Santa Ana to Playa de Cortez.

Sunday morning.

We were only going to Guaymas today so we did not need to leave early.  I had a chat with Claire from Vernon and she said the rig that came in late (B.C. people) was from Victoria.  They had come in earlier in the day and Anna had explained to them that they didn’t have any paperwork.  Nothing….nada!  She said they’d asked for a “ticket” at the border but of course the Mexicans didn’t know what they wanted.  Do your homework people!  All of this is hard enough without being uninformed.  So they had to go back to the border to get what they needed.   Hope they make it to where they are going. 

The highway heading south to Hermosillo was good.  Narrow….but good.

Mine tailings on our right heading out of Santa Ana.

The northbound lane is under construction in many places.  As usual the road bed is sand….and will break up.  Oh well I guess road building is a make work project.

 

We stopped for fuel at kilometer 69 where we usually stop.  We made our usual donation of liters paid for and not received!

Huge vineyards as we drove along.  I wonder what the winery is or perhaps they are just table grapes for eating.  Who knows.  http://www.insidetucsonbusiness.com/news/world-s-appetite-for-table-grapes-turns-bunches-of-land/article_ff308c90-bbd7-11e1-8e1f-001a4bcf887a.html

When we got into Hermosillo it was very quiet.  It was Sunday so no big rage of traffic. 

Leaving the only toll booth between Santa Ana and Hermosillo.  There will be more farther south!

Quiet on the road.

We made our first turn at the big intersection heading south for Guaymas and carried on as usual. 

The road is now under construction.

Stay left here as usual.

When we got to our next turn left there was a sign saying” disvio” or detour and turn right. 

Okay but then we got to the next road and no sign….well….follow the traffic left. 

Whew….turn right onto the periferico and head south ( we followed that little white car.) Usually we would follow a truck but there weren’t many today.

  Lots of traffic at the prison where families are visiting prisoners.   Keep right for Guaymas and then keep right again so that you can go under the new overpass and turn left for Guaymas.

Don’t go up the ramp….stay right. 

After the turn you have to stay right.  Tough to do as the lanes on the right keep disappearing and there are no lines……ah…..Mexico! 

Down to the right and under the overpass.  This is all new and since it takes all the southbound traffic you’d think it would be a little bigger.

We have now turned left and are heading south.  Always hairy even when you know where you are going. 

A newer Pemex just south of Hermosillo where we stopped for lunch.  All paved.  

Parked for lunch and you can see the trucks behind the fence out back.  

Gaservicio Pension and Eric went of to find the attendant and see if RV’s were allowed to stay over night.     The guard said we could “50 pesos”  which is good to know.  Always good to have a back up in case we want to come farther south before we stop for the night.  More information is good information.  Another sweet, quiet female Mexican dog at his heels.  At least this one wasn’t starving.  Maybe the truckers feed her.  Always breaks our hearts.

At this point the road south was really  “shitty.”   Narrow, bumpy and humpy.  Luckily it didn’t last the whole way to Guaymas.

Old bumpy, humpy road.

It changed about  kilometer 210  south of Hermosillo. 

We pulled into the Playa de Cortez about 3pm and were set up in no time.  Eric is thrilled with his favorite smell.  Warm and humid  scent of the ocean which reminds him of Maui. 

I have paid for three nights and we think we’ll leave here on Wednesday.

Claire and Jim whom we met in Santa Ana are here for one night and then they are on their way.  >

Today’s route.

There is another B.C. rig here and it turns out they are from Quesnel, B.C. which is south of us but still northern.

As you see we have to drive north to get south and then onward….

>

These people have been staying in Villas Onac RV park in Teacapan but new owners bought it and then shut it down.  Go figure.  Many of those people are now at Las Jaibas. 

We had a dinner of leftovers (I always have lots with me) and then it was quiet time…..and then….

Nighty night.

We are in Santa, Ana Mexico

Heading for Playa de Cortes in Guaymas today and I’ll post tonight. 

Ajo, AZ to Santa Ana, Sonora.

So how have the past two days gone….well not too bad!

We left Ajo, AZ at about 10am on Saturday.

Tailings from the Copper Mine as you leave town. 

Heading for the border south of Why.  The Saguaro cacti are now everywhere.   Quite a sight.  

When we arrived at the border we got the usual inspection on the Mexican side.   Please pull over.  We were given a dopey little pamphlet that was in Spanish about importing vegetables, meat etc.  They then boarded and had a look inside the fridge and freezer.  My cold bag in the garage contained all my meat so there wasn’t much to see.  I had prepared food and a couple of pieces of frozen chicken in the freezer as well as vegetables in the fridge.  They didn’t want any of that.  Still not sure what we can’t bring into Mexico. 

We are now in Sonoyta, Mexico.  They have really cleaned up this town over the past few years.

We then headed south and when  we neared San Emeterio where we used to ( and possibly still can) get tourist visa’s there was an enormous line of trucks to the right and I mean enormous….much longer than we’ve ever seen.  If you don’t know about this line up and what you should do it would be scary.  Pull into the middle of the road and keep going and the traffic on the northbound side will pull over onto the shoulder.   

These guys must have waited all day to go through the truck check.

When we arrived at San Emerterio we pulled through the gates and the Federalies were there. 

We head down through the gate on the left. The trucks go to the right.

We have to skinny past that truck on the right and head through the gate that is the farthest right.  Don’t make it easy and have a middle gate open!!!   The Federalies are waiting!

First the female officer checked our Canadian registration for the truck and trailer and then said…Pull over please.  She also said Canada was very beautiful.     Eric said there was a “Moto” in the garage and the female officer smiled and said” I love Motos!”   They then boarded the rig and had look through and said it was a beautiful and also a beautiful Moto….thanks….and bye bye!

