Spring Break

Having heard of USA's spring break phenomenon over the years, we had never experienced it. Not that we went out and partied with the college youth, but we did get a little exposure this past weekend when droves of young people came to Peurto Penasco. 

I have no photos of this time, or the wrecklessness we saw on our way to El Captain Restaurant (La Casa Del Capitan) on Saturday evening. On our way to pickup friends from there RV park we saw so many people on Quads & ATV's on the road turning in front of us, blocking traffic, going in-between vehicles, and all with little or almost no clothes on. Drunk? I'd say so, and crazy like I had never really expected or realy experienced before, except at a pit party in the past, or drags on the highway years ago. 

Mexico and the lack of consequences, or rules makes this the purfect play place for these spring breaker's. I heard one statement as we yaked about this on Sunday "If you can get to the bar they will serve you" I shake my head, I'm thinking I'm old alright, I just can't imagine this when I was young. Closest to this was grad drunk, or a house wrecking party 🥳

I think I just didn't get out much, at least not like this. So wild on the way too the restaurant, and even Wilder on the way home when dark. I was driving, so trying to just get through the mess without hitting anyone, or getting hit. Happy to say we missed them all. Lots of music 🎵🎶 Saturday and Sunday night to 4am or more. I slept through the Saturday night, but Sunday I woke at 1:30 and was awake till 4:30, then awake by 6 as was a travel day. 

I am happy to say I experienced a small bit of what the spring break is like, and will remember to not be where it's happening if I can avoid it in the future. Not that I didn't like looking at the young girls with little on, just not up for the wild drunken crazy behavior. 

Yep I'm old now, and fine with that, I hadn't fun, didn't get on a quad, or ATV. I took my chances too, but not with this machinery. Cars, we raced around in cars when I was young, and luckily I didn't have any bad wrecks. 

I've said before I'm lucky, and watching the performance this weekend makes me glad I didn't have a quad to play with, I may not have been luck with these and drinking! 🤪

Tuscon AZ now, back in the good ole USA today, the trip through the boarder was uneventful, with a friendly boarder guard for a change. Saying goodbye to Rock Janine and Nugget was a little sad, we have gotten used to the happy hours, and the laughing. 

We will be together with Mike & Sharon, maybe till Alberta, who knows. Then the summer will come, and east we plan to go. 

I'll miss Puerto Penasco, the beach there was fantastic,

and the last day at Wrecked at the Reef was great, warm no wind, and a fun group to be with. 

Happy hour was always fun, with so many laugh's. Will remember these times always 🤗❤️

Last night's happy hour was a little more subdued, we were tired, and I haven't had time to meet everyone here in this RV park 😀

I did hear a guy playing guitar 🎸 and singing, have to check that out tonight if he's still here. Our view is different, was very quiet last night. Mike & Sharon are happy, 24chanels on the antenna here

Emotional start to the day today

Woke at 4:30 am today, feeling refreshed know I won't be able to sleep again so up I get, pee wash my face and make coffee ☕ next on my agenda. Warm in the house this morning, no need for furnace to take the cool away. Put on fireplace for a few minutes to just make it toasty. 

Looking through Facebook and saw a post someone had put up, by Dan Fogelberg song was "Leader of the band" I've heard this song before, but really listened this morning, the video photo was kinda like this

Lyrics were coming up as the video played. I'm not sure why it hit me today, but it did, and set the tone for my early morning walk. 

We leave here tomorrow, has been a nice time here, renewing friendships from a couple years ago, and making new friends as we go. Enjoying the beach and surrounding area, shopping and restaurants, Wrecked at the beach planned for our afternoon today will be fun, band playing on the beach, good food, friends, and sunny day. What more could I hope for on our last day here. 

Happy hour after will be our last with the nucleus of 3 couples we have been traveling with since the early part of January, Rock & Janine going West. Mike & Sharon Polly & I going to Tucson. 

Had to go for the hot tub after the cool beach walk this morning. Now writing here 😎

Traffic going by in the gravel, and birds singing, Tony & Loki stopped by on their walk & said Hi. Wrecked on the beach today 👍 they'll be there. 

