Pin it. After waking up on the 3rd with residual hangovers from the night before we decided to get home and get home quick. After packing the wagon, we sat down in the car only to find that it wouldn't start. Usually it would have been a sinking feeling, but after a week in full freestyle mode it was hardly even a problem. Securing a jump start from Miles and Leanna, we headed to the local auto parts store for a new battery. A quick swap out and an even hastier lunch and we were ready to roll. With the surf diminished, we stopped at a couple shops and decided that it was time to get moving. Skipping a stop in Costa Mesa we headed to Ventura. Our stop in Ventura was passed up also after finding that our would have been host was in Cabo. With blurry eyes from the nonstop drive from San Diego to Santa Cruz we pulled in around midnight, happy to be home. Crawling into a real bed was ecstasy, so much better than the cold sheet metal floor of Betty. After a good nights sleep, 4th of July was taken full advantage of, sitting around in the sun with friends and reflecting back on the trip. I find myself happy, filled with lessons learned from being on the road in such close quarters with a good friend. Freestyle highs and lows, managing to keep it together when running on empty and finding that there's always another person out there with another interesting life, story and perspective. Sometimes it's as simple as having a full tank of gas and getting out on the road, even when you don't have any idea where you might end up. Viva la freestyle! -Carl
