This and that and word about crossing into the US.

Friday March 11, 2011

Frank and Sandi left this morning.  Yesterday  morning Frank was rolling things up and washing the roof rig and I just thought he was doing that bored man stuff!  Turns out his 94 year old father has taken a turn for the worse and he and Sandi are heading home to Iowa.  They had planned to be here another week and leave with Betty and Boomer but unfortunately those plans had to change.  It will take them a good hard week to get home and we wish them well on their journey.  We had a lot of fun with them this winter especially on our two week journey south.  Good friends. 

Here is an email  forward from Fred & Marion regarding the crossing into the US.

  ……We crossed going north at Lukeville last Monday (March 7th.)  The road was good and traffic was light.  There was only a little bit of construction between the paperwork customs and the actual border. Fred clocked the detour at only 4-5 km. and it was all on a packed, prepared roadway albeit a temporary one.  It was slow, of course, but not like when we used to have to drive in the ditch...Where you turn in your papers, park on the LEFT side of the highway opposite the little hut...They were really adamant about not crossing the highway to get the stickers, so Fred had to make a tricky u-turn and go back through and then through the customs area....it was fine, but annoying.  The border crossing was fine....they didn't even come inside the rig.  Andy and Wendy went out the same day through Nogales and did not have any trouble at all...If others are wondering about the borders, you could pass this info along.  Safe travels to you....

Thanks for that Fred & Marion

This is an email from Pat regarding the return of their rig to the US by the driver from the states…..

Hi everyone, Just wanted to pass this along to all of you heading north.  This is a report the driver who is delivering our motor home sent.

Had one event. Fake inspection. Was stopped by what appeared to be an officer with a hand held radar gun in the middle of the road in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Stepped out right in front of me waiving me to stop. Hard stop nearly ran the man over. After a short five minute conversation with the man I and a few good Mexican citizens learned this is a scam (harassment to get more money from tourist) by conducting an inspection and coming up with false reasons to charge fees etc. After the man realized I am fluent in spanish and showed my Mexican Comercio credentials and the citizens arguing with him he decided I was cleared to go. visual inspection of coach and HHR to make sure no damage had accrued from the hard stop. Every thing good to go. Description of the man after closer inspection had on an old warn out construction (orange & white) vest and what looked like an old white cloth or shirt to waive me over with. The radar gun looked to an old 1970 era style and non functional.

Thanks for that Pat.

 

Today was spent on a shopping trip to the Golden Zone with Betty, Connie and Sharen.  Everyone is now thinking about things they would like to buy to take home and time is a wasting!  We left on the bus at 10:30 this morning and hit the pavement to shop.  Sharen was the star and her bags were full when we came home.  I guess I just wasn’t in the mood to power shop.  We had a nice lunch at Poncho's (shrimp salad, Tortilla soup etc.) and a drink and it was time to shop a little more before heading home.  On the bus ride home we noted that the tents next to Gaby’s were open and that will be my next shopping trip.  I bought some nice things there last year.  They have wares from all the different states of Mexico and although they don’t bargain the goods they sell are very upscale compared to what you find locally so I can live with that.  To be honest I really hate the bargaining thing.  I’m always sure I didn’t get the best deal and if I do get a good deal I think the vendor has been short changed, but that’s just me. 

Tomorrow is another day!