This morning we headed out, with Eilene, to Yuma Lettuce Days. This is the first year it was being held "on the farm", at the University of Arizona's College of Agriculture's research farm on the west side of Yuma. Attendance was poor due to the weather, but it was a very interesting day, as our Lettuce Days outings in the past have been. We attended a chef's "mystery box challenge" with Yuma's top five chefs competing in a cooking challenge. They were provided with a box of mystery ingredients and given twenty-five minutes to create something using every ingredient in the box, which included a fillet of salmon, a chocolate bar, a package of Ramen noodles, and lots of fresh produce, of course. We had lunch at the Tanimura & Antle ( a local farm ) giant salad bar. We wandered around the many vendor booths. We bought some dip mixes. We were given a lot of different free products, including a lot of produce ; citrus fruits, leafy greens, and all kinds of other vegetables grown in this area. I had a vendor of herbal ointments apply a sample of one of her products to my infected boil. It was quite soothing, and there was obvious improvement in the appearance and condition of the healing skin by bedtime. We walked out into the farm fields and viewed the spinach research field where they had grown eighty-five different types of spinach. < shrug > Who knew ? We viewed small "drone" aircraft used to monitor field conditions. We saw a variety of specialized farm equipment, some of it developed right there by the university.
On the way back to Kofa Ko-op we made a brief stop at Food City. Back at home we went to the regular Sunday late afternoon ice cream social where we presented Eilene with the album of photos I took at her recent farewell party. In the evening we watched the season finale of Downton Abbey.
Monday ; Yuma to El Centro, Arizona
Partially sunny, warm, a bit windy.
This morning Eilene brought over and gave to us a large piece ( quarter section ) of her famed lemon meringue pie. She had made a "test" pie in preparation for an upcoming "pie social" at Kofa Ko-op where one of her lemon meringue pies will be auctioned. The last time one of her lemon meringue pies was auctioned it sold for $500. HA HA HA ! Proceeds to charity, of course.
We spent the morning preparing for departure for a four day trip to Mexico. We left home around noon. We refilled with diesel before leaving Yuma, then headed west on Interstate 8 across the Colorado River and into California. As always, we stopped in Holtville to buy a burrito for lunch. MMMMM ! ! ! After lunch I napped with Sully. We were in no hurry today. I had planned to take two days to accomplish about one day of travel distance.
From Holtville we continued west on I-8 to El Centro then south on Hwy. 111 into Calexico, a small city. Well ... half of a small city. The other half of the city is Mexicali in Baja California, Mexico. The American built border fence runs through the center of Calexico, California and Mexicali, Mexico < rolling eyes >. We drove slowly through and around Calexico, exploring. It was somewhat difficult to appreciate that we were still in the United States. Calexico is as Mexican a city as anything in Mexico ! We found a Bank of America. Great ! I stopped and deposited a couple of cheques. No more Bank of America in Yuma !
There is a border crossing from downtown Calexico into downtown Mexicali, but we are planning to cross at the newer, larger, faster border crossing about seven miles east of town. We drove out there just to find it and orient ourselves for tomorrow's border crossing. We drove back to Calexico then north back to El Centro where we again drove through and around town just to explore a bit. Just before it got dark we returned to Interstate 8 where we drove a few more miles west to a rest area to boondock overnight.
Tuesday ; El Centro, Arizona to San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
Mostly sunny and warm.
This morning we dumped our waste holding tanks and refilled our freshwater tank at the rest area's sani-dump, then departed. A few miles east on Interstate 8 to El Centro, then ten miles or so south on Hwy. 111 to Calexico, then seven miles east on Hwy. 98 and a few miles south on Hwy. 7 to the border crossing and ... we were in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
We were pulled aside for a "secondary inspection" by Customs which I think is "standard procedure " for all RV's, and then had go inside to see "Migracion" to obtain tourist visas. I did not think that we needed tourist visas to visit San Felipe, which is in the northern "free zone" of Mexico, but ... obviously I was incorrect. However ... once told that we needed tourist visas, I was expecting that we would have to pay about U.S.$25 for each visa, as we have done in the past. The Migracion officer issued us tourist visas valid for one week, then sent us on our way ... without us having to pay anything. So ... < shrug > ... I don't know ? Is there no charge for a week or less ? Had the cashier called in sick today ? Do they make up the rules as they go along ? ! ?
