April 5 Heading North

April 5 Leaving Los Barriles


On the road again, early, truly early for us, we were on the road by 7:00. We were aroused by a nasty mosquito, buzzing around my ear, then around Lorne’s, then me, then him…..slap, slap slap, we slapped ourselves awake! Well, we wanted to get going early.


The roads are relatively quiet after Semano Santos. Hopefully all those who have seriously imbibed all weekend are safely tucked in their beds recovering and not driving down the road all blurry eyed!


The cardon are blooming – beautiful white flowers. There is a pink blooming seemingly leafless tree between Los Barriles and El Triumpho, very pretty.on them at all.


We decided to take the road over to Los Planes from El Triumpho. I drove. That’s right I DROVE the motor home that is 6 inches narrower than the lane! The first part was fine but the second part – from La Ventana up the big hill and part way down was full of extreme potholes, so deep they were through the asphalt and well into the sand below! It was impossible to miss them; very hard on the tires. There were others on the road that whipped on past us, I guess of the belief that if they go fast enough they will succeed in flying over those pot holes. Did I mention that I drove this part!! I am impressed I am. In the past I have been too frightened to drive on these narrow roads. However, Lorne has been dizzy for the past three days so I had to do it as we need to get north now.


Later…
Lorne feels much better today so we didn’t go into the clinic and he is driving now from La Paz to Ciudad Constitution – a 200 km jaunt through the dessert. This is not the prettiest part of Baja. We are aiming for Loreto today. I drove to the Gigantes Mountains after Constitution. Downright amazing! Twice in one day!


The check point right after La Paz was quite serious this time, we had to pull off with a number of others to be searched. They wanted to go in the pod (under the kayaks) which would have been a big deal so I told them I didn’t understand what they were saying; “no intiendo.” After a series of attempts to ask me about that I still did not understand; so they gave up and searched inside. One of them was particularly enamored with a hunting knife of Lorne’s and wanted to know all about it, where it was made, where we got it… When asked they told me they were looking for guns.


We just passed two road workers with shovels loading a truck with asphalt. It is a hot day for such hard work. It’s a hot day for driving! In the past we have also seen two workers filling a pick up with gravel with their shovels, and big rocks by hand. These days we see many more backhoes and dump trucks.


We had a fabulous time in Los Barriles this year. We always do, but this year was even better. Since we were able to spend such a long time in one spot we became more a part of the community and got to know so many gringo neighbors. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see our Ranch Pescadero friends as much as we would have liked; although us girls did go to yoga twice a week together and frequently went for lunch afterwards. There are just so many very nice people and things to do here. We were able to go out to listen to music lots too, as we were so close to town it made it easier to quad in. Most everyone here is our age or older and living life fully. It is truly like club med – there is something to do every day if you want to and lots of social interaction. The live music is excellent; there are a couple of local bands who play frequently at the restaurants and the hotel. Music starts at 7 and the crowd starts thinning out around 9 or 9:30 and the band is beat by 10. The atmosphere is lovely, tables by the pool under the stars filled with friendly faces of people we know and others we are about to meet. Some are familiar because we have run into them so many times. For the most part every one is very friendly and very casual. We have had lots of opportunity to practice Spanish, unfortunately I didn’t take any Spanish courses, next year I hope to.


April 6
Unbelievable, we made it all the way to Santispac in one day! This is an absolute record for us! Normally this would be a two day drive. We got into Santispac about 6:45, just as the sun was setting so good timing! Had dinner played a few tunes and fell into bed.


Yesterday Lorne saw a bob cat and ran over a big rattler on the road. I missed them. This morning a skunk ran across the road.


We won’t be stopping in to see John at San Lucas Cove this time, we need to push on. So, on the road this morning at 7:00 am again. Lorne is feeling ok today with only a very slight amount of dizziness…. Excellent.


South of Santa Innis (at Catavina)
Whew this road just gets worse! It is so rough and patched over we have to drive very slow. Its also incredibly windy. The dry lake bed had lots of water – well I don’t know how deep it is but it covers a large area!! This is the first time I’ve seen that! It is very green here, lush with flowers as well, yellow daisies, white , pink, purple blushes of small flowers, stands of white poppies, the red tipped barrel cactus. Very picturesque – just ask me – I have taken a ton of pictures of this area with my new camera. This is an incredible camera, an excellent deal. Its an Olympus 26X optical wide zoom. We paid about $350 for it. Last years version was $570 – the new version (mine) came out that much cheaper and better.


This high desert is very beautiful and strange. The boojum trees tower and there are some of the tallest cardon I have seen anywhere. Some of these cordons go straight up as tall as a telephone pole without branching. The ocotillos are covered with tiny green leaves and their orange flowers are at the very top. The sun is getting low and the light through the thorns on the cholla is really quite beautiful, even through the dirty windows. With any luck I can get some pics of those when we stop. I think this area is one where I have tons of pictures of cactus and the strange landscape.


Later…


Pulled into Santa Innis just after 6:00 with light enough for a walk. The area is beautiful. The field where we park the motor home is all green, today it looks like a well groomed park. While filling with water a man came by – it was Keith – from Ligui several years ago. Fantastic, he remembered us (but we didn’t remember him right away) … his wife is Betty. They bought a casita this year at Bahia de Los Angeles in Dagetts RV park. They are travelling with Ray and Delaina! What a treat – we met them at Ligui several years ago too. They are a lovely couple from Kamloops who are full timers in their trailer. They have been travelling for the last 6 years all over Canada, the US and mainland Mexico. This year they returned to Baja and while they planned on going further south they stopped at Ligui and didn’t see any need to go any further, the fishing was good, it was beautiful, the people were nice…. They plan on going there again next year so we will stop in there to see them too. Ray is still fishing and playing his guitar. Delaina has quit water color painting and is now focusing on her threads. Not sure what that means other than sewing. I will find out next year I guess.


What a windy night!! It was whistling and blustering so that the old motor home was rocking, and not gently! The straps on the kayaks were vibrating and buzzing. Not much sleep for either of us.


April 7


On our way about 8 or so, into the wind, the road was marginally better than the rugged road into Santa Innis then about an hour out it was paved with a shoulder. Very nice indeed, next thing I’ll be wanting to drive. Ha!

Los Barriles 2010

Lovely Lizard if you click on him you will see he has is mouth open, he must be eating something! This was the bigget iguana I have seen here, although I know there are bigger - or so I have heard. His body is at least 6 inches long.

Oriole in the tulip tree, also eats grapefruit and oranges right off the tree!! Before they are quite ready of course.

Heidi the Queen who announces her arrival before she is at the door so it will be opened for her. She then must be accompanied down the hall to her freshly filled food dish whenever she wants it. When ready she must be immediately let out. This of course is night or day. I can't hear her when she does this at night....

Heidi the Queen

Heidi the Queen

Squeaker the Cat lives outside and is the sweetest cat who loves to cuddle, if you stop too soon she will attack you. She is a Baja cat.

Checkers the Dog - does she look familiar? She is a wonderful Baja dog found at the Milles Flores gas station when about 6 months old.

Squeaker the cat


Squeaker the cat



Checkers the dog

Los Barriles
I have been very negligent in writing my blog since being here. I guess we have settled into the process of living so its similar to being at home…. We are busy with life and the many activities that lead to a full one.

So what’s making us so darn busy?? Yoga, music - listening to, dancing to, and playing, the animals, gardening, cycling, walking, kayaking, Mah Jong, shopping, painting, looking for stuff on ebay, quading, looking for a house or property to buy....la, la, la.

I am going to yoga twice a week which is so great, I was doing that at home and was very pleased to find a good yoga teacher here. She is not Karen, but has much to contribute to my practice. It has been great cycling into class as well. By the time I’m back home I am quite tired with my morning of exercise. The girlfriends and I often go for lunch after yoga so maybe that’s a contributing factor to the tiredness. The sand road leaves a lot to be desired. Even though I have a mountain bike with the big knobbly tires it is not at all easy. Fortunately there are only about 2 miles of that before reaching the paved road. There are however, two large sand arroyos to pass over as well as a good hill before arriving at class. It takes me about 35 minutes so all in all its not far. Certainly not far at all when I think about what I have to do to get ready to cycle to Seattle when I get home!!