So quiet now, what a great start to my day.

Just met a couple this morning staying here, had not seen the hot tub before, funny they been here awhile too. Had a good chin wag with them, talked about San Carlos, he wanted all the road travel info, sounds like we might see them there next time. He shook my hand, and said pointedly, " You Canadians are the most friendly people" that felt good, of course I had to say " I find that people are friendly wherever I go!" 😄

Margret just after me about the cinnamon buns Polly's baking, Marg such a great person. We have had much fun here, friends are our gift as we go. 

Such a wonderful life we live 🤗♥️ 

Love this life 😍

 

I write a Blog

I learned something yesterday, not only are people reading what I write here, but they are seeing mistakes in my diction. I do write as I speak, so some of what I put here is intended, some is just I don't look up the word. 

Just so you know, I'm not illiterate, and spell check is on here 😄 😆 most of the time I'm intending to write as I do. If this bothers you please read on past the part that bugs you, and enjoy the parts, thoughts I'm trying to pass on to reader's of this blog. 

Peurto Penasco 😃 is a beautiful place if you can look past the mess, or better yet accept this is how Mexico is. The beach is wonderful here at Playa Bonita RV park. The short time we are here, 2 weeks isn't long enough, almost over before we start it seems. It takes a week to just start to really appreciate the place. 

Spring break is on right now, so an influx of people from our start here made the park feel crowded, full, then yesterday the groups evacuated in droves. Many areas empty now,

   Was packed here yesterday all cleared out

 we have been told this weekend will pack them in again. We are going to leave Monday, so will see what the road out will be like, going to come back here again I'm sure.

We are all planing our leave now as only 4 days left till we move to Tucson, so we all started thinking about it and planning which route we take, where we are staying, what's next! Funny how this happens, like a switch going on, one person starts talking about it, and the change happens. 

So last night before we went to sleep Polly says, "You have to check the springs tomorrow!" I hit a big Tope at the traffic circle on the way into Peurto Penasco a little fast, didn't see it, so Polly's worried there may be damage. I'll look today. 

We shopped and got a few last things, Tee-shirts, vanilla, was fun at "Rodeo drive" so much easier to shop there that at the high pressure sales at the Malecon. This is an area outside, or on the edge of town that has all you could want in a vacation shopping mall, but all outside, well under cover, but a nice warm sun on us as we walked along the edge of to road, then duck in here for a look, and move along, and duck in again. So many shops I want to go back again. And I'm not much of a shopper lol. They have stores with so many seashells, I was amazed. 

I bought a couple small starfish to finish a mermaid I have been working on. 

I finished it yesterday, but didn't get a photo, will have to do that today. 

        Here is the final result of my fun art

        I think the starfish helped finish this.

While we were in town Rock got a call from Janine, Julio was here and Janine wants to get a other shell art piece for there sister, also my frame I ordered was here too. So thankfully Sharon had some $$ and sprung for it, we paid her when we returned. 

       The Sea horse I made is framed now

         This is the one I bought for Polly

       Ignore the stain, I laid it on the counter

Julio's work is more detailed than mine, but Polly loves them both, and so do I. ♥️🤗

Taken 3 days to write this, we have been busy. Christopher was home this morning, I was surprised when I saw him calling me, then I answered and Colton was on the screen, hey you home? 

workers wife having a baby, so he drove him home a day early, was a nice surprise for me to see Chris and Colton early this morning. The guy's wife had there baby before he got to the hospital, all good though. 

We had a fun chat, and Colton was full of energy, playing and aggressively after his toys when Chris put him in his huge fenced area he has for play. Was a nice surprise visit 👍🤗♥️

    Today more beach, I just can't get enough. 

Tomorrow going to La Casa Del Capitan on the rock by the lighthouse, will be a beautiful view.

Kinda sad to leave here now, the weather is warming up as we are leaving, Tucson will be nice 👍 though, and lots to do and see there.

