He did so, and made the trip successfully, going with Padre Serra from San Gabriel as far north as Monterey.
On his return, the Viceroy, Bucareli, gave orders that he should recruit soldiers and settlers for the establishment and protection of the new Mission on San Francisco Bay.

We have a full roster, in the handwriting of Padre Font, the Franciscan who accompanied the expedition, of those who composed it.

Successfully they crossed the sandy wastes of Arizona and the barren desolation of the Colorado Desert (in Southern California).
On their arrival at San Gabriel, January 4, 1776 (memorable year on the other side of the continent), they found that Rivera, who had been appointed governor in Portola's stead, had arrived the day before, on his way south to quell the Indian disturbances at San Diego, and Anza, on hearing the news, deemed the matter of sufficient importance to justify his turning aside from his direct purpose and going south with Rivera.

Taking seventeen of his soldiers along, he left the others to recruit their energies at San Gabriel, but the inactivity of Rivera did not please him, and, as things were not going well at San Gabriel, he soon returned and started northward.

It was a weary journey, the rains having made some parts of the road well-nigh impassable, and even the women had to walk.