I thought it was hilarious when I peeked inside the camper as it was being inspected, and "caught" the officer taking a photo of Sully lying on the pillows on the bed. HA HA HA ... "stupid gringos ... let their gato sleep on their pillows".
As we drove though Mexicali, trying to find our way through the city and out to Hwy. 5 southbound, we passed ... WOO-HOO ... LEY'S. A Mexican supermarket. Haven't shopped in a real Mexican supermarket for a couple of years. I just wanted to take a quick peek, but ... ! HA HA HA ... an hour and almost four hundred pesos later ... ! ! ! HA HA HA ... lots of pan dulce, of course, lots of Joanne's beloved Yomi Lala chocolate milk, a large bottle of ToniCol, a vanilla cola ... tag line ; "es diferente", a small bottle of Mirinda, an orange soft drink, a package of Oaxaca ( pronounced "wha HAWK a" ) string cheese, from the city of Oaxaca, in the state of Oaxaca, in southern Mexico ... ( been there ) ... turkey "ham" luncheon meat ... almost all luncheon meats ... and wieners ... in Mexico are made with turkey meat ... ! ! ! Almost as much fun as shopping at Trader Joe's. Eventually we finished grocery shopping and resumed driving.
Once we finally got through Mexicali, a much larger city than I had expected, we headed south on Hwy. 5. We stopped to eat lunch inside the camper in a small ejido, a communal farming village. WHEW ... tough little village with tough big dogs ! And Bo doesn't think it is necessary to take any guff from Mexican pit bulls who are trying very hard ... and almost succeeding ... in jumping over their yards' six foot fences to kill a stupid little gringo dog attached to a rope while he's being walked. C'mon Bo ... shut the **** up and just keep walking. Or better yet, take a piss so we can go back inside the camper. HA HA HA !
Before reaching San Felipe we had to stop at a military checkpoint and be inspected ... again. Just a few miles before reaching San Felipe we found Las Magdalenas, the housing development where our friends Barry and Marty live, with Sunny their Cocker Spaniel. Bo and Sunny have been "buddies" for about eight years. We visited with Barry and Marty for a couple of hours, then they invited us to join them for dinner at El Paraiso, a restaurant at a nearby RV park called Pete's Camp. We lingered over dinner, then drove into San Felipe for a brief night time tour of San Felipe before returning to their home where we spent the rest of the evening chatting.
We boondocked overnight in Barry's and Marty's driveway.
Wednesday ; Sunny, warm, windy on the beach.
Why does it seem like every time we go on a short trip one of the animals gets sick ? ! ? Today it was Sully, with diarrhea and vomiting. Don't know why ! Poor Sully. He really was very ill this afternoon and evening. Once again ... hope he survives ! ! !
On Sunday at Lettuce Days, at my request, I was given a small sample of a pine sap salve made by a herbalist / hippie. Excellent product ! Five days and my ugly, infected skin boil is healed ! Will have to track her down and buy a small jar of her pine sap salve. < whispering > It's obviously a better product than the pine sap salve I make !
This morning we visited with Barry and Marty for awhile before leaving their driveway. Thank you very much, Barry and Marty, for your hospitality. We drove into San Felipe and began finding the half dozen or so RV parks in town, to check them out and decide where we would like to spend the next two nights. After finding and checking out the half dozen or so RV parks in town we drove about ten miles or so south on Hwy. 5 to an area where there were a few more RV parks. We checked out the one rated as the best in that area, and made our choice. Club de Pesca in town on the east side. On the way back into San Felipe we stopped at a deserted camping area and had lunch. While Joanne prepared lunch Bo and I went for a walk on the beach. Very nice beach ! Strong winds ! ! !
