An Unpleasant Experience Going Back Into the USA…

After our ten days were up in Puerto Penasco Mexico it was time to head back to the good old USA. As I mentioned earlier the sites are tight and there are no paved roads making getting out of there a bit of challenge. As I scoped out how we were going to leave there was only one area where I saw there would be be a bit of a tight turn. Fortunately our 44 foot neighbor left the day before proving it could be done. Check out the photo below left and see how tight the turn to the right was for the 44 footer in the middle driving slowly past the two parked rigs. He had to back up once to get around those two rigs!

As our time approached to leave we put everything away and fired up the RV.  Sharon walked down to that turn and getting around that turn wasn’t too bad so before long our three RV caravan was back on the road. We sure had a blast visiting Puerto Penasco having had a lot of fun with our caravan buddies and all the new friends we made as well. Many photos in this blog document our fun times (some pictures were taken by MonaLiza as well).

We had no problem leaving town and and everyone was able to stay together traveling through the busy town of Soyonita. Next up was the border crossing which I had read was a bit challenging to maneuver as it  is tight and has a turn or two in it. We were the middle rig and we were all the same height. Steve and MonaLiza were leading and as they entered the custom’s lane to enter the USA I noticed the hanging barrier above their RV said “Clearance 12’ 3”. Yikes! We are 12’ 8” and even though I was assured we would fit,  hearing that soft hanging barrier rolling over the top while driving through was still disconcerting.

The lanes were indeed tight but we managed and pulled up alongside an ICE agent (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Steve and MonaLiza were moving into the next series of lanes at the same time. After answering all the agent’s questions we were asked to move on to a lane two lanes over from Steve’s RV. About the time we made a wide turn to navigate into the lane we saw Steve’s RV already leaving and entering the USA. One down and two RV’s to go.

Well, when we pulled into a very tight lane two the ICE agent there told us to turn of the engine and that they were going to search the RV. We were told to leave our cell phones and the keys to the RV on the dash.  One of the two guards said we could stay on board but the other said to the other guard “no, this is a 107”. We were then told to go have a seat in the waiting room around the corner. We had no idea why we were selected to be searched. Either I answered a question suspiciously, looked suspicious or it was simply random.

While they were going through our rig  we saw our third RV in our caravan easily clear customs so now 2 out of the 3 of us were in the USA… but we were not!!! We sat for about 20 minutes not being told anything by anyone as our RV was being searched. Then, to our astonishment, an ICE agent drove our RV off around the building where we couldn’t see it at all! I had no idea they were allowed to do that (still not sure that they are). Again no one told us anything…

Ten minutes later we saw our RV on the the other side of the building and they were moving it into what appeared to be a large x-ray machine for trucks and large vehicles. Five to ten minutes later our RV was sitting back in front of the building we were in. Still no one telling us anything… Another five minutes passed when an ICE agent at last walked up to us and handed me my keys saying we were free to go.

We still had to maneuver back through the 3 last lanes to enter into the USA but when we did our friends were waiting for us, curious as to why we were delayed. We still have no idea what they were looking for (drugs we assume) but there were a few things disheveled from their search. So despite all the efforts undertook to ensure we followed all instructions for a smooth crossing into the USA from Mexico we still were detained for 30 to 45 minutes.

This whole experience was very unnerving and  I hope no other RVer has to endure it. Watching our RV drive off without us while we are still technically in Mexico did not sit well with me. I mean what if someone in Mexico had stashed some drugs under the RV to be picked up by an unscrupulous character in the USA. Our RV (our HOME) and all earthly possessions could have been confiscated by our own government. NOPE, we don't want to ever experience that again so future trips into Mexico may not happen again for us, at least not in our RV, our home…

NOTE: Again, with her permission I used a few pictures taken by MonaLiza of Lowes Travels blogger fame. We don’t often get many pictures with both of us in the photo so it was fun that she shared her photos… Thanks MonaLiza! We are now in Why Arizona for three nights and then will be moving over to Tucson AZ…

Wrapping Up Our Stay in Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico…

As our stay in Puerto Penasco comes to a close I find myself pausing to reflect upon our time spent in Mexico. I have to admit this is one of the friendliest parks we have ever stayed in. It seems to me that the RV’ers we encountered here were more relaxed, open, free spirited and simply happier than many of the folks we have encountered  during our nearly six years of travel. Maybe it is just coincidence or perhaps it is just a bit of the Mexico magic and the laid back culture of the residents rubbing off on all of us. Either way our stay exceeded my expectations...

We ate out in town much more than we normally do but doing so was very inexpensive especially considering we ate seafood everywhere we went. Two places we liked the best (both were real road treats) were Del Capitan on Rocky Point’s highest point. The other is a smaller restaurant in the area called Frenchy’s.

The food and the salsa were excellent at Del Capitan and the view was totally breathtaking.  It would be worth visiting even if the food was terrible! The local tourist newspaper called the Rocky Point News had a coupon in it for 1/2 priced food which meant, for example that a shrimp basket  would be about $5 dollars US. And of course a Mexican Bohemia beer or a margarita  to sip while enjoying the view was absolutely wonderful!

