More later



NOGALES, ARIZONA

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2004



Promptly at 7AM, we and our caravan buddies (18 rigs in all) "rallied around" the wagon master for our Mexico briefing. With a united b-a-a-a-r-r-u-u-u-m "on cue" from our wagon master's CB, we were "outa' there". (A senior's version of an Indy or Nascar competition featuring 30-40 foot motor homes, freightliner designed cabs or "souped up" pickups pulling 5th wheels.)



Our Wagon Masters are Cliff and Ruth Ann Fremstad. Our Tale Gunners are Bill and Carol Plaut. Cliff is retired military and after retirement, he and Ruth Ann purchased "The Constellation" a 100 foot staysail schooner, that they operated for charter out of Key West Florida. Bill is retired from the Washington DC Dept. of Corrections, and a licensed Captain who, for many years, chartered his own fishing vessel. Carol, is a retired school teacher and former Mary Kay consultant. The two couples are super organized, excellent hosts and hard working. We feel privileged to have had them as our hosts on this our "maiden" caravan.



As indicated above, this was our first "outing" caravan fashion. As most of you know, Ken likes to be "captain" of his own ship. His parents never taught him how to "follow the leader". In this instance, it was the only way he could get me to agree to his Mexican "foley". After reading about and hearing of many instances of what seemed to me an "abuse" of American citizens unfortunate enough to become involved in an accident while traveling in Mexico, I invoked my own personal embargo. In a "black is black and white is white" demeanor, my atittude is "when Mexico cleans up their act and provide Americans with the same respect that we provide their citizens in our country, maybe I'll go to Mexico!" Of course, the Mexican government are most assuredly distressed about my independent embargo. Nevertheless, one has to draw a line in the sand someplace. This is mine of one! Ken, seeking a compromise between his "yearning" to travel to Mexico and my principles, suggested the caravan and convinced me that there is "safety in numbers". In my "sweet and loving" wifely way, I agreed. (He owes me one!)



Our Saturday excursion to the border to complete our paperwork in advance of our crossing the next morning proved to be a wise decision by our Wagon Master. Our caravan was waved through the border crossing with a happy and welcome smile from Mexico's "border cops" and we were on our way. With the exception of the inconvenient "topeas" (Mexican road bumps) our entry was without incident .



As part of their assistance in preparing us for the trip, the wagon master"s staff arranged for representatives from a Mexican bank to come to the hotel and exchange our American money into Mexican pesos the day before. Thus, we were "moneyed" and ready for our first "toll repository".



As we "tope-ed" up to the toll booth, Cliff announced via CB the amount of his charge, which prepared the rest of us for what we might expect to pay. The amount varied by motor home size, "towed" or not, pick ups with 5thwheels and for the Freightliner cabs, number of axles. There were a total of three collection booths en route to our first stop, San Carlos, which amounted to a total of 300+ pesos or approximately $30.+ dollars. Our exchange rate was in the neighborhood of 10.75 pesos to the dollar.



The road was four lane all the way, with the exception of a few places where road work was in progress. In those places, two way traffic shared the opposite side of the road. There were some "rough" spots in the road but all in all to Mexico's credit, the toll roads are not much worse than California 's, which of course, is no great recommendation as those of you who have traveled California's roads recently can attest.



We stopped for our first "animal" break shortly after 8 AM. This also provided the "humans" with a welcome "potty break" as a result of the excess coffee required to get us "motivated" at 6 AM. We had a second morning rest stop, lunch at noon and an afternoon rest stop before arriving at our first stop, San Carlos.



From our coach, the trip went smoothly with only two incidents of "dispute" by way of a blaring horn s from our native hosts. One, a bus driver who apparently thought Ken was intruding on his "line" in the road and another from a "mere" car who did not choose to permit Kens merge into his lane. When I asked what happened to create these exhibitions of "outrage", Ken assured me of his innocence and suggested that the other drivers were greedy.



The Mexican countryside from Nogales into Guaymas and San Carlos is more beautiful than that of the Baja where we have previously traveled. The homes and ranches seemed well kept, moderately affluent and in some cases "downright" bountiful. An occasional callabero (sp -Mexican cowboy) on horseback was noted as well as one on a mule with hay strapped alongside. A photo opp missed!



We traveled through Guaymas and into San Carlos, arriving at the El Mirador RV Resort around or just before 4 PM. The El Mirador Resort is definitely a "Gwelda Park" (a designation reserved for parks meeting the high standards of our friend, Gwelda, who only travels first class) in its amenities and its beauty. Each space overlooks the marina and bay with a gorgeous view of the Sea of Cortez. It has a first class restaurant, club house, pool, Jacuzzi and all of the amenities are first rate. Gwelda, this one is for you!



At the welcome dinner hosted by the Wagon Master and staff, we learned that the El Mirador was built by a Mexican who immigrated to the U.S. and achieved the American dream. He returned to Mexico and applied his riches and talents as a contractor to build this beautiful RV resort to the American standards with which he was familiar. It is truly a beautiful resort. Unfortunately, he and his wife were killed in a plane accident flying into San Carlos in December. 2003. The resort is now run by his nephew, an American, who seems to be adhering to the same high standards sat by his Uncle. This resort is definitely not a sample of the Mexican lifestyle but for those who prefer it, the "real Mexico" is just a short drive away.



Our first day concluded with dinner at the restaurant on site. It was first rate with a choice of shrimp, steak or fish. The shrimp was said to be heavily spiced with garlic, but very good, the steak "chewy", but tasty and our fish was excellent. My initial reaction to our first day in Mexico by RV was positive. There was little to dislike and much to enjoy with beauty and convenience the rule and only a few ruts and topas in the road sto remind us of home. During the night, we were visited with the bathroom habits of the angels (a good rain) but by mid morning all clouds had cleared and the day basked in sunlight and clear air. Now to the real test, exploring the locale.



SAN CARLOS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2004



Ken was up and out at 740AM en route to the boat for a ½ day fishing excursion. I slept in, enjoyed a leisurely morning updating THE GAZETTE and relaxed. Ken returned from his outing, sans fish, at 1230 PM. A disappointment but alas, he enjoyed his outing.



In the afternoon we joined Ruth Ann and Carole, for an excursion into town and a view from Bahia Esmeralde and a tour of a Mexican version of Walmart. A visit to a pearl factory had been on the schedule but it was "Mardi Gras" and the factory was closed. After our visit to the "Mall", Ken and I advised Carole that we were going directly to the marina and that we would meet the group there for the sunset cruise. With a few minutes of time on our own, I talked Ken into a "spur of the minute" drive to downtown Guaymas, for a first hand look at the city and its inhabitants. Once on the main street, we discovered that the townspeople were preparing for the Mardi Gras parade. Afraid that we would become hopelessly mired in the reveling about to get under way, we decided it was in our own best interests to conclude our sightseeing and drove toward the marina.



As we drove to the marina, I saw Carol and other members of our group stopped, and fearing a problem, I ordered Ken to stop. We waited as Carol and one of our group approached the car and when they were alongside, I asked innocently if they had a problem. Indeed, they did and it was us. As we are prone to do, we had not made our intentions clear. When they became aware that we were not following them, they stopped and while Carol stayed with Dale and Tammi, Ruth Ann went back to find us. We were very embarrassed. It was not our intention to be inconsiderate. It had not occurred to us that they would be concerned. We tend to be adventurous and independent which in this instance became thoughtless inconsideration. We apologized profusely and our hosts were wonderful in their acceptance of our apology but nevertheless, we learned a good lesson. Of course, our children long ago adapted to our acts of disobedience.



Once back into the fold, we drove to the marina where we "window shopped" and puttered until our group arrived in readiness for the sunset cruise. The sunset cruise overflowed with food, drink and fun. Bill and Carol (our tale gunners) were aboard our boat and Carol's entertained us with her rendition of the macrarine as everyone enjoyed the margueritas, snacks and entertainment provided by Carol and the crew.



We motored out for a view of the town from the bay and admired the beautiful homes overlooking the Sea of Cortez and the "yachts" anchored in the harbor while we waited for the "setting of the sun". The cruise was well worth the minimal investment with the boat captain and "ships host" making it a most pleasant and memorable evening although a pesky cloud interfered with a preferred "perfect sunset".



After our sunset cruise, we gathered at a nearby restaurant where we enjoyed a lovely dinner with a choice of entrees including Mexican combination, fish, fettuccine or chicken. Another delightful evening arranged by our erstwhile staff. With a good night to all, Ken and I retired to our home on wheels, in preparation for our early morning departure from San Carlos.



BAHIA DE KINO

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2004



We departed San Carlos 8 AM and made our way through sleepy streets onto the highway bound for the Western Horizons Resort at Kino Bay. We traveled a rural roadway through what appeared to be rather affluent grape vineyards, farms and ranches. We met and /or were passed by many trucks and locals going about their daily business, all seemingly friendly and welcoming to the American tourists who regularly invade their daily lives. These roads were not as well traveled or maintained as those from Nogales to San Carlos and though not so many topeas, there were lots of "rough" spots. These roads could definitely use some TLC and they are definitely worse than California roads. However, the view and the landscape was worth it as children waved and an occasional smile could be seen as we passed by.



We had been warned that the last 14 miles of our trip would be on a dirt road, renown for its "washboards" and dust. This warning was not "ill advised". As we entered the turn off into the road to the Western Horizons resort, we were advised to detach our "toweds" for the drive into the park. I drove our "towed" while Ken followed the other motor homes. The vehicles pulling 5th wheels brought up the rear. Ken and I communicated via two way radios as we crept along at a speed of slightly less than 10 mph. Our trip from San Carlos to Bahia de Kino took 3 and ½ hours and the drive from Bahia de Kino into the Western Horizons RV Resort took another 1 ½ hours. Ken felt that the road was not as bad as he had expected and he did not seem put off by the drive in. However, if one has not driven over rough and bumpy desert roads, these roads could definitely be a "put off". As the driver in the "towed", I was very bored "creeping" along and several times I "radioed" Ken to just wake me up when I needed to make a steering adjustment. He did not think that would be a good idea so I managed to barely stay awake for the "trek" in.



