I'm not in Cali...but I'm with "blue."
TAKE THE COURSE! I just went to the DMV to get my M-class, but I still took the class twice! (no I didn't fail...I actually score perfectly on both the written and riding test both times
)
You will learn a whole lot more in a weekend, than you will in over 1 yr of riding. The instructors in Cali will have plenty of pointers on how to survive! As a bonus, you will become a better driver too. You will be more alert and involved in the task of riding or driving. That was probably the most important thing I got out of the class.
The small fee you pay may mean the difference between life and death. TAKE IT!
(In Illinois, the course is "free." But I'd still pay for it. You actually send in $20 to hold a spot in the class. At the end of the class, they give you the option to get you money back, or donate to the program. If you donate, you get a t-shirt. That was how it was the first time I took it. I can't remember the second time, as I was a walk-in. I guess they didn't offer it to me because I didn't pre-register.)