Hey guys, been lurking here for a while and kinda in the same boat looking for DS riding buddies. At this point, I don't have a big ADV bike, just a smaller DS bike and more interested in modest paced dirt adventures. I've been hitting Carnagie and Hollister the last couple months sorting the DRZ out and getting used to it after riding nothing but 2 strokes forever.
If you guys do the Knoxville ride in January, I'd love to tag along. Also, I'm doing the Ridge Runners DS deal on NYD.
I live in Pleasanton and my office is in San Ramon, so in the same neighborhood as you are.
Experience wise, I rode street bikes as a kid but lost interest in them for a bunch of years. Got into off road riding and enduros a bunch of years ago. All my riding buddies "aged out" or moved on to other hobbies so looking for a new bunch to ride with.