Looking forward to traveling again 😃 👍

Love this life! Our Life ❤️🤗

What a drive that was! 3 trucks 3 trailers in a row. 🚛🚃🚛🚃🚛🚃

              leaving Totonaka RV park

San Carlos Mexico to Peurto Penasco, Mexico

Was an early morning start we left by 7:30am all in good spirits all looking forward to getting to our destination, not really the long drive. Was mostly uneventful trip this time. Highways were not too bad till the last stretch from Santa Ana to Peurto Penasco. Then the I don't wanna be here now creeps in to your mind as the day gets long feeling. 

Santa Ana has a left turn to highway 2 and as you travel through this part of the town there are people trying to sell there vegetables in the center of the road holding up asparagus & clear bottles of some sort of pepper 🌶️ or olives not sure as I was mostly trying to steer my way through without hitting another Tope, people, or cars that come out from side roads like they aren't going to stop. Polly is always jumping up and taking deep breaths as we go through a town. 

We stopped for fuel ⛽ in Santa Ana and moved ahead a bit to another station as they thought they could charge us to park and have a sandwich in the stations lot, bugger that we moved to the next bigger station, parked and ate as well as fed the dogs there that were begging, got a soft spot I'm our hearts for the very skinny dogs around there. 

After our sandwich & a short rest off we go for what seems like a nice 2+2 lane divided highway till Caborca, then it changed. Through the town it seemed to take forever, Alto 🛑 stop was every 1-2 short blocks, broken up by the road going down in to a lower area then up again like going through a huge ditch, flood control. After awhile the signs got further apart and the road turned into the narrow, rough highway we remembered from our last trip here in March 2020.

No pictures this trip, I was the leader of this trip, and driving left little time to think of photos, I do have some in my mind though. Desert mostly, and as we got closer to Peurto Penasco the road got worse in some areas, rough edges, very steep from the road to the ditch sometimes, and of course the potholes, dodging these were a job in itself. 

One of the nicest sights was the water in the distance as we got closer, then the building's in the distance, we know we're close now, and I'm sure we all just wanted to be there now, still a 1/2 hour yet to go. 

We took a different route this time, Rock suggested it, and turned out to be a very good plan. Went around the heavy traffic areas and with one unexpected tope at the roundabout that as Mike said "all 4 weeks were in the air" gave us one heck of a shock as I was looking to get into the roundabout and make the turn, I didn't see the tope and nether did Polly till the last second. 

We got to our destination without a hitch, altered the GPS on the go & Bonito RV park was on the right of the last round driveway. Ahh, the office now, and where do we go, what your booking us in now? We have had reservations for months, and your now trying to get us in? The guy's says you're lucky to have spots, the place is full, this is best we can do. Not near the beach, but all together. 

No to pay, nope don't accept visa, cash or check ✔️, WOW that was a surprise. So today I'm going to get cash, as a cheque seems antiquated to me now. We will need some more$ anyway. 

Our sites are backed up to each other, not as we would like, but all's good now. 

We all setup, neighbors are wanting to meet us, as I'm really interested in getting the trailer hooked up. Rick is one neighbor, the others I'll have to remeet today. 

Tired, and ready for a break we sat outside till the sun went down, and got reacquainted with friends we haven't seen for awhile Glen & Margret, friends we had met in San Carlos in 2020. Seems such a long time ago. We had some hugs, and after a few laughs, and having them meet Mike and Sharon we walked down to Puesta del Sol, a restaurant in walking distance down the pathway along the front of our RV park. 

          This morning sun up was great

Dinner was great, cheers to meeting again & new friendships being made. An odd thing happened at dinner, everybody was very happy with there dinner, no complaints! Food was hot and all see ed at the same time. Drinks were cool, and the waiter was great! Made for a very nice ending to a tiring days end. 

We walked home, and Marg and Glen went to there site at a park beside ours, and bed was next for me. What a day I think now as I write, we are here, Tony & Christine we will reconnect with today too, people we met in 2020. I saw there is a poker game sometime this week, going to check that out sure. 

Beach is beautiful, sun is out, I'm a coffee ☕ away from going outside again. 

