Catalina pool tournament

Back to Catalina, our home park, where we've been members since 1992. It just feels like home to us. Got our same spot #227 on the main drag and before we could finish parking, Maureen and Ed, our old neighbours from Pacific Border walked by and Van and Edie are down the road.
Wonderful weather this week, 89 - 90's all week.
Ron and I played pool today, as we do twice a week and he came 2nd winning a sirloin hamburger and I came 3rd, winning the ice cream bar.

Spring storm

Well, we know you're having more and more rain, so you'll be happy to know that we had 3 days of blowing wind and even a few raindrops, not even enough to clean the dust off the car unfortunately. But it was cool to about 54 at night and 65 in the morning. We woke to 8 - 12" fresh snow on Big Bear Mtn, a skiing resort and San Jacinte where the Palm Springs Aerial tram goes to the top. This picture is from last winter so it wasn't nearly as heavy as this but it was very pretty and sure blew cool air down on us for a couple of days.
We met Terry at the VFW for tacos and then had a good reason to go get the shopping done. Now we're back to beautiful weather with 80 coming up this weekend.

A week at Desert Pools

After 2 weeks at Catalina Spa, it was time to move around the corner to Desert Pools, a Western Horizon member park which we access on AOR, Adventure Outdoor Resorts. When you leave this park, you have explicit reminders to make sure you're safe for travel.
Barb and Dave Dryer from our caravan are there and then we discovered Jim and Adele of Keromeos, also from the caravan, as well. The six of us had a great visit with many memories and laughs. As Barb says after 44 days together through thick or thin, we all feel like family.
We had the group over Sunday to say goodbye to Barbers and then had Ted and Elaine stayed for dinner and 3 rousing games of pegs and jokers which the girls won 2 out of 3.

Crashing their happy hour

Ted and Elaine were having happy hour today and didn't know we were back, so we packed our cooler with everything you need and drove down to Indian Waters in Indio. We parked at the edge of their lot and were going to 'dry camp' there until they recognized our green car and us and gave us permission to 'crash' the party. It was great to see everybody.
On our way, we passed this. It's so interesting to see how things are done differently in different places. This looks like 3 palm tress, but a closer look will show you that the tallest one is, in fact, a transformer disguised as a palm tree to keep the skyline esthetically pleasing. This is what CJ would like to put in front of his house to disguise the power pole that mars their ocean view.

Enjoying winter sunshine

Boy, it this ever the way to spend winter. Apparently it's going to rain/snow again at home, what a terrible winter B.C. has had. We're busy with friends, biking, walking around the patio sales, cards, swimming and everything else.
We had Joan and Don from Edmonton over for a visit and crib for the boys while Joan and I compared sewing notes. She's made aprons and I've done potholders and children's soft counting books for new babies. Then we met the Barbers and Ron's old school friend, Terry and wife Sandra at the Pak Inn for Chinese food and a good visit.
Here we are with the Barbers and Glen enjoying the sunshine.

Fun with the Barbers

It's in the 90's and while we don't want to complain, you spend a lot of time in the pool cooling off.
Ron's back to Bocci twice a week and we're playing pool every Wed and Sat. After 2 days in the very back row because the park was jammed full when we got here, we moved to a spot on the main street on the way to the pool. We really enjoy being here.
Had the Barbers over for happy hour. They're very busy working at the Pacific Life Tennis Tournament in Indian Wells, the 5th largest in the world. This gives them two guest passes, so Marg and Brad are watching some great tennis matches as well.

Visit with Glen

Having a great time. My sister, Marg and husband Brad are over at Caliente visiting his folks, our friends, Mel and Audrey. We had the usual good dinner together Sunday at the Elephant Bar. Marg and I have gone to Burkes, a discount fashion place and the quilt store, where Marg picked up the nicest fat quarter of red tulips.
Our friend, Glen, from home came up from Hemet today for crib with Ron. We went to the VFW for lunch, then played in the Pool tournament where Glen won an ice cream bar for 2nd place, which he gave to me and I enjoyed.

