The first few days in Mazatlan.

It has been hot and humid over the past few days and we’ve had to run the A/C almost steady.  We’ve hardly ever run it here before but we arrived over three weeks early this year and it is still hot and steamy. 

We spent the last couple of days setting up camp and things are coming along.  Big Red was unloaded and parked and now the garage of the toyhauler is an extra room for important things like beer!  We were out for groceries and beer this morning so now we are all stocked up.  As we drove along we noticed a huge amount of new development since we arrived here two years ago.  Since the upgraded road from Durango opened there has been a lot more building going on, vacation, residential and commercial as well. 

Eric went for a swim the first day we got here and I got my first swim yesterday.  There was no wind wave and the waves were just right for me.  The water was as warm as a bathtub and it was just lovely. 

This morning the birds were out in full force and I even got a few pictures.  

The chakalakas which look like a half grown turkey have been making their turkey like cackle every morning and today they were running all over outside.  They can fly but not that high or far. 

There is something on the front of the deck that this bird was busy eating.

A small flock of black throated Magpie-Jays also showed up to entertain us.  They are native to this area and are noisy, inquisitive beautiful birds.  They were all over the derelict boat next to us eating things that had dropped on it’s deck.  As long as they don’t start pecking on the RV we’ll all remain friends! 

Sandi said she and Frank had seen parrots in the tree next to them at the front of the park but that they’d disappeared before Frank could get a picture.  They also have hummingbird feeders out so there are lots of them around as well.  Frank said he has to cover the feeders at night or the bats drink all the syrup.  We have small bats at home and have had them in the house on occasion.  They can squeeze through the tiniest spaces imaginable to get into the house if they want.  I usually just throw a towel over them and let them go outside while Eric pulls the covers over his head.  He’s not afraid he just lets me deal with them. 

When our grand daughters Holly and Abby were young and used to stay over night with us I told them we’d never had a bat in the house…I lied!

Playa de Cortes,Guaymas to Las Jaibas, Mazatlan

Day 1 -We left the Playa de Cortes on Sunday, Nov. 13th and arrived at the Pemex (stop #3 on map) at about 3:45 pm. 

>

It is just after 9am on Sunday and we are heading up the road that takes us out of the park up to the overpass where we will turn right (south) onto Mex 15 through downtown Guaymas.  In years past we have taken the bypass route which goes up by the airport but that road is often filled with potholes so now we don’t bother.  As well it is Sunday and traffic is light through downtown Guaymas.

Mex 15 through Guaymas.  On a week day this would be very busy, not today.

Up ahead you see overhead signs where the airport bypass road joins Mex 15 and we head through Empalme to join up with the toll road, Mex 15D.

Mex 15 D heading south and the pavement is horrible here.

At this point we are on the brand new concrete highway which is already being patched in many areas.  What’s up with that?

No more concrete and now it is not “bueno!”

Coming through Vicam.  Two years ago the Yaki Indians had road blocks up due to a dispute with the government over water.  No road block today. 

There was a huge Yaki statue and some sort of an elaborate gathering centre.  I hope that wasn’t a trade off for water rights!

Obregon is up ahead.  We have been warned that there are some detours in Obregon that are confusing but since it is Sunday we hope we’ll find our way through. 

The usual left turn to go east and bypass downtown Obregon.

New pavement and very quiet.  No one is working on Sunday. 

This is the last detour and the problem one.  We turned right here and then there were no more signs.  We knew we were heading west and that we now needed to head south but it was unclear as to how we were supposed to get back to Mex 15D.  The traffic was heading back north into Obregon and we didn’t want to go there!  We kept left saw a traffic circle and managed to get through it and head south.  We hear that quite a few people have had trouble with this and even ended up in downtown Obregon.  Not good in an RV.

Heading south now and there are huge poultry barns growning chicken for the name Bachaco that you see in the supermarkets.

Huge towers for a high voltage transmission line.  Our son-in-law Wade in Terrace is a powerline lineman and works on many huge projects like this. 

New steel poles for the transmission line.

We stopped at the Pemex at the north end of Navojoa and had lunch before heading south.  Once again on a Sunday afternoon there is no traffic.

You could shoot a cannon down the street today and not hit anyone!

Navojoa is one of the nicest Mexican towns we have travelled through.  Well kept and pretty.

To the left they are building the road bed for the northbound concrete highway so we are now two lane two way traffic.  Here we are managing to travel at any easy 100km per hour.

Welcome to Sinaloa.

On to Los Mochis.

Coming off the overpass through Los Mochis.  For the most part the roads have been good today as they are now mostly concrete.  In the stretches where we hit old pavement, they were terrible.  We do not expect tomorrow to be as good as today.  It would seem that Sonora is attempting to make all their highways concrete which is a good thing as long as they don’t break down the way the asphalt has.  We have also heard that the highway from the USA/Mexico border crossing at Lukeville all the way to Santa Ana is now horrible.  This is a new, mostly asphalt highway that has already broken down.  Ah Mexico!

