Drive Chavo Drive...Buenos Olas!

Our days here at Sayulita Trailer Park are taking on a gentle routine. Many days start with  coffee on the patio watching the surf and surfers, breakfast,  Yoga, and then long walk on the beach. Soon after, it is lunch time (fish tacos anyone?) Our afternoons usually involve shopping for food where we visit several shops and then home to spend the afternoon on the beach reading or in my case sewing or drawing. 

Downtown Sayulita looking up

 I love that the surfers say "buenos olas" to each other. It reminds me of us saying "buenos nachos" ...just a fun take on buenos dias.  I am not sure how this greeting is used...but the waves have been muy buenos, which makes the surfers very very happy. (olas is waves in Espanol) 

The big news here has been THE WAVES!! It's all about surfing here and that is what directs many conversations which go on for hours. It reminds me of Tom and his friends talking about skiing or biking. Same thing. So, the waves have been huge which is good for surfers and watching surfers and bad for swimmers like me. I have to walk down the beach to swim if I want to stay alive.

Talking Surf

I discovered a flower shop!!

Reading

• I finished The Miniaturist byJessie Burton (liked) and am halfway through Gillian Flynn's (think Gone Girl) Dark Places. (page turner) 
• Tom finished the book about Wallace Stegner and Edward Abby and we had many good conversations about this book. I want to read it now. He is now reading a book of stories by Sherman Alexie called Blasphemy

Good Things

• Team Rybus played on the bocci ball tournament..we lost all three games but won the newcomer award. (two shot glasses with Mexico etchings)
• The vegetable truck! A little truck comes twice a week full of veggies and fruit...we just walk out and buy what we need. 
• The Internet is working again.
• My sister arrived Friday...she is the person who introduced me to this wonderful place. 
• Parties!!! We had great fun at a party last night celebrating a big 70...live music, pot luck and a lot of dancing. The younger folks here say us old folks' parties go like this...an hour of drinking, an hour of eating and an hour of dancing...done by 8:30

Drive Chavo Drive!! ¡Arriba las mujeres!

Yesterday was a sullen day around here. Folks were talking about the inauguration and it seemed like the energy was sucked out of all of us. It helped to work on signs for the march and find comfort that good often comes from tragic times. 

Still, what a crazy world we live in. We have a crazy man for president and it seems like the worst of times..Yet, here we are marching for justice, equality and love all over the world. 

 

While Greta marched in DC, I marched in San Pancho, Mexico. (the next town north) We had a big group of women from Sayulita and the sisterhood packed themselves into cars and drove over to take part in the march.

 Here are some pictures. It was a powerful few hours and I felt a part of something much bigger than our group in Mexico. (though I bet there were 500 or more of us!) 

 

Drummers..the best part!

Drive Chavo Drive!! Uninvited Guest

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.”
                                                                  – Tim Cahill

Who the heck invited my migraine to Mexico! I certainly did not..though I was ready for the beast when it arrived. So, the last few days I have nothing much to write about unless you want to hear about my migraine..which you don't. But today was better. I called Greta in pain and she suggested Aleve (no rebound) so I went trailer to trailer asking for Aleve and my hero Collin from Yukon Territories had some. Funny thing is that they don't even sell those in Canada. It did the trick and I got my day back. Then it was Tom's turn to feel yucky...Good thing we were able to care for each other..He was husband of the year the past few days and today I made him chicken soup for his tummy. 

Shopping bounty

It is pretty wonderful being in a place where time passes and we just float along with each day. We wake early, have coffee and check out the waves and usually talk with folks on the patio. Then it is time for breakfast and then our long walk on the beach. Tough..eh??

Today I ventured to town for supplies. A broom, trash can, extension cord, and chicken soup makings. I had a few fish tacos for lunch and headed back home.