Frenchy’s had the most American food of any restaurant we visited but was very inexpensive  with cold Mexican beer for about $1.50 so we were happy there. Sharon and I shared a blackened grouper plate that they split for the two of us and we swear each "half" could have been a full serving for an average adult. We were stuffed!!!

We made sure to make one last stop at the Malecon (downtown area) to purchase some seafood from “Mr. Fish.” I bought several pounds of colossal shrimp (I mean look just how big they are in the picture below!) and five pounds each of Grouper and Red Snapper fish for a total cost of $58.00.

Of course before leaving our notorious group of 8 had to drive over to what is known as the “dirt mail since all the stores front a dirt road just north of town. There was a lot of really cool stuff we would have liked to have bought but with no where to put anything we only left we a small purchase of pure vanilla.

Playa Bonita RV resort although tight and tricky to navigate is perfectly situated right on the beach. It is filled with friendly, happy people many of whom we feel will become our lifelong friends. We are packing to leave and with the freezer full of seafood all that is left to do is to wander over to the beach to savor our last Playa Bonita sunset…

NOTE: The header picture and several others were taken by MonaLiza of Lowes Travels blogger fame. We are still in Ajo waiting for the rain and colder weather to pass before moving on…

Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico…

 

We sure have been enjoying the weather  since our arrival down here in Puerto Penasco in the Sonoran state of Mexico . Like most desert climates it chills down at night but we have not had to run the heater or our A/C despite temperatures reaching the 80’s since it cools down so fast in the evening. The sunrises and sunsets are to die for as each and every one of them has been spectacular!

We have fallen into a bit of a routine lingering over our morning breakfast waiting for the overnight chill to subside. By 11:00 we have the front door and all the windows open as it begins to warm up dramatically. Following breakfast and lunch we usually take a long walk on the beach going west one day and east toward town the next.

We meet for a daily happy hour with Steve, MonaLiza, Matt, Gloria, DeeDee and Bob  but  have also made a few new friends with folks at the Playa Bonita RV Park who come down here very often. It has been extremely helpful getting to know the “regulars” as they have shed some light as to what life is like in this small town just south of the Mexican border. We have learned what places to eat at, what stores to shop at and which vendors who cater to the park are reliable.

As a result we contacted one of the services to  have some painting and minor body work done on our RV. They call themselves Premier Painting and I looked at some of their work deciding they were very good considering the conditions here. I had the fellow give me an estimate and figured the cost to be about half of what I would pay in the USA so needless to say I gave it a go. My biggest worry was matching the metal flake in our paint but they matched both the gold and the black perfectly! I did have them redo a bit that wasn’t perfect but they readily did so, were very efficient and worked hard.

It has been interesting being so close to the ocean and yet in the midst of the desert. We enjoy this park and every morning the vetted vendors come around so I often purchase shrimp, red snapper, flounder or grouper as well as fresh asparagus at really low prices. Eating fresh seafood daily is one of the best things about staying in Puerto Penasco.

After happy hour each evening we stroll over to the waterfront for the evening sunset “ceremony” and are  joined by many others drawn there for the same reason. The sunsets and sunrises seen here have been some of the best I have encountered during our travels…

NOTE: We left Puerto Penasco Mexico on February 15th and are now in Ajo, Arizona once again…

Crossing the Mexican Border and Puerto Penasco…

The day of our trip to Mexico finally came so our caravan of three rigs pointed south just before 9:00 am. About an hour later we reached Lukeville the US town  which was the location for our border crossing. The crossing had only a few cars ahead of us and as we approached the border an “alto” (stop) light appeared and we waited until it turned green.

We pulled up to the the guards who instructed us to allow them on board. We had gathered up our important papers and passports in case they were needed.. Upon boarding we were asked a few questions about where we were headed and what we had in our steamer trunk. Sharon opened it as requested and after a peek inside they were content enough to wave us on our way.

Immediately past the border we entered the Mexican town of Sonoyta, We were told by our friends to obey all speed limits and stop at all stop signs as there have been reports of police officers stopping tourists in this town. Ten minutes later we were out of town and in the desert heading south.

The remaining hour of travel to Puerto Penasco was uneventful (perfect) and we pulled into Playa Bonita RV Park just before noon. We stopped at the office to check in and pay (cash only). Next we made our way over to our assigned site and as I had read sites here are very tight . That is definitely true. The sites themselves are actually wider than I had expected but what makes parking difficult is how narrow the roads between rows are when extra long rigs are in sites across from each other. We were able to maneuver into ours with no issue but the other two rigs in our caravan had to return to the office to ask for other sites since they were unable to get into theirs. We think getting out of our site when we leave might actually be a bigger problem  as the park is definitely filling up.

Puerto Penasco is a small resort town about an hour south of the Arizona border with Mexico on the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California.  The Sea of Cortez is a long extension of the Pacific Ocean bordered by the Mexican Baja California to the west and mainland Mexico to the east. It is said to have been frequented by Al Capone in the 1930s and 1940s,

I visited here before about 35 years ago and a lot has changed since I was last here. Until the 1990’s there was very little tourism as it was mostly just a fishing/shrimping village and the occasional tourists were mostly fishermen and college students taking advantage of Mexico's legal drinking age of 18. The beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters were and are still the attraction.. As a result the area was nicknamed  "Rocky Point" or "Arizona's Beach" due to its proximity to Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma.

