Dec 27 to 31, 2013; Last days in San Felipe and adventure to Ensenada

DEC  27, Friday; Last days in San Felipe
15*C this morning and it went up to 21* in the afternoon! 
We went to check on our mail but no luck yet.  We had tacos on the Malecon, got a few grocery items then came home and we both had a nap.   The propane truck came in so I filled our tank and took on 71 liters for 501 pesos; the unit cost is 7.06 pesos.  HH at Frank’s then dinner and we read and watched the tube in the evening.

 

DEC  28, Saturday; Laundry Day
18* C @ 7 am, overcast and no wind; 20*C in the afternoon.
We were both up by 7 am and on the road to the laundry mat and market by 8!  While the laundry was going, we drove to the outside market across the highway and got some fresh vegetables.  We came back to the Laundromat and after drying the clothes, we went for breakfast at Road Runner restaurant then came home and put away the clothes.  While we were gone, Charlotte went out in the Bay with Val’s kayak.  Val decided to ask some of the girls whom had shown an interest if they wanted to go out and Linda took the offer and went out with Val.  They paddled all the way to the Malecon and back then Charlotte took another turn at it.  I began putting things away; I put the bike rack back on and loaded the bikes, out away the metal table and the hammock and got the lockers ready to receive the rest of the stuff tomorrow.  I also made arrangements with Bob and Sue to pick up our mail when it gets here and bring with them to Cabo when they come down later next month.
I washed the kayaks when the girls got back then it was HH.  For dinner, Val cooked chicken with a sauce and beans with a salad.  It was good.  Watched the tube for a while then to bed by 9:30

 

DEC  29, Sunday; Last day in San Felipe!
14*C at 7 am and sunny; It only got up to 19*C with strong winds!
After the morning routine, I began washing and putting away the rest of our stuff.  The wind picked up again; getting tired of it!!!  Anyway, by noon, everything was loaded except two chairs so we are pretty well ready to go!  We sat around for a while then at 4:30 pm, nine of us left for “PARROT’s CRACKER”, a local pub just outside town where Mark Mulligan was playing and a dinner was offered.  Mulligan is a musician whom we have seen  play in San Carlos quite a bit so it was nice seeing him again.  A good time was had by all and everyone got a dance in.  Dinner was OK and the drinks were great.  The whole evening cost us less than $50 including tip.  We came home and had a nightcap with the gang.  Everyone expressed their feelings about being sad to see us go and so are we!  It was a great way to end the day!

 

DEC  30, Monday; To Ensenada & bribe attempt
61* at 7 am, no wind; 20*C in pm
We were both up by 7 am.  While Val did her toiletries, I put away the rest of the stuff, dumped and put away the water hook-ups and the sewer hoses.  At 9 am, we went to the Vet and got Tucker his booster and bought an extra bottle.  That cost us 1100 pesos including what we owed from our previous visit.  We then went to YETMAIL and made arrangements for Bob and Sue to pick up our mail as it is still not in.  We came back to the Park, hooked up the Jeep then said goodbye to everyone.  We were on the road by 10 am!

We stopped for fuel ($136.US) outside the town then continued on.  Approx. 25 miles further, we once again had to stop for the Military checkpoint then turned left on Hwy 3 to Ensenada.  We slowly climbed to just over 2000 feet and the road was recently re-paved.  We then drove through a beautiful fertile valley and were surrounded by farms.  Then the road became rough in some spots and it was like that all the way in.  We stopped in Agua Blanca for lunch on a road side stop.  In Oro Negro, there was another Military check and  as I drove in between the red cones, I hit one.  Well, this guy got all uptight about it, came in and observed an empty bottle of beer on the seat and began to make all kinds of threat about calling the police and went on about the damaged cone (an old small cut at the base).  Finally he came out with it and asked for money.  At first he wanted $50 US so I said no way then he wanted 1000 pesos and again I said no.  I opened my wallet and offered him what I had, 160 pesos.  He looked at me then in disgust, he said to go away so that’s what we did (he didn’t take any of the money in the end).  That was a first for me in all our travels in Mexico; lesson learned!  From here we began climbing again and the road became very tortuous and narrow going through the mountains.  The scene was that a different planet.  Rocks and boulders everywhere and very little vegetations, if any.  We had 50 km of this and finally got our first view of the Pacific and Ensenada.  The traffic became very heavy and lots of stop signs, some hidden by tree branches.  We drove by Super Walmart, Costco and Soriana then turned right on a side street to our final destination today.

FINALLY, at 3:15 pm, we arrived at our campo, Estero Hotel & RV Park; we paid $160 US for four nights and are now parked and set-up with a view of the Pacific and a beautiful Estuary.  We sat out with a glass of wine and admired the sunset and the view until it became too cold.  Dinner then some TV.

We drove 164 miles (262 Km) in 4 hrs and 10 minutes at an average 62 KPH

N 031* 46.547’
W 116* 36.662
Alt: 3 feet

 

DEC  31, Tuesday; The end of another year in Ensenada
4*C at 7 am, NO WIND;   a high of 20*C.
Tucker and I went for a short walk along the sea wall.  Lots of birds in the Bay, eating and chirping away.  There is a beautiful pool nearby, a laundry room and showers with cold water only.  We drove to Costco where we bought some groceries then across the street to Wal-Mart to pick up slippers for Val but we had no luck.  We also got more groceries that were not available at Costco.  We drove back and stopped at this little place that was advertising the best tacos so we had a couple with coca cola.  They were good!  We finally came home and put everything away.  I went to the office and downloaded our e-mails then we went for a walk on the Malecon all the way around.  It is very nice and the houses and hotel are very classy!  We came home, had a glass a wine and watched the last sunset of 2013.  Dinner was a BBQ chicken we bought at Costco with potatoes and St-Hubert BBQ sauce...YUM! YUM!

