Without getting a phone number, an address, or even a last name, Zan and I gave Drew and Kelly almost all of our stuff just before leaving Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, on Highway 1. We’d all camped there the night before, despite laws, regulations, and other useless obstacles.
Zan and I barely knew Drew and Kelly (we also barely knew each other), but we trusted them to advance nearly all our stuff forward a hundred miles to San Luis Obispo, where they’re both attending Cal Poly University. I knew we could make some serious jumps between invitations in at the Treebones Resort (25 miles south), and then at Moonstone Landing Inn (another 35 south), before resuming Couchsurfing with shorter walks of 20 & 15 miles to Morro Bay and SLO, respectively. I found a way to stuff everything I needed into the many pockets of my outdoor pants. Zan carried an old military cargo sack, circa 1964, which he’d picked up for five bucks at some surplus store.
Not only did Drew end up e-mailing me immediately upon his return to San Luis Obispo, but after we arrived to SLO, he and Kelly took us out to eat, showed us around, and totally went out of their way to be of assistance to us. I spent 2 nights at Drew’s place, and Zan spent three. What a great, fun crowd he and his friends are!
We sent the majority of our valuables forward with Drew, never really doubting for a second the safety of such a move. I’ve just done the same thing again, upon leaving SLO: I’ve sent my camping gear forward with Zan, who will be leaving the country back to his native Australia this Sunday, January 31st. He’ll be staying with Alexandra, the friend of a friend of a friend I briefly spent time with in Santa Cruz. I have yet to meet Alexandra, but she found me via Facebook, invited me to stay with her as I pass through Santa Monica, and without yet having met her, I’ve advanced many valuable possessions forward to her (in addition to Zan). Again, I have no doubt about the decision– just a fantastic feeling of faith in the great people that continue to cross paths along the way…

Kelly, Megan and Drew greet Zan & me over a meal they provide to us in a locally-owned, delicious, healthy-food San Luis Obispo restaurant.
Interestingly, Drew revealed to me here that as he was explaining my story on the phone to his mother, who lives in Southern California, that she somehow was already aware of my story, and finished it for him… (that’s quite the rarity– but the fact that amazing things always happen on the road isn’t at all rare )

Kelly obviously carries a better camera than I do!

Drew’s camera is better than mine too!

Drew & Friends take Zan & me on a rainy day beach excursion!

Drew, Kelly and Megan introduce Zan & me to SLO’s Bubblegum Alley.                Bubblegum Alley is a local tourist landmark in downtown San Luis Obispo, California, known for its accumulation of used bubble gum on the walls of an alley.[1] It is a 15-foot (4.6 m) high and 70-foot (21 m) long alley lined with chewed gum left by passers-by. The locally created, “most-talked-about landmark” covers a stretch of 20 meters between 733 and 734 Higuera Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.