Lorne has been cycling with me on alternate days to yoga, as does the wonderful dog Checkers. We usually ride out the sand road to the paved one then ride up the big Los Barriles hill (apparently written about in cycling magazines) and then come cross country down to our place. Checkers loves running along beside the bike. Lorne has her very well trained. He has a pocket of yummy treats and she will just about do anything for him (well, for the treats). The first time we took her out with the bikes she took off after a quad and ran a long ways. She came running back looking very pleased with herself. Needless to say, she has never done that again!!

Our daily exercise routine is towards the end of each day – around 4. So when not cycling we walk up the hill or along the beach with Checkers, for at least an hour or more. Lorne’s knees have been very good this year, no problems at all for him to cycle, even up the hill.

I have found a number of people in town that play music by putting an ad in the Pony Express (an online local newsletter) for anyone interested in playing Bluegrass. Turned out there are lots of people interested in Bluegrass. So we have been getting together a few times a week and now have a regular Wednesday night open jam at one of the restaurants in town, the owner is one of the players. Two of the musicians play in a local band called El Viejos…. (the old ones). The restaurant is not usually open in the evenings. However, since we have been playing they are open for the people who are listening. This Wednesday they will be open for a special dinner. Yikes! Sounds an awful lot like performing to me….

Our first music get together was at one of the musicians home. When we walked into the house there was a woman (Pam) there who took one look at me and knew me immediately from Banff!! Hilarious! That was some years ago – like life before children years ago. I can’t believe she recognized me just like that, she didn’t look at all familiar to me.

I took a 5 day water color painting class. It was very interesting and fun. Once I had sat down and got myself organized at the big table I realized I had sat down right next to Pam! Neither of us knew that the other was at all interested in painting. We had a great time together painting and her husband (Bruce) and I have a great time playing music together. They are both interested in investing and Bruce taught at UVIC and Pam at Camosun College, so Lorne has lots in common with them too. Not only that – they live in Victoria!! Small world. So we have more new Victoria friends that we have met in the Baja.

I was quite pleased with how much I learned about painting in that short time, so now I am all enthusiastic about painting and am very busy researching paint, brushes, paper and looking for good deals on it all on ebay. Pam taught me how to bid so I can win and not pay more than I want to. Lorne says he wishes that I spent as much time learning about investing as I do learning about brushes and messing with ebay…..!! Well, I’ve saved tons of money on art supplies by buying on ebay – never mind how much I spent!!

We planted a little garden here, it came up almost immediately and we have been harvesting beautiful leaf lettuce and radishes. The first head lettuce was ready today. We have cilantro up and we are eating that. The corn, peas, broccoli and cantaloupe are up and growing like topsy but won’t be ready before we have to leave. The grapefruit, oranges and little Mexican limes are over, I still have some in the fridge, and the big lemon tree has been producing like crazy! While the fruit is almost all finished there are beautiful aromatic flowers and lots of new baby lemons growing. I make fresh lemonade – its very delicious.

We have found a very nice real estate lady (Carlene) who has been very helpful showing us lots of property. I think she can’t quite figure out what we want. Of course we haven’t figured that out either! We have found lots to think about and some very nice and acceptable places. However, we have decided to not buy anything this year. Lorne is certain prices have a long ways to drop yet and we should be able to get an even better deal next year. We have determined that it is much cheaper to buy a house already built than it is to build one right now, materials are very expensive. There are some very nice homes but…. Most need some renos to me. We shall see. Failing that we are content to rent or continue to house sit for friends. I know Paul and Renota want to go camping next year so we may be here again house sitting for them. And realistically, if we can rent a nice beach house for say $2,000 a month for three months each winter we are way ahead financially anyway without any of the worries of owning a home down here.

Much to think about, and now off to play Mah Jong – great game.