Our site overlooked the Sea of Cortez and, according to Ken, the Island of Tiburon which lies between Kino Bay and the Baja. It is a beautiful location, though rustic with a desert atmosphere and minimal amenities. There are no stores, restaurants, bars or fast food establishments. There is a swimming pool, jacuzzi, laundry and minimal "emergency fare" as in milk, bottled water, beer, sodas, etc should one be caught without the proverbial "staples".



The wagon masters and tale gunners topped off the day with a "welcome margarita party" after which we had hamburgers cooked by Ken on our grill, played scrabble and watched "ABOUT SCHMIDT ". Satellite reception at Kino Bay is marginal at best and our satellite receiver did not meet the margin. Thus, we are without "live" television via satellite. Life is tough! Our parents warned us about days (or nights) like this.






WESTERN HORIZONS KINO BAY

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2004



This morning the wagon masters and tale gunners hosted a pancake breakfast for our group. I don't know if all tours are treated as good but certainly, Cliff and Ruth Ann and Bill and Carol have worked hard to assure us of a wonderful adventure into Mexico. They have kept us busy, watched over our safety and been absolutely wonderful hosts.



After breakfast Ken went with some of his "fellow fishermen" on the back end of a 4 wheel drive pickup to a fishing place four miles up the beach. He is also anxious to try his luck "clamming" and so far seems to think he has arrived in paradise. I enjoyed the morning "catching up" via this medium as well as just relaxing without my personal 'tour guide" having me out on the beach or bobbing around on wash board roads.



Ken returned from his fishing expedition with two small fish which he cleaned and fileted for a fish taco or hordorve at an appropriate time. In the afternoon I took a nap while Ken played on the computer and napped. In the evening, we were treated to a BBQ, entertainment and a bond fire with "smores". Another lovely day on the Sea of Cortez.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2004

KINO BAY

After our usual breakfast of orange juice, cereal and coffee, I rode with Ken down to the beach where he was ready to try his skill at "clamming". We met some winter residents from Gunnison, Colorado who are spending their third year here at the park. They enjoy it and have been here since before Christmas. They shared their story about the Copper Canyon "piggy back" train trip which seems to be a highly favored adventure as a suggested RV trek. That trip varies in length from 16-38 days with five days spent on a flat car for the trip through the canyon. This sounds like a trip that Ken will want to include in his repertoire of RV travel but so far, he has a full schedule.



As the tide went out and Ken began to get more serious about "clamming", I decided to return to the coach to catch up on some chores. Ken returned with a few clams which he prepared for his lunch along with the fish filets from his fishing trip of the day before. The afternoon was spent relaxing, checking out the pool and in "quality time" with each other. Our wagon masters and tale gunners again hosted a margarita party with hordorves and an ample supply of steamed clams from the morning outing.

Ken was anxious to hear more about the experiences of Cliff and Ruth Ann, their sail boats and their stint in the charter business in Key West, Florida. We invited them over to share a grilled tri tip roast hot off the BBQ and they graciously accepted our invitation to "break bread" and share their many travel adventures with us. They brought with them a five minute "promotional" video of their boat which was a vision of beauty under sail. We spent a delightful evening hearing about their adventures bare boating in Florida, their sail to Spain where they sold the boat and their travels through Europe, to Australia and New Zealand and their many RV explorations. Cliff did two tours of duty in Viet Nam, and after retiring from the military, he and Ruth Ann spent three years in Alaska where Cliff worked for Continental Telephone. They have lived an interesting and varied life. We enjoyed their company and we hope that we will see them again as we travel the roads and by ways of "Fantasy". .

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2004

KINO BAY

Our last day here and we chose to "sleep in", have a leisurely breakfast, enjoy the view from our coach and relax. Those more ambitious joined in a nature walk and later, a group met to do some crafts with sea shells. I updated the GAZETTE while Ken worked on taxes (a real downer amid all this beauty). In the evening our stay in Mexico was topped off with a "potluck" to get rid of any fresh food items that we cannot take back across the border. We have two bottles of wine which we will "donate" as well as Ken cooked some spaghetti to go with the meat balls that I brought along in the event a "potluck" was convened.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2004