Well, another year has gone by!  We’ve had a good one and we feel very blessed for the life style we lead, all the places we’ve seen and the wonderful people that have entered and enriched our lives.  Soon, it will be a new year and new adventures and we look forward to it all.  Lots of fireworks out there on the beach!

December 23 to 26, 2013; washing and cleaning before departure

DEC  23, Monday; Laundry day!
56*F @ 7 am; sunny & mid 70’s and windy in the afternoon!
We went to do laundry at our usual place and lunch while there.  Came home and put everything away and made the bed.  We stopped for some milk and a couple other things and I also bought some cough syrup.  I am still not feeling great so went for a snooze and Val socialized with the neighbours.  HH was at Rudiger and Charlotte but I didn’t attend.  The wind has picked up and it is quite a cold wind too.  After a light dinner we watched some TV and I went to bed by 9 pm.

 

DEC  24, Tuesday; Wash day!
62*F @ 7 am! Mid 70’s in afternoon!
Carlo and his crew showed up at 8:30 am and proceeded to wash and wax our rig.  They finally left around 3 pm.  All this work for $80 US, just amazing.  We gave $100, being Christmas and all!  When he arrived, he asked if he could have a coffee so we made a pot.  Val made them sandwiches for lunch.  Val went to town to pick up a couple items for tomorrow.  We spent the afternoon socializing then had HH at Franks and proceeded to party until almost 9 pm.  Yes we missed dinner but Linda put out some snacks.

 

DEC  25, Wednesday; MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
67*F at 7 am and sunny but we have wind!  78*F in the afternoon
After Tucker’s walk, we spent the rest of the morning setting up tables and covering for them.  I called the kids around noon but missed Graham and his friend Courtney.  At 1pm we set up tables and served the food; turkey, mash potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, and the rest of all the trimmings.  For dessert, we had pies, sweets, pumpkin pie.  13 people were around the tables and we had a great time.  It went on till 5 pm.

 

DEC  26, Thursday;
16*C @ 7 am, very windy;  22*F in the afternoon!
One thing I didn’t mention before and meant to, the flies here are really bad.  You cannot sit outside in peace; they are all over you, your food and your drinks, that is why it is a good thing to have the wind as it keeps most of them away!  We kill at least a half dozen a day inside the rig.  I washed the jeep today so now that’s ready to go; 4 days to go! 

A group of us decided to go to “FAT BOY” for pizza and cervezas.  Afterwards, Frank decided to go to the Malecon, sit out and have a beer which we proceeded to do.  We watched the traffic and people go by and fend off the vendors.  We came home and relaxed before having HH at Rudiger’s yard.  We had BBQ steaks and salad for dinner then sat outside to admire the stars

December 19 to 22, 2013; sick in San Felipe

DEC  19, Thursday; San Felipe
After our morning routine, I got energetic and vacuumed and washed the inside of the Jeep.  It took me over an hour to do a good job, it was full of dust and sand.  We had lunch then I uploaded a new version for my Kobo Reader.  I posted new pictures in our PICASA Website and ended the afternoon with a snooze.  HH at Frank’s then we had a fish dinner and Val tried a new recipe for mash potatoes which turned out excellent.  We said our final goodbyes to our new friends Ken and Elaine as they are leaving early tomorrow and going back to Mesa where they have a Park Model.

 

DEC  20, Friday;
It RAINED overnight!!!  It was heavy grey skies all morning but it finally cleared up in the afternoon and warmed up some.  We also lost our internet during the night; someone knocked the pole over down the street and the wires broke.  We went to town to pick up a couple things and had lunch at “FAT BOY”.  We came home, put everything away and I went for a snooze!  Val read and visited.  HH at Rudiger and Charlotte, dinner consisting of salad and shrimp that I bought today then some tubing to end the evening!

 

DEC  21, Saturday,
49*F at 7 am but sunny; 70*F was the maximum!
Our internet was back up by the afternoon which was a very quick repair.  I am coming down with a sore throat and sniffling; I am getting a cold!  I spent the rest of the day nurturing that while Val socialized with the crew.  I was in bed by 8:30 pm

 

DEC  22, Sunday;
52*F @ 6 am; sunny and 70*F in the afternoon!
Someone came in around 3 am and they were so loud, they woke me up; I tossed and turned the rest of the night and eventually got up at 5:30 am!  Val went KAYAKING this morning with our neighbours and friends, Charlotte and Rudiger.  It was their first time and were quite thrill about it.  As for me, I spent the day inside again feeling sorry for poor little me!!!  My cold is really wearing me down.  Oh well, better days ahead!  Val was also the only one attending HH from this household.  For dinner, Val made pork chops and potatoes then we watched “The good wife” on the tube.

December 14 to 18, 2013; San Felipe

DEC  14, Saturday; San Felipe
Another windy but warm day!  After our morning routine, we went to town for lunch at “TACO FACTORY”, one of favorite haunts.  We came home afterwards and basically tried to stay out of the wind.  HH at Rudiger but it didn’t last long as it was just too windy and cool.  We were going to go out for dinner but decided to stay in.  This week-end is Race W/E once again so we have a few racers staying here.  They unofficially call it “Baja 150”, not to be confused with the major event in March and their race actually started at Ojo Negros on Hwy 3 between Ensenada and here.

 

DEC  15, Sunday;
Very windy again this morning but warm.  Our “racing guests” are all packing and slowly leaving for home, I presume!?  We went to town to pick up a couple things and stopped at FAT BOY and tried out their TORTILLA SOUP!  DELICIOSI is all I can say.  It filled us up!  We went to fill up the Jeep then we came home.  Val played bocce and I put the groceries away then took the rest of the day off and visited with the “boys”.  HH at Frank’s then dinner: stew which was absolutely wonderful!  We watched the grand finale of “Survivor” in the evening.

 

DEC  16, Monday; Laundry day!
Warm, sunny with a slight breeze; just the way it should be!  Called UPS at home and our mail was forwarded on Dec 4; so now we wait and hopefully it will be here before we leave.  We went to the Vet to get a shot for Tucker but we had to make an appointment (last time we were here, she had told us to just show up!?).  Anyway, we made an appointment for tomorrow then went to do our laundry.  Afterwards, we went to the Malecon and had lunch at ROSITAS, another taco restaurant.  We came home and put everything away.  HH at Franks as usual then home for a light dinner and some TV

 

DEC  17, Tuesday; Vet again
We took Tucker back to the Vet at noon and got a shot for “kennel cough” as it is quite prominent here.  Doctor says his heart sounded much better today and we got more pills for me.  He is now on this med for the rest of his life!  We went to FAT BOY for lunch (pizza and beer) then came home.  A bocce game was already on the go so we watched.  HH then dinner; a pork roast, potatoes, Brussels sprouts.  Tube in the evening! 

 

DEC  18, Wednesday; Dinner out
Cloudy but warm.  We are being affected by a low off the coast of Baja South!  Another quiet day, Val went for her walk with Elaine and me with Tucker.  They both went to town later in the day and I hung around with the boys.  We had a short HH then us, 3 couples and John, went to a local hotel for a steak dinner.  It was excellent and consisted a margarita, consommé soup, a salad, filet mignon cooked to perfection with vegetables and potatoes ending with dessert of flam; all this for $12 US each!  Can’t beat it!  We came home full and sat outside for a while with Rudiger and Charlotte for a nightcap.

SEVEN days to Christmas!

December 10 to 13, 2013; San Felipe

DEC  10, Tuesday; Grocery shopping in San Felipe
Up at 6 am, the sun is up by 6:30 am MTZ, the wind continues to blow strong (all night) and cold and it is partially cloudy; winter has definitely hit this area but the good news is that it’s supposed to warm up to mid 70’s by the end of the week so I guess we can suffer a little longer!  I called AT&T with Skype as I had problems with my connection.  Skype was really breaking up but I got everything fixed.  We went grocery shopping then on to “RICE & BEANS” Restaurant for lunch.  Their hamburgers were very good and so were the French fries.  We came home and put everything away then read and watched the tube.  The wind is still blowing but not as strong as this morning.  HH was at Frank’s again with the fireplace going full blast; it ended with darkness.  Dinner was pork chops, potatoes and a new dish: cabbages sweeten with sugar and apple...delicious!

 

DEC  11, Wednesday;
We still have some winds this morning, not as strong but still cold.  I ventured out with shorts today and a jacket and it was somewhat bearable thanks to the warm sun.  Val decided that it was time to clean the house so a couple hours was spent on that then it was reading time.  HH at Frank’s then for dinner, I BBQ’ed a couple of steaks we bought locally and I also cooked fresh mushroom and sliced onion in oil and butter.  Val made a salad and some greens.  It was delicious but the steak was a bit tough.  We couldn’t watch SURVIVOR tonight as the station was off the air for some reasons!?

 

DEC  12, Thursday;
The wind is finally gone but it was still a cold night; 45*F this morning at 6:30!  We went for our mutual walks.  We went to town for lunch and had a pizza and beer at “FAT BOYS”, a local bar where the local Gringos hang out.  In the afternoon, I played bocce balls with the gang while Val went shopping with Elaine.  HH at Rudiger and Charlotte then BBQ chicken for dinner along with rice and Brussels sprouts.

 

DEC  13, Friday;
It’s warming up, slowly but surely although the early mornings are still somewhat cool.  After our walks, Val made a delicious breakfast then we went out and read for a while.  In the afternoon, it was another game of bocce then HH at Frank’s.  Another quiet day and evening at home!  I am looking forward to moving on.

December 5 to 9, 2014; San Felipe and a vet visit for Tucker

DEC  5, Thursday, San Felipe
Brrrrr, it’s cold this morning...52*F (10*C) but the sun is shining so it will warm up.  I slept in this morning and Val actually got up before me.  I went and got some propane for the BBQ and two new small bottles for the stove.  It cost me 50 pesos for the propane (a 5 lbs tank) and 140 pesos for the two bottles; can’t figure out their pricing here.  Val played bocce balls in the afternoon and I abstained.  Afterwards, she showed Elaine and Charlotte more Tai-Chi.  It only got to 68*F today (19*C).  HH then dinner, ending the evening with the tube.