We parked in the gated Pemex south of Los Mochis last night and it was almost completely empty.  This morning….still empty.  There was one other motorhome parked overnight but they were gone when we got up in the morning.

The workers that you see above seem to be weeding but in a rather haphazard, lacksidasical manner.  Some of the woman were sitting in small groups and seemed to be praying.  Now I am not regligious but I certainly have done enough weeding in my life as a gardener and I always say I am praying to the God of weeds!

 

We are parked in the very northwest corner of the lot to escape the dust that is kicked up by the trucks.  The wind seems always to come from the north so that is the safest place to park when the trucks pulling doubles make a big circle in the lot and kick up dust.    In the distance you can see the Monsanto chemical plant on the other side of this newly planted field.  Some years the chemical smell is so bad that we can’t open a window.  This time we ran the generator for A/C early and opened the windows later when it cooled down.  No smell but…. voracious biting bugs that seemed small enough to get through the screens.  We both got majorly bitten.  We sat outside in Nov. 2014 on our last trip and I got eaten alive.  Always something! 

Monday morning Nov. 14th about 8:30 am and we are ready to leave  our overnight stop at the Pemex just south just south of Los Mochis.

Heading south and the road is terrible at this point.  Where ever the road is like this we drive in the fast lane.  Sometimes we get honked at, sometimes the drivers are too dumb to go around us and pass but the traffic is light and we are not driving in the slow lane when it looks like that.

The windshield is dirty but you can see we share the road with tractors.

Not sure what is growing here but boy are those rows straight.  Eric says the tractors would have a GPS to make everything this straight. 

Here it is just after 1pm and we are leaving the overlook rest stop before Mazatlan after having lunch. 

I didn’t take a lot of pictures today as the road wasn’t very good and there wasn’t much to take pictures of anyway.  We drove at a fairly good speed in some places and slow in others.  The big problem is the unpredictability of the roads.  You will be sailing along at 100kph and then you’ll hit a horrible stretch with no warning.  There are also invisible left over topes (speed bumps) which have never been removed and when you hit them they almost loosen your teeth before manage to slow down.

Here we are coming along Avenida Sabalo Cerritos toward the Las Jaibas RV park.  The meridian is a bit of a mess but I guess when the tourists aren’t here and it’s raining they just ignore it.  It won’t be long before it’s all cleaned up.

This is us.  We are parked in the very far back corner of the RV park next to a stored boat.  We decided we wanted things to be as quiet as possible this winter and….this is it. 

No one next to us on either side, no one behind us…perfect.  We won’t have any dust from traffic and probably not many visitors either but if we want to see people they are just a short walk away.  I have my regular activities like, cards, bingo, Wednesday lunch, Boce etc. and Eric and I also go to the beach most afternoons so that’s social enough for me. 

The spots in the row ahead of us are very large pull thru’s so they will fill up now and then as people pass through on their way south and then north.  When we arrived on Monday this row was almost full and we had to squeeze up against the RV at the end.   We’d looked at parking in the main part of the park but in the end decided we were fine right here.  We won’t get the internet at the back of the park but we can walk up front if we need it.  We might also get an internet stick and run our WiFi on cell service.  We have a new AT&T smart phone from our daughter Krista and son-in-law Jeff who live in Pittsburgh.  We are on their plan and have unlimited phone calls in Mexico and back and forth from Mexico to the USA as well as unlimited international texting and 1 gig of data so things are pretty good right now.  We have a cell tower right next to the park so our service is good. 

All is well.

Off to Los Mochis and then Mazatlan

It’s a beautiful sunny morning in Mexico at the Playa de Cortes RV park in Guaymas and we are packing up to head south.  It was noisy night last night with a wedding and  band music.  Our silicone ear plugs take take of most of the noise but when the band quit they then started loading equipment at 2am and that was really noisy.  It has been really quiet at night here so we really can’t complain. 

We are as rested as we can be after doing absolutely nothing for a week so it is time to hit the road.  First stop the Pemex just south of Los Mochis where it will be really hot.  We’ll probably have to run the generator for A/C for a few hours but it will likely cool down over night. 

So…I won’t post till we hit Mazatlan and I’ll try to keep track of road conditions as we travel. 

Trip into San Carlos

 

We were off to San Carlos this morning to have our drinking water jugs filled, have a look around and stop somewhere for lunch.

It is hot and steamy today and I must admit it is making us both a bit cranky.  We haven’t been running our A/C as there has been enough of a breeze that we weren’t too hot but later today we may need it. 

We like to take the ocean route into San Carlos from Guaymas.  I’d insert a map but my old map point program doesn’t recognize that San Carlos even exists! 

