January 18, 2016. Hiking Superstition Mountain

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Lost Dutchman State Park

LOCATION: Apache Junction, east of Phoenix

WEATHER:  Very pleasant. High around 70

We took one of the hikes here in the state park.  About 2 miles.  Since it is a holiday, there were lots of people out.  Perfect weather for a hike.  I stupidly opened this cactus fruit and got lots of stickers embedded in my fingers. 

  Back at the camper, George polished up the Airstream.  Most of our sales leads are fizzling, and with only 12 days left before we leave, we are pretty sure we will just store the rig here while we are in New Zealand and Australia.

We drove to a nearby "saloon" for a beer.  It looked like a cowboy movie set.

It was called the Hitching Post Bar and Saloon.  When we went to the car after our drinks, we smelled horse poop.  Sure enough, it was under our tires.....we had parked in front of the REAL hitching post.

DINNER:  Leftover smoked fish and pasta from Mexico.  The container has been in the freezer all this time.  I added more cream cheese and capers to stretch it.

January 17, 2016. On to Superstition Mountain

CAMPGROUND:  Lost Dutchman State Park. Beautiful mountain scenery. Water and electricity. Dump station.  Nice bathrooms, but far away.  $30/night.  4 stars. Only state park in Phoenix area

LOCATION:  40 miles east of Phoenix in Apache Junction.  

WEATHER:  Very nice. High about 65

After more than 2 1/2 years on the road, we finally did it......locked both sets of keys in the trailer.  We were on our way to the RV park's library.  George left first.  Conversation across the parking lot went like this.......

Karmen....."Do you have the keys?  Should I lock up?"

George....."Yes and yes"

Karmen....."ok, here I come", slamming door behind me

George (too late)... "No!"

The car was locked, too, and my extra set of keys were safely in the locked trailer.  What to do?  George decided to try to squeeze in through the storage bin.  Note the small area on lower right of trailer...

It is where tools are stored.  It leads to a cabinet under the bed.  We pried up the bed, then George wiggled inside..

Somehow he was able to push up the mattress platform and crawl through.  What an ordeal!  All his muscles hurt.

We then packed up and moved to this state park where we will be for a week.  I had reserved it several months ago, snatching the last available site, when we knew we would be in Phoenix before our flight to New Zealand. 

Camping in state parks is so different from RV parks.  Everyone is out enjoying the scenery, hiking, and cooking over campfires.  We biked around the campground and chatted with our neighbor, from Iowa. The sunset on Superstition Mountain was beautiful.

Still no definite interest in our camper and truck.  

DINNER:  Texas caviar.  I had a recipe to turn this appetizer into a meal.  It is black-eyed peas (to use up too many I bought for New Year's good luck meals), black beans, corn, cilantro, onions, garlic, red peppers, rice  and poblano peppers.  Pretty good.  Unfortunately, I made way too much. 

Baja California Camping Tips

Baja California, Mexico.  Effective January, 2016

Most people buy the book called "Baja Camping"  by Terry Church.  We didn't get around to buying it, so relied on a good map and by talking with others along the way.  This is to help others planning a trip to Baja.

Unlike camping in the US,  RV parks/campgrounds in Baja are few and far between.  We camped with a 22-foot Airstream and stayed on the main highways,  You can go off-road, but these hints are for those wanting to stay on paved highways. Some places have services;  others are dry-camping. 

PREPARING FOR THE TRIP

*Have some pesos to pay for toll roads (called cuota) near the border

*Buy Mexican  car insurance.  It is expensive, but a requirement.  We bought from Sanborns.

*Obtain a tourist card when you cross into Mexico.  About $25 pp.  Not required for short stays.

*If you go beyond Baja or Sonorra, other documents are required.

*Never drive at night.  Plan your days so that you will be somewhere with camping facilities before dark..  

* Keep gas tank full as you leave a town.  The longest stretch without gas is between El Rosario and Guerrero Negro, about 200 miles.

CAMPING AREAS/RV PARKS THAT WE KNOW

All on Highway #1, unless noted.  New ones open and some close, so this might change.  These are ones we saw.  We didn't stay in all of them.  From North to South.....

Ensenada-- one in town, and several south of town near La Bufadora

San Quentin-- 2 south of town on the beach.  Area called El Pabellon

Cavatina

Guerrero Negro --1 north of town, 1 south of town. 

San Ignacio 

South of Santa Rosalia

Mulege

Bahia de Concepcion. Beach camping. No facilities.  Several.  Most popular is Playa Santispac

Loreto --2 in town. Must get off highway

Ciudad Constitucion

La Paz-- called Maranatha.  West of town, as you enter

Los Barriles.  3 in town, one south of town

Cabo San Lucas-Villa Serena

Near Todos Santos--one in Cerritos beach area, south of town.  Highway #19

Gonzaga Bay.  Beach camping.  On new highway #5

La Palapa in San Felipe.  (Highway 5)

We spent about 5 weeks in Baja.  Here is our route with notes.  We took our time going south, but drove long days on the return. 

