We always look back on our trips and remember how enjoyable they were. All the nice weather, sunshine, and warmth. The scenery that slid by our windows. The people we meet. The food we enjoyed.
But in reality, everything doesn't always go as planned or the unexpected and unwanted pops up. So here is a list of gotchas that got us this last trip.
Somewhere east of Dallas we found a rear side window on the HHR was shattered, but still in holding together. When it happened, or why, we just don't know. Gotcha!
On the final kilometer of our trip to our campground, in Lo de Marcos, the air conditioner covers came in contact with a low hanging branch. The front cover was completely torn off and the rear one had a hole punched in it. In order to use the front unit, a temporary cover had to be cobbled together. It is great that there is a Home Depot in Puerto Vallarta for the needed supplies.
On our trip home, north of Zacatecas, we chose a road that was a great short cut. NOT. It was extremely rough in spots, which caused the bikes in the bike rack to seek some relief. One hopped partially out and dragged on the ground between the motorhome and the car. Scratch one ruined bike. Maybe if our rear view camera was working, we might have been able to save it. Damn camera. The rear view camera system has always been a problem and we have put up with it's random failures. Replacement is a must!
When we stopped at US customs, a check of the HHR determined that the battery was dead. After clearing we headed directly to Walmart to buy jumper cables to start the car so we could unhook and park when arriving at the campground. Forgetting, of course, that we already had jumper cables in one of the storage compartments!. The root cause of the dead battery was a failing add-on breaking system we use in the HHR when towing it. The add-on braking system is mandatory in many states and provinces. The unit was coming on every two minutes to pump up the air that drives the system. The repetitive cycling used up the battery's charge. The unit had to be replaced.
Our stay in Mission Texas allowed us to get caught up with replacing the bike, the braking system and the rear view camera, and installing the new air conditioner covers that had been ordered ahead of time. A big sigh of relief.
While cleaning up using aerosol brake cleaner, some bounced back and hit my (Vic) glasses, leaving spots that were permanent. We rushed off the next day to Nuevo Progreso, across the border in Mexico to get replacement glasses (and some for Bev too). Another gotcha!
Wearing our perfectly new glasses, we were ready to leave Mission and head north. On the morning of our departure, we drew back the from drapes of the windshield and low and behold, found a crack from top to bottom on the passenger side. Just what we needed.
All told that adds up to over $3000 in unexpected expenses. Luckily enough, the windshield replacement was fully covered by our insurance, otherwise the cost would have doubled. Ain't camping fun?
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Marshall TX to home
As planned we stayed 2 nights at Laguna Vista in Marshall TX. Another campground where we got 50% off thanks to our Passport America membership. The campground is very basic and not much more than a gravel parking lot but the service and facilities were more than adequate as we just wanted some place to stop over on our way north.We explored the area and enjoyed our last days wearing shorts and t-shirts.
We left Laguna Vista in Marshall TX on Thurs Apr 7th. We drove 305 miles to Forrest City, Arkansas to stay at the Walmart, our usual stopover. We met one fellow RVer there from Ontario who had just retired and was on his way to California!
On Friday we drove 358 miles to Effingham, IL. When we left Forest City, the temperature was 57F (14C) and it dropped as we traveled north. By the time we reached Effingham it was 50F (10C) We booked into Camp Lakewood with our Good Sam discount as the overnight forecast called for 29F (-2C) . (We wanted the comfort of electrical hookup.) Ouch...the price had gone up since we were last here, now US$35. Since we arrived in Effingham just after 3:30 in the afternoon, we had time to go shopping at the Hodgson Mill retail store for our favorite Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Barley Bread Mix and several other whole grain items. Later in the evening we went to Il Forno for a great Italian meal.
On Saturday we drove to La Porte IN to stay with Vic's brother for 4 days and enjoy some family time. On Sunday, we trekked off to Chicago to witness the christening of Ian and Dawn's latest child, Ian Tyler.