KINO BAY - NOGALES

Saturday, departure time was 7AM and, as usual, Ken was up and "raring to go". We went by caravan from Kino Bay to Nogales. There, we stopped briefly to bid goodbye to our "fellow travelers" and once again we were on our own. I drove the "towed" for the return trip over the 14 mile dirt road to the pavement where we connect the towed. By 830A, we were at our "real" embarkation point and ready for our drive home. There seemed a lot more activity in the little towns and villages along the way than when we arrived, undoubtedly because it was market day for many. It was a beautiful drive through the countryside that seems to lack only sufficient water to be as productive as our own agriculturally rich country. As we drove along the by ways of Mexico, we wondered to ourselves whether or not Mexico's high level of poverty may be because of their "laid back" work ethic. Though I think that our society hates to acknowledge it, personal productivity does determine our level of financial independence. Certainly, opportunity must exist as well. Brains are a plus but good old hard work can raise a persons perspective. We wondered aloud whether a poor country is the result of a poor work ethic by its citizenry. Is an individual's productivity gaged by "minimal" needs a factor in poverty? This was one of many scenarios over which we bickered as we traveled through the Mexican countryside from Nogales to Kino Bay and return. We saw many luxury homes at the beach but few lavish appearing haciendas in the countryside. How many of those luxury homes at the beach belonged to wealthy Mexicans and how many belonged to wealthy Americans or other foreigners was undetermined. At any rate, this part of Mexico showed well. I didn't see it as too much different in appearance to the small farms in Southern Indiana where I grew up. Perhaps a closer look would change my mind. However, I acknowledge that the view from the road does not present a clear picture of the "hard life" that may exist within.

Just outside of Hermosillo, we encountered a bad accident which required us to detour from our planned route. A local policeman graciously escorted us around the town, and did his best to provide our caravan with an easy route with minimum inconvenience. We were deeply appreciative of his effort and it reflected the other side of the Mexican hospitality that is often lost in the stories of incidents created by a few "bad guys" who take advantage of the American tourists.

In the meantime, one of our rigs was confronted with a flat tire and they had to drop out for repair. Our Handy "tale gunner", Bill, stayed to help them with a "quick fix" while the rest of us followed the wagon master now led by the policeman. Once we were through town, Ruth Ann, the wagon master's first mate, went back to direct the "ailing" rig and tale gunner, through the by pass that we had just followed. While we relaxed and had lunch, Ruth Ann along with the two rigs that had undergone "emergency care" caught up with us and by the time our lunch break was over, we were ready to move ahead caravan fashion with all rigs on board..

Our last stop was a quick "potty break" for the animals as we were now running about two hours later than originally expected. With the animals "pottied" we were ready to head for the border and the usual "customs" check. Ken elected to take the road through town which turned out to be a "not so smart" move but our clearance through customs was quick and easy, once we arrived at the gate. We stopped in Nogales briefly to say goodbye to everyone and headed for Sierra Vista where we expected to spend the night before coming into Saint David this morning.

Unfortunately, we missed our turn off for Highway 82 and made the mistake of pulling into a driveway where we thought we could make a turn around with little problem. This turned out to be a very big mistake because we did not see the drop off with a big rut. The coach hung up with the back end on the top of the rut and the wheels off the ground. Ken disconnected the "towed", dug out the dirt from around the back end of the coach and tried putting some boards under the tires all to no avail. He finally got the idea of using our jacks and putting wood under the wheels in the hope that would provide enough traction to move the coach. That didn't work but a man from a business nearby came over and offered his assistance. Ken again used our jacks to raise the coach and with the extra blocks provided by the very nice man, we were able to get out of our "little mess". Just as we finished and Ken had reconnected the "towed", the road service that we called arrived.

We gave the man who helped us a nice tip (which he wanted to refuse but we insisted) and the owner of the business came out and offered to let us stay for the night in his protected yard. He said he didn't want us trying to find a place to stay when there was plenty of room there and the place was safe and secure. We took him up on it and were glad to have had our little "mishap" handled in a favorable way and especially grateful for the concern and help of the business owner and his employee. I don't know if we are getting old and everyone feels they must take care of these "tottering old fools" or what, but we have been extremely lucky with the many helping hands that come our way. We are deeply appreciative of all those acts of kindness. We hope that somewhere in some way we are able to repay these kindnesses.

So, that was our final day of our Mexican trek.

Jay Gramlich, put our adventures to "rhyme" and graciously granted me permission to publish it on the web. Jay captured the essence of our week and the frivolities that we shared in rhyme and his wife, Billie, seemed very busy with her cameras. I'd love to see the final product of their combined genius of pictures and rhyme.

ON THE WAY TO KINO BAY

February 20th was the date

That we hit the Nogales Super 8

The group arrived from every direction

Mostly from the west, but far away as Michigan

The parkinglot was full of RV's and cars in tow

It soon become obvious that everyone was ready to go

(And the margueritas flowed freely)




Cliff and Ruth Ann led the pack

With Bill and Carol way in the back

The first days travel was long with several stops

The camp ground at San Carlos was the tops

The evening group dinner was peaches and cream

the moonlight cruise was really supreme

(And the margueritas flowed freely)




Boat number one had the most sway

that's why Claudia ended up with J. J.