Back in 2008 when we made our first trip into Mexico we spent a month in a condo beside the marina in San Carlos.  At that time San Carlos was booming and the road in from the main highway was an elaborate six lanes going in and coming out.  Street lights the whole way and a centre meridian that was all manicured.  This is what it looks like now…

Many of the light poles are leaning, nothing is mowed and lots of the palm trees are dying.  I wonder who is actually responsible for maintaining it.

We stopped in at San Francisco beach which is south of San Carlos to check out the swimming possibility and then on into San Carlos. 

We had lunch by the marina at Hammerhead’s restaurant.  The restaurant has had a few owners since we first ate there in 2008 but this one is really good.  We both had a burger with fries and coleslaw (120 pesos) and Eric said it was the best burger he’s ever eaten and that says alot. 

We usually walk around the marina and have a look at the boats but today it was just too hot.  Eric has had a longterm dream of owing a sailboat but so far that has not happened. 

We took a drive north to see what was happening in Miramar where there is another marina and a very large failed RV park. 

Tetakawi mountain ahead.

To the left of the sign is the abandoned RV park. 

The rumour is that the father who owned the park died and there was an ownership fight between the heirs that couldn’t be resolved and this is the result.  Too bad as it was a very large well done park. 

Lots of upscale development in this area and this would be the view from the failed RV park.  

We drove back into San Carlos, picked up water and then back to Guaymas to the WalMart for a few groceries.  It is a very decent WalMart with good produce and I got all that I needed.  At home I buy the odd Poblano pepper which will cost me a dollar or more and here it’s about 28 cents. 

Eric stopped at the beer store on the way back to the park to pick up a flat of Pacifico which he really likes.  WalMart sells Pacifico lite but not the regular Pacifico….go figure!

The young, very bi-lingual women at the beer store had Eric laughing as they packed the beer out to the truck.  They’d had an extensive discussion about favorite beers and she was extremely funny and nice.  That earned her a 20 peso tip! 

It was hot and steamy in the rig and it was time to turn on the A/C. 

We were both exhausted from our busy day….how lame is that! 

I do think the heat really takes a lot out of you.  So…a few beers, soup for supper after our large lunch, T.V. and bed. 

P.S. --  Frank and Sandi report that the roads between Los Mochis and Mazatlan are not good but that they have been worse.  I might also say that travel in a motorhome is much different than travelling in a pick-up with fully aired up tires hauling an RV.  The potholes and ruts just beat us to death as we travel.  It is not a pleasant experience but the end result (a winter in Mazatlan) is worth it. 

We are still at the Playa de Cortes in Guaymas and it’s hot!

I finally managed to get my last two blogs posted.  I found a spot close to the office and the internet is quick enough to post so that’s a good thing. 

So what’s been going on…..well absolutely nothing which is just what we both needed.  Frank and Sandi left for Los Mochis on Monday morning at 9am and were in and parked by 3pm so that’s a reasonable day.  Sandi sent a text that said the roads were 60 to 70% good and that the drive through Obregon was terrible.  Apparently it was terrible last year but since we didn’t travel last year I wouldn’t know.  No update on Los Mochis to Mazatlan but I’ll let you all know when I hear. 

Tomorrow (Thursday) we will venture out and probably go into San Carlos for lunch and to get our water jugs filled.  I will buy a few grocieries and that is about it. 

We have booked a week here and will probably head out on Sunday morning for Los Mochis.  

All is well in Mexico! 

Arizona to Playa de Cortes, Guaymas, Mexico

It is 1:30 pm on Saturday and this is our journey this afternoon from Frank and Sandi’s RV park to the Desert Diamond Casino. 

South of Phoenix and Frank and Sandi are leading the way as we have never gone south to Mexico through Nogales. 

Picacho Peak in the distance and up close a cotton field ready to harvest.  

Picacho Peak.

North of Tucson they were working on a bridge in the northbound lane and the traffic was backed up for miles and the line went on and on.

….and miles.

A nice 55 Chevy passed us.

We left highway 19 at  exit 80 south of Tucson at Sahuarita for the Desert Diamond Casino.

This is a huge complex and I should have taken more pictures.

One, two, three and we were set up and having happy hour in the parking lot.

That’s me taking the picture of everyone.

That’s  “The Palace” as it is known in Las Jaibas pulling Frank & Sandi’s Jeep. 

Desert Diamond Casino in the distance.

After happy hour we all trundled over to the Casino for dinner.  Sandi said they had a buffet and that was just what the doctor ordered.  I had no desire to cook and I was hungry.  There were a few other options for food in the Casino but …..I pushed for the buffet.  Sandi sent Eric and I over to sign up as gamblers so we’d get a promo $10 coupon each for the buffet.  Eric will never gamble and I will only gamble a little bit once in a blue moon!  