 

DEC  6, Friday;
Sunny but we have a cold wind from the North-East!  It never got up above 69*F all day!  The excitement today was a guy from another Park who came in with a utility trailer and proceeded to cut hair for dogs in the Park.  Ken and Elaine had their two dogs done, then Sandy’s and finally Gene’s.  He had the back open and we could see him working.  He was well equipped and everyone was impressed with the job he did.  He finally got out of there by 4 pm.  We had a short HH then retired inside for dinner and a quiet evening.

 

DEC  7, Saturday;
Another quiet day!  I got energetic and washed all the windows...couldn’t see out anymore J!  We drove to the outdoor market and I bought two packages of Cdn bacon then we went for breakfast across the road.  We came back to town and stopped at Calimax and went to explore another grocery store we heard about then came home and put everything away.  We visited neighbours and I had a lengthy snooze in the afternoon.  For dinner, we had Rudiger and Charlotte as guest.  We owe them a few dinners!  Val prepared a Greek salad, a bean dish and I BBQ’ed pork chops.  We sat around until 9 pm chatting and drinking wine.

 

DEC  8, Sunday; Haircut day!
Very strong and cold winds this morning but sunny!  We are definitely being affected by the cold ridge north of us.  It was haircut day for a few of us today.  Kiki’s sister came out to the Camp and cut hair for Frank and Linda, Val and I.  Val was cut too short and she is not pleased about it but what can you do.  We watched some recording on our DVR and some football of course.  HH was at Frank today then we had dinner and relaxed.

 

DEC  9, Monday; Vet visit
BRRRRR!  Down to 45*F this morning, hopefully the sun will warm us up a bit although the forecast is for only 68*F today.  Val was up early for her walk; got to be dedicated to do this in this cold and wind!  Afterwards we went to get the laundry done but a quarter of the way there, I remembered that I hadn’t turn off the water filling the tank so drove back, turned off the water and drove on to the Laundromat.  Afterwards, we went to the Vet to get Tucker checked out as he’s been hacking and coughing for the last three days.  For some reason, he was very aggressive and I had a hard time putting a muzzle on him but finally succeeded.  The Vet didn’t want to touch him until that was done.  Anyway,  he told us that he had an enlarged heart and murmur in his heart and he gave him some pills to settle it down and make him feel better.  We finally got home at 3:30 pm...It is still very cold and windy; I almost wish I had my parka!!!  Charlotte came over and invited us over to their house for HH. 

December 1 to 4, 2013; San Felipe

2013, DECEMBER  1, Sunday; San Felipe
More rigs came in last night and it is cloudy again this morning but warm!  Val took a rest today and slept in.  I indulged myself by watching football all day.  I did take a break for lunch though J. The sky remained overcast all day but the temperature was warm.  HH with the gang then I BBQ’ed steaks and shrimp for dinner; Val made a salad to complete the meal.  In the evening, we watched AMAZING RACE and THE GOOD WIFE.  It’s nice to be able to record one program while watching another especially when they are some of your favorites.

 

DEC  2, Monday; Laundry and chores
Back to sunshine again.  We went to the bank but there was such a long line-up, we gave up and went and mailed our X-mas card to the kids then onward to do our laundry.  We had brunch at a small restaurant recommended to us.  Once laundry was done, we came back to town, tried the bank again and succeeded in getting money.  There was still a line up but it was much smaller.  We came home and paid for another 20 days of rent @ $250 Cdn which will take us to December 30.  HH with our usual group and a young couple (in their early 40’s) joined us; they are also headed for South America.  Pretty neat!  Dinner consisted of chili.  Tube in the evening then to bed to end another great day!

 

DEC  3, Tuesday; grocery shopping
Back to the morning routine with Val and me.  Afterwards, we went to town to pick up some grocery.  We had lunch on the Malecon than came home in time to play one game of bocce balls.  We have a few new rigs in the Park; as a matter of fact, it is almost full...People from the Bay area, Alaska, California and BC.  HH then dinner consisting of BBQ chicken, corn on the cob and potatoes.

 

DEC  4, Wednesday;
Cloudy this morning, the Bay has 8 fishing vessels anchored out in front of our beach, we think there is a storm coming!?  The last 3 days have been the highest tide of the month and the water has come up to the cement wall separating us from the beach.  Well, the temperature really changed in a hurry...one minute we were sitting there in t-shirt and shorts and within 10 minutes, we were forced to change to long pants and jacket.  A cold spell with a strong cold wind came through lowering the temperature from 75 to 65*F.  That really was amazing!  Val went shopping with Elaine and I had a snooze while she was gone.  New people came in as we started HH.  They are friends of Rudiger and Charlotte and they soon joined us: Frank and Linda from Vancouver.  They have a small Shiitsu named ROCKO!  I cooked outside again tonight then we watched the tube.

November 28 to 30, 2013; San Felipe

NOV  28, Thursday; San Felipe
A quiet day!  Val went for her usual walk and Tucker and I for ours.  I fell asleep so missed the bocce game and heard all about it afterwards!!!  I called my brother Gilles later in the afternoon.  We had HH then we were to go out for a free dinner that we won but when I went to start the Jeep, the battery was dead; I had left the cooler plugged in and it drained the battery so we had dinner in instead.