Boat number two had Chewie and Carol

The maquerena by Carol was really a thrill

(And the margueritas flowed freely)

Then came Tuesday and San Carlos farewell

Then on to Kino Bay on the road from hell

Margueritas flowed freely and the bay was a delight

The camp ground was serenaded with music by fire light

Anniversaries of Kirby and Bobbie, Gary and Pat

Celebrated by cake that made everyone fat

(And the margueritas flowed freely)

The pearl factory was scrubbed and tghe clams hardly showed

But the day was beautiful and the margueritas flowed

Friday dinner ended with everybody's garbage

Saturday too son was the day to portage

On to Nogales and home again

Thanks to our leaders for the great spin

Quips and Comments by #7 (Jay Gramlich)

"SAINT DAVID, FRIDAY
February 20, 2004
Well, as promised, the RV was done late Sunday and we were glad to get out of El Paso on Monday and into Saint David from whence we depart on the Mexican leg of this trip. We are going in a caravan and thus, we meet our tour group in Nogales on Saturday morning. It is no big journey but from what we have head, it is an adventure in "rough roads" at least the last14 miles into the resort where we will spend the bulk of our stay.

Our week has been spent in doing laundry, cleaning and preparing for our adventure with Ken packing spare tools and parts for handy access should they be needed during our brief travel below the border. He has installed a safe in the RV for safe keeping of valuables, a lock on the gas cap of the car, cleaned the coach and car and reorganized his "basement". What a busy buddy!

It occurred to me during this week of "non events" that some of you might wonder what the RV lifestyle really encompasses. I thought that this might be a good time to give you a "birds eye" view of life with the Burns' on the road - or as Ken calls it our "nomadic life".

First, let me make it clear that there are different levels of RV life. There are Gwelda (first class) parks, medium priced parks and parks with minimal facilities but with water, electricity and sewer. In addition, for those occasions when one really wants to enjoy America's natural beauty, there are camping places in National and State Parks. Though many of the parks that we have visited have had water and electricity most are primarily "dry camping" (outside toilets, cold showers and bare bones amenities).

We own a membership in a RV Resort Association which has 26 different locations throughout the United States. The business plan is similar to a time share except it is ownership in a RV resort which shares its space availabilities with twenty six other RV resorts owned and operated by the Association. Most of these member parks provide extended services and amenities but some can be somewhat "rustic". As a member of the Association, we can stay for two weeks, be out a week and then go back for another two weeks anywhere within our association of parks. . For us, as recreational RV'ers, the value of the membership means that we can space our travel for a week or two in one of our member resorts which allows us to catch up on the laundry, do our deep cleaning and relax before going on to our next destination. We have visited 12 of the 26 resorts to which we have "membership privilegs" though it is rare for us to spend more than a few days at any site.

When we are on the road we tend to stop at parks that extend special rates as a result of our "membership affiliations" and not all of them meet our Gwelda "measuring stick". However, these are usually one nighters and I rarely leave the coach during these stop overs. When we are in an area that we want to spend some time, relax and enjoy the surrounding area, I prefer a "Gwelda Park" which has all of the amenities complete with continental breakfast and first class service as well as facilities. These tend to be "pricey" so a visit to what Ken calls a "Gwelda Park" tends to be a special treat for me or one chosen for the specific area and its "entertainment value".

Our destinations tend to be membership or affiliated parks. We provide our itinerary to Terri and she forwards our mail to a specific park for our arrival. Our overnighters tend to be budget oriented with a simple place to pull off the road and rest. We have even been known to spend a night in a roadside rest (in States where an overnight stay is permitted), Walmart parking lot (Walmart is extremely accommodating to RV'ers), Elks lodge or similar "RV accessible" parking facility.
We are completely "self contained". We have refrigeration, microwave/convection oven, television (satellite) and cell phone. We turn on our generator, power up the batteries and zippo all of the conveniences of home. We have 100 gallon of water, two holding tanks, hot showers and a queen bed. If we are en route from one destination to another, it does not make sense for us to stop, connect and go to all of the trouble of setting up camp only to fix a bowl of soup, watch the news and go to bed. However, since our trip to Canada last summer, I have laid down some 'travel law". No more than 300 miles per day - roughly translated depart by 10 and stop b y 3. Under these provisions, we are more alert to RV facilities and our travel is guided accordingly.

When we visit National or State Park sites, we generally plan to spend a few days visiting the park and enjoying the beauty of the locale. Park sites tend to be more roomy, private and relaxing but the parks are as expensive as staying in a medium priced resort and usually, with fewer amenities.

Perhaps you are wondering who our fellow travelers are? Mostly retired people from all walks of life. We recently heard the CEO of our Resort membership relate a story that he shares with business people with whom he is negotiating. "The professional retiree with a four million dollar estate and the retiree with a couple of hundred thousand dollars in their 401 K have one thing in common. How much does it cost and what am I getting for my money? When I retired I suddenly became aware of the fact that my 'earnings" were no longer based on my ability to produce income but rather, I was suddenly subject to a "fixed income" dependent on our money management skills. It was a sobering thought and one that cannot be cast aside. I think the retiree is constantly alert to "how much do I have" and "how much will I need". These are sobering thoughts and retirees must gear their lifestyle to their means. In our explorations around the country, we have met retired school teachers, professional people, military, government employees and business owners. We have met people with small van conversion vehicles to the ultimate million dollar rigs such as the Prevost. Our common bond is travel and a shared wanderlust. I have been surprised at the number of "full timers" that are on the road. These are people who have sold everything, invested in their RV and taken to the road.