Once back in San Felipe we drove to the Malecon ... the waterfront walkway ... and found a parking spot. Joanne and I walked the length of the Malecon in both directions. Lots of beach town tourist outlets and many restaurants. Some old drunks panhandling. Unemployed fishermen killing time. Old, fat gringos eating and drinking at outdoor patios. We brought Bo out of the camper and walked down some steps from the Malecon to the beach, then went for a long walk on the beach. HA HA HA ... Bo chased gulls, terns, and a few pelicans. The pelicans are so much larger than him that you would think he would be afraid of them, but ... NOOOOO ! ! ! He had a wonderful time romping on the beach, running out into the surf to chase birds, digging in the sand to find ... who knows what ?
After our beach walk we went exploring the town by driving. I stopped at a farmacia and bought some medications that I needed. We went to two of the three pescaderias / fish markets in town. At the first one we bought a couple of Halibut fillets. Three hundred grams / two thirds of a pound for two dollars. At the second one we bought a thick Curvina fillet. Again ... three hundred grams / two thirds of a pound for two dollars. We stopped at the new supermarket in town for a couple of grocery items.
Around 5 PM we drove back to Club de Pesca to check in for the night. Nobody in the office ! We chose a site and will settle with the office in the morning. Before it got dark we took Bo for another walk on the beach. As we settled in for the evening Sully was at the height of his illness, having attacks of diarrhea and / or vomiting every half hour or so for a couple of hours. Poor baby ! Once his stomach and intestines were completely emptied out he seemed to become a bit more comfortable, although it was obvious that he continued to suffer from intermittent intestinal cramps.
Thursday ; Sunny, warm, a bit windy on the beach. Sully was sick during the night, then seemed to be very slowly improving throughout the day today. By evening he was alert, eating well, and drinking well, although subdued.
This morning I walked over to the RV park's office to pay for last night and tonight. Then we moved to the RV park's "dry camp" / unserviced area on the beach. WOO-HOO ... beach camping ! We spent the rest of the morning playing beach doughnut fetch with Bo. HA HA HA HA HA ! What a fun loving little dog. But ... HA HA HA ... he has difficulty picking up his beloved "beach doughnut" now that he is missing five of his six lower front teeth ! A couple of big dogs from a nearby home came wandering down the beach to visit with Bo. WOO-HOO ... thought Bo ! He loves having a "beach pack" to romp with ! It's always been obvious that Bo desires to be a leashless Mexican dog. HA HA HA HA HA !
We rested on the beach for awhile, almost falling asleep, before going inside the camper to have lunch. Eating made us really sleepy so we all went for a long nap after lunch. When I awoke I took Bo for a long walk on the beach. The tide was going out late in the afternoon, so there was a lot of exposed tidal flats, with interesting things to discover, like Dungeness crabs. Around 5 PM with about an hour of daylight remaining ... and Joanne finally awake ... we went for a short "drivey", to "jungle dump" the camper's grey waste ( shower ) tank and to see the town's large harbour. YUCK ... what grubby looking large fishing boats.
We returned to our beach camping site and I barbecued steak for supper while Joanne prepared a salad and guacamole. As I was setting up the barbecue on the beach behind the camper's door I was surprised by the full moon "rising" out of the Sea of Cortez / Gulf of California. Late in the evening we went for a walk on the beach under a full moon. We ended our walk sooner than Bo would have liked because our bare feet were getting cold. < sigh > We must be getting old ! HA HA HA !
Sunny, very warm, windy.
This morning we went for our final walk on the beach before leaving Club de Pesca RV park and the city of San Felipe. Driving through the city I noticed a taller mecanico ( actual translation is "machine shop" but means "auto service station" ) with two tow trucks that I think were each about sixty-five years old. We stopped to refill with diesel at a Pemex station. They did not accept credit cards. I had no pesos, only U.S. dollars. Their exceptionally poor pesos to dollars exchange rate made it the most expensive ( per gallon ) fuel purchase so far this winter season.
We left San Felipe heading north on Mex 5. When we were hungry for lunch I pulled off the highway into the desert and we had lunch. When we stopped at the military checkpoint halfway back to Mexicali, the young soldier who was inspecting us stepped into the camper, saw Sully on the bed, and "meowed" softly to him. Sully lifted his head, saw the machine gun toting young soldier, and ... screamed loudly at him. HA HA HA ! The soldier turned around and quickly headed out the door of the camper. Inspection over ! Crabby old gringo cat is screaming at me ... I'm outta here ! HA HA HA HA HA !
