This is going back a ways...It's kinda hard to remember when this would have actually taken place. Maybe sometime in June? Maybe May? A lot has happened since...anyways, Nikki Gerard Ladies and Gentlemen.

barre de navidad

well, 

since leaving california, which seems like ages ago, adam and I drove south through baja, over to mainland from la paz to Topolobampo, on down the coast through mazatlan, and eventually to Miramar, right next to santa cruz. we hung out at El Encanto with Jim for about 10 days, Teresa visited, on to Guadalajara, and then south from PV to Barre. Waves are small but fun and yesterday I found myself out in the lineup all alone with real real nice waves coming through. 

Rich Blundell got in touch with me after I sent him an email asking him to give me the templates for surfboards he sells on his website. Not only did he give me the templates but he flew down here from Boston to teach me how to build hollow wooden surfboards. So I am AMPED! We got a blog goin on that at treetosea.org. I never seen a surfboard built out of plywood for less than 50 bucks... Hopefully she rides well! 

So we are working on gettin this board finished and from there we are gonna split south through Colima into Michoachan to surf the epic La Ticla. 

were leaving for mexico. right now. goodbye.

Inventory:

Roof Box: 

6 surfboards

4 20 liter jerry cans full of vegetable oil

1 water pump

1 giant ass funnel

2 20L Bucket

Water cooler full of onions and potatoes

20 liters of water

1 tent

1 tarp

1 set of tire chains

1 climbing rope

2 skateboards

2 Jugs of Matte

2 Jugs of Blue Green Algae Health Suppliment

2 5L Pails of Food

Personal:

Books

Guitar (2x)

toothbrush&floss (no toothpaste)

finger nail clippers

Contacts

Towel

2 sweaters

1 pancho type thing

1 pair of pants

2 pairs of socks

2 pairs of shorts

3 shirts

In the rig: 

2 wetsuits

2 pairs boots

1 rashgaurd

5 cameras&tripod

fins/snorkel/mask

extra tie down straps

More canned food

Personal backpacks (2x)

10 pounds of white rice

2 tool kits

multiple first aid kits

semi-library

1 extension cord

3 blankets

Canola oil (clean-for cooking)

1 pair of shoes each

Plastic bag full of beans

30 liters of water storage 

Box full of food

Box full of survival/camping gear

MSR stove

Primus stove

Sharpening stones

knives -lots of em

1 semi-working spear gun

binoculars 

duct tape

fishing tackle

water filtration systems

axe heads

8 1 liter bottles of water

The truck:

1982 Toyota BJ60 498 750 kilometers on the OD

3B Converted to run WVO, No Turbo, No Power Steering, No AC

4-speed transmission

Custom rear bumper with spare 31" tire and 2 20 liter jerry cans (WVO)

Custom roof box storage system

32" Tires in rear, 31" in front.

Tow strap and Warn winch on front bumper

Manual Glowplug/start stereo

Dual Battery system (sometimes

Rhino lined interior (sorta)

Custom wooden storage system 

Spare 30" tire in stock spare location

OME Heavy Heavy Deluxe Suspension 

Carrying spare inline, fuel, oil, filters

-fan belt

-coolant lines

-fuel lines

-spare 3 port switch

-clutch master cylinder 

-oil

-brake fluid

To-do before mexico

veggie oil & containers

oil filters

inline filters

teflon tape

grocery outlet

spanish/english dict.

Diesel (tank and bottle)

stove fuel

call: Home, G&G, Lynn & Ronald, Gina&Pete, Lynn W, Caleb, Alex, Travis, James 

upload all video

inline questions

mexican insurance

organize documents

check oil

fill all water jugs

create inventory of everything and translate into spanish

Making final preperations for mexico. we're heading south on tuesday morning. 

The bike is gone and adam and I are in the truck. Staying with Stan. 

I've been traveling now since march. Been down to San diego and back, and there and back again. The time feels right to get into mexico and start the real adventure. Dougs headin back home after a few weeks in the high sierras alone and Adam and I are making out way to San diego today to get ourselves organized.

Don Poor - this guys immortal. And after a few days with him you would believe it too. Read the red letters. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Being at Jame's place for a few days has been good. I was feeling really homesick and tired of being on the road. It was really nice walkin in, realizing its Kim's birthday and having a good time with some friends. Not hanging out in a home depot parking lot while people bike past asking for a ride as the cops are on their ass cuz they robbed a store... or sleeping on the ground next to the truck cuz some girl convinced her mom to let her go to LA with 2 guys she met yesterday... still trying to figure that one out.
On my journey south from Vancouver in early September I took a few detours that took me to Cottonwood Idaho, mykens home town. middle of nowhere playing beer pong in a basement with inbred cowboys and a few cowgirls...i think... got into dave Matthews at the gorge for about a song and a half...and camped out. The nicest toyota i think i have ever seen. From there a bus ride to salem to call caleb and tell him im in town. Aumsville? what? miniramp champ? shawn? sean. Aumsville: if you skate, go there. forget lincoln city, donald, portland...dude, aumsville.
I worked out in the field laying tiles for Hilton Trenching Lmt. Ya caleb. your a savage. blew out noah's clutch. sorry noah. i might have kinda rallied it in the mud a little right before that happened... and the river was too far away to push it into as you had suggested.
Hopped on another bus to madera California. Upon arrival realized I was nowhere near where i needed to be but out of bus $$ so I ended up hitchhiking 200 miles to Mammoth Lakes (but not before someone telling me that no, it wasn't mammoth lakes i was trying to get to, it was mammoth pools. Driving 45 minutes down a dirt road and realizing it is DEFINITELY mammoth lakes. )
Anyways,
I complicated my truck's wiring even more since I have been back. there are now 3 switches you gotta mess with in a specific order and flick on and off at the right times in order for it to start. and you can turn the key the whole way either. its touchy. oil pressure is low. this bums me out. and the clutch makes noises.... but i choose to ignore this. and continue south. haha... foolish kids...
I've been thinking about finding a map and highlighting all the roads we have driven since me and doug left. or maybe even from tofino before that... wonder how many miles we have driven. truck almost reads 500 000. its time to get to san diego. were way overdue already on mexico. but its the fall soon! Offshore winds and plenty of swell. whooot whooot. psalm63.