To me one of the most interesting observations of RV life is the "old boy" network that flourishes within. Common "getting to know you" phrases run from "How do you like your ____ (name of coach - in our case Allegro)? What kind of motor to do you have? How many miles to the gallon? From there, a full background evolves about the questioners rig, where he has been, where he is going, how long he has been Rving, what he did in the past and whether or not they are full time or part time. These conversations can lead to a refreshment or just a visit.

In our club parks where people are apt to be residential for a week or so, there are planned activities, BBQ's, Bible study, arts and crafts as well as pools, jacuzzi's and exercise rooms. It is neither "poverty oriented" nor class distinct. It is the nomads of retirement satisfying their curiosity about their country and their urge for travel. Most of them are examples of the good people that have worked all their life for this brief moment of retirement and they reflect the values of America, as I knew them in my childhood. I have yet to see a single "mooning" or bare bather. But then, I haven't looked, either.
To sum it all up, RV travel is interesting, you meet all kinds of people and there is no shortage of stories. It is neither the "be all to end all" nor distasteful. It is a way of life and like life itself, one settles in. I guess I have settled in but I still look forward to going home and catching up on what is happening amid the comfort of my "adobe". Suffice to say, I have no urge to be a full timer.

On Friday the 20th, we arrived at our departure point in Nogales Arizona Friday. We learned that there would be 18 rigs in our caravan into Mexico and we were directed to the Walmart parking lot where we "dry camped" for the night. Saturday morning we all met the "wagon master" and "tailgunner" for preliminary briefings and completion of paperwork before climbing into our respective "toweds" and heading 20 miles to the "port of entry" to file our Mexican paperwork for travel into Sonora. Two fellow "caravaners" rode with us as we fell in behind the "wagon master" at 1030AM. Once we had completed our paperwork, at the entry point, our group chose to proceed back to the "rally point" and not wait for the "wagon master" who had to wait for everyone to complete the process for entry. As we came through the Mexican town of Nogales on our way back to the border we misread a sign and followed a road through a Mexican neighborhood that we soon discerned was not the USA. We quickly returned to the highway , convinced that our attempt to save time had probably made us the last to arrive back at the rally point. We arrived back at 130P, a full hour or more ahead of all the others. Our mornings effort accomplished two things. We completed and filed the paperwork necessary for entry into Mexico thus, getting it done prior to a travel day and we experienced an indoctrination into the Mexican lifestyle. We learned that one needs to stay calm, keep cool and be flexible.

After lunch and completion of the rest of our paperwork, we met for a group meeting and discussion of our travel itinerary for the next day, exchanged our dollars for pesos and met our "fellow travelers" for the next seven days. There are 42 of us in total, including the "wagon master" and his wife and the ""tail gunner" and his wife. There are two couples from Kansas, two couples from Colorado, two couples from Colorado, four couples from Oregon three couples from Washington. The wagon master and the tail gunner are both former "captains" of charter boats and I am sure by the end of the week, I'll have a lot more details about our "comrades on tour". In the meantime as I write this, we are relaxing in our "living room, watching television, charging the batteries and preparing for our 7 AM departure in the morning.
Have a good week and, hopefully, next Saturday when we return to the States, I will be ready to post a summary of our next seven days. In the interim, have a good week. Our thoughts and best wishes are extended to our friend Bruce, who will undergo surgery on Tuesday and to my nephew, Steve, who is recuperating from back surgery.
Until next time adios.

THE WEEK AT A GLANCE
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY




Well, this was a week of unfulfilled bliss. It started out with our departure from Rockport on Monday, the 9th. It was cloudy and the weather threatening as we "cranked up the diesel" and took to the road. We planned to stop in El Paso for some routine maintenance work thus, we decided to leave a few days early to allow plenty of time to complete the work and meet our caravan group for our Mexico trek. Further, rain was forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday and we wanted to avoid as much weather as possible.


We took Highway 181, a more rural route from the Rockport area into San Antonio. It was more interesting, with many small towns and ranches. I love the open spaces of Texas but I like to be reminded that there is human habitation. We stopped for the night in Junction Texas and "dry camped" beside a river just inside the city limits. It was a pleasant overnighter.


Tuesday morning we awakened to dark clouds and rain. We drove through the town of Junction and stopped for breakfast at what appeared to be the "town meeting place". After breakfast with the "natives" we boarded our "bus" and made our way through the passes over the hills and into the valleys in a steady rain and growing limited visibility. As we made our way over the highest pass, the fog was extremely heavy but it was short lived . Once we were through the pass, the fog lifted, the rain ceased and the clouds broke. By the time we reached El Paso, the weather cleared and blue sky welcomed us into the city. We stopped outside El Paso and spent the night in the coach at the Freightliner yard in preparation for the work to be performed the next day.