What a fun life, love our life ♥️🤗

Getting old and taking pills to make your body work better.

I have thought about this much as I grow older. You get a problem, you try to figure it out yourself, or go to the doctor 💊 pills, tests, or specialist. This seems the way it goes when you get older. I'm beginning to not want to go to the Dr, for a few reasons. 

I 🤔 think, can I solve this myself? Is it worth seeing a Dr? What's he going to do? Is it going to improve my life, or tie me down to Dr appointments every month? 

Then is my medical condition going to hold me back from traveling? Will it cost too much to go? Will I be grounded due to ???

Should I just live with what I have and avoid telling the Dr, the insurance company, everyone? 

As life goes on I realized that first it isn't getting easier, prettier, or better in many ways. Freedom to move about was my dream in our old age, and covid along with the restrictions the people in charge of our governments and health department instiduded on us changed travel immensely. 

So my reaction was, where can we go? What can we do? We went north as far as we could when boarders we're closed. Forward to now, boarders open and away we go again.

 Well I'm here now in Mexico, and happily walking the beach 🏖️ in my shorts going merrily about my way. I know my knee hurts, am I going to try for a knee replacement like the Dr said I would need? Lol not likely, as that would put the brakes on for sure. 

I'd have to stay in BC waiting for an appointment to see a specialist, then an appointment for knee replacement, then time to heal. You know what I say to that! So what then? 

Our government medical restrictions are not friendly to travel. 6 months away, 7 in BC if you ask, once every year. Then you have to return for 6 months before you can go again. If you want you can apply to go away for 2 years, if you return anytime during that 2 year stint, it's finished, and you can't get another 2 years for 5 years. I don't understand why this is setup like this, but I do know it is. 

So now I'm thinking where can I get good health care outside BC that will let me travel? 

Why should we have to evacuate our country to get health care that will allow us to travel freely in our old age? Seems kinda screwy to me. But, that is the way it is. Am I going to try to change it? LoL 😆 not likely, the snowbird association has been trying to for years, no luck! 

So what to do? I'm looking into Mexico to have my full-time medical insurance in. Does this make sense? Work & live in a first world 🌎 country (as it seems to be called) all my life, then go to a third world country (and looking around I think Mexico is) to get health care that will give me better options to travel? 

I gotta laugh 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 to myself now,

just hang on I'ma gonna give a good laugh. 

This seems re-dick-ul-ass. What a terrible joke they play on us. Freedom 😝 I'm not sure we really have it. We can walk away from our country, then we'll be free? I didn't intend to head down this rabbit hole 🕳️ when I started writing, but here I am. 

I'm going fishing 🎣, I just can't think too much about this kinda crap. I do a little at a time, till I get frustrated, then I close the book and do what pleases me. 😃 Until my wandering mind picks up on the subject again. I'm sure more to come on this later.for now the fish🐟🐠! Lol

Condominios Tecalai Yori next to Totonaka RV

            the Pad is where the motorhome is

Our views would be this, not going to happen

 

I started out for a look at the beach from the sidewalk, no long walk today as my knee was just too sore, to a long wander around Condominios Tecalai Yori the subdivision next to Totonaka RV park. 

I was standing minding my own business looking at the sun sand & water at the entrance to the beach, when this guy comes along and starts telling the young Mexican guy sweeping garbage into a long handled dustpan that he's doing a crappy job. 

He kept sweeping, and the guy comes towards me and starts to complain about how this guy's doing a crappy job, how he knows he should do better, get a bigger broom, sweeping more, do a real good 🧹 clean up. 

I did understand why this guy was being so tough on this guy, but he commented to me, wanting my opinion, bringing me into his side he thought 😜 

That's how it starts, my plan got changed. In a few minutes of talking with Chuck I learned so much about him, his life, and made judgements about him, makes my head spin now looking back. I'm laughing to myself right now 😆😅😆

I don't know how it happens, sometimes I feel like a magnet for a story. This time there was much to learn, so much I can't remember all he had to say. He lives in Spokane Washington, my first mistake was to talk about Seattle, he corrected me on that, Spokane isn't near Seattle lol. I get a clear picture of this guy early. He was a Barber 💈 for years, and of course he brings this up be telling me I need a haircut lol. I know I do I say

 

 He then goes into how some people here are too cheap to pay his 200peso price for a haircut, they go to the cheapest barber here and get a mess of a haircut. At this time I'm looking at his haircut, thinking I didn't want him to cut my hair, military style I think. 