 

NOV  29, Friday;
Another sunny and warm day; just got to love it!  The Park is getting fuller once again, it is Thanksgiving week-end and lots of Americans come down to enjoy the beach and the sun.  We went to the Malecon and walked all of it from one end to the other than down to the next street and walked back.  We had lunch here then I found and bought a hat and 2 T-shirts.  We came home after having a beer at the “Rockodile”, a local club.  Lots of Americans family about!  We were in time to join the second part of bocce balls.  We had HH then we finally made it to “George’s Restaurant where we had a free turkey dinner.  We could have had steaks but we both had a craving for turkey which was good so we decided on that.  We came home, had a nightcap then to bed

 

NOV  30, Saturday;
We were up at 6:30 this morning and on the road by seven.  We went to the Rancho’s for the flea market and to buy some Cdn bacon but the guy didn’t have this week.  We walked around the market but didn’t buy anything.  We did have a burrito for brunch then checked out a couple places for mail.  There is a place that takes letters and packages to the USA to be mailed there (much faster).  We stopped at bakery and bought some apple fritters then to Calimax to buy wine but couldn’t until 10 am so will have to return; one cannot buy booze of any kind before 10 am, it’s the law.  We came home, showered and read for a while.  It is cloudy today but warm although it was a bit chilly in the desert this morning.
Downtown is very busy due to another ATV race from Mexicali to here through the desert so lots of people and traffic.  I called to have our mail forwarded; we found this service that has an address in Calexico and they bring the mail down three times a week.  We played a bocce game then called it quit.

Another month gone by...we’ve been gone from BC only a month and a half but it feels much longer!

November 24 to 27, 2013; beaching

NOV  24, Sunday; San Felipe
Finally...Sunshine is back!  Val went for her morning walk with the girls then after breakfast, we vacuumed the floors and carpets; lots of sand around and dusted the place down.  Today was football day so guess what I did!?  We had a very cool wind so still wore jackets and long pants for HH.  Dinner was left over then we watched the “Good Wife” then the music awards.

 

NOV  25, Monday;
Sunny; in the mid 70’s!  We watched the “American Musical Award” which I had recorded.  Val went for her walk with Elaine only as Charlotte was out doing laundry.  Things happened early here, usually by 7 am most people are about and the Park’s employees are cleaning up.  In the afternoon, we played another round of Bocce Ball then we relaxed some more (these are such hard days) and HH at 4 pm.  Dinner and the tube for the evening

 

NOV  26, Tuesday; Shopping
After Val’s walk, we went into town to buy some fresh vegetables from a local farmer.  We also stopped at “Calimax” for some beer, wine and a couple other things.  We stopped at a small restaurant for lunch then came home but first stopped at a local “pandaria” (bakery).  In the afternoon we played bocce ball and won again; there is just no beating us!!!  HH then BBQ chicken with a salad and we watched a couple of recorded program that we missed Monday.

 

NOV  27, Wednesday; Geo-Caching and beaching
We decided to go to the beaches to find some shelves and “sand dollars”.  Ken and Elaine came along.  We drove to our first beach, “Percebu” where we did find some shells but not as much as we were told by Charlotte.  I guess the beach has been picked over.  Anyway we drove to another beach and found a “Cache” along the way.  We signed the log and continued on to the beach.  I should mention that the beaches are far from the main road so we have to drive across the desert on side road which are very sandy so it’s 4-wheeling all the way.  We got to the beach and walked to the water edge which was quite a ways as it was low tide.  We did find lots of “sand dollars” and even a shell with a small sea weed growing on it that looked like a tree.  We got back just in time for HH.  Dinner was left-over’s.
I uploaded quite a few pictures since my last posting!

November 21 to 23, 2013; San Felipe

NOV  21, Thursday; Geo-Caching
It was cloudy all day and a bit cooler but still comfortable.  I decided to cook bacon and eggs this morning and afterwards, we went geo-caching and found 8 more in the area.  This time we went north of San Felipe and into the desert, four wheeling.  We stopped at a Bar/Restaurant for lunch which turned out to be very reasonable then continued finding more caches.  We were back by 3 pm, just in time to catch the Propane truck and get filled up for 581 pesos ( about $55 Cdn), we were down to 40% of a tank on the motorhome.  Charlotte was sick overnight so didn’t attend HH which didn’t last very long anyway.  It is much cooler and very humid.  We had steaks for dinner with a salad then watched the tube for a while.

 

NOV  22, Friday, Snowbird Appreciation Day!
IT RAINED HEAVY OVERNIGHT!  Quite a bit too as there is lots of puddles around as evidence.  The sky is trying hard to clear this morning but it did remain overcast all day and we even had more rain in the afternoon!  Val went for a walk with her usual partners and I caught up to the blog and registered all our finds @ GeoCache.com.  Around 11 am, we, along with Ken and Elaine (from Alberta), went to the Malecon where they had free food, free beer and free entertainment.  It was fun, we enjoyed the shows especially those put on by the young kids.  We came home around 3:30 pm just in time to miss another downpour.  No HH this day!
Today is the 50^th anniversary of JF KENNEDY assassination!

 

NOV  23, Saturday; Market & laundry
Still lots of dark clouds this morning with some blue patches showing through!  In the news last evening, we saw that this system goes from the Pacific all along the West Coast, through the Baja, northern Mexico and up on through Yuma and Parker so everyone is sharing this storm.
We went to the outdoor market but we got there too late; everything was either shut down or in the process to.  So we went across the highway and wanted to do our laundry but all the machines were being used and there was a line up.  We decided to go for brunch at the Bar/Restaurant and checked again afterwards and found 3 machines not in use so we started our laundry.  We checked out a little grocery store nearby and found all kinds of American items so bought a few needed things.  We came home, took a picture of our local guy that sells corn on the street corner, put everything away and relaxed until HH and dinner time.  It’s been quite cold all day; the best we did is 62*F (15*C).  For the first time in a long time, we had the furnace on to warm up inside.  INCREDIBLE!!!  To think that a few days ago we were sweating!
We went out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant on the main street with Ken and Elaine.  They had been there before and recommended it so we planned it for tonight.  The food was very good but they were HUGE portions.  We ended up bringing home 6 boxes of left over; a bit of a waste when you think about it.  Anyway, next time we will know better!  Three more rigs came in today.