Here's what I loved about today:

• I learned to make pom poms like they sell in the market here.
• Fish Tacos
• A new friend who can tell when I have a migraine..like my friend Sal

• I learned to play bocci ball. 
• I didn't have to wear coat, hat, mittens, scarf, parka, and long pants.
• Walking with Tommy and Ruthie on the beach

Jen, our neighbor, showing me how to make pom poms

wind yarn around this device...cut and tie

Reading list: Pam: The Underground Railroad (finished If Not for This by Pete Fromm)
                    Tom:  Silence of the Grave A Reykjavik Thriller, and 
                      All the Wild that Remains, David Gessler (@ Wallace Stegner and Ed Abbey)

Playlist: The Civil Wars
               Ray LaMontagne
               Lake Street Dive
(Spotify Daily Mix)

Drive Chavo Drive.! Hemos llegado! Sayulita

After 2,200 miles we have arrived at our destination...Sayulita.  Our journey since the last post took us to several beaches where we camped. One of my favorite places was Chacala where we camped two nights right on the beach. The folks who stay at Chacala turned up their noses when we told them were were going to Sayulita. It is a pretty busy place and not as pristine as Chacala. But, to us it has a charm and funkiness that we love! Our spot from last year was saved for us..numero 8 and we are on the "right side" (where the more liberal folks hang out) It felt like a grand homecoming as we drove up and were greeted by many of our friends from years back.





The trailer park in Sayulita is a pretty unique place. There is a community of folks, mostly Canadian, who have come here for years. This is a surfing beach, so many of the folks here are surfers, young and old.  Each morning a pretty big group gathers in the patio for yoga, there are group meals, and bocci ball every day at four. 

Our neighbors...

Tomas, RBG and Chavo in numero 8 

Our view to the left

Our view to the right

My favorite interesting person was the lady who lives in her camper in Chacala. She showed us her dog's trick..She says "Trump or die" and the dog rolls over an puts his legs in the air.

My next favorite interesting person was  our camping neighbor in Chacala. He is a Mexican football (as in American football) coach! He is a big guy and used to be a lawyer before he fell in love with football.  There was an article in The New York Times, that Tom had read, about his team in  Monterrey.

More about our life in Sayulita to come...

What we're reading: Tom is reading The Sun magazine and I am reading a YA book,  Tuck Everlasting (the author Natalie Babbitt died recently) 

Playlist: the ocean, children playing, dogs barking and crickets

Flip flop tree next door

Drive Chavo Drive! Huatabampito

How we find camp spots...

Our route today

I am not making up this name...Huatambampito is where we are...we arrived here from San Carlos via hellish Obrigon and then into pleasant Navajoa and past Huatabambo to this little beach paradise. You may be wondering how the heck we found this place.  Tom discovered this spot in our  Mexican Camping book pictured above.  Tom likes to study this book each night and plan our next stop...we use that and the map book (which as navigator is on my lap all day.) 

First..our drive today. Tom earned his merit badge in driving in adverse conditions.

Best map book of Mexico ever...can only buy at  Pemex Gas 

We cussed all the way through the city of Obregon. I think when Mexico was giving out money for roads they totally overlooked Obregon. It has the worst roads we have encountered...and the potholes are like canyons. We don't need to go to Cooper Canyon now.

Is is kinda weird that I have a photo of the traffic...I left out the picture I took of the potholes...but, you get the point. 

Our destination Huatambampito is a beautiful quiet beach with a long funny name. We are camped right on the beach...couldn't get any closer and we thought we were in a little paradise until we noticed the HUGE RV next to us with a (gasp) Trump bumper sticker. I am trying to be tolerant and they are actually nice folks (well the wife seems pretty nice) Still...the toilets are pretty bad here too...(no connection to Trump..or is there??) 

This is doggie paradise and Ruthie is running all over the beach and playing with two poodles next door. 

Oh My God !!!Obregon

 Today's playlist:

Tito Puente
Gypsy Jazz
Bill Frisell
First Aid Kit
Peter Paul & Mary

We fixed our hot water heater...that is big for us because now we can take a hot shower. We need one after four days without. I wanted to swim but was told there are sting rays on the bottom and it is dangerous...I was too scared to go in.

