asparagus and hollandaise sauce. We spent the evening discussing politics, the wonders of God and we finished our day reading.

November 5-7

November 5
Awoke this morning in the beautiful Safeway parking lot in Lakeview, OR. Asked around for the nearest hot springs looking forward to a morning soak but to no avail. Snow was beginning to accumulate on the side of the road and the clouds looked ominous.

We slowly pushed on toward the only mountain pass that separated us from our next stop, Klamath Falls. We stopped at a state park to make coffee and oatmeal and to let Sadie strech her legs. The snow had now stopped falling and the sun was peaking through the clouds. Emily and I decided to make a break for K Falls. Nothing but cows and pasture for 100 miles.

We arrived in Klamath in the late morning. Due to the lack of sales tax in OR we decided it would be a good idea to continue cracking away at our never-ending supply list. Next stop the Dollar Store. We spent an hour shopping for interactive toys and games for the children we expect to meet on our adventure. We bought bubbles, bouncy balls, blow up balls, bracelets, balloon animal kits and many more fun trinkets for the kids. Grand total: Thirty dollars :)

After the dollar store we met my mother at her new job location with the American Red Cross. She showed us the office and toured Homey. We followed her several miles into the country as the snow began to pummell us. We were glad that we had made the decision to push on to K Falls ahead of schedule. Mom invited us into her cozy farmhouse surrounded by cows, chickens and horses. There, Sadie met several new laborador companions. Max(brown), Blue(yellow), and new to the family and just a pup Kasey(black). We enjoyed dinner and conversation late into the night with Mom, her husband Ken and our new sister Toni.

November 6 and 7
The next two days Emily and I were treated to a life of ease. We took our days extremely slowly while the Eskildsons wined and dined us. During the day we had the house to ourselves while Mom and Ken were at work and Toni attended school. We lounged around and played with the dogs. We treated ourselves to a couple of afternoon movies and caught up on some laundry.

Our last evening in town we had an early Thanksgiving with the fam. Turkey and stuffing, the whole nine yards. Toni and Mom so willingly waited on us hand and foot.(Thank you!!!) Later Toni went to a school dance and the rest of us went out on the town (way past everyones bedtime) and enjoyed good conversation and cocktails. What a wonderful, relaxing few days we have had in their company!

November 3 & 4

November 3
Woke to a note from Raub inviting us to enjoy their home and pantry. I wasnt feeling well so Ben ran a hot bath for me and brewed peppermint tea. The soak was refreshing however, I still wasnt feeling well....Went back to bed until 1pm.

Got up and ate some oatmeal then ventured to Grama and Grampas. Visited with them for a while then Grama let us borrow her car to run some errands. Unsuccessful at D&B we got zinc tablets and hair clippers and Rite Aid. Returned to G&Gs and visited a while more, then bid farewell.

Stopped at WinCo for some chew toys for Sadie because I know she's bored waiting in Homey all the time. When we came out with some rawhides we discovered she had chewed several things...what timing!! The zinc bottle was merely bent up however, the sweet cds Ashlea made for our adventure were toast :( Sadie was quite pleased with her new bone, it certainly keeps her busy.

Back at the house I buzzed Ben's hair off, then we enjoyed another delicious Raub creation. Bens brother Jere drove from Sun Valley and spent the evening with us. Unfortunately my headache and nausea sent me to bed early, but the rest of the fam stayed up to visit.

November 4
When I entered the kitchen this morning Raub and Julie again were cooking away! They wouldnt let us touch a dish all weekend, what service! (thank you :) After an enjoyable breakfast and a few last words, the threesome shuffled off to work and school. I cleaned up a bit, gathered our things and loaded up Homey.

We were on the road to Boise by 8:10am. We pulled into Ontario's Community College for a lunch break and tossed the ball for Sadie.

We continued driving in search of a sweet place to camp out. Without any luck we pushed on until we reached Lakeview around 8 or 9pm. Over 400 miles today! Tired of driving we settled in the Safeway parking lot. (sweet camping spot!) We cooked a delicious pasta dish, including Aunt Rhondas fresh rosemary, then crawled into bed.

November 2

Woke up at 3:36 this morning. Not sure why because our bed is very comfy now with memory foam on it. After laying for an hour unable to sleep I got up and boiled water for tea. Ben and I spent the morning stowing away all of our new supplies.

We were pleasantly surprised with breakfast and fresh coffee upon entering Aunt Rhonda's about 8. Absolutely delicious muffins! We played ball with Saide while Homey was warming up then all four of us drove to WinCo. We wandered down nearly every aisle looking to stock up on all the basics. We even discovered the most fitting water jugs we had been struggling to find.

We began organizing our little kitchen as soon as we reached Aunt Rhonda's. We transferred the bulk goods into the containers Mom so diligently collected for us. Thanks Mom :) Aunt Rhonda sent us off with the rest of those tasty muffins and fresh rosemary.

We cruised Homey a short distance down the road to visit Jake and Molly. There we researched self defense weapons and admired their newly made save-the-date cards. Being just a couple days after Halloween they had a ton of extra goodies and kindly sent us away with a box full :)

From there we jumped on I84 East headed for Twin Falls. This was the first time I had driven Homey for an extended period of time and discovered first hand how he'll drain ya. It's certainly not like the Passat :) After about 3 hours we pulled into 3 Island State Park in Glenns Ferry. It was a beautiful scene, with a large area to play with Sadie. We worked her till she plopped down unable to chase one more ball. Then back on the road......

We reached Raub and Julie's in the evening. We were warmly greeted with hugs from all: Raub, Julie, Michaella, Grandpa and Grandma. After everyone had toured Homey we enjoyed Raub's toasty homemade cheesy potato soup.

We stayed up late discussing everything from religion and politics to foreign travel.