November 17 to 20, 2013; San Felipe and the "Day of the Revolution"

NOV  17, Sunday, San Felipe, Baja Mexico
It is a bit cooler this morning and the wind has picked up but the sun is shining!  Val went for a long walk with Charlotte so that made her happy.  Rudiger moved his rig to this side and then I helped him set up his satellite dish.  We watched a Mexican fisherman having his truck pulled out of the sea; he was stuck halfway in.  Good thing the tide was going out! I straighten my window awning; all it needs now is new grommets or bolts to hold it in place.  There were no other damages, thank goodness!  This was a relaxing day, not much to report.  HH with our friends then a fish dinner that I bought today from a vendor.

 

NOV  18, Monday,
We were supposed to go to the Malecon to watch a parade but were told this morning that it is actually Wednesday the 20^th (Day of Revolution).  Val and Charlotte went for a long walk this morning again.  My awning was fixed this morning; they replaced both tie downs that were snapped off.  We played bocce ball in the afternoon with Rudiger, Charlotte, Bob and Pete (both single men).  It was a tie!  We went for a walk on the beach with Tucker then came back for HH.  Not much else to report. 

 

NOV  19, Tuesday,
The usual walks for the morning then we went to town with Rudiger and Charlotte to buy some groceries and a broom for us.  We had lunch at a small roadside kiosk consisting of shredded meat tacos and a bowl of soup which was quite spicy.  We came home and were going to play bocce balls but Val hurt her wrist yesterday so that was cancelled.  Instead, I laid down in our hammock and fell asleep for an hour or so then I read.  We had new people join us for HH, friends of R & C, whom got in today.  Dinner consisted of pork chops, veggies, potatoes and yam with carrots mixed.  We watched the tube in the evening.  We’ve been here a week now; time flies!

 

NOV  20, Wednesday; Parade
We walked to the “Malecon” (waterfront) and watched the “Day of the Revolution Parade”.  The whole town was out to watch and the parade was quite long and lots of speeches.  The Army and the Navy were also represented in the Parade.  We walked up the main street and had a couple of tacos then came home.  After a short rest, we played another game of Bocce Balls and we won; nothing unusual there!  New people have arrived, all friends of everyone here.  I am told that we presently have the usual winter crowd except for maybe two more rig but they not sure they are coming this year.
This Park has 28 spots and 10 of them are taken so far.  We had some bikers here for a couple nights but they are now gone and the folks from South Africa also left this morning.  HH with the usual crowd then dinner and we watched “Survivors”.

November 14 to 16, 2013; San Felipe, Baja and a race

NOV  14, Thursday; More exploring
We had a rig pull in beside us yesterday!  It was so wide, it had a hard time fitting in, and I took a picture!  That’s Mexico; if they fit and have money, they will pack them in!!!  We have just a slight breeze this morning and already it is 69*F at 7 am.

We went for a drive to Puertecitos, about 47 miles (76km) from San Felipe.  There wasn’t much there, actually it was very depressed and run down but there was a beautiful and protected Bay which would be great for kayaking.  We had lunch here and a margarita that was so strong on tequila that neither one of us could finish them.  We continued south towards Punta Bufeo, 32 miles further.  We only did a portion of it and decided to turn around as we ran out of time.  The road from Puertecitos is brand new and according to the Churche’s book, it is paved to the Bay and maybe beyond but we’ll never know for sure.

On the way back, we search and found some geo-caches.  On our return, we got together with Rudiger and Charlotte whom arrived earlier today.  They are a day early.  At 6 pm, we decided to go out for dinner and they took us to their favorite place for tacos and they looked good but we had hamburger and fries (very good).  We came home, had a nightcap then called it a night.

 

NOV  15, Friday; 1000 miles Baja Races.
There are three major races in the Baja: 250, 500 and 1000 Miles.  It is ALL cross country racing for bikes and big trucks especially equipped for the race.  It is extremely rugged and dangerous and takes place overnight.  It begins in Ensenada and the one today forms a loop which returns to Ensenada (new from what we are told).  The race began last night at 10 pm and runs near here.  The bikers went through around 3-4 am this morning and the big trucks are supposed to go by around 1-2 pm hence all the rigs and fancy bikes we’ve been seeing here in the Park, which are relays for some of the drivers as it is very gruesome on the bodies.  The rig beside us is from Vancouver BC and there is an outfit from Kamloops too. So today, guess what our plans are!?
Well, we had our first mishap on the Motorhome this morning.  The guy from Kamloops was leaving and as he went around us, he damaged our window awning on the driver side.  He made arrangement with Kiki to have it fix and pay for it and he will pay Kiki back when he returns in January so Kiki will call someone in on Monday.  Val decided to clean house this morning; vacuum and wash the floor while I shake the rugs, filled the tank and got our cooler out. 
Afterwards, we drove to the desert and watched the racers zoomed by at anywhere from 50 to 80 mph.  It was quite exhilarating and fun.  The dust was horrendous!  We watched for a couple hours and saw a dozen of them come by.  The place was full of people and it is quite amazing how they took chances standing on or near the track where the race was taking place.  There was a cop present but he wasn’t doing anything about it.  We watched for a couple hours, took a few pictures and a movie then came home.  Now we can say we actually saw a part of the “Baja Race”.  The next one is in March and starts from here and ends here (250 miles Race)

We had HH with Rudiger and Charlotte and neighbour Pete joined us.  New people came in; they are from South Africa exploring North America in a van camper.  Dinner was BBQ steaks and salad for us.  Val called McKinley on Skype to wish her a Happy Birthday.