       I need a haircut, but not from Chuck

After he rant's a little about this he tells me where he lives, of course now I'm asking questions, how long he's been here, what his place is like, that he has an apartment rental, and guy moving in in front of his house in the driveway in his motorhome, and he has a pad he would rent out in the back of his place. 

Now I'm interested, and as I wanted to take a look around this place again anyway I ask to go with him now and take a look. So we walk along across the street past the gate, and the workers rebuilding a place in the front beside the entrance. 

He tells me as we walk about what would be included, the heated pool, that there is a library, and other activities all the time. He's selling as we go, not pressure, just getting me interested. Some of this I already knew as I had gone through here last time we were here and thought it a ice place. I went along with Chuck to look at the spot he had to rent out. 

The spot he had wasn't where I would like to stay for a month or more, was facing a huge garage, and in the shade all day. Not apealing to me, but I did as he said, and took a look, never know 😏 but I doubt it. So after he fills me in on his place, and how he has 3 Chihuahua's and shows me where they have a small hole they come outside through I bid him good bye and take a walk about looking around this place. 

Next I talk with a couple sitting outside that have a pad rented that I liked, sunny big space, nice views of the mountains. Al & Brenda from a small town in BC near the boarder called Midway. I did notice there licence on the MH. We had quite a goodgab, they been coming here for years, started out over there first, in that sunny spot then after a couple years moved here. I'm thinking that's how it goes.

 They had stayed in Totonaka before here, then graduated here, that's one of the next options if you stay here long enough. I learned so much from them, very friendly people. They still have friends in Totonaka, the visit back and forth with, really friends all over San Carlos many they met at Totonaka, and they almost all moved out, to other places around the town. 

I thanked them for all the info, and said if in Totonaka stop in at happy hour for a visit, Al said "What's that, stop in for a drink!"  Lol yes I said, he doesn't know we serve non alcoholic beverages lol 😆

I continue my walk about knowing my knee is getting worse, but wanting to make it a good look around. I walk by a guy kinda lounging out in his place with a cutie dog, so gotta go for a hi how are ya, and pet the dog. After a pet he asks if I'm just a tourist here, yup say, just he having a look around, told him I was looking at Chuck's rental pad, he said there are a few others here, "I don't want to take anything away from Chuck, but" lol 

Ron is his name, and we had a very good talk, he is on the council, and a couple drive by and bug him about being the Mayor hahaha, he did have alot of information, and his way was like selling the place to me, telling me all the benefits of the place. There is much I am interested in, but LoL But we are not going to get tied down yet. Always interesting seeing what options are out there in case we want to settle down somewhere. Not sure here is the right place, I do love the beach, and the town is very nice, just not sure I want to throw out the anchor ⚓ yet. 

I bid Ron good bye after awhile, and continue my walk about looking at places for sale, and many that are not, and have not been used for awhile. Some very beautiful places here. I did learn that after you bought here it took a very long time to get final possession, Manyana I'm told by Ron, things get done slowly. 

I finished up in the less desired area of the subdivision, close to the road, and beside the drainage ditch where smells come with the wind. Some here needed work, a few were beautiful. 

All in all a very nice walkabout, much to be learned. I did over hear at one place that was for sale 2 women talking, sounded like stuff I've heard before, about another who isn't doing as they thought she should. Can't keep that sorta stuff away, seems the more anchored you are the more that kinda BS happens. I'm happy to stay away from that.

I limp home, having spent most of the morning there, a few beautiful photos, so much learned. No big decisions made, just a grand morning walking, talking, and taking pictures. 