OUR TRIP

1.  We crossed in Tijuana.  It was surprisingly easy.  The guards recommend crossing Tuesday-Thursday when it is least busy.  Followed highway 1 south.   It is a toll road until Ensenada.  Drove through town to La Bufadora.  This is a tourist attraction, meaning Blow Spout.  Several RV parks on the road to La Bufadora. About 15 miles off highway.  We stayed in one called Campo 5.  Primitive bathroom only.  Beautiful views from cliff-side campground. One night @ $7.  100  miles from Tijuana. 

2.  160 miles to San Quentin-- El Pabellon.  South of town.  About one mile off highway on beach. Full hook- ups available. One night dry-camping @$9.   

3.  200 miles to Guerrero Negro.  Campground called  Mario's south of town on highway. Whale-watching tours available in season.  Full hook- ups. One night @ $16. 

Could have stopped in San Ignacio (nice oasis), but went on.

Could have stopped in Playa Santispac at Bahia de Concepcion.

4.  265 miles to Loreto. Stayed at  RV park "resort" called Loreto Shores.  Beautiful. Pool. Full hook-ups. On water. Our favorite place in Baja.  Great town. Many seasonal RVers.  5 nights @ $22/night. 

5.  215 miles to La Paz.  Maranatha RV park outside of town.  Safe-feeling and a good stopping place.  We unhooked and explored the city.  Both dry-camping and full hook-ups.  1 night. $22 full hook-ups, $16 dry camping.  

6.  90 miles to Los Barriles.  Popular spot for wind-surfers.  We stayed in town at Martin Verdugo's  RV park 5 nights @$21/night. On beach. Tiki hut bar. Pool.  Full hook-ups.  Many seasonal RVers.  Then moved to  Baja Sunrise south of town.  Brand new.  Right on beach. Full hook-ups.  Stayed 4 more nights@ $24/night. 

7.  We rented a house in Todos Santos for the holidays with family who flew down.  Todos Santos is about one hour from Los Cabos airport, and a world away. Recommend visiting this town. Camping nearby.  Bypass road south of Barriles to Todos Santos, bypassing Los Cabos.  150  miles.  Note....we did not camp in Cabo San Lucas, as we don't like big cities, but heard that there is one RV park there called La Serena.

Return trip.....

1.  From Todos Santos to Playa Santispac on Bahia de Concepcion.  333 miles.  No services. Restaurant/bar..  Beautiful beach.  1 night.  $7/night. 

2.  Planned to do whale-watching in Guerrero Negro, but they weren't going out that day, so drove on.  Drove on east on new highway #5.  The road is under construction.  25 miles are still dirt and rocks.  Rough and slow-going. Not recommended for big rigs. Stopped at a beach in Gonzaga Bay.  330 miles....12 hours of driving!

3.  150 miles to San Felipe.  Palapa RV park.  Several in town on the beach.  $24/night.  Full hook- ups.  Stayed 2 nights.  

4.  Then, back through Mexicali to cross into USA.  125 miles

For details on our trip, along with photos, check out our blog......reidsontheroad.blogspot.com.  Dates...December 10, 2015 to January 13, 2016. 

SPANISH WORDS TO KNOW

Tope-- speed bump.  Some are marked; others are not.  Sometimes painted yellow: some not.  Also zebra lines can be small speed bumps.  Found in towns and curvy roads, to slow drivers down.

Vada....dip in the road

Curva peligrosa--dangerous curve

Disminuye la velocidad--slow down

Cajero--ATM

January 16, 2016. Fun with friends and animals!

CAMPGROUND:  3rd night at Picacho Peak RV Park

LOCATION:  Between Tucson and Phoenix

WEATHER:  Sunny.  Still cool. 60s high

We spent the morning in a cleaning frenzy, preparing the Airstream for viewing.  We have one serious sales lead.

Then, a high school friend Bett, and her husband who are wintering in Tucson,  drove up to visit us.  It was so nice to see them again.  We had a picnic lunch, then walked next door to "Rooster Cogburn's  Ostrich Ranch".  We weren't expecting much, but it was really fun.  Admission included different types of feed for each animal.  We fed....miniature donkeys, parakeets, goats, ostriches, and bunnies.

Here I am, cautiously feeding the ostriches with their fierce beaks....

Then, we entered the lorikeet house and the birds practically attacked us for food.  We were all afraid that we would get poop in our hair!

