Connan, give me a holler when you head to Dallas. I'm in Plano, on the North side of town. I'll point you to the shops and groups to ride with.
What part of Cali are you coming from? I spent 9 years on the outskirts of La La Land as a kid, and have made several trips to So Cal and to the Monterey area in the last few years. Great places to visit.. :-)