We are hoping our Boise friends are all surviving the cold,  snow, and rain.  Even though we are basking in 80+ degree temps

Time to curl up with my book...War and Peace ...
(just kidding...reading cheesy mystery). 

Almost paradise..

Drive Chavo Drive! Diminish Your Velocity!

 
After another long drive we arrived at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. At last we were warm and able to camp in Chavo. This campground is great for many reasons, solar showers, awnings, nice trails and the best reason..a night ranger! The night ranger gave a talk on the sun and we sat outside with a bunch of other grey haired folks and marveled at the stars. 

Lukeville Border Crossing

Our first Mexican rest stop...

The next morning we took off and headed a few miles south to the border. It was a smooth crossing and just like that we were on the road in Mexico. I then began my job as co-pilot as Tom drove. My job as co-pilot was translating signs and managing the music. Our language reached new depths as we got accustomed to the Mexican way of driving. Passing is a way of life..and we learned that we needed to get out of the way of oncoming cars (or semi trucks!! ) 

As for translating signs..my favorite translation was "diminish your velocity." I kept telling Tom that there was devastation ahead..but after awhile figured out that it meant that there was a diversion ahead. This was not good since it meant that the road became a two lane highway. But, eventually we made it to San Carlos.

I must say I had a nice play list as we tried to avoid potholes and oncoming semi-trucks. I played: Leon Bridges, Leonard Cohen, Tin Hat Trio, World Music, and of course Santana to get us in the mood. 


 San Carlos is a sleepy little town close to Guaymas. It is full of expats and we were able to hook up with Meryl Lingard and Dave Brandt who live here half the year (the rest of the year they live in Boise) We had never met them, which is pretty crazy since we share many of the same friends. We parked in their back yard and had a great day walking on the beach and exploring this groovy town. I can see why they love it here. 

Walking on the beach..at last Ruthie was free!

When we finished our brief exploration we headed to the Mexican market and loaded up with supplies for our next few days..carne, salsa, beans, corn tortillas, papaya, and some limes and vegetables. We are heading out early in the morning and going to a new camping spot north of somewhere..Tom knows where and I will once again resume co-pilot duties. 

Meryl and Dave at their favorite beach restaurant..the Soggy Peso

Drive Chavo Drive!!....Moving Right Along..

Saturday, January 7, 2017

"Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,
With good friends you can't lose,
This could become a habit!
Opportunity knocks once let's reach out and grab it (yeah!),
Together we'll nab it,"

Read more:  Muppets - Moving Right Along Lyrics | MetroLyrics 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OXf4Az-vY8

After waiting a few days for the snow to stop we were finally able to start our journey south. Our weather window was Friday when it was supposed to clear up..but certainly not warm up.  It was-10 when we pulled out of our driveway. It took about two hours for us to warm up..and honestly we were cold the entire way.

It wasn't such a bad drive. The roads were clear and it was sunny. It was nice to drive the last few days with Kay Seurat who is heading to Tucson Arizona. Last night we stayed in Ely, Nevada -4 when we went to bed but a warm 21 degrees when we awoke!

Today we drove from Ely,  past Las Vegas and have arrived in Kingman, Arizona. We decided to grab a few salads at the grocery store and could only find a Walmart. We parked next to a black pick up truck with a huge confederate flag and an even bigger American flag. I seriously considered removing our prayer flags and Hilary bumper stickers.

Tomorrow we will be in Organ Pipe National Monument close to the border crossing in Lukeville and a great campground. We will stock up with potable water and basic foods before we cross into Mexico on Monday.

https://www.nps.gov/Orpi/index.htm

Here is a picture of sweet Ruthie. She has had a hard time staying warm in the back of the van. All of our liquids froze back there so it wasn't very warm for her.

The other is Tom enjoying our Walmart meal! Seriously good!

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