 

NOV  16, Saturday, Market Day!
We were up by 6 am and on the road by 7!!!  We followed Rudiger and Charlotte to a local outdoor market about 8 miles from here.  It wasn’t that big nor that impressive but we did find and bought 1 kilo of big, fresh shrimps for 160 pesos and some vegetable.  We had a burrito and juice for a snack then we left.  R & C went back to town as Rudiger had to make an appointment for a dentist and we went to do our laundry at a place just down the road.  Afterwards, we checked out a couple of RV places (none that appealed us and expensive) then came back to town.  We put everything away then I had a snooze, 6 am was a bit too early.  HH with Rudiger and Charlotte then a dinner of shrimps and rice then we watched a couple of movies on the tube

November 11 to 13, 2013; New brake system and onwards to San Felipe, MX

NOV  11, Monday; New brake system for the Jeep
We were up and ready by 7:45 am!  We headed out to Southwest Enterprises in Yuma with the Beaver and the Jeep (Val drove the Jeep) to have the SMI Air Force Air Brake System installed .  This will enable the Jeep to have brakes when I apply the brakes on the motorhome.  We left the MH there and while they worked on it, we went to meet the Kirkby’s at MC Donald at the Foothills.  Val had forgotten her lipstick at their place yesterday so it was a good thing they came to town.  It was a quick visit as they had a bunch of shopping to do and we had to head back to the shop to get the Jeep worked on.  We were finally out of there by 2 pm, went to gas up the Jeep at $3.09/gallon + a quart of oil and diesel for the MH @ $3.62/gallon.  Very good prices considering the Shell station near Pilot Knob Resort is at $4.35/gallon for diesel.  Now we are finally all done and ready to head for San Felipe tomorrow.  It is very hot outside and we have the A/C working full time.  We watched the second DVD on “Pillars of the Earth”

 

NOV  12, Tuesday; To San Felipe, MX
Up by 7 am and on the road by 9 after dumping.  We headed west on I-8 then south-west on Hwy 98 to Calexico.  We stopped here for some milk and butter then headed for the Border.  It was tight and  we made it to the wrong lane of course so, after trying to back-up, they allowed us to come through.  We had a courteous search then were on our way.  Driving through Mexicali, which is a very big city, was interesting but not too hard.  We did, however, take one wrong turn but were quickly back on track, Hwy 5 south! 
The highway was excellent and wide but we there was some bridge replacement along the way, 5 to be exact, and of course, the detours were rough so we had to drive through them at no more than 10 mph but considering the work being done, it was worthwhile.  The scenery was very much desert like, arid, desolate and lots of salt fields.  At one point, we were over 15 feet below sea level and it was hot. 
We stopped for lunch at “La Ventara”, a road side rest stop with a small restaurant but we had our own lunch.  We started the generator to get some A/C.  At the junction of Hwy 3 and 5, we had to stop for a Military check.  The kids was polite, looked around inside and let us go.  We finally arrived in San Felipe and after making a wrong turn, even with a good map given to us by Rudiger, we finally arrived at our camp...KIKI Campground, a very nice but very tight campground.  They found us a spot and we settled in but this place is NOT for big rigs.  We were here by 2 PM local time (we gained an hour and are now back on Pacific Time), and paid for a month $400 Cdn with full hook ups.  We even have our own “Margarita deck”, a raised deck! (See pictures in PICASA LINK).  We met a few of the locals then it was time to turn in.  We have WIFI and Satellite reception.  It was quite windy when we arrived but not, at 7 pm, it is just a small breeze.

We drove 200 miles in 4.5 hrs @ an average 40 mph

N  31* 02.067’
W 114* 49.681’
Alt: 10 feet

 

NOV  13, Wednesday; San Felipe
I was up at 6 am under very, very warm temperature (80*F).  Even Tucker is having a tough time with this heat but it’s supposed to cool off by the week-end; sure hope so!  The sun came up around 6:30 am (PT).  I should mention that our water system is working really great and I am happy not to have to worry about the water down here anymore!
We went exploring around town (forgot camera) and looked at the campgrounds in the area.  Kiki is still the best of them all so far.  We found the “Malecon” and took a walk around and had lunch at a local bar; food was good and so was the beer!  We came home and relaxed.  It is hot and we have the A/C on full blast but we sat outside under a nice breeze.  The “1000 KM Baja Race” is on this week-end, actually starting tomorrow, a huge economical boost for the area and the Park is filling up quickly with bikers and rigs equipped for support.  I took a few pictures around the Park and will post them soon.
For dinner, we had the left over from our lunch and a salad.  We met new neighbours and I set up our hammock (gift from Joanne and John) but didn’t get to try it out yet.  Tucker got a bath tonight, he was filthy from the sand around here.

