Navidad in Mazatlan

We joined Costa Veleros friends for Christmas Eve dinner at a local restaurant, where bountiful food and drink was served, and local dancers provided entertainment. After dinner, we jumped into the bed of a taxi/truck, furnished with benches on either side - enough room to accommodate the eight of us and were whisked back to Costa Veleros. The party continued out on the deck where the neighbors received an impromptu seranade of carols. The star singer was a cute little four-legged soprano, Keesah, who piped in some lovely howls, with Larry's encouragement...... You can admire her tanned little belly in the attached pic!

Christmas Eve - First Light of Dawn.
All is quiet and peaceful. Soft music surrounds us with the amazing message of Mary's Baby Boy - the Miracle of Hope, entrusted by the Father to a humble young peasant couple.
What a display of confidence in His human children! HE believes in US!
There's a new kid in town. Let's each invite Him in!
May your Christmas be filled with Peace and Love!
Bonnie and Larry

Settling In

Some of the reasons for loving Mexico - - Flowers and Sunets - -Never two the same!

Soft morning breeze has me wrapped in a shawl, sitting on the couch, still in jammies. The morning walk is delayed over another cup of coffee.

A day and a half after arrival finds us pretty well settled into the condominium, though still without gas for hot water and stove top food prep. It matters not when there are friends close by, a barbeque out on the deck to grill salchichas (hot dogs) and a coffee maker in the kitchen!

Shirtsleeves and Sunshine

Two long, arduous days of driving have us in Celestino RV Park, situated right on the coast, about 50 miles north of Mazatlan. The setting is post-card perfect - incredible vista, enjoyed from the patio overlooking the beach with cerbeza in hand; clean bathrooms with LOTS of hot water. It's an ideal place to catch our breath before we venture into MAZ to tackle the tasks of settling back into the condo and preparing for the association meeting on December 19. We look forward to reconnecting with our amigos from all parts of Canada, the US and Mexico!
The border crossing went smoothly - waved through all checkpoints and got the green light at customs. LOTS of fire power in evidence on both sides of the border...(sorry - I chose not to take pictures).
Larry brought us safely down the cuota (toll highway), gripping the wheel tightly as monster busses and 18 wheelers rocketed past us, driven by wannabe race car drivers! Sadly, we encountered one truck in a heap off the side of the road with trailer axle left up on on the highway. The cab appeared to be fairly intact, so hopefully, the driver escaped without major injuries.
We wish we could transport some of this beautiful sunshine and warm weather up north!

Arctic Weather, Torrential Rain, Gale Winds. What ELSE?

Bonnie:

I TOLD you we should have stayed home home for Christmas! Larry: "Now the budget is REALLY shot!"

The rest of the story:

Larry's furrowed brow was not at all reassuring as he wrestled the truck into gear a number of times during yesterday's drive from Bakersfield to Yuma.
"Hmmm.....I think we might have a problem. We'd better have it checked out at the Dodge dealer in Tucson."
Once in gear, the truck seemed to be okay as we left Yuma. The freeway drive was uneventful - - not much shifting necessary. However, after leaving the freeway and working our way through Tucson signals and intersections to the Dodge dealer, it became clear that there was DEFINITELY a problem!
Larry coaxed the truck the last few blocks, with the help of our ever-present guardian angel.

The good news is - - we made it to Tucson.
The bad news is - - we need a new clutch.
Wait! there's MORE good news!
Tonight, we are settled into a Comfort Suites motel room that has Wi-Fi, television and a king size bed! Larry DID promise a weekly motel room stay on these journeys south!!

We should be back in action tomorrow afternoon and plan to spent a couple of nights at the Desert Trails RV park just outside Tucson before crossing the border and heading to Mazatlan.

Oh - - and about Bonnie, the Twin! She's our new Tom Tom GPS! LOVE that girl! She is my back up! She doesn't even mind when Larry grumbles at her!
When Larry has questions, I just hold up "TomTomBonnie" and she shows him the way . . even gives him a two mile "heads-up" before he has to turn! She directed us through San Bernardino without a problem yesterday, even with the rain and crazy traffic!

SNOW in Southern California!

We THOUGHT we were escaping the Arctic weather! Hah!
The Tehachepe Summit east of Bakersfield had a respectable blanket of snow and the hillside windmills were buried in the clouds. We hoped we were through the worst of it as we headed to San Bernardino, but as we labored up the Cajon Pass near Palm Springs, once again Mother Nature demonstrated her dark side with another gauntlet of white stuff. It didn't get much better as we headed into the San Bernardino network of freeways. Traffic was typical for Southern California, but the relentless RAIN and WIND! It really didn't let up at all as we headed east to Yuma.
We are looking forward to a relaxing evening with Jim and Joyce Weathers - friends from Independence.

Oh! And did I tell you that Larry found my twin sister - also named Bonnie?
She is SUCH an amazing navigator! More about her tomorrow......

Cold Frosty Morn

Though we did our best to discourage the company of some unwelcome viral "gangstas" on our trip south, with regular doses of Emergen-C and Echinacea prior to departure, the microbial invasion delayed our leaving by a day.
We nervously watched the ominous clouds gather and felt the temperature drop, and despite the sniffles and sneezes, we decided we needed to beat-feet it across the Siskiyou Pass, before the weather window of opportunity slammed shut. It should be noted and appreciated by all readers that the driver sacrificed himself in a heroic effort behind the wheel for the 8 to 10 hour sojourn to get us safely beyond the Oregon California border, as he fought valiantly to stave off the life-threatening viral attack. What a GUY! Just ask him! Morning fog and sub-freezing tempertures did convert parts of I-5 down the Willamette Valley into a skating rink for the earliest, unsuspecting travelers. The result was a roadside littered with cars whose drivers fell victim to the whims of Mother Nature. We took note and motored carefully over pavement that appeared to be dry. Once the sun burned through the fog, we breezed along at a steady clip. Mother Nature can be beautiful and wicked at the same time! Isn't that JUST like a woman!
Our Saturday night resting spot was in Orland, California, near Red Bluff. I-5 is not the most inspiring route south, but the single digit temperature through Nevada gave us pause.
We are in Edison, CA Saturday night- near Bakersfield, camped in an orange grove where the owners request that the RV campers limit their citrus harvest to one large grocery bag.
SUCH a tough life!!!!