Talking to Tala and Michele, they explained that the whole family is riding coast to coast on bicycles to dramatize the fact that we don't need to be using all the oil we use now. Mostly though, there was lots of playing with kids. That was part of the strategy, because as Vernon said "everybody likes kids." They already have some heart warming stories of the kids opening doors to discussion.

Special guest photographer Tala borrowed my camera to take some pictures. She got some neat looks out of people.

It's certainly true that a young photographer opens people up in a way that I just don't.

In keeping with the organic nature of their trip, they hung their laundry out to dry after washing it. When I got there in the morning Vernon was hanging stuff to dry. I left my bike parked there when we went up to Oakland.