We decided that we would rather not have to contend with the two hour or longer line up to cross the border from Mexicali to Calexico, a congested border crossing. When we got halfway through the city of Mexicali ( a larger city than I had realized ! ) arriving from the south on Mex 5, we turned east on Mex 2 and drove through and out of the city again. Just before leaving Mexicali I refilled with diesel again, this time purchasing at a station that accepted credit cards AND had a very decent exchange rate. We drove east on Mex 2 to all the way San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, and crossed the border into San Luis, Arizona, just a short distance south of our home at Kofa Ko-op RV Park.
We were in the line up to get to the border for about fifteen minutes. The female agent cleared us for entry pending a secondary inspection by Agriculture, standard procedure for RV's. We waited in "secondary inspection" for close to half an hour until a shaved head, jack booted a*****e came over to give us a "107" inspection. Sorry, a*****e, we were sent for a "104" inspection ( Agriculture ), not a "107" inspection ( we must "prove" that we do not intend to illegally remain in the United states forever ). < rolling eyes > Why would a Canadian drive all the way from Canada through the United States, then into Mexico, then return from Mexico back into the United States with the intent of becoming an illegal alien resident ? ? ? What a doofus ! ! !
Finally the Agriculture inspection agent came over. The shaved head doofus offered to "help" him. We were sent inside the building to wait for them to complete their Agricultural inspection. The doofus wanted me to open the truck hood before we went inside. Good plan, doofus ... maybe I illegally stashed some citrus fruits in the engine compartment. HA HA HA ! I think his insistence on "inspecting" us showed disrespect for his female colleague who had already cleared us for entry pending an Agriculture inspection.
In a few minutes doofus and the Agriculture inspector came into the building. The Agriculture inspector had confiscated a turkey sausage and two chicken thighs from our freezer because Joanne had repackaged them from larger grocery store packages into Baggies when she had purchased them in Yuma and the country of origin was no longer obvious.
Well done, boys. Keeping your HOMELAND SECURE one ****ing turkey sausage at a time ! < shaking my head in utter despair and contempt >
I had a very busy evening dealing with four days worth of e-mails and phone messages. We watched episode three of Amazing Race.
< inhaling deeply > WOW ! Can you smell that ? The nearby lemon groves are in blossom !
Saturday ; Sunny and hot. Forecast is for more of the same for the next week. Of course ... it's March and we're in Yuma. DUH !
I spent the morning and afternoon dealing with phone calls regarding the fifth wheel hitch rails I have advertised for sale, and visiting / chatting with friends and neighbours. We made plans to go to Midnight At The Oasis tonight with Laszlo and Gayle. Marilu came over and we settled up for the pet medications I "loaned" her last week. A man from Kamloops, British Columbia ( same city where Laszlo and Gayle live in the summer ) came over to see my fifth wheel hitch rails, but they were not the style he was looking for. If he had asked just one or two more questions on the phone, he could have saved himself a long drive over here. After lunch Joanne went to the clubhouse to assist with this afternoon's fund raiser "pie social". I skipped going. I don't need or particularly want to pay three dollars for a small slice of home made pie. And I certainly don't intend to bid five hundred dollars for one of Eilene's famous lemon meringue pies ! ! ! < whispering > Especially since she occasionally gives us a quarter of a pie !
I downloaded and processed photos from our Mexico trip.
At 6 PM we were picked up by Laszlo and Gayle in their tuck and we headed off to Midnight At The Oasis, the annual classic car show in Yuma. Every year Midnight At The Oasis has a rock concert on Saturday night. Tonight there were three tribute bands. While the Neil Diamond clone performed we wandered around the nearby sports field admiring the many beautiful classic cars. We returned to the performance stage area for the second band, a Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons tribute band. They were very good. The final band of the evening was a tribute to Journey, And they weren't very good ! We left halfway through their performance.
DSK
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