Wednesday, April 13th we were at Elkhart Service and Collision shortly after 9 am to have the windshield replaced. We took the opportunity to shop at RV surplus stores in White Pigeon, MI and Elkhart, IN, on the hunt for bargains. ESC provided us with an outdoor site with 50 amp service to stay overnight as the adhesive for the windshield needed 12 hours to set. The next morning it took the technicians about an hour to clean up any excess adhesive and water test the windshield. We left Elkhart about 9:45 am and were home in Thornhill, ON that evening.
Our total mileage from Oct 31st, 2015 to Apr 14th, 2016 was 5,790 miles. The portion of our return trip from Lo de Marcos to our home was 2,853 miles.
The cheapest gas on the way home was $1.64 per gallon north of San Antonio TX. The most expensive was $2.13/gallon on the east side of Flint MI. Thanks to our Pilot/Flying J Discount card we get 5 cents off per gallon in the US and one cent off per litre in Canada which is very helpful with the size of tank for the motorhome. We fueled up at the Flying J in London on April 14th for $0.939/litre which was a bargain as the gas at home was $1.049 that day.
We left Laguna Vista in Marshall TX on Thurs Apr 7th. We drove 305 miles to Forrest City, Arkansas to stay at the Walmart, our usual stopover. We met one fellow RVer there from Ontario who had just retired and was on his way to California!
On Friday we drove 358 miles to Effingham, IL. When we left Forest City, the temperature was 57F (14C) and it dropped as we traveled north. By the time we reached Effingham it was 50F (10C) We booked into Camp Lakewood with our Good Sam discount as the overnight forecast called for 29F (-2C) . (We wanted the comfort of electrical hookup.) Ouch...the price had gone up since we were last here, now US$35. Since we arrived in Effingham just after 3:30 in the afternoon, we had time to go shopping at the Hodgson Mill retail store for our favorite Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Barley Bread Mix and several other whole grain items. Later in the evening we went to Il Forno for a great Italian meal.
On Saturday we drove to La Porte IN to stay with Vic's brother for 4 days and enjoy some family time. On Sunday, we trekked off to Chicago to witness the christening of Ian and Dawn's latest child, Ian Tyler.
Wednesday, April 13th we were at Elkhart Service and Collision shortly after 9 am to have the windshield replaced. We took the opportunity to shop at RV surplus stores in White Pigeon, MI and Elkhart, IN, on the hunt for bargains. ESC provided us with an outdoor site with 50 amp service to stay overnight as the adhesive for the windshield needed 12 hours to set. The next morning it took the technicians about an hour to clean up any excess adhesive and water test the windshield. We left Elkhart about 9:45 am and were home in Thornhill, ON that evening.
Our total mileage from Oct 31st, 2015 to Apr 14th, 2016 was 5,790 miles. The portion of our return trip from Lo de Marcos to our home was 2,853 miles.
The cheapest gas on the way home was $1.64 per gallon north of San Antonio TX. The most expensive was $2.13/gallon on the east side of Flint MI. Thanks to our Pilot/Flying J Discount card we get 5 cents off per gallon in the US and one cent off per litre in Canada which is very helpful with the size of tank for the motorhome. We fueled up at the Flying J in London on April 14th for $0.939/litre which was a bargain as the gas at home was $1.049 that day.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Mission to San Antonio and on to Marshall Texas
We stayed for 2 weeks at Lemon Tree RV Inn in Mission TX. At times it was very hot there -- one day the temperature reached 99F but we did get work done on the RV and had time for relaxation with our friends there. We enjoyed an amazing Easter dinner with 100 people attending at Lemon Tree's Community Center. The hams were provided by the park owners while the veggies and desserts were pot luck.
While in Mission, Vic spent 2 days installing the 4 new cameras with a new dash display unit for our rearview/sideview camera system. The wiring for this system required crawling underneath the entire length of the motorhome to run the wiring along the frame. Not once...but twice as the first time the cable was put in back to front. Grrrr.
Our new auxiliary brake system for the HHR works like a charm. 10 years newer in design than our old system, more compact, easier to set up, and much lighter.
Thanks to Craigslist, Vic was able to replace his bicycle with a Mongoose model that had all the features he wanted at less than half the price of a brand new one.
