Update Time!

Yeah Yeah it's about time I did some updating on this thing. It's really a bitch that I've been avoiding writing the 2nd lengthy installment of that first post because it's keeping me from posting other up to date news.
Well I'll do it now.
San Diego, where I left off. Great place... Although I realize that I was never really in the city that much. I spent most of my time in La Jolla and north, Del Mar and other places. But... There's nothing wrong with that. La Jolla is beautiful, if not for the somewhat family atmosphere especially down at the beach. Up north at Del Mar is a great beach because it seems that it may not be the most crowded beach, but it's one of the most fun. No problems with bringing the coolers down there, the only thing we got bitched at for was failing to keep some dogs leashed. Volleyball nets, the whole setup. Along with a nice little town up the road with good food.
Leaving San Diego I drove up through LA, I got there at about 2pm, so the traffic was not too bad. Highlights of the drive through town were the LAPD headquarters with their fleet of helicopters on the roof, and of course the Hollywood sign. I would have liked to see some of the city, Beverly Hills - whatever's there, but I really did not want to see the traffic, and didn't feel like spending the night there, only a few hours up from SD.
I took the 101/1 route up the coast opposed to the 5 which I've driven before. I'd seen enough desert in Texas, and the coastline seemed much more appealing. Along the way I saw the Hurst Castle, pretty interesting, evidently the playboy mansion of the times. However, the Views and scenery made the longer trip worth while on their own.
Arrived in San Jose around 7:30/8:00, and got in touch with my friend Pat who goes to Stanford, arranged to head up there the next day. Grabbed some Authentic Mex food, and head over to spend the night with some old family friends. In the morning (around noon) I drove up to Stanford and met up with Pat. He gave me a nice tour of the campus - which was beautiful. I was impressed with just about everything, but their athletic facilities and the original quad were the most impressive. I loved how most all of the sporting arenas were outdoors (gotta love Cali).
Pat had to get up really early in the morning for some reason, golf team meeting I think, so not too much craziness there, not to mention that they too were still in finals. Made it a little easier for me to get out and on the road the next day.
I continued along the 101/1 across the golden gate bridge in San Francisco, and up into northern California. I arrived at the Redwood national forest sometime around 6:00, and began searching for a decent campsite. Things were not looking good, I drove miles down this damn road through the woods to a site, and of course it was full. Driving back out of the woods, (it's getting steadily dark at this point) I see two girls walking down the road (dirt road, way back in the woods). I offered to give them a ride the couple of miles back to the parking lot where they had left their car, and found that they were from Denmark, and had just gone for "a walk in the woods" on their way up to visit a friend who was staying at a hostel up the way a bit. I followed them to the hostel which was nice as hell, right across the road from an amazing beach in the middle of the redwood forest, and stayed in a nice bed for the night for hardly more that it would have cost me to camp (it was pissing in the morning too). I also enjoyed a few beers and a bonfire down on the beach with some of the other guests... a group of girls from England (evidently lesbians), a crazy guy from Denmark, and this hippy girl (serious hippy) from Texas of all places.
Like I said, it was raining in the morning, and the rain did not stop all day. I drove through Oregon and Washington which are both also beautiful coastlines (even in the rain), and rounded the mountains on the Olympic peninsula to finally find some dry weather. I had a spot at a hostel in Port Angeles lined up for the night, a place called "Thor Town". Evidently some people just decided to turn their house into a hostel, and this guy was a huge Thor fan (it was kinda creepy)... But, also one of the most interesting hostels I've ever seen. I met a group of people from Wisconsin there, who had been driving into the Olympic Park when the got in a head on collision in the middle of Port Angeles. They were kinda stuck there for awhile while they sorted that out (could be stuck somewhere worse, the hostel was only $12 a night).
So we went out to a bar that night called of all things, "The Wreck". How fitting right, had a good time though, they were in high spirits despite the situation.
The next day, I hung out awhile in Port Angeles with the Wisconsin folks (a little longer than planned since I didn't make it onto the 12ish ferry). We happened upon a art/craft fair that was just starting for the weekend and had a good time there, so the extra time was not bad. At 5:15, I got on the Coho, and was off to Victoria!
Once again I am tired of typing. Ok, I'm just plain tired. So this seems like a great spot to leave off.
The Victoria stories are fun though, so don't go anywhere... I'll be back soon.