The buffet was Mexican and I ate way, way too much and then had a big dessert.  What a piggy!

>

Desert Diamond Casino, AZ to Playa de Cortes, Guaymas, Mexico.

We were up early and on the road by 7:30 am and heading for Mexico.

Heading for the border.

33km to Nogales.

Veer right on 19 and head south.

We’ll take the truck route.

189 South.

Wait for us Frank!

We thought the border would be open 24 hours a day but apparently not.

First stop and we roll right through.

A tight squeeze but better than where the cars go through.

Someone is always trying to dodge around the motorhomes and RV’s.

 

Where the heck are we going?  We are new to this border crossing as we usually cross at Lukeville south of Ajo.

 

We just kept following along….although I did make some notes.

 

Here it got tricky.  Frank thought only cars could go to the left so we ended up in the truck lane.

Who could tell that an RV should be an auto.

Sandi had to get out and make a guard move a cone so we could get through.

They had a quick look in the rigs and we were on our way.  If we’d gone in as an auto we wouldn’t have had to stop.  Ah Mexico.

 

On to km 21 where we will get our tourist visa’s and importation stickers for our vehicles.  Frank imported the Jeep on line and has a ten year sticker for the motorhome so it will be quick for him.  We have to import the 5th wheel, truck and motorcycle so it will not be quick for us.

As it is Sunday morning it isn’t very busy and there aren’t many people around at km 21 but unfortunately that also includes the workers who do the paperwork.  One lady at the visa counter and one guy at the importation/banjercito wicket.  All in all it took about 1hour and 20 min to get it all done even though the importation worker was very quick and efficient.  When we go into Mexico through Lukeville we already have all our paperwork.  We stop in Yuma and walk across the border at San Luis south of Yuma to get all our paperwork done. 

All done and on the road.

Heading for Hermosillo.

But first …..a toll just after we leave km 21.  

The road is bumpy and there is absolutely no shoulder.

Magdalena just before Santa Ana.

The northbound lanes are closed while they work on them.  It looks like no one has touched that side in months.

Farther south and we see the future highway under construction.  It is concrete and it should be a lot better than the asphalt.

Coming into Santa Ana.

We usually stay here at Edgar and Anna’s Punta Vista RV park in Santa Ana on our first night in Mexico when we come in through Lukeville.   Sad news.  We heard from Papa John who came by earlier that Anna had passed away in the summer.  Poor Edgar.  I can’t imagine how he will cope without her.  Edgar was in poor health when we saw him in the spring of 2015 and we wondered how long he could carry on running the park.  He said at that time he would be there as long as he could for all his customers and friends because they depend on him. 

South of Santa Ana and the right lane is just crappy so Eric is travelling in the so called fast lane.  They keep repaving but it never lasts more than a year or two at the most.

Nice new pavement here.

We stopped at km 69 for fuel and lunch and were on our way.

Just before Hermosillo and ….another toll for all these good roads.

Paid the toll and now the roads coming into Hermosillo are really bad!

The trip through Hermosillo was as usual except for our stop just before the first turn.  A young dog darted into traffic and Frank stopped but the third car on the right ran over it.  It got up and ran but it was likely seriously hurt.  This is one thing about Mexico that I really hate.  The sides of the roads are littered with dead animals of all descriptions.  As it was Sunday the traffic was quite light through Hermosillo.

New tar layer road bed on the north bound side in preparation for concrete.  The traffic was diverted from northbound to southbound again and again and much of the time we had two lane traffic.  This means that even though there is a no passing sign ….the Mexicans still try to pass.

That new concrete is really thick.

Remember I said you aren’t supposed to pass….well up ahead as one side is diverted to the other there is a three car crash.  We were stopped for about 20 minutes and then continued on.  The northbound traffic was backed up for miles.

Lots of people heading north on a Sunday afternoon to head back to Arizona or maybe Hermosillo after a weekend at the beach.

Two way traffic again.

Still backed up heading north.

That’s the big machine that lays down the concrete.  We saw at least three of them and they would be deadly expensive.

The construction lasted all the way into Guaymas where we left the highway and  headed into the Playa de Cortes Hotel and RV park in Miramar.  Frank and Sandi have never stayed here so they followed us in. 

Look we’re already parked and having happy hour.  How great is that. 

There are a few other RV’s here and we are parked under the last of the remaining big trees.  These beautiful trees have been declining for years and have died of old age or disease we really don’t know.   It is a shame because beyond their beauty they provided a lot of shade. 

So it was a  long, tiring, bone jarring day and we are all whipped.  Tomorrow Frank and Sandi will head on to Los Mochis for a night in a Pemex and then continue on to Mazatlan on Tuesday.  We are tired and will rest here for a few days.