We had the time to visit Express Optical in Nuevo Progresso to order new progressive lenses for Bev at 1/4 the cost she paid for the previous lenses in Ontario. Vic purchased new frames and bifocal lenses also at significant savings.
While waiting for our lenses to be installed, we headed to a bar down the street. It had tasty margaritas for $4 each and many comical signs. One that caught our fancy said:
-------------------------------
MEN
No shirt
No shoes
No service
LADIES
No shirt
FREE drinks
-------------------------------
Alas, another problem appeared when we went to leave Lemon Tree RV Inn on Saturday Apr 2nd. We opened the curtains at the front of the motorhome to find the windshield cracked top to bottom on the passenger side. But we headed out anyways as a recommended RV windshield specialist is located in the San Antonio area.
We drove to Braunig Lake RV Resort at the south east side of San Antonio and booked in with our 50% discount thanks to our Passport America membership. All places for RV windshield repair/replacement and the insurance company were closed for the weekend so it was time to putter on some other jobs.
It was cool enough on the weekend for Vic to shampoo the carpeting in the motorhome and clean all the screens. Bev watched all the way through without breaking a sweat.
But when Monday came, calls to the RV windshield specialty shops revealed we would have to wait 5 days for a new windshield to be shipped from Indiana or California.
After many calls, we determined that the shipping time to get a windshield to San Antonio was too long. It would leave no time for a visit to La Porte Indiana with my brother and not enough time to get home. It would be easier to get the windshield replaced in Elkhart Indiana where the supplier of the windshield is located and is on our route home. We spent most of Monday on the phone with our insurance company and the windshield supplier trying to make arrangements for the windshield to replaced before we have to cross the border on April 14th.
The only good news out of this fiasco is that there is a zero deductible. Wooo Hooo! Free windshield.
We left the San Antonio area on Tuesday, Apr 5th to head to Laguna Vista RV Park in Marshall TX, about 75 miles south of Texarkana. We will stay here for 2 days, then move on for 3 more stops before we proceed to Elkhart for the windshield installation.
While in Mission, Vic spent 2 days installing the 4 new cameras with a new dash display unit for our rearview/sideview camera system. The wiring for this system required crawling underneath the entire length of the motorhome to run the wiring along the frame. Not once...but twice as the first time the cable was put in back to front. Grrrr.
Our new auxiliary brake system for the HHR works like a charm. 10 years newer in design than our old system, more compact, easier to set up, and much lighter.
Thanks to Craigslist, Vic was able to replace his bicycle with a Mongoose model that had all the features he wanted at less than half the price of a brand new one.
We had the time to visit Express Optical in Nuevo Progresso to order new progressive lenses for Bev at 1/4 the cost she paid for the previous lenses in Ontario. Vic purchased new frames and bifocal lenses also at significant savings.
While waiting for our lenses to be installed, we headed to a bar down the street. It had tasty margaritas for $4 each and many comical signs. One that caught our fancy said:
-------------------------------
MEN
No shirt
No shoes
No service
LADIES
No shirt
FREE drinks
-------------------------------
Alas, another problem appeared when we went to leave Lemon Tree RV Inn on Saturday Apr 2nd. We opened the curtains at the front of the motorhome to find the windshield cracked top to bottom on the passenger side. But we headed out anyways as a recommended RV windshield specialist is located in the San Antonio area.
We drove to Braunig Lake RV Resort at the south east side of San Antonio and booked in with our 50% discount thanks to our Passport America membership. All places for RV windshield repair/replacement and the insurance company were closed for the weekend so it was time to putter on some other jobs.
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| view from our rear window of the fishing pond (catch and release only) |
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| lots of Mallard ducks wandering around the fishing pond and not one Canada Goose! |
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| a small fountain in the fishing pond |
 |
| spring is here -- flowers were popping out in the grass on our camp site |
It was cool enough on the weekend for Vic to shampoo the carpeting in the motorhome and clean all the screens. Bev watched all the way through without breaking a sweat.
But when Monday came, calls to the RV windshield specialty shops revealed we would have to wait 5 days for a new windshield to be shipped from Indiana or California.
After many calls, we determined that the shipping time to get a windshield to San Antonio was too long. It would leave no time for a visit to La Porte Indiana with my brother and not enough time to get home. It would be easier to get the windshield replaced in Elkhart Indiana where the supplier of the windshield is located and is on our route home. We spent most of Monday on the phone with our insurance company and the windshield supplier trying to make arrangements for the windshield to replaced before we have to cross the border on April 14th.
The only good news out of this fiasco is that there is a zero deductible. Wooo Hooo! Free windshield.
We left the San Antonio area on Tuesday, Apr 5th to head to Laguna Vista RV Park in Marshall TX, about 75 miles south of Texarkana. We will stay here for 2 days, then move on for 3 more stops before we proceed to Elkhart for the windshield installation.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Lo de Marcos to Mission
Wed Mar 16th we started our journey north to Mission, TX. It is normally a 2 1/2 day drive so we had planned to cross the border at Mission about noon on Fri Mar 18th to miss the heavy Mexican traffic scheduled to start that weekend for their big Easter holiday (Semana Santa) and Mon Mar 21st the birthday of Benito Juarez.
As usual, nothing happens as planned. We stopped after 129 miles at Magdalena as our travel buddy had problems with the turbo charger on his diesel truck. We parked in a PEMEX gas station while his truck went into the local mechanic to be serviced. The PEMEX is fine to stay overnight at but not for days on end due to the truck traffic. By Thursday night the mechanic did not have the parts and our buddy indicated the truck may not be ready until Tuesday. Ash was floating in the air along with the smoke from the burning of the local sugar cane fields -- not good for Bev's allergies.
So Vic and Bev decided to head out alone on Friday morning. The next 2 days driving was stressful due to problems encountered along the way. The first problem occurred just east of Guadalajara when a very sharp and downhill turn of an off-ramp tore our stone guard apart. Our rear view camera was not operating so the problem went unnoticed until we stopped for gas about 10 minutes later.
The next problem occurred on the south end of Aguascalientes with a "check engine" light and greatly reduced power. We pulled off easily and everything seemed fine and off we went. The next time left us climbing the mountains at 5 mph with nowhere no pull off so we had to keep driving until we found a spot wide enough to pull off and shut the engine off for 2 minutes. After this brief wait, we could proceed normally.
Near Zacetecas we chose a road that appeared to be a great short-cut. The road started out just fine but we soon encountered some very rough areas and a construction zone. The workers alerted us to a problem and we found that one of the bikes had partially jumped out of the bike rack on the back of the motorhome and was dragging on the ground. The bike was basically destroyed and we left it at the side of the road. The car did not fare very well and has a few scratches in the front bumper.
Some damage to our car might have been avoided if our rear view camera worked consistently but alas it seems to quit just when it's needed most.
We also found out that the auxiliary braking system for the tow car had malfunctioned and drained the battery -- no problem while traveling but an issue when we need to disconnect the car to back into our campsite.
We stayed overnight near a small town called Concepcion del Oro at a Pemex station that had a hotel. The hotel allowed as to stay overnight in their locked compound for 100 pesos, for which we were very happy and got a nice quiet sleep.
We finally made it to the border at the Anzalduas bridge west of Reynosa on March 19th at 3:00 pm Sat Mar 19th. We had to stop on the Mexican side to turn in the permit for our car plus our tourist visas. That took about 35 minutes as the was a line of cars doing the same thing.
Then we sat on the American side for 1 1/2 hrs in line. Finally we got to the booth and were sent aside for the motorhome and car to be inspected by 6 men with 2 dogs. The inspection was finished and we were on our way at last by 5:20 pm!
We are now back at the Lemon Tree RV Inn in Mission. We traveled 830 miles from Lo de Marcos, Nayarit to Mission, TX. Since we've been here Vic purchased a diagnostic tool that displayed the failure codes on the engine of the motorhome. Turns out that it is just a clogged air filter so that was ordered online from Walmart. Including shipping, the cost is less than half of the auto parts store! Vic installed the new covers on our motorhome air conditioners, ordered a replacement auxiliary brake system and a new rear view camera with monitor. Ain't eBay great! Now we need to replace the bike.
Our costs CAD to date for our trip from Oct 31st 2015 to Mar 19th 2016 have been:
Gas for motorhome: $1745
Propane (to run refrigerator, stove and furnace) $118
Tolls trip to Lo de Marcos $281
Tolls trip LdM to Mission $271
Tourist cards $124
Camping fees $2170
Total $4709 CAD
I have not included our out-of-country health insurance, Mexican insurance for the motorhome and car, our flight home for 2 weeks at Christmas or our Mexican car permit (I'm waiting to see the credit for the deposit for the car permit to see what it cost us in the end due to the change in the exchange rate over the past 5 months).
As usual, nothing happens as planned. We stopped after 129 miles at Magdalena as our travel buddy had problems with the turbo charger on his diesel truck. We parked in a PEMEX gas station while his truck went into the local mechanic to be serviced. The PEMEX is fine to stay overnight at but not for days on end due to the truck traffic. By Thursday night the mechanic did not have the parts and our buddy indicated the truck may not be ready until Tuesday. Ash was floating in the air along with the smoke from the burning of the local sugar cane fields -- not good for Bev's allergies.
 |
| sitting on the PEMEX parking lot with view of old opal mine on the mountain in the distance |
 |
| entrance to the PEMEX gas station -- it is a new station with nice landscaping |
So Vic and Bev decided to head out alone on Friday morning. The next 2 days driving was stressful due to problems encountered along the way. The first problem occurred just east of Guadalajara when a very sharp and downhill turn of an off-ramp tore our stone guard apart. Our rear view camera was not operating so the problem went unnoticed until we stopped for gas about 10 minutes later.
The next problem occurred on the south end of Aguascalientes with a "check engine" light and greatly reduced power. We pulled off easily and everything seemed fine and off we went. The next time left us climbing the mountains at 5 mph with nowhere no pull off so we had to keep driving until we found a spot wide enough to pull off and shut the engine off for 2 minutes. After this brief wait, we could proceed normally.
Near Zacetecas we chose a road that appeared to be a great short-cut. The road started out just fine but we soon encountered some very rough areas and a construction zone. The workers alerted us to a problem and we found that one of the bikes had partially jumped out of the bike rack on the back of the motorhome and was dragging on the ground. The bike was basically destroyed and we left it at the side of the road. The car did not fare very well and has a few scratches in the front bumper.
Some damage to our car might have been avoided if our rear view camera worked consistently but alas it seems to quit just when it's needed most.
We also found out that the auxiliary braking system for the tow car had malfunctioned and drained the battery -- no problem while traveling but an issue when we need to disconnect the car to back into our campsite.
 |
| clouds around the mountain as we travel from Saltillo to Monterrey |
We stayed overnight near a small town called Concepcion del Oro at a Pemex station that had a hotel. The hotel allowed as to stay overnight in their locked compound for 100 pesos, for which we were very happy and got a nice quiet sleep.
We finally made it to the border at the Anzalduas bridge west of Reynosa on March 19th at 3:00 pm Sat Mar 19th. We had to stop on the Mexican side to turn in the permit for our car plus our tourist visas. That took about 35 minutes as the was a line of cars doing the same thing.
Then we sat on the American side for 1 1/2 hrs in line. Finally we got to the booth and were sent aside for the motorhome and car to be inspected by 6 men with 2 dogs. The inspection was finished and we were on our way at last by 5:20 pm!
We are now back at the Lemon Tree RV Inn in Mission. We traveled 830 miles from Lo de Marcos, Nayarit to Mission, TX. Since we've been here Vic purchased a diagnostic tool that displayed the failure codes on the engine of the motorhome. Turns out that it is just a clogged air filter so that was ordered online from Walmart. Including shipping, the cost is less than half of the auto parts store! Vic installed the new covers on our motorhome air conditioners, ordered a replacement auxiliary brake system and a new rear view camera with monitor. Ain't eBay great! Now we need to replace the bike.
