With the rain clouds at our heels we raced down highway 101 trying to escape it. We remembered the quaint seaside town of Morro Bay, we over-nighted there on the way to Vegas and had the best fish and chips ever. We hoped it would be far enough to escape this rain and continue with our plans to get the camper 'Mexico fit'.

When the intermittent rain showers became one constant downpour, we knew our time in Santa Cruz was at an end. We had driven to Santa Cruz directly from Barstow a week beforehand and had been using it as a base while we continued getting our camper 'fit to travel' in Central America.
　
We had got a few big items ticked off the list. A couple of kill switches under the bonnet and also several other security methods involving lots of chain and padlocks. It wasn't going to be pretty, but as long as it did the job we did not care. We also armed ourselves with a fishing rod and tackle in anticipation of all the fresh fish we were going to catch ourselves and cook up on the evening BBQ.
　
We were also extremely pleased to find out that our ownership papers for the truck had arrived ahead of schedule and were waiting for us when we got back. We had heard a few DMV nightmare stories on route and without those papers we were going nowhere. So a BIG thank-you again to Al for letting us take over his mailbox and also coming to help with various drilling jobs.

Racing the Storm

The surf forecast on magicseaweed.com was reporting good odds at Morro Rock. That, along with liking the feel of the place on our brief visit before Vegas, was the reason we decided to head back to Morro Bay. We raced the rain-clouds south, hoping to outsmart them along the way.
　
Our only stop south was in Gonzales, a Spanish speaking inland town. We stopped for a healthy, nutritional lunch at McDonalds and replenished food and diesel stocks. Here we had our first brush with the law, well, Shay did and Ollie got the blame. Taking the whole travelling hobo thing a little too seriously, Shay, rugged up in a woollen beanie and oversized raincoat drew suspicion from the law for being a homeless loiterer. By coincidence, when they came round for their second look, it was Ollie who was standing in the same spot looking suspicious. They gave him a grilling and checked his credentials and then Ollie was released with no charge.
　
When we arrived in Morro Bay we were very pleased with ourselves. It seemed we had outsmarted that pesky storm and were set for some great California sun. We were wrong; it was after midnight when we heard the first drops of rain pattering against our camper roof. They started slowly and proceeded to get faster and faster until we knew we hadn't outsmarted anything. The storm had found us, and it was going to teach us a lesson.

The Big Break

The next day, waterlogged and wrapped up in our rain jackets (and the hobo beanie) we decided to explore the rock what-ever the weather. The wind was whipping up and the waves were crashing against the rocks so it was a spectacular sight. The town was buzzing about a forecasted storm approaching and even the Fox 11 news team was out getting the exclusive. Unfortunately we were cornered by the press and coaxed into giving them an interview for the news. So it was here, in the shadow of Morro Rock, that we ended up making our television début, and we're still waiting for the call from Hollywood.
　
Thankfully a Californian storm is more a storm in a teacup than the ones we are used to from back home so it was over before we knew it. We were definitely happy to see the blue sky and sun again and start drying out our camper. To be fair, it had held out pretty good in some fairly decent downpours. There was only one small leak but unfortunately it happens to be above our bed! With the sun came the waves that Ollie had been anticipating so he managed to get in a couple of good surf sessions at the Rock.
　
Surfing appetite satisfied, we moved on to Pismo Beach, a lovely little surfy village packed with surf shops and seafood shacks and a gorgeous long beach with fine golden sands. We only stayed one night, long enough to check out the local fare at a popular seafood shack and take a drive down Grover Beach, the only American beach where vehicles are permitted.

Surfin USA

The next stop was Rincon beach in Ventura County, the RV camp was not as idyllic as the state park campgrounds we were getting used to, but the ocean was literally at our doorstep and Ollie enjoyed a surf session whilst Shay relaxed on the deck with a wine and took in another Californian sunset.

It was time to head south again. This time our destination is Malibu. Ollie's surf buddy, Odd Eric and his family, all the way from Norway, were waiting for us. It will be nice to see some familiar faces and relax before we continue south into bandido land.