Even George managed a smile...

DINNER:  George grilled a steak on the grill.  We haven't eaten steak in about two months, since we ate seafood mostly in Baja.  I baked a potato, and served a side salad.  We are definitely back in the USA!

We enjoyed watchig PBS, after not seeing TV for quite a bit.  

January 15, 2016. Walking stick transfer in Tubac

CAMPGROUND:  Another night at Picacho Peak RV park

LOCATION:  Between Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona

WEATHER:  Quite cool. Highs -around 60

We are glad we still have our electric blanket.  We dug it out and it felt cozy during the night.  A bit of frost on the camper in the morning.

We followed up on a few more sales leads for the camper, and did some computer work.  Then, we took a day trip south to Tubac, about 80 miles away.  Our mission was to leave our walking sticks in some good hands.....

George has  a running joke with our friend Tony from Nova Scotia whom we met in Newfoundland when we first started our life on the road.  We quickly became friends and have met again in the last  2 years, once in the Badlands, and once in British Columbia.  During one of the get-togethers, George and Tony accidentally grabbed each other's  walking sticks while packing up.  After about 6 months, each walking stick was  returned to his real owner.  So now, Tony promises to guard the walking stick while we travel in New Zealand and Australia.  Tony will be traveling here in Arizona later this year, so we dropped off the sticks with some friends of his, so get can pick them up later.  He promises to take photos of the walking stick during husband travels so we can keep up with the stick's journey! 

Tubac is a cute desert town with shops, art galleries and restaurants.  We had lunch, then met up with the walking stick friends for the exchange.

 

The couple are from British Columbia and winter in Tubac.

 

Back at the RV park, the cantina had prepared fish and chips, so we ate some and chatted with the long-term residents.  

January 14, 2016. Back to Arizona civilization

CAMPGROUND:  Pacacho Peak RV.  Full hook-ups. Beautiful showers, laundry, library.  $28/night.  5 stars. Gym, wood-working shop, cantina, pool. 

LOCATION:  Half-way between Phoenix and Tucson

WEATHER:  Cool.  Highs in 60s

We left the desert and drove about 2 hours east and south.  We passed through Dateland, Arizona and stopped for a date shake.  I remember tasting these when I was a kid visiting my grandmother wintering in the desert.  

We're staying at an RV park where we stayed last year. 

 It has good wifi, important as we are busy trying to sell the Airstream and truck.  Who wouldn't want to buy this?

 

We sent emails and called people who have answered our ads in the last month.  So far, nothing promising.

DINNER;  More leftovers.  Sautéed garlic/onion shrimp in cheesy polenta.  One frozen leftover dinner left, then a new slate.

January 13, 2016. Crossing the border

CAMPGROUND:  Copper Mountain RV Park.  Full hook-ups, rec room, wifi, great bathrooms.  $21/night.  4stars

LOCATION:  40 miles east of Yuma, Arizona

WEATHER:  Cool. Highs about 70

We said good-bye to our Alaska neighbors in San Felipe and drove north about 2 hours through really desolate country.

We hit sprawling, ugly, polluted Mexicali about noon, supposedly the best (least busy) time to cross the border.  After a slight episode  of getting lost, we got in the line to cross.  It took about 2 hours waiting in line.  Entrepreneurs selling everything under the sun strolled by.....snacks, honey, pop, beer, Jesus pictures.  There were beggars and one smart guy asking people to donate produce that couldn't cross into California.  Lots of guys wanting to wash windshields.  It was a real circus.

The actual inspection was pretty quick.  They brought out a huge German Shepard to search the trailer.  

We drove east through lots of vegetable fields and through Yuma, home of the RV snowbirds.  We were looking for BLM camping (free) just to stay the night.  It started getting dark, and we couldn't find any, so stopped at this RV park.  What a find!  It is in the middle of nowhere but has lots of amenities.  Most of the campers are here for the winter.  It is great for ATV afficionados.  We gathered around a campfire with some friendly Canadians (of course).  They told us it's the cheapest RV park in Arizona at $191/month.  

This brings me to the topic of my campground/RV park 5-star rating system.  I give a 1-5 star rating (although I was once tempted to go with negative one star) based on a combination of facilities, amenities, location, overall atmosphere, and value/price.  My brother commented that I was probably too generous with a 3-star rating last night in San Felipe due to the nasty bathroom and shower door that constantly flew open to the Main Street while I was showering.  However, a beachfront location goes a long way.  Here, I would give it a 5 based on the amenities, facilities and price, but it is located off the Interstate in the middle of the desert.  

DINNER:  The last of the Mahi-Mahi caught in Todos Santos.  This was the leftover fish/udon noodle dinner from a few nights ago.  Not too exciting, third time around.....