 |
| one of the prettiest poinsettias we've seen here at Lemon Tree |
 |
| This chicken wanders through our campsite each day -- it must belong to one of the properties neighboring Lemon Tree RV Inn |
Our costs CAD to date for our trip from Oct 31st 2015 to Mar 19th 2016 have been:
Gas for motorhome: $1745
Propane (to run refrigerator, stove and furnace) $118
Tolls trip to Lo de Marcos $281
Tolls trip LdM to Mission $271
Tourist cards $124
Camping fees $2170
Total $4709 CAD
I have not included our out-of-country health insurance, Mexican insurance for the motorhome and car, our flight home for 2 weeks at Christmas or our Mexican car permit (I'm waiting to see the credit for the deposit for the car permit to see what it cost us in the end due to the change in the exchange rate over the past 5 months).
Monday, February 15, 2016
New Restaurant in Lo de Marcos
A new restaurant called "Sport Bar in the Sky" opened on the roof top of Ostion Azul. A long walk up the stairs for some to the 4th level but the view is worth it.
Views of Lo de Marcos from the rooftop:
Our dinner group:
A sample of some of the meals:
We timed our dinner reservations to allow us to see the setting of the sun.
Views of Lo de Marcos from the rooftop:
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| Vic, Bev, Edie, Lloyd, Walter, Carol, Mike & Liz |
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| Pineapple shrimp |
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| Tequila shrimp ceviche |
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
San Pancho, Nayarit
It cost us $15 pesos ($1.11 CAD) to take the bus there. The beach and wave action was quieter than Lo de Marcos that day.
The main attraction for us was the Entre Amigos complex:
The first area we visited featured jewellery, children's toys, handbags, backpacks and glasses:
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| Jewellery made from compressed paper -- touching it you would never guess it was paper! |
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| Earrings made from plastic bottles |
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| childrens toys made from parts of recycled bottles |
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| candle holders made from the bottom of wine bottles |
 | ||
| Another use for the bottom of wine bottles - - drinking glasses with various designs etched on them |
Towards the back of the complex there were 2 paper mache masks being prepared for a special parade this weekend to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Entre Amigos.
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| A work in progress |
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| Some of the detailed painting |
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| Glued beads to highlight certain areas |
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| Another paper mache item ready to go |
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| First part of the mural |
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| Another part around the corner |
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| Looking closely we realized that each feather on the Toucan was a girl in the traditional dance costume |
Some ladies showed us children's toys they made from recycled clothing:
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| tortuga (turtle) |
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| ballena (whale) |
Above the counter in the library was a canopy of plastic bottles each with different colours of paint in the bottom to create a design:
After leaving the complex, we noticed a nearby wall decorated with a rooster design:
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Birdwatching, etc.
Last week we saw our first Robin here at Savage Trailer Park in Lo de Marcos. It is called a Rufous Backed Robin. The song is similar to the American Robin we see in Ontario.
Most evenings a flock of Hooded Orioles gather in the trees next to our patio. They are quite different from the Baltimore Orioles that visit our yard at home.
Sitting at our dinette having a morning coffee we watch the Painted Buntings busy feeding on the seeds of grasses in the site beside our motorhome.
One day 2 Coots flew over from the pond next door. They were walking around the patio and along the cement wall behind our motorhome. They had no fear of us and let us come within a few feet of them.
Here are a few other photos we've taken recently:
This plant is about 5' tall and the blossom is about 6". Located in the garden at El Caracol where Bev takes morning stretch classes.
From a day trip to shop in Puerto Vallarta:
Most evenings a flock of Hooded Orioles gather in the trees next to our patio. They are quite different from the Baltimore Orioles that visit our yard at home.
Sitting at our dinette having a morning coffee we watch the Painted Buntings busy feeding on the seeds of grasses in the site beside our motorhome.
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| The pale green bird in this photo is the female Painted Bunting. We usually see 5 or more females to 1 male |
One day 2 Coots flew over from the pond next door. They were walking around the patio and along the cement wall behind our motorhome. They had no fear of us and let us come within a few feet of them.
Here are a few other photos we've taken recently:
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| Huichol art made of tiny coloured beads set in wax on display in Puerto Vallarta |
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| statue of traditional dancers on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta |
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