Again I want to suggest for folks that don't already know that Liz, Beth and Mitch have their own blogs, that you wander down the right side of the page and look up their blogs. I did finally get all three of theirs linked. Liz, originally from FL, fulltimes in her rig and is retired. Beth fulltimes in her rig and workcamps between her adventures. Mitch lives in TN when she isn't out traveling in her rig. You will find a repetition of some of the pictures but you will also find that our cameras catch different things. As in we all more often catch each other in pictures rather than ourselves. Liz and Beth have "real" cameras and as in the dolphin photos from yesterday evening, they are able to zoom in much more than I. With my pictures you are going to have to take my word for it. There really was a large pod of dolphins slowly cruising up the shore snacking on their dinner and being chased by the busy gulls.
Random thoughts....
One is left over from California. Ever see those "Happy California Dairy Cow" commercial? Well seems that not all the California cows get those pleasant pastures. On the way to Sharon's I did past a huge Dairy operation with thousands of dairy cows standing out in extra large dirt and mud feed lots. I am thinking that their agent didn't get them the photo op. Sure enough, there on the sign at on of the gates to the farm was a bright "California Dairy Farm" sign.
Driving the roads in Alaska is a good practice run to driving in Mexico, especially the Top of the World Highway. There is a lot of road construction going on (see pictures on Liz's blog) and those road are slow going. Well slow going for this gringo, not so slow for the cars and trucks passing me. No china (or corel ware) was broken...so far. You look donw at your gps and it says 71 miles to destination. 45 minutes later you look down and it says 67 miles to your destination. Then you remember that you have been driving about 5 miles an hours. The beach was worth the drive and that is our statement!
Most of us have been reading the road signs well. The stop signs sometimes appear to be randomly placed but ALTO means stop and so far we have caught them all. The speed limit signs frequently change limits quickly and I found myself constantly scanning the sides of the road to be sure that I was legal. It was the ones that said that I could go 80kmh (50 mph) that I pretty much ignored. Forty or forty-five seemed speedy enough on most of the good highways.
Most of the roads between towns are two lanes. Sometimes there are shoulders, sometimes there aren't. Liz and I were traveling partner yesterday and we both tried to pull over to the side when there was a side so that traffic behind us could pass. The roads are often curvy and winding up and down small mountains. Those lines painted in the middle regarding passing and those frequent signs by the side of the road with the "ghost buster" red circle over two cars side by side...meaning NO PASSING.....are clearly only suggestions to most folks driving in Mexico. It didn't matter where the curves were, or the hills...or the size of that transport truck, they are past you and gone. Liz and I spoke later and both were very glad not to be towing our cars. After the first miles of traffic, we both agreed that we relaxed. We knew where our rigs were on the road and we were traveling at speeds that felt safe to us and we depended on the driving skills of those passing us to know what they were doing. They appeared very experienced at ignoring the signs.....
Now back in town, the exciting things are different. There isn't much green to graze your horse on down here and tethering them on a long rope tied loosing around their neck and connected to some fence post provides access to what little greenery there might or might not be around the sides of the roads. Well and sometime those ropes come off. Again our friend Carol had warned all of us to drive slowly and watch for "things" running out onto the highway. She was right.
Horses are still a means of transportation for many people in Mexico and riders can be observed making there way along the highways and through towns.
Most all dogs are loose dogs. Who knows which ones may have owners and which ones don't. Some dogs are dead dogs along the side of the road.
Poverty is everywhere and I understand what makes people risk their lives and pay huge sums of money they can't afford to try and make it north to the USA.
The people we have met have been wonderful and helpful.
Three of the Baja Babes heading down the gauntlet of vendors to find the restaurant for lunch. (Mitch, Liz and Beth.)
This vendor had a nice little snake you could meet up close and personal. I watch as he had the young boy sit down in a nearby chair and he wrapped the snake around the chair and the boy. I asked if anyone in our group was interested in trying it and got no takers....
Okay, in two trips I never really saw all that much excitement in the water that was spouting from the "blow hole." Must have been a calm surf. I did see families and tourist all out for a memorable afternoon both times.....
Traveling on down the highway the next day to our first campsite actually on the beach, we passed many more barren and dry lands. ...And, yes, this was taken at one of our "potty break" stops for humans and dogs...not while driving down the highway.
As mentioned above, Liz did take some pictures of the bumpy, jiggly roads. We were all muttering not nice words under our breath but like childbirth....all that was forgotten when we arrived at the night's destination. I will say that Mitch and Liz ventured back out today to visit town...Mitch mentioned something about finding more fish tacos....and returned safely from their adventure. I only want to see the road into the campground once more, on the drive out. Mexico Highway 1 , will of course still be there to greet us as we head back north latter but by then we will have more beautiful beach time to fortify us.
Beautiful and deserted beach...well except for someone's little white Abby dog.
And looking the other direction.
"Remi, Remi, what is this stuff? Doesn't taste like water and it is chasing me and trying to get me all wet!" whispers Audrey.
At the last campsite we were able to watch a couple of whales spouting. Here we watch a huge pod of feeding dolphins leisurely work the shore line. I will refer you to Liz or Beth's blog to find better pictures of the dolphins. But they were just right out there for all to see.
And the end to another day in Mexico.....
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