On Tuesday night I stayed in Bakersfield with Francine and her family. From left to right: Rosa, Becca, Francine and Carl. They were all very nice. Francine has had 300 surfers in three years! She told me a few stories about amazing people she's had stay at her house. One was a young man who lost a father, a brother, and his only child, and was wandering the country in search of some kind of relief. She told him to go to Yosemite and it really changed him; she said she keeps in touch with him to this day, and he now has a girlfriend, a job, and a life. That was the best story. She's also had cyclists, people searching for themselves, and more.
She keeps a golden leatherbound journal, which she asks each surfer to write in. It's amazing to see so many thank yous in so many different scripts and colors, and with different things stuck inside: little cards, drawings of flowers and people, and more. It was beautiful.
When her daughter turned 10, Francine started taking her on road trips--"I took her to one new country and one new state every year," she said, "and nothing bad ever happened to us."
The two girls in this picture are from Korea, and are staying with Francine and her boyfriend while they attend school in California. They hope to stay with her family all year.
The smiley faces mark all of the places Francine and her daughter have visited together.
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