Harlingen, Texas – Day 4

Mary is at her home in California enjoying the holiday season with her family. She has made her airline reservations to join me here at Harlingen, Texas on January 3, 2013.

The motorhome is parked at Tropic Winds RV Resort and is scheduled to be here until January 10th. While I await Mary’s arrival on the 3rd, I’ll be seeing some local attractions, performing repairs and preventative maintenance on both the motorhome and Bronco, plus thoroughly cleaning both vehicles.

Today’s entry is entitled…17 going on 18!

Back on December 23, 1995, I departed Olympia, Washington to begin my full-time RVing lifestyle. At that time I had a  1976 Chevy Suburban and a 1988 Fleetwood Prowler 18′ Travel Trailer which I had until 1999. I tend to take really good care of and do not abuse my vehicles so I get a long-time use from them…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

After spending the Winter of 98-99 in Baja California Sur, Mexico…I decided I needed to change rigs because I wanted a small 4-wheel drive vehicle with which I could use to go off into the back-country. I also had a hankering that I might want to go to Central America, so I looked around for something that if it didn’t come back from Central America…it wouldn’t be the end of the World. In 1999, I ended up buying this 1983 23′ Suncrest Class A Motorhome and a 1984 Ford Bronco II…

I used these vehicles on a 2004, 343 day, 16,000+ mile RV trip through Mexico and Central America, crossing the Panama Canal until we ran out of roads and had to begin our return journey. As it turned out, both vehicles returned from Central America.

I met Mary in 2008 and the only problem she had with that motorhome was that she had no place to do her yoga…so the answer to that problem was to get another motorhome. By that time the 1984 Ford Bronco II was getting tired…so time for a replacement as well. In 2009 we acquired our current rigs of a 2006 Fleetwood Terra 26′ Class A Motorhome and a nice 1986 Ford Bronco II…

So as you read this Blog entry today, I’m completing my 17th and beginning my 18th year of full-time RVing. I turned 72, 18 days ago. I hope to be the World’s first 100-year-old active RVer! 

Enjoying 17 years on the road is another joy of the full-time RVing lifestyle!

The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Texas. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…

Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures most of the year is a primary joy in the RVing lifestyle!

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”…Albert Einstein

If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Taos, New Mexico – Day 4

The motorhome is currently parked at the Fraternal Order Of Eagles Airee #3849. I expect to be here for several days.

I took The Bronco and drove about three miles south of Taos to Rancho de Taos…the location of the old San Francisco de Asis Mission Church started in 1772 and completed in 1816. During my 2004 RV trip through Mexico and Central America I saw many churches of similar design. Photography is not allowed inside of the church…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

Here are some other photos taken around the old plaza…

Enjoying beautiful old churches and plazas is anither joy in the life of a full-time RVer!

You can read all about this church by clicking this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_de_Asis_Church,_Ranchos_de_Taos

If you have not checked out my new Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…
http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Dos Nogales

Dos in Spanish means two.

Yesterday Mary and I drove the Bronco about one mile from our parking spot at the VFW Post #2066 in Nogales, Arizona to the border with Mexico. In old town Nogales, Arizona we visited the old court house, an Arizona Ranger archive room and a museum. We then walked across the border into Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. There we went to the fanciest hotel in the city and had a great inexpensive meal. Afterwards we wandered around the curio shops that cater to the tourists. We were in that Nogales about two hours before crossing back into the United States.

Nogales, Arizona has a population of about 22,000. Nogales, Sonora, Mexico has a population of about 220,000. Nogales in Spanish means “walnuts”. This area was so named because of the many black walnut trees that were in this area many years ago.

To read all about Nogales, Arizona, click this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nogