Western Travel Day 11, February?March 2016

On Wednesday, the 11^th, we all lined up on the interior road of the campground to get ready to leave for Mexico.  We left at 8:30 AM so that we would get to the border (about 30 miles away) before it got busy.

Here is our caravan and few pictures along the way:

At the border there is a huge parking area and we all stopped and visited the duty-free shop for essentials (like beer and booze). 

After that, we lined up and drove thru the border crossing. 

We were number 6 in line.  A few ahead of us were asked to produce their passports, but, by the time we got up there, they just waved us thru.

From there it was about a 60-mile drive to Puerto Penasco.  Very uneventful.  Mostly desert.

A lot of stuff like this along the way.

Found our turn off of Highway 8.

Not the best picture, but that is where we are headed.

Still together after all that way!

One windmill in the whole area - not even turning!

Arrived at Playa Bonita Campground.  

We were told to expect chaos and there was – at the check-in counter.  It seems that reservation requests were not relayed to the CG from the people who took the reservations.  Several couples wanted beachfront sites together, had reserved them two years ago, and they were not available.  They did finally get some sites but not all together as planned.  We did get a site (didn’t want one by the beach) and did get parked.  But it was a trial to get into it to say the least! 

Someone from the group went to get shrimp/tacos for lunch so after we all got parked, we lunched together with everyone at the beach.   

Or course, many vendors come up and down the sidewalk selling their wares.

Many of our group know a few of these vendors by name and they buy from them.  We bought a couple of blankets.

And then it turned into an early happy hour!  

This is the view looking across the harbor at Puerto Penasco (also called Rocky Point).

And what would an evening on the beach be without a sunset!!

 

We were back to the RV by 7 PM as it gets dark here early.

I was introduced to Chewy who is the painter here.  I want the decals taken off and then painted the same color.  He said he could start as soon as I got parked.  And he was true to his word – By the end of the day he had all of the decals off on the curb side and about half off on the opposite side.  

The shiny areas are where the decals used to be.

Not sure when he will be done but he knows that we leave in two weeks.

CG is crowded this weekend - many Americans come down here this time of year, and, it is also Presidents weekend.  Our trailer is on the left here and then looking down our row toward the beach.

It is warm here during the day - mid 70's and then around 50 at night.  Very pleasant.

More later...

Western Travel Day 9 and 10, February/March 2016

Tuesday, the 9^th, we had our wheel bearings repacked at Scott’s Welding in Benson (recommended by an RV repair shop that did not do that type of work).  It was a basic shop with owner and one employee and they did excellent work.  We were anxious to get on the road so it seemed to take a long time but in the end, the price was RIGHT (about $100 less than I was quoted at the RV shop in Plano)!

Anyway, we got on the road about 12:30.  Beautiful Southwest scenery along the way on I-10. 

On the East side of Tucson, we got off the interstate and onto Highway 86 which would take us to Why.  Two lane road for about 90 miles, but scenery got even better.

Cactus of all shapes and sizes:

 

And, finally, we get to Why.

Why, AZ was originally named just “Y” because it was at the junction of Highways 85 and 86 and it formed a Y.   Then when the post office came to town, the town name had to be at least 3 letters, so it got changed to Why.

Found our campground, and, while waiting at the office for someone to come and check us in, Judy found several interesting plants.

 No one came to the office to check us in so we drove around the CG and got parked next to several other Hitchhiker RV’ers already there.  Met everyone and had Happy Hour!

On Wednesday we drove (with Jeff and Susan Colllingwood) and the others to a little town about 10 miles north of Why called Ajo.  

Two members of the group had to get haircuts so the rest of us waited outside.

A couple of interesting churches in Ajo - Baptist (this one was closed) and Catholic.

Had lunch at a Mexican Restaurant in town.  Good burgers.

This is a neat little town known for its copper mine.  Not really active more but an interesting place to visit.  Went thru a small museum first.  A lot of memorabilia here.

Around the mine is what is called "The AJO Scenice Loop," an 11mile drive through the heart of the Sonoran Desert.
Couldn't name many of these cacti but Saguaro, Organ Pipe, Hedgehog, Barrel, Prickly Pear and Cholla are abundant as are Ocotillo and Jojoba, Mesquite, Iron Wood, Palo Verde and Elephant trees.

 

 Back to the campground in late afternoon for Happy Hour and then a short talk about traveling in Mexico.  Of the 6 couples going,  2 of us had never been before.  
The next morning we headed out...