November 8 to 10, 2013; last of Algodones and visit with Kirkby's

NOV  8, Friday, Algodones
Back to Mexico one more time but only for an hour this time then came back home.  We had breakfast then we went into town to pick up final items before heading to Mexico for the winter.  We stopped at the RV Store where Val wanted a knife holder and I picked up extra sewer treatment liquid.  We came home, put everything away then relaxed with a good book.  In the evening, we watched TV and tried to figure out our new DVR.

 

NOV  9, Saturday, Winterhaven
We went in & out of Algodones for one last time and to pay our bill.  Today was “Day of the Deads” and a big celebration was going on when we arrived.  Lots of free stuff including Tequila and beers!  We paid our dental bill (cash only) and were back in the USA within an hour and a half.  We went back to the RV Store to return an item, stopped at the Post Office to mail a card then came home only to find out that the water will be out until possibly Wednesday!?  Bloody hell!!!  Good thing my tank is almost full of fresh water.  It’s getting hotter out there, already well over 80*F at 1 pm.  After dinner, we watched the first DVD of “Pillars of the Earth”.  Denis was right, I am hooked!

 

NOV  10, Sunday; Visiting
Cloudy this morning but the sun did eventually shine through in the early part of the day and became quite hot!  Uploaded more pictures on our PICASA WEB, folder #108.  We went to Imperial Dam, a little over a half hour drive from here, to visit the Kirkby’s who are there for the winter.  Charlie made us lunch then we all walked to the “girls” site to meet and visit.  They are friends they met a couple years ago and after telling them about this area, they decided to move here.  We also saw the new site the Kirby’s will be moving to next week; quite a nice view of the lake and the surrounding hills.  Tucker had a great time wondering on his own, I think!  We came home around 3:30 pm, had a glass of wine then loaded the kayaks, the bikes and the rest of the stuff.  We are ready to go to the shop tomorrow morning.  I just hope it’s not all day!

November 4 to 7, 2013; Winterhaven, Yuma, Algodones

NOV  4, Monday, Winterhaven
Val was out by 7:30 this morning doing Tai-Chi with Denis and filming some of the episodes.  It is a cool 54 *F (12*C)!  We basically stuck around the house today waiting for installers.  First Val phone and ordered her rack for the convection oven then she called to make an appointment for the dentist in Algodones, MX.  She did some Tai-Chi with Denis.  By the way, we learned later that they are staying another night and will be leaving tomorrow morning bright and early.  Finally, after waiting around for them, the installers for the new Reverse Osmosis Water System that we ordered Sunday finally arrived and they set it up.  Now we no longer have to worry about fresh pure water.  It took them an hour to set it up.  We bought the portable type so we don’t have to lose it should we trade or sell this rig.  By the way, we only paid $80 for the set up and spare filters, NOT 200 as stated in my previous Blog!  Denis and Sandra came over for a chat for a while...no HH tonight due to the installers.  We had a delicious dinner consisting of sirloin pork roast which Val cooked to perfection in the convection oven (She is getting more sure of herself with it) and sliced baked potatoes with a salad.  After dinner, Denis and Sandra came over to say goodbye, we will miss them, our time together was too short!  We watched another movie given to us by Denis; “Now You See Me”, an action packed movie

 

NOV  5, Tuesday, shopping
The wind really picked up early this morning and woke me up at 5:30 AM.  I got up and put the awning in then at 6:30, I watched the Letendre leave with their friends following about 15 minutes later; they are off to El Golfo in Mexico.  We hope they have a wonderful time.  Hopefully for them, the wind won’t be too much of a factor.  We spent the day relaxing and not much else.  We went for grocery shopping then came home and Val prepared a salad for our gathering at Geoff and Donna.  We arrived at their place, an RV Resort in Yuma, around 4:30 pm.  Also present were Ed & Judy, Jack & Mim, Dennis and Ruth.  We had a fun conversation and a great dinner.  Donna made her famous seafood soup.  Of course the wine flew and I had way too much.  We called it quit around 9 pm and everyone went to their respective home.  It was a great evening

 

NOV  6, Wednesday; To Mexico and satellite dish installed
We were up early, showered, walked Tucker and headed to Algodones, MX, for a dental appointment.  The crossing has changed a lot and there is some construction going on.  We stopped to pick up our “Tourist Cards” and paid 590 Pesos for that.  We also discovered that they are one hour behind us so we are too early for our dentist but we walked over anyway and she took us in right away.  We had a coffee afterwards then came home to wait for our Satellite installer.  I think Tucker is getting used to us leaving home a lot as he hasn’t made any fuss in the last while.

The installer arrived at 1 PM on time, a young man, and had the dish installed in no time.  The set up however was a lengthy process.  He had difficulties finding the right leads to both TV as there are numerous wires and cables in the entertainment cupboard and access is not easy.  He also got very frustrated with the DISH people and finally gave up and asked his boss to do it.  Bill, the owner, came out around 5 pm but by that time, I had decided to give it a try and almost had the account all set up with them when Bill came in.  He checked a few things and said that he would sent the kid back tomorrow to find a better lead to the bedroom TV as it is fuzzy and he will hook up the system to our surround sound. So this evening, we watched TV for the first time since leaving home!!!!

 

NOV  7, Thursday, Back to Mexico
Val had an appointment again today with the dentist.  We drove back to Algodones and were there for three hours!!!  We got home in time to meet the Satellite Tech, at 3 pm.  He fixed everything and we watched the tube for a while then, after dinner, we watched the second “Star Trek” recoded by Denis.