Back to Catalina Spa and RV Resort

A new first! Ann drove the motorhome from one rest stop to the next, a whole 34 miles. The perspective is very different in the passenger sear as the mirrors are obviously set up for the driver, so my passenger, Ron seemed to be a bit nervous. I was fine, it's just bigger than the car.
You have to watch when big 18 wheelers pass you, as they tend to suck you in, then push you our with the wind as they go by.
We overnighted at Campground B on the main drag in Quartzsite. What a difference in March. This place is wall to wall Vendors and RVs, in January, for the Powwow, the annual event billed as the largest Rock and Gem Show in the world. Now its getting deserted and we were told that many Vendors are moving to places like Yuma where the big Swap Meets go year round. Apparently it hit it's heyday back in the 70's and the last 5 years are showing a downhill trend.
When we started off Sat morning, Ron sat in the passenger seat so Ann drove onto the main street, onto the freeway, actually went up and down a few little hills and curves and into the Flying J Truck compound to fuel up in Ehrenberg. Starting to feel like a real driver now.
Off to Lil Sisters Truck Wash on the way to our home park. Did the rig ever need it after our 59 day trip with monsoons and all. Arrived at Catalina and it was so full we had to park out back in the last row. Glad to be back and will sit be the pool and soak up the sun and relax. I took this picture after I did my lengths one morning but by 11 a.m. its standing room only - the pool is packed, especially while we're having this 95 degree weather.

though New Mexico to Arizona

We were away at 6:45 a.m. and drove through El Paso which spreads about 25 miles along the border to New Mexico. Just huge.
El Paso (El Paso del Rio del Norte) the pass through the river to the north, is where the Spaniards found their way into this land which is now Texas. Founded in 1682, it’s the oldest settlement in Texas. The Mission was built by Pueblo, Tegua Indians, Spanish refugees and Franciscan padres. Today it’s known for its military, manufacturing and agriculture, one of the few regions where Egyptian cotton is grown. This city is closely allied with Chidad Juarez, the Mexican counterpart across the river. You can see the small, poor housing there compared to the thriving El Paso.
Next we’re in New Mexico, known as the Land of Enchantment. There was a big stockyard by the border and now flat, dry scrubby land with little mountains in the distance. We crossed the Continental Divide, marked by a simple sign, following the railroad most of the day. Lots and freight and a few passenger trains. New Mexico is known for the Alberqueque International Balloon Festival, the 1947 Roswell incident of a ‘UFO’, Carlsbad Caverns which are 830’ below the surface at 56 degrees, 14 acres large, and the first atomic bomb test in 1945. They have a population of 1.9 million, are the 5th largest state, with Santa Fe as their capital.
Quite a bit of wind pushing us today. We’ve gone 162 miles across NM from where we entered it from Texas and have entered Arizona with its dry canyons, rock and cactus. This is the 6th largest state with over 5 million people and Phoenix is the capital. Arizona means ‘little spring’ from an Indian word and their heritage is evident in national monuments, tribal reserves and historic sites that preserve their ancient dwellings, customs and crafts. The biggest attraction is the Grand Canyon which we have yet to see. We got to Camping World in Tucson and stayed at Beaudry RV Park where you can stay with your own Jacuzzi for $55 per night. Had a nice phone visit with Gayle Garrett, sorry couldn't get together.

to El Paso

We were up enjoying coffee at 6:30, watching 4 deer graze in the field next to us. Had a peaceful night and good sleep at this 24 hour Wal Mart, with the security fellow in his golfcart patrolling all night long. It took us 15 minutes to wind back through town to where we came in, turn onto 277N and behold, 10 minutes later, we passed the other side of Wal Mart about 200' from where we had bewen parked. We went through the Amisted National Recreation Area with lots of water, marshes and shoreline. The rest of the day, we're passing through lots of cactus, scrub, and rocks which are striated layers when you cut through it. a couple of little towns here and there, look about 200 years olod. You see the old fashioned water windmills, that remind me of old movies. We were stopped by the Border Patrol each day and when you say 'Canadian' they just send us on our way. Highway sigh said' Don't mess with Texas' and fines for littering are $20 - $2000, so it is very clean. We arrived at the outskirts of El Paso at 4:30 and stayed at Mission RV Park.

Heading across Texas

We spent 3 days cleaning and stocking up in Misson Texas with 6 other caravan couples. Sunday night, we went out for Chinese food and it was the best I'd ever tasted. We started across Texas , Tuesday, March 6. The local chain stores here are, H.E.B., a food store, Dollar General, Beall's Fashion, Whataburger and Lone Star National Bank. Amusing road signs were ' Drive Friendly' and ' Replace Sunday Drive with Sunday Walk'.
The Spaniards established Catholic Missions in 1761 and Texas won Independence from Mexico in 1836 and became a state in 1845. The cowboys and derricks searching for 'black gold' or 'texas tea' are on the wane and manufacturing, aerospace, finance, insurance and real estate are tops today. There are 20 million people in Texas but we're following the Rio Grande, the river that separates it from Mexico and it's as sparsely populated as it was 300 years ago, due to this thorny country made up of bunch grass, prickly pear, cactus and sweet grass that the cattle eat.
Arrived at Del Rio, 330 miles, no campground, so a first for us - good old Wal Mart overnight.