As we left this bus was pulled over.  Flat tire?  Always a bus pulled over, usually with it’s hood up.

We travelled on and when  we got close to  Caborca there was another Federalie check point set up in the middle of the road.  Obviously something is going on as we have never been boarded at San Emeterio and never seen a Federalie stop at this point.  Where are you from he asked….Canada….where are you going….Mazatlan….okay…..have a good trip. 

Caborca is up ahead somewhere.

We got fuel and I made lunch at the first Pemex just north of Caborca.

 

The fuel is now 13.8 pesos per liter and that is about $1.12 per liter Canadian.  More than the USA.  Add into that the fact that you get cheated on the amount you actually get and it is not cheap.  Tough….it is what it is!  I feel sorry for the Mexicans who can’t afford to pay for fuel. 

Pitaquita below us on the right.

First through the big gates and around the corner are the big arches that are low on each side and can take off the top of your rig.

Next stop Pitaquita just south of Caborca where you would import your vehicles if you hadn’t already done it.  We pulled in but did not have to go through the big arch which can take off the top of your rig if you aren’t in the centre but were directed left through the cones to avoid it.  We were asked if we had our paperwork done.  Yes.  Okay head to the highway and carry on.  A good idea to ask gringos if they have what they need so they don’t end up down the road with no paperwork.   This story has a twist when we reach Edgar and Anna’s in Santa Ana. 

We arrived in Santa Ana early and parked in our usual spot next to the bank overlooking the town. 

Coming into Santa Ana….pretty quiet for a Sunday.

There was one B.C. rig from Vernon (heading to Rincon de Guayabitos) and one small one from Switzerland. 

We had a nice chat with Anna, signed her book and then parked the rig.  She did tell us that Edgar has been having a lot of trouble with balance and has fallen many times recently.  If you don’t know he had a motorcycle accident about 48 years ago when he was 23.  He is crippled on one side.   He needs to use a cane but is stubborn about it!  After parking Edgar came over to chat and we also had a look at the candy/nut cart that is parked in his driveway.  He and Anna allow Carlos to come in and sell to their customers.  It became obvious right away that Edgar is his best customer! 

Edgar likes the pumpkin seeds. 

Edgar asked Eric where we had stayed the night before and he said Ajo.  Edgar said that he loved Ajo.  He said that he was in a rock and roll band as a teenager and that the Copper mine in Ajo asked them to come up and play for the miners.  When they got to the USA border they asked them to play because they didn’t believe that they were actually a band.  They got out their instruments and played and the border guard was so impressed that he gave them a permit for an extended stay in the USA.  They played their gig and they were having so much fun they stayed in Ajo for three weeks before returning to Santa Ana.  We’re guessing the boys had a really good time!   A long time ago.

Edgar also had a big chat with me about the Chile Cook Off that I was lucky enough to win last winter in Mazatlan at the Las Jaibas RV park where we stay over the winter.  He wanted to tell me that I should use black beans….well I did use them.  He also likes pork in his chili and thought that would be a good idea.  After our chat I gave him a frozen bag of chili….I wonder what he’ll think of it!  

So time to relax and have a beer. 

At about 6:30 pm (it was now dark) we heard a rig pulling in.  It was a motor home pulling a car.  Much confusion but they were soon parked.  Never drive in the dark in Mexico!

Supper was frozen lasagna and then early to bed.  Ear plugs in ….lots of traffic noise….dogs barking….and musica as it was Saturday night. 

Mañana Mexico!

We have quit dawdling and will head into Mexico tomorrow.  We won’t leave until 10 ish as we only have to go 200 miles to Edgar and Anna’s Punta Vista RV park in Santa Ana.  Our paperwork is done so we don’t have to deal with that which saves us some time.  The only thing that I will do in the morning is put all my frozen meat that I don’t want the Mexicans to take away when we cross the border into my cold bag and hide it in the garage.  It’s worked for the past two years so wish me luck….Eric says I can go to prison by myself if I get caught!

I walked toward town this morning and it was very quiet. 

Many small houses along the street.  Some in great repair….some not. 

When I read the Ajo visitor’s publication I counted 10 churches in town.  That’s a huge amount for such a small town.  This is the Catholic one. 

 

I wasn’t sure what this building actually was but apparently it’s the Curley School Artisan Apartments.  http://www.curleyschool.com/

One of the historic downtown buildings.

Beautiful architecture.

 

Hard to see but this is an Antique/junk shop.  We have lots of the stuff for sale here at home in our barn!

Looking toward downtown from the other side of the street.  Pretty quiet for a Friday morning!

A few houses have fruit trees in their yards.  I wonder if they pick the fruit.

Pretty little houses.

This fellow walks his Burro up the inside edge of the park every day.  Today he was practicing his rope tricks.

Late today a big 5th wheel from B.C. pulled in a couple of spots over from us.  It was quite a wiggle for him to get it into the spot.  Eric had gone over for a shower while this was happening and when he was coming back the guy who just came in came over to talk.  It was almost dark and Eric could hardly see who he was talking to.  He asked where in B.C. we were from and Eric said Terrace.  Turns out the guy used to work up in our area back in the 70’s when we first moved there.  He worked for the Munson’s who own Bear Creek logging.  He and Eric had a quick conversation about what’s going on up our way economically with the current mini boom.  This fellow’s  daughter lives in Prince Rupert and he and Eric had a chat about the old road to Rupert.  About that time his wife showed up with a flashlight to find him.  Her comment was “ Larry are you bothering the neighbors already!”   They are heading for San Carlos, Mexico. 

Is it a small world or what! 

Maybe we’ll have time to find out who they are in the morning before we leave.