HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING I surf. I host. I try to build community here in the valley. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE Couchsurfed in Baltimore while taking classes to be a sailing instructor. Roadtriped and couchsurfed from there to Santa Cruz, CA where my friend Russell and I couchsurfed together for a month or so and teaching sailing. I've had surfers over from the US, Germany, France, Israel, Romania, and Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland, Brazil, (forgive me if I've forgotten some). I have surfed Russia, Thailand, Vietnam and the US of A. I made some wonderful friends in Hanoi and Bangkok through couchsurfing, some of whom I now regard as family. Most recently, a lovely CS took me all the way to Siberia in the middle of winter. Such an adventure. My fiance Maria and I hope to have a couchsurfing honeymoon in Ireland and possibly more of the British Isles next year. Oakdale is a cool basecamp for Yosemite trips. Being right at the center of California it's not too far from anything except maybe LA. I guess it can also be said that its actually pretty far from everything.

My favorite book is the one I am reading or hearing at the moment, whichever it may be.