to Mission, Texas

Heading for the Border. We pass the visual sign that means Seat belts Obiligatore every 10 miles, and next we see the Police pick up truck with 6 Policemen standing in the back as they drive along. The fruit workers all do the same thing, standing on top of the fruit when they come home from the day in the fields. We've passed air plants growing in abundance on the telephone wires, memorial crypts along the roadside, the common form of honoring those who have died on the roads; corn, horses, donkeys,and goats grazing along the roadside doing the grass cutting.
There is such a diversity in Mexico from Wealth to very poor simple living. You see women that have gathered wood from the jungle, carried it home on their backs to fuel their stoves at home. When we drive through villages, the people all wave and smile like we are celebrities. They seem very happy in everything they do.
We arrive at the border and have the Hologram taken off our motorhome. It's good for 10 years but you cannot sell the vehicle without making a trip to the border and having them remove it or they deem that you have sold it in Mexico illegally and a Mexican jail cell awaits you. No thanks.

to CD Victoria - 231 miles, 5 hours

We're going through flat agriculture land today with cattle , one ostrich farm, and yucca in bloom. The people harvest this and sell it at the roadside. They cook it like cabbage and eat it. The blooms are about 2' high by 8" wide.
One thing that has been a constant interest to me on this trip, is the fences. You can see that they are built from 2" - 6" tree branches,
thick or thin, crooked or straight, then living trees are also used as you see here, plus the modern way in the jungle area, concrete posts are used because wood doesn't last long with the termites prevalent in this area.
We saw men burning the grass to start the new crop. There is no garbage disposal so you are constantly smelling burning garbage and the burning wood of all the cooking fires for the tortillas. The dust is this dry land is overwhelming. We had a 40 mph wind at Tampico while we had our potluck and the inside of the motorhome is covered in it. This Mexican trip has been an incredible experience that no one will have unless they do this kind of trip. We have really seen the true Mexico in many different regions, although it only shows us how tremendously diverse it is, culturally, historically and with the different Indian peoples. We have smelled, felt, tasted, heard, seen, touched and been awed by all the sights we have witnessed and facts we have learned. Mexico is at the crossroads of the 21st century. You see beautiful cities, ancient ruins and donkeys ambling down dusty roads. The extremes of wealth and poverty are shocking to the your system. The people are vibrant and complex. 75% of Mexicans are Metizos, mixed European and Native American Descent. Music is an important part of life, from Marimba to Mariachi. The food and drinks are just as diverse, ranging from Maya, Aztec, Spanish, French and even Chinese. Corn is the main anchor of the Mexican diet with beans being a close second. Flan ( browned custard) is the favourite dessert. Cervesa ( beer) is as popular as Coke. The maguey plant produces Tequila, usually downed from a salt rimmed glass followed by a bite into a lime wedge. Limes are a natural antiseptic and consumed with every food and drink so we gringos don't get Montezuma's Revenge and we haven't after 44 days. We will never forget our Mexican experience although the terrible roads make us glad we'll never drive on them again.

to Tampico - 147 miles - 8 hours

Away in fog at 7:30 a.m.until 10:30. The daily village life fills you with wonderment. This morning, we passed a man with a pig on a leash - a first. The blue morning glories are back and lots of fruit stands with 2 biter bananas.
This woman is washing clothes in cold water at her backyard, built in, scrub board sink. These are concrete, about 2' x 4', scrub board on the top, sloping down 5", to the well at the bottom and standard in every yard. You can see the one in front with the hose hanging over it. Notice the clothes are pushed through the twine rope - no clothespins ever seen. All the structures are held up by tree branches. All of the washing and most of the cooking is done outdoors. The living too, for that matter.
The roads are incredibly rough, so very slow going. Industry along the river going through Tampico was shipyards, fab shops and oil rigs getting serviced.
Long day today with 20 villages, 100 topes and 5 toll booths.
We dry camped behind the Hotel and cleaned out our fridges to cross the border so had a great potluck dinner. My chicken with stuffing dish was a hit.
We're in bed by 9 because we're up by 5:30 and the tail gunner is thumping your tires at 7 a.m. We've had 12 flats on the trip and totally lost 2 out of 20 rigs. Heidi and John had a fuel pump? problem on day 12 and couldn't get it diagnosed, flown in and fixed in time to ever catch up with us and Loyola and Beulah are still stuck in Puebla, trying to get their truck working to pull their 5th wheel. Very disappointing because all of us had everything checked before we left and these are 2 and 4 years old vehicles, not derelicts.