Unfortunately (or fortunately) an oil leak was found in a gasket in both the motor and the transmission during the routine inspection. Freightliner, the manufacturer of our chassis recommended that we have it repaired under warranty. We agreed though it would mean an extra day in El Paso. It took the rest of Wednesday to get approval from the engine manufacturer, Cummings and the transmission manufacturer, Allison. Once approvals were received, parts were ordered and work was to start on Thursday with completion scheduled for no later than Saturday morning. This meant that we would have to spend the next two nights in a motel.


Thursday morning we packed our "ditty bag" and off to a motel went we. We found a Red Lion down the road and decided that should be a good place for two nights on the road. Well, we learned that we have become very spoiled and dependent on our own bed. The bed was terrible and neither of us slept well.


The next morning we decided to check out of the Red Lion and if we had to spend another night in a motel, it would not be with a "lumpy" bed. Freightliner thought that possibly, they would be able to complete the work on Friday and that a second night in a motel might not be necessary. However, Friday morning it was raining, cold and freezing with intermittent snow flurries. Traffic on I-10 from Van Horn West was halted and as a result, our parts did not arrive. Had we left Rockport on Wednesday as planned, we would have been caught in the road closure. That knowledge took the sting out of having to spend another night in a motel.


What can go wrong, will and a belt that had been ordered for the coach didn't fit, so another night was spent in a motel. From all of this one might assume that we have fully explored El Paso. Take it from me. It is a thriving border town, well laid out, well planned and growing. Everyone is very nice, there are many good restaurants and Texas hospitality abounds. However, in my view, it is a good city to pass through and I do not plan to leave anything here.

We hope to depart El Paso late tomorrow, Sunday, February 15, and make our way into Saint David on Monday in preparation for our rendezvous with the caravan group and our week long trek into Mexico. My next posting will be upon our return, February 29. Until then, I will be trying to capture in prose our adventures and explorations below the border. Adios for now.

SATURDAY JANUARY 31, 2004

Ken was up and "at em" at 4AM in preparation for the anticipated arrival of his new fishing buddies at 445A. Since I was not going along, they offered to pick Ken up for the drive across the bay and the fishing boat. Mind you, I ignored the alarm, the preparation of breakfast (cereal) and the peck on the cheek? that heralded the departure of my ?royalty? at the appointed hour. At 8ish, I began the ritual of preparing to meet my day? and finally, succumbed to the ?mad rush? of solitude with vitamins, pills and coffee ? all in that order somewhere between eight and nine. What a life! Early morning it was overcast but the overcast burned off by noon and it was a beautiful day with temperatures in the mid-seventies. Couldn?t beat it with a stick.

In reading my last GAZETTE, I discovered (in addition to several typos) that I referred to the ?snowbirds? as Texas winter people. Wrong ? they are called ?Winter Texans?. Sorry about that. I continue to be surprised at the number of RV'rs who are full time. They sell their house, all of their belongings, buy a RV and take to the road. The men seem to love it but I think that most of the women are just doing the "Ruth? thing" "Your people shall become my people etc etc etc." I don't think they are really liberated females "just dutiful" but frankly, sometimes it is hard to identify the REAL "trail boss". Often it is the women who seem to be "in charge". This phenomena has been a revelation to me. Many years ago we were involved with a "motivation" group and one of the books on the recommended reading was a book, the title and author of which now escapes me, that made the point that it is the women who really rule the world. I believed it then (and that was before the women?s lib movement) and I still do. Men only think they control. As I watch these rv'e'rs, I have become even more convinced that they just drive the bus ? the real power is in the navigators seat!!!! (Mind you ? that isn?t true with this coach because if I claimed all that power, I would lose my "edge". So "if you don?t know me well, you might assume that I am a 'submissive'" wife? Now that is a question to ponder.)

Back to the resident fisherman. He left at 445A and returned at 730P. A long day to say the least but he came in happy as a lark though "fishy" smelling. His return was gleeful and "talkative" as he said "I just had the greatest fishing day of my life". The weather was nice, the fish were biting and although the boat was too crowded for great fishing, he thoroughly enjoyed his day on the high seas. He immediately undressed and took his shower and I put his dirty smelly old clothes in a trash bag outside. Sunday?s dinner was a baked potato, green beans, fresh tomatoes and steamed Pompino (I think that is what he called ?em) cooked on the barbie. He also caught two large king fish but they need a lot of "attention" in the preparation process so he gave those to the park for a fish supper that they are planning. Apparently the ?chief cooks? at the park have more experience with kingfish. The only Kingfish I know anything about is the one that I used to hear on "Lum and Abner" or was it "Amos n Andy".