Then, in the early 1990’s there was a huge governmental push to develop the area for tourism. The federal government contributed several billion pesos in build the infrastructure and an airport to support this endeavor. They declared the area a "free zone" (meaning tourists did not need passports) and shortly thereafter developers invested in the area and it is now home to many tall condominiums. The area still has some rough spots in town but where we are one would think we were in Cancun or Fort Lauderdale.

Let the fun in the sun begin…

NOTE: Weak internet so pictures will mostly have to wait for a stronger signal. We are in Puerto Penasco Mexico until February 15th…

Getting Geared Up to Go to Mexico….

I find it hard to believe we have been here nearly a month at Mesa Regal and will be heading down south toward Mexico soon. This has probably been the coldest January we have experienced in our 6 years on the road. Although it has been cooler and wetter than normal that hasn’t made us feel any better but  we realize warmer temperatures will come soon and hopefully continue as we travel down to Mexico.

Next Wednesday we will head south to Ajo Arizona where we will meet up with the other two couples we will travel with. We were happy to have the opportunity to follow these RVer’s who have been there before since we have never traveled to Mexico in an RV.

The first order of business was to purchase Mexico liability insurance and make sure our passports were up to date. As mentioned in a previous blog we had just changed our insurance carriers here in the USA this year  so we first checked with them only to discover that Progressive covers our RV while we are in Mexico but Geico will not cover our CRV. It will cost us about 70.00  for liability for the RV which also covers anything that is towed including the CRV. However if we chose to drive the CRV in Mexico we would need to purchase additional Mexican full coverage insurance. That would cost $155 so we have decided to leave our car in storage in Arizona and just take the RV down while using our bikes (or walking) as transportation.

  

The only other major thing we needed to do was to eat all the meat out of refrigerator so as not to worry about anything being confiscated after reading that most meats and vegetables aren’t allowed into  Mexico. Our plan is by the time we roll across the border  our freezer  will hopefully be nearly empty. There are several grocery stores in Puerto Penasco, the town we will be staying at during our 10 day stay and we are anxious to buy fresh shrimp  we have heard is awesome there..

We are looking forward to traveling south to what we hope will be warmer weather, Even though Sharon is a bit nervous being a first timer traveling into Mexico in our RV we feel certain it will be very safe unless our new President screws things up with Mexico (fingers crossed). Nevertheless we have our passports and our vehicle registration all set and ready to show the officials. Bring on the sun baybeee…

NOTE: We are still at Mesa Regal RV Resort until the end of the month and then we will head south to Ajo on Feb. 1st. and then to Puerto Penasco in Sonora Mexico.

Resort Life in Yuma AZ for a Few Days…

After enjoying our last Mission Bay sunset the time came to leave beautiful San Diego. For the first time ever Katie (our daughter) traveled in the RV with us. She flew into San Diego but will fly out of Phoenix for her return home to Raleigh NC. She joined in for our breaking camp routine, said goodbyes to Rick, Barb, Mike, Donna, Joanne and Greg then took her seat for our departure from Mission RV Park by 10:30. My copilot and navigator, Katie, then experienced the (long for us) drive over to Yuma AZ.

,

We planned to stop midway to Yuma but the weather forecasters predicted it would be below freezing overnight where we planned to stay so off to Yuma we went! We had no issues climbing from sea level to over 4000 feet and back down to the desert. We saw the Imperial Dunes but no dune buggies were out this time around so we didn't stop at the rest area to watch them.

After about 4 hours of driving we pulled into the Fortuna Del Oro RV Park in the Fortuna Hills east of Yuma Arizona. It was amazing how well my new side camera worked as it was crystal clear. Now I wish my other side camera was as clear but at $350 it will not be replaced until it breaks!!! Once in the park we were assigned a nice pull through site on the north end facing the scenic desert mountains to our north and east.

Since our arrival we have simply been enjoying the posh amenities at the park. Sharon and I have been taking advantage of the great fitness room with some morning workouts.I noticed I do have a few new sore muscles after using those heavier weights.  Katie is still with us and studying hard for her board exams at the RV while we were working out.

We have all been enjoying the great pickleball courts and have been burning up the courts two to three times a day. Katie and I also tried out some bocce ball, horseshoes and a little billiards. In addition the park has a makeshift bar set up at the pool area for afternoon happy hours along with live music so we have been enjoying these happy hours by the pool each day at 4:00 pm.

No trip to Yuma is complete without a foray over to Algondones Mexico. Although we didn’t need glasses or dental work we did pick up some pharmaceuticals and of course had to have the best ever shrimp burritos at Lupitas in Algondones. We also had dinner burritos at a great little spot in Yuma called La Casa Deli. The food was excellent and the salsas were superb! Katie has fit right in to our lifestyle and although we will be sad to see her go, we feel we made some great memories these last few weeks!

NOTE: We are now at Sundance RV Resort in Casa Grande Arizona and will leave December 14th for Phoenix AZ.