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I, along with a few friends (including Warren Tom in his Whaler) will be departing Sacramento the morning of Thursday June 24 for a four day run to Half Moon Bay.

In Alameda we will take part in the Outboard Motor Shop's Open House and stage a powerpoint presenation on Saturday afternoon about 4:00pm.

The plan is to make the trip as much like the trip around the east coast as possible, to that end we will not be making any hotel or mooring plans and will be self contained to sleep on the boat if necessary.

This is one of at least two test trips we will take to get ready for next summer's run around the east coast (Key West to Boston to Chicago to New Orleans). If anyone would like to join us in their boat for part or all of the run from Sacramento to Half Moon Bay you are cordially invited. My son Jack (7) and John Bertch's son William (11) will be along for the voyage so kids, and sitters, are certainly welcome.

Itinerary:
We will spend Wednesday night in Sacramento, leaving late morning Thursday (as of now, John Bertch is arriving on the red eye from Hawaii Thursday AM) with plans to arrive in Stockton Thursday late afternoon. We will arrive in Alameda on Friday June 25. We will spend Saturday at the Outboard Motor Shop's Open House and will give a powerpoint presentation about the book at 4:00pm. Sunday, weather permitting, we plan to run to Half Moon Bay for breakfast before returning to SF. After spending Sunday night in San Francisco, we'll head back to Sacramento Monday AM (unless of course we stick around to watch the Dodgers beat the Giants).

Our only commitments at this time are the Open House and dinner at a person who read the book and invited us to dinner in Stockton. Other than that, as my mother is fond of saying, we are embarassingly free.

We will be taking lots of video and stills and posting them on a number of sites.

Please shoot me an e-mail at mirassou@verizon.net if you have an interest.

Thank you,
John Mirassou

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Sounds like a good time. Keep us informed for next year. I am in South Florida and would be interested in hooking up.

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Mirassou, you'll discover pretty quickly when you sleep on your 17' that it isn't quite as spacious as it was when you were 20+ years younger. Lol.

I can't wait to see the trailers from this "mini" trip you're about to embark on.

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If you do the east coast trip, I have a summer home in Holland MI, where I keep my '76 Montauk, and would love to hook up. I could put you up for a night or two, or provide other support if you need it. Saugatuck, MI would be a real fun stop for you guys as well- a big party town right on the water.

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Wow Paul, thank you. Have you seen the "Sizzle Reel," as it is so called. If you have not, below please find a link. The American Spirit is truly alive and well. I believe we have a place to stay in every state along our route. Thank you so much for the offer. See you next summer! (Running with the positive thoughts).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6njqtahjBFA

Oh, and Cliff, when did you guys in Texas turn into such sissies? The bow of the boat is a great place, for my son, to sleep.

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Yep, saw the reel, read and loved the book,even bought one for a buudy. By he way I have three tall blond teenage daughters, so my offer of accomodations is not an offer I would have made if you were still as young as wjhen you did the first trip! Hope it works out!

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Learning alot on our Test Trip.

Over packed. Lots and lots of wires (cell phone chargers, computers and camera wires, DS wires. Time goes by very quickly: 132 mile run from Sacarmento to Oakland. Left Sacramento 8:30, stopped for fuel, lunch, to fix gas tank malfunction, to waterski, to check out Mothball Fleet at Suison Bay (sp) USS Iowa is there. Rough, wet trip through San Pablo Bay. Rough, wet, cold trip through San Francisco Bay (Wow, how I love Whalering). Arrived at marina in Oaklnd, 8:30pm.

Line of the trip (thus far). We'd just pulled into the Oakland/Alameda Channel. We're tired, wet, cold and hungry. I asked my seven year old how he was doing, he replied "I wish it were Wednesday."
I immediately thought he wished the trip would end so he could be home. Neverously, I ask, "Why?
"Because I want the trip to start over."
(We had departed Oakland for Sacramento last Wednesday.)

John

PS Head to San Francisco today for the last leg of our voyage.

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If anyone has a hankerin'. We've posted video of days One and Two on the Only In America website. Some flattering, some not so . . . Out of gas and lost is never a good position to be in. But, thank goodness for the generosity of complete strangers. There's a few photos as well.

Video of days three and four are forthcoming.

www.onlyinamerica.biz

John

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John,

I consolidated all of your posts into this thread so people don't have to look for multiple threads on the same subject "Test Trip"...

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Thanks Joe. Appreciate the help.

John

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Days three and four have been posted at [url]www.onlyinameric.biz [/url] and click on 2010 Test Trips

Oh, and what we learned:
It's amazing when traveling 100+ miles per day how often you find yourself alone with one or two 50-foot+ sailboats. Beautiful summer afternoon and the only boats out are large sailboats and a 17-foot Whaler.

If you think you can do 125 miles in six hours averaging 25 knots and stopping for lunch, think again. It takes 8-9 hours, stuff happens.

Need to figure out a way to secure a laptop so it doesn't get beat to . . .

Gloves, gloves are good (wam hands).

The American Spirit is alive and well. To that end, we need to film a lot more. First day people were bending over backwards to help us out. We were to busy accepting the gracious hospitality to film the gracious hospitality.

Still the best way to travel!

John

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John, I've watched all the clips and I must say.....I am truly impressed. If just four days in California is that good, I can't imagine how great the circumnavigation of the East coast is going to be.

Good luck!!

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Thanks Cliff:

And, again, we didn't film one of the best stories, too worried about getting fuel. After we were "lost and out of gas," and the tug boat guys gave us fuel, we made our way back down the Deep Water Channel (originally built so large ships could make their way to Sacramento, and now closed where it reconnects with the Sacramento River). Thirty-five miles downstream we found some semblence of civilization and stopped at a fuel dock.

I walked into the bar/restaurant located at the marina. The place was packed as they were having a b-day party for one of the bartenders. I asked a guy sitting at the bar if I could get fuel?
"No the fuel docks closed." He replied.
"Anyway way to re-open it tonight? We really need fuel." I asked.
"Why, where's your trailer?"
"Oakland."
"Oakland! What size boat are you in?"
"A 17-foot Boston Whaler."
"YOU CAME FROM OAKLAND IN A 17-FOOT BOSTON WHALER?" The comment was loud enough to be heard over the noise of the bar, prompting a few other patrons to join the conversation.
"Yeah, we went up the Deep Water Channel to get to Sacramento. . . "
One guy interrupted me mid-sentence, "Well hell, the Deep Water Channel's been closed for 20 years."
"If only I would have talked with you three hours ago," I said with a smile. "And, we still need to make our way to Sacramento tonight"

This exchange started a flurry of activity, and, please keep in mind, everyone was having a good time talking, enjoying the party. One guy offered to drive us to his home where we could pick up his gas cans. He then explained how he could drive us to the nearest gas station, about five miles away, where we could fill the gas cans and he could then drive us back to marina.

Meanwhile, the first gentleman I spoke with picked up his cell phone and walked out of the the party, leaving a coveted seat at the bar, so he could get reception. After finally finding a spot, about 100 feet away, he called the owner of the fuel dock. That's when the owner climbed in his car and drove back down to the marina where he unlocked everything so we could get some gas.

Only In America