Sunday night we had a Texas style storm with fireworks, rain, hale and thunder!!! It rained hard for 30 minutes or so and then tapered off. Tuesday, I learned first hand that this Texas clay is really "slick" I was walking on a "gravel" path perfectly upright until I inadvertently hit a patch of white clay that did not look wet but held a surprise of sort. Before I knew it my feet were moving as ?fast as sound? and my "obese ridden" body did not keep up. I gave up trying and sat down (gently) in the "mud". Not a pretty sight and certainly not a ?graceful? exit to my former horizontal position . My once clean jeans were no more and had to be ?shelved?! I rushed back to the coach to change my clothes and repair by ?wounded ego?. Fortunately, nothing but my ego was hurt! One just never knows what surprises may lie ahead when they start out on the most innocent of excursions.

Monday, we moved our coach to a very secluded and beautiful site next to the lake. During a walk on Sunday we passed by this location and Ken said to the resident, "you have the best spot in the park". During our conversation, we learned they were leaving the next day. Ken rushed down to the office and requested a move and as they drove by on Monday morning they ?"onked" to let us know that the space was available. Ken was ready and with the "honk"we were outa there and movede. It is truly a beautiful spot with squirrels playing in the trees, an alleged friendly alligator patrolling the lake front and lots of shade if the sun ever shines again.

After our move, we went out and about, had a barbecue beef sandwich from a little shack along the highway which was recommended as the best BBQ in the area. It was reminiscent of a shack called the "Poor Man's Bar" that we visited on our first trip to the Virgin Islands. This little business did not have a bar, but it did have good food with minimal overhead. After our lunch, we drove to Port Aransas, took the ferry over to Padre Island and did a ?walk through? the bird sanctuary. That was it for Monday.

Tuesday we drove back to Port Aransas to a restaurant called ?The Big Fishermen? for their Tuesday noon special ? all of the chicken gizzards, livers or country fried steak that you can eat for $1.75. We were shocked when we arrived to find a long line waiting for seating but the line went fast ? about 15 minutes. When we came out, an estimated 100 people were in line awaiting seating. We chatted with a fellow diner at the table next to us who told us they estimate that they serve 2,500 to 3,000 people on any given Tuesday noon. We believed the estimate, judging from the crowd on this particular day. We had eaten dinner at this restaurant one night last week and it was good. We would have gone back even without the ?come on? and it has become our favorite sea food place so far. Of course, we?ve only been there but needless to say, it is a good restaurant with ?evening? entertainment on weekends.

Wednesday, Ken was seeking a special connector to install his new ?antenna? so off to Corpus Christi we went. (About 30 miles). He quickly found one that he thought would work but now that we were in Corpus Christi ? it was necessary to do a little sight seeing. Of course, the port was a must see and the afternoon was spent roaming the docks and piers of Corpus Christi. There was little or no traffic, no one on the docks. It was strange. Rarely have I visited a major marina where there was as little ?action?.

We drove back the "ong way" or "scenic route" which was through Padre Island and we did a scenic drive through the National Park but it was getting late, the fog was coming in and it was time to get back to the home on wheels. We vowed to do a day at the beach later in the week.

Thursday morning, we packed an overnight bag, climbed into the ?towed? and drove the 180 miles to Brownsville, Port Isabel and South Padre Island. South Padre Island is a beautiful spot across the bay from Port Isabel with many high rise hotels and time share accommodations to ?lure? the happy tourist. We chose to spend our ?night out? at a new La Quinta motel on the beach. Ken went in to check on availability and check in while I waited outside in the car. He came out pleased as punch. Got the room at the special rate quoted, included a "happy hour", continental breakfast, i net availability and right on the beach. I said "What floor did we get?" He responded, happily, "first". I said, "Oh, no view huh? -- His enthusiasm waned and he said, "I didn't even think about that -- I just thought "how lucky, we won't have to fool with elevators! " We exchanged chuckles. Sometimes it just pays to accept what you have. No doubt the further up you go the more expensive it is likely to be.


Afer a walk on the beach and happy hour we came back to the room, freshened up and went to Port Isabel for dinner. I chuckled when we arrived at the restaurant (on the pier, of course) and I said, "Oh, yes dear, "where would you like to have dinner tonight?" Ken thought that was funny! When we are at the seashore, it is always his choice ? usually a pier where seafood is the speciality and the view is good. Of course, after dinner we had to walk the pier and check on the fishing catch of all the fishermen. It was quite pleasant -- actually warmer than a California pier during the summer (unless there is a heat wave). It was 74 here today and it was 63 tonight. I walked on the beach without a coat and was too hot with a light pullover. It is supposed to get down to almost freezing Saturday morning so it can get cool but it doesn't last -- weather is very much like Florida and a lot less people to distract from the beauty. There are retired and older people but they are not as "frail" as a lot of the residents in Sarasota.

It is a long drive down here but once here, it is beautiful. Texas can definitely get a little boring because it is sooooo flat. I love the open spaces but I have to admit, there are a lot of miles between the sights and scenery. When we are traveling in the RV, I usually read but I don't read in the car. The best thing about all of the open space is the absence of people. California is too crowded at least in our neck of the pavement.

I am pasteing this from South Padre Island where I am lucky enough to be on a "local area network". So there you have it for this week.

Ken loves the white pelicans



Views from our house in Rockport