January 20th, 2017
Huatabampito, Sonora, Mexico
Time marches on it seems.....we've been gone for over two months already and it seems like we haven't even gotten started. I guess that's how leaving for ten months or so isn't really such a long time since it passes so quickly.
We never did see any stars from the observatory, it was just too cloudy. It was a nice place though and we may return. The drive to Green Valley was fairly quick and we made it to Tom and Kathy's place in the early afternoon. So great to see them again. And they now have a little dog named Billy Bob who was a sweetie.
We went out to dinner at a great little Mexican restaurant that does a great business and makes swell margaritas. Had a great time catching up and we weren't surprised to get the drift that they wouldn't mind maybe moving back to Kauai.....that place does get to you. And they lived there for forty years so I can imagine how they feel. Their place in Green Valley is really nice and they've made lots of friends and both have fun jobs.....so I'm sure they'll be fine no matter what they decide to do. We shall see....too bad we won't be there when they visit in a couple months. Told them to drop by the PPP and I hope they do.
We made our way down to the border and had our first excitement in making the transition from America to Mexico....it's always challenging. We didn't take the truck crossing, as we should have, but instead went to the regular car crossing and were told to turn around after we were half way through. That means going through a side gate and getting into the line to enter the United States and we really didn't fit. Which is why they turned us around. After a super tight squeeze and a chat with the American officials we had to go down this skinny barricaded lane with a bar overhead that was not overhead enough. Oh well, didn't need that old antennae contraption anyways....no one uses those anymore. Made a bad noise though.
We decided not to even look at what we'd done and just drive. Crossing the border into Mexico is always unsettling. We've done it several times before but we know it's going to be a challenge. It's just so different and it happens so fast. I mean, seriously, we're not five miles down the road before we're noticing that the arrows painted in the left lane of what we believe to be a four lane hiway and is the lane in which we are traveling are all of a sudden pointed towards us! Huh!? Mike starts to get into the right lane and thankfully didn't because the car right at our right rear bumper is the Federales! They ignored us but it gave us a start. Those arrows meant nothing by the way.
We made it down to the check in place and did the paperwork for our six month visas and the truck import permit.....got some pesos. The exchange rate is over 20 pesos to the dollar. The last time we were down it was only 12....so this is good for us but not so great for Mexico. We drove to Santa Ana, which is only about 75 miles down, and stayed at a little place we've been to several times before. The RV Park owner, Edgar, gave us the sad news that his wife, Ana, had died a few months before. We always talked with her a great deal on previous visits. Sad. He's lonely and not much business coming his way. I signed the guest book and there weren't but ten or so visitors in a months time.
Interestingly enough, I knew the first one on the list. It's a couple from when I was cruising in Mexico in the 90's, Marty and Tasca. Had to be the same people. They listed their phone number and I called and spoke to them and hope we can meet up down the road. They also had an Abyssinian cat when we were cruising and, like us, have another one now in their motorhome.
Next day we made our way to San Carlos which is a place a lot of gringos stay for the winter. It's not that far down and the weather isn't bad. It's an easy place to go to Mexico for the winter without really going to a lot of trouble. We stayed several nights at the big park there called Totonaka. Right as we were parking a storm came through and poured rain for a few hours and the wind blew....chilly. Unusual weather for this time of year. Unfortunately the only place I could find to watch the Seahawks lose in the playoffs was outdoors under a palapa and I froze to death. And the loss sucked too.
We went for one more night in the area to a little community called Miramar which is across the bay at the Hotel de Playa de Cortes. We've stayed there many times. It's a beautiful older hotel and we were glad to see that they were doing some upgrading in the lobby and pool areas. They have a huge number of RV spots but hardly anyone is ever there. I think there were three others and that's the most we've ever seen. We ate dinner in the hotel restaurant this time and for the first time ever. It was good.
We did a bit of shopping in the morning and started out for our next destination. We had decided on going to Alamos which is a Puebo Magico (some kind of historic distinction) and is in the mountains. I'd been there twenty years ago and it was charming and supposedly was way nicer now. The big white entry gate you see in the photos is the entrance to town. But upon arrival at the RV Park (the sign still said Hotel and RV) we were informed that the RV portion was closed. Opps! Long drive outta there and it wasn't all that early in the day.
Alamos was towards the mountains from Navajoa on the main highway about 57 kilometers and the place we usually go to, Huatabampito, is about 75 kilometers the other direction at the beach. And it's hard to find. And if we screwed up we'd never get there before dark. Well, I put it in my phone's navigation app and that nice lady took us all the way there without a hitch. Saw the sun go down safely parked and pretty tired.
I can't believe that my phone works so well. And the navigation working down here is a true miracle. Mike's phone, however, wasn't up to the task and is cancelled so don't try calling him. Do try calling me as I've no idea if an incoming call will go through because for the week we've been in Mexico no one has called, to my knowledge. Text and data work too except the data is slower and videos are so slow as to not bother trying.
We paid for three nights here. Tonight is the third and we're staying at least one more. It's just so nice though it could be warmer. It's a little chilly when the wind blows. We're right on the beach right next to the Sea of Cortez. There are shrimp boats and pelicans and a restaurant and nice neighbors. Aja doesn't know what to think of all the sand and an ocean.....but it's the birds and the dogs that mostly get her attention.
We'll probably have dinner in the restaurant tonight. In the past it's been pretty good. The sunsets have been marvelous. We'll get up the energy to go further one day soon.
I still am suffering with that pinched nerve or whatever. It's a bit better....or maybe I'm just used to it. No long walks for me but I'm trying.....took two short ones today so far.
Mike is just reading on the internet that it's minus 59 degrees up in Alaska....guess I won't complain about the cool breeze here at just under 27 degrees north latitude. Only about 150 miles from the Tropic of Cancer. It'll be too hot down here before we know it.....or maybe not if we never leave this beach.
It's appearing that not as many folks are doing this RV thing down here....at least that's what we've seeing so far. There are several other vehicles here but it's been slow and this a usually a popular place. It's usually mostly Canadians but we have two other American couples here and only one Canadian at the moment. People next door are from Whidbey Island and this is their winter destination stopping place. The other two will go further but not near as far as we plan to. Hope we don't come across too many places that are closed when we're depending on them to be open.
That's it for now. Aloha and Adios and God Bless America.....it's been an interesting day in our great country. Here's to hoping that the new regime is a positive thing overall for everyone. It's going to be a big job to say the least.
Gayle, Mike and Aja
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