San Francisco, should we or shouldn't we?

The road that left the park followed a canyon. We started at 4000ft, down to 2000 feet, then down to sea level of flat open road of northern California. Our water bottles collapsed a bit from the elevation changes.

More beautiful views of the landscape. We drove past cows, sheep, vineyards, rolling hills, sweeping landscapes. The drives have been beautiful, particularly at sunset. The cool comfortable mountain air was replaced by warmer temperatures. The sun beat down on the car, making it hot. Paul was driving, I was typing on the computer, the windows open. We were sweaty and tired from our hike, four hours driving to San Francisco.

There had been talk of Constantly Burning Fire playing a house party but as we drove south, it hadn't been confirmed. Janice, Tommy's sister, offered to let them play at the bookstore she worked at, but that wasn't set either. Without a show, there wasn't a real reason to go. Paul had lived there for a month last year, after Portland, and it hadn't warmed his heart. I had visited him while he was there for a long weekend, so I had already seen the city. We had a good time, biked the bridge, hung out in the mission. Paul just never found his niche there and had mixed feelings about going back, particularly without a show. We talked about skipping it and just heading to Utah, our next stop, but decided to give San Francisco another chance. Also, Paul wanted to see his friend Barry.

Adding to our apprehension about visiting, we didn't really have a place to stay, but hoped our friends wouldn't let us down. They ultimately did not.

Once we passed the hills into the Bay Area, Paul started making calls. Tommy and Sara had been staying with Janice for the week, but high rents in San Francisco meant tiny, tiny apartments and there wasn't any more room. Barry lived in one room with his girlfriend, not a studio apartment, just a room with a bathroom. Both Janice and Barry said they would call their friends and find us a floor to crash on.

As a back up, we called the 7 hostels in our Hostel Handbook, all full. We tried the hostels in Sausalito, full. Now 9PM, waiting in traffic at the Bay Bridge, no where to stay, needing showers, hungry, now regreting our decision to come to the city, should we even pay the toll? We took the last exit to Oakland to bide our time.

Off the exit into some neighborhood of Oakland, a neighborhood we probably shouldn't have been in. Paul had driven the entire trip thus far, about 1200 miles. He was done.

"I'm going to find a parking lot, any parking lot, and you can drive now."

"Okay, if we can find a parking lot with some kind of bathroom that would be..."

"No, any parking lot and we will switch."

Okay.

Paul pulls over on a road. I get in the driver's seat.

"Which way do we go? Should we find a diner or somewhere to eat?"

"I'm done making decisions. I don't know Oakland at all. I'm not giving directions. Remember Sun River?"

"Should we go left, right?"

"I'm done making decisions."

Okay, I go straight, left, straight, straight, left. Having not been able to fix the left blinker due to a lack of a screwdriver, we still had to use hand signals. On one street we were getting questioning looks from people when I held my hand out the window, so Paul thought that maybe it was best I stop. We didn't want anyone to think we were pointing at them. Right turn, right turn. Past the two hookers yelling the luxury car. Take a right, a right, another right, then straight. Past a Sears, Men's Warehouse, Chase bank. Getting nicer.

"Are you hungry? Want to look for a restaurant?"

Nothing. Silence. "I'm not making decisions."

Right. Hmm...then the phone rang. Barry. We could set up our tent in his backyard in the Mission, the hip neighborhood in San Francisco. Awesome, we were off to meet him for drinks at Dirty Thieves.

"How do we get to the Mission?"

"Back on the highway we got off of."

Okay, I go right, straight, follow the curve.

"Do you know where you are going or are you just going on a whim?"

"No, I have no idea. I've never lived here."

Okay, switch again.

"Thanks for driving honey." And gives me a kiss.

Rock star parking at the bar! Just out front. I run to bathroom. At least I could wash my hands if I couldn't shower. Dirty Thieves was a great dive bar, just enough drunk locals, feisty bar tender, people hanging out but not crowded. We fit right in.

While washing my hands, I dreamed of a refreshing cocktail, something blue with vodka and crushed ice. I came out and there was a shot of whiskey and a PBR waiting for me. That would work too.

Barry's girlfriend had gone to sleep already so we couldn't shower. We set up the tent in the dark and went to sleep stinky, but at least we had a place to sleep.

States visited: 3
Dogs met: 3
Cats met: 3
Necessary urinations in unauthorized locations: 4