The snowbirds are heading north again

Tuesday, March 3


Several new RVers have arrived the last few days. Some leave the next morning, other stay for a few days to meet up with friends or to visit some of the sites in the area..
Jerome and Louise leave at 7:00 am to pick up Louise’s sister from Quebec in Puerto Vallarta. They'll be away for a few days and we won't see them again. We’re up early enough to say goodbye. We’ve really gotten to like each other. They’re lively and like an adventure like we do. We promise to keep in touch.

There is tons of work to be done. First we have to make several Skype calls to tend to some business matters back home. The laundry is getting done, floor washed and all loose items tidied up and secured. We work from a list and Ramiro does his thing outside while I work inside.
When all the work is done there is still time for a final dip in the nice large swimming pool, before we leave.
I work on the computer to finish some of the projects I should have done long before. Am I starting to be like one of those Latinos, leaving things for the last minute. Or is it the Mexican air that makes me tardy?

I go over tomorrow’s route one more time and study it until I almost have it memorized. Especially the Guadalajara part.



Wednesday, March 4
I miss my early walk this morning. I’m too anxious.
We work like a team again, each getting our things done inside and out.
We spend a few quiet moments to focus and meditate. We don’t like the idea of having to go through Guadalajara, but know that we are more worried than we should be. We have taken this road once before and will recognize the intersections where we need to turn once we get there.
We received several e-mails of support over the last few days. Even a few electronic angels were sent our way. We really appreciate how everyone is living this experience with us.
We say goodbye to our new neighbours who are also busy getting ready for their next destination.
I still have the opportunity to walk as Ramiro drives the RV out of the park and through the gate, where I say goodbye to the gate keeper and tell him we’ll be back. Ramiro passes me slowly with the RV over the bumpy road. It’s almost 1.5 km so still a good workout for me. I enjoy the chirping of the birds. I will miss their song in the morning and evening. I especially miss the beautiful sunrise.

We fill up the tank with Diesel before we head west. I use this time to take some pictures of some of the scenes around Jocotepec. Across the road is a tile manufacturer. Giant pieces of rock sit in the yard which will be transformed into tile.
I see a truck loaded with radishes so large, they’re like potatoes. They’ll never believe me back home if I say that without taking a picture.
When I see the farm tractor,filling up with fuel, I realize what we may be following on the road as we make our way north.

We discuss the driving instructions through Guadalajara once more . He’s not all that good with reading signs or figuring out what’s north or east. He even gets left and right mixed up some times. Imagine the pressure on me. I learn to use sign language and point left, when I SAY left. I even repeat it in Spanish. He just drives and I'm the card reader.

Before we know it, we’re in and out of the city, on a four lane divided toll road in the open country. I let a sigh of relief and start to enjoy the scenery.
It's not all that busy, but there are lots of trucks.
We rely on directions from our fellow RVers in Roca Azul and have no idea where we will camp tonight.
Before Lagos de Moreno, we stop for lunch. Left over BBQ. We’re parked somewhere along the road, where there is lots of space.

We continue to San Luis de Potosi. The scenery changes drastically. It’s very dry here. Everywhere we see sand storms rising up from the earth and disappearing in the air, like a reversed tornado. There are less mountains here and we start seeing lots of the Joshua cactus trees. These and the nopal cactus seem to have taken over the land altogether.
We leave the toll road and end up on a much narrower, two lane road with no shoulder. There are no passing lanes, but many cars pass us and the big truck regardless.

As we enter the state of Zacatecas we turn onto a road lined with pottery shops. We've got to stop. There are so many nice things and so reasonable priced, I want to buy it all. But the boss says “NO, we’re already overloaded with pots”. “But they’re all for someone else” I say. “We need something just for us”. We do find something for the deck and make an offer, I know the lady will accept.
We’re back on the toll road. Now it’s like being on the Coquihalla in British Columbia, same scenery same type of road.

At 5:00 pm, we figure we have done enough traveling for the day and stop at the perfect RV park............. A giant truck stop. The biggest we’ve seen in all of Mexico so far. It’s like being back in the US. There is even a Subway. This is heaven for Ramiro.
We park right along the edge of the parking lot, hoping none will block us.
We feel more secure, knowing that there is “parking” police on the grounds. They drive around in a little golf cart and use Walky Talkies. The large trucks have this alarm, they use when they back up, which is rather annoying. It’s the sound of the night.
We are parked with the nose north. The hot sun is shining through the windows on the west side and a nice breeze is coming in through the open windows on the east. We have not felt a breeze like this for a long time. It feels good. We’re still in paradise.
Being farther north, I expected the sun to set much later, but it is already dark at 6:30 pm. Are we in a different time zone perhaps? I have no idea.
We play a few games of Rummikub and hear trucks come and go. We may have to wear earplugs tonight.