I had a blast in South City. The mayor showed up, many of the city counsel members, a half dozen Vietnam Veterans, and I had family show up, family I hadn’t seen in over 10 years. It was a great reconnection. I lived in South San Francisco when I was five. My grandfather was the head  of Public Works there for years and in the audience waiting to hear me read was a woman who remembered ol’ Ralph Davis. It was like coming home a little and making it. It was really an awesome experience. To add to this amazing experience one of the Vietnam Veterans stop the reading halfway through and tell me that after 41 years of being home from his war, I was the only one to understand, I was the only one that reached him. I didn’t know what to say. That’s why I wrote the book.

Here are some photos:

I couldn’t resist sitting in the mayor’s seat

The Vietnam Vets after the reading

Here’s a Vietnam Vet talking about where he was hit with a 7.62

The audience was great. We had a great conversation.

South San Francisco, CA

I had the best time on this road trip. I took my brother Vince and my nephew Jameson. Here’s a little photo essay of the San Fran road trip if you want to see what it’s like to drive from Portland to San Fran and back.

Heading south on Day one

My nephew Jameson bored after 20 minutes

first gas stop

Saturn, the moon, and Mars

Day 2 at Sacramento River

An army of paddle boarders appeared

There’s a new Bay Bridge. They’re selling the old one to China

San Fran

Alcatraz

tourist photos

food photos

selfies

Bay Area

traffic

My never-ending search for Americana

Americana

Americana

Shasta

I did not know that parts of Oregon and California want to form an independent state until I drove through it.

back home

Rogue River

Vince tricked me out of my coffee while driving