Life is good here in San Carlos 😎😃😁

 Love our Life ❤️🤗

San Carlos Mexico 😎🌞🌤️

We had a bit of a cloudy day yesterday, a little cooler at happy hour. Was still a nice day. The leak in our basement is repaired now, first was a leak at the pump outlet fitting, thought was solved so put it all back together after a few days with a fan running drying out the floor. 

Then Monday night Ian comes to the door, leaking again. Shut off the tap at the post, and ran the pump and no leak. So yesterday I took the wall cover to the mess of hose's off again, and with all the looking Rock did, he found the hose connection from the tap was leaking. So another washer and ta-da she be fixed. I installed a a 90° fitting there with a new washer, I call it fixed now. 

Spent the day at home yesterday, slept in to start, Polly was up before me while it was still dark. I woke at 8am. WOW 😳, that was needed I guess. Was a slow start, but did get some glueing of a few crabby parts and a pointy dried up fish to what looks like an island to make Danger Island lol 😆

All in all a relaxed day.

We went to the market in Elpalme Sunday, thanks to Roy & Sherry Little guiding us in the right direction. They have been very helpful showing us the ropes. Was a warm day, so good we were there early about 9:30am or so. We walked around looking at so much stuff, I was kinda lollygagging, everybody else made it to the end and back, I was still 1/2 way. Didn't matter to me I wasn't going to buy anything anyway. I did buy breakfast, 2 fruit 🍓 cups 🥭 one strawberry and cream, with nuts mixed in. Then a mango one. MMM 😋 good.

After the market we left separately, Mike, Polly & I in our truck, Roy & Sherry in there tracker. In the lineup waiting for the train Roy came to the window, they were behind us now 😆

We waited while the train hooked onto some more cars, then it moved fast out of the way, and off we all went. 

On the way outta town we stopped at the train to have a look, and Mike thought of getting beer at the store, but Walmart was on the way home. The train looks in pretty good shape yet, was an interesting stop. Then as we went to leave I spotted the fish market, so turned onto the road by the docks. We took a drive by, had a good look at the fish monger's, the boats and docks also the pelicans that shit everywhere. The place was a real mess. 

Boats & motors covered in bird shit

I think to myself now how in a small boat day after day it must be to fish here. What options do they have? No or little education, with fishing 🎣 or what to do to make a living. All I can think is how darn lucky I was to be born in a relatively wealthy area on this earth. With good education, and laws that help us all. So much to be thankful for. Really good to see what other's lives are like. 

On our way home we took the route through Guaymas to get a few things at the Walmart, as I went by old town I took a detour to look around there. The church you could see from far away, a huge double steeple building, in the colonial style architecture from past. We drove down a main street to the Malecon, then to the other side of the city. I turned around and went back all the way by the water towards the roundabout by the church. We drove by the church, Sunday was many cars there, all in church. The town was quiet, was a good time to have a look around. 

After this drive-by, we went back on the same main st. When I got to the intersection it is like a Y, so had to turn right a bit to get a good look at traffic coming. I saw an opening, so gunned it and across the road I went, and towards Walmart now. The light ahead turned red. As we stopped I noticed a "Polica Municipal" car beside us, they talked to us, he said I should pull over ahead, I crossed a double line, and didn't 🛑 stop at the stop sign 😳 okay, so over through the light and pull over. Now I was nervous, I had been told what was going to be expected, and was just scared. So I gave him my copied license, I had been warned not to give him my real license, he laughed. Wanted to see my real license. Then insurance, and the ticket he was threatening to write. I did remember one part that worked, that golden handshake $ that keeps him happy, and gets me on my way again. He was friendly, asked where we were staying, Totonaka RV park, that I think was a good connection, he knew of it.

Was a good lesson for me. When the town looks sleepy, not everyone is sleeping lol 😆🤣

Made for some fun conversation later at happy hour, and taught me a good lesson. Been awhile since I had been pulled over, and first and hopefully last in Mexico. 

New experiences, that's what we are looking for, and we are getting them here. Love to see so many different places, and way's of living.

Today a little cloudy to start, but a sunny day the weather forecast says.😎😃

Love this interesting Life we live 🤗♥️