After returning to Rosamond, I noticed when I drove up and parked in the street in front of my brother’s house, that his RV was there but I didn’t see his car. Damn. I’d have to try and park the RV without help since I think he’s not home. It’s so steep that it’s nearly impossible for me to do it alone. Someone has to jamb the chocks under the tires so the beast doesn’t roll down the road. But, there was an alternative. I snuggled up next to the sidewalk, crammed the front passenger side tire right up snug, threw it into park, and then sweating bullets, released my hold on the brakes. Slipped a little, but held. Then carefully and cautiously tiptoed to the door, grabbed the chocks sitting right there next to it and ran back to the back and jammed one under the passenger side rear. Then to the drivers side. Whew. I could relax. Then, surprise, Dan comes out from the back yard. Helps me get her all settled with four chocks and the tire off the curb.
With that finished, ask him where his car is. He mumbles something about it being in the shop. Over the next few hours, I get the story on his nearly brand new car. What happened was he had left before I left to Hawaii to join his son to drive his RV to Phoenix to see a Ducks football game. They had a fine time, stayed several days, but as they were headed back, he’d forgotten to put his car (which is towed behind his RV while traveling) into Neutral. That of course, if not discovered quickly enough, will ruin both the engine and the transmission. Seems he was driving along at 65MPH and someone pulled up alongside pointing back to the car frantically. When he stopped, smoke was pouring out from under the hood and other mysterious places. After returning it to neutral and arriving at their stop for the night, when he checked it, it obviously had a problem. Towed it back to California, took it to Honda dealer and they gave him the news that the engine was toast. And they wouldn’t know about the tranni as they’d wait for a new engine to test it after doing the best servicing they could do.
Of course he was embarrassed and chagrined about all that. I pointed out that in the years I’d been hanging out on RV’ers forums, that I had heard about it happening to several people. And usually to people that had just bought brand new cars too. So to not stress and beat himself up about it. It happens.
A couple of weeks later and he finally gets the call that the car is ready so we jump in his RV and head down. Seems that they couldn’t guaranty the tranni, but the engine was new. $5,000 or so for a new engine. I drove the RV back home and he the car. He tells me that the tranni seems good. Yeah!
After the paper work is done and his money is gone.
Looks the same.
Engine looks right.
So we hang out for a month and one day we got this neat storm. I thought I’d show you some pictures as it rolled towards us.
Looking towards LA.
Those are grapes there along the fence.
Cleared up a couple hours later.
Well, it wasn’t as exciting as it looked.
I was getting itchy feet again. Wanted to go somewhere. Hey, why not Mexico? I’d gotten the RV painted the year before down in Mazatlan, and even though I’d told the guy to make sure he used plastic primer on the plastic bumper and wheel surrounds, he hadn’t. And the paint was flaking off. Then, I had the body damage to the right rear that needed to be taken care of. So, off I went to Mazatlan.
Ahh, the open road.
I keep forgetting that it’s such a long drive to Amado, AZ and once again, when I finally get to the Mt. View RV Ranch it’s late, dark, and I’m exhausted. The staff helps me park, had a late dinner and off to bed.
A few days later, I drive down to Nogales and cross the border. Nothing to it here as the roads are good with lots of four lane areas. After crossing, I drive to KM21 to the import station. Last year I’d turned in my 10 year import tag as I left the country because I thought I’d be selling the rig. But the engine blew and that expense changed those plans. So I stop and walk in to get a new tag. I’m told I need my registration or title. Back to the RV and I search for 30 minutes. Can’t find them. Couldn’t remember if I’d ever had them. Damnit. So, drive back to the US. Cross over and head back to Mt. View. Get all set up, and renew my search for the documents. Finally, right there where I thought they should be to begin with, find my papers for the rig. Geese, what a waste. If I’d just picked up and looked at the fat envelope lying right there in the drawer, I’d be in San Carlos by now. Dummy.
Next day, head back down and repeat. Off I go to San Carlos, arriving late in the afternoon. Last year when I got to the Tontonaka RV park in San Carlos about this time of year, it was nearly empty. This year there were many RVs. Took around 20 minutes to find a space where the electric was OK, was close to the office so I could get WiFi, and had cable. When it’s crowded at this park, it becomes pretty noticeable that much of what’s still available has been avoided for a reason. Did eventually find a nice spot. Even had afternoon shade from a nearby tree.
The beach!
Only spent a couple days here in San Carlos as I was interested in getting to Mazatlan before I missed the Carnival.
You can get to Mazatlan from San Carlos in one long day and I left early. Weather was perfect as always, and the drive was easy, except for those darn speed bumps. About 3 hours outside of Maz, saw a couple young women on the side of the road with their thumbs out. So, stopped and picked them up. Cute. One of them spoke some English. The other one was sick with a bad cough. One time when I stopped at an OXXO trying to find an ATM so I could get cash, fed her some cough syrup so she’d stop coughing all the time. It did that, and put her to sleep. Hah. Just before we got to Maz, there’s another toll booth, but this one took VISA. I was down to just a few pesos. Not enough to pay the toll so that worked out. Most toll booths on Mex-15 don’t take cards.
Dropped the gurls off, thanked them for their company, and head on to the California Trailer Park. Funny, there was hardly any RVs there. Just two or three. Weird. Quite the contrast with the San Carlos park. No one knew what had happened to all the RV’ers. But I didn’t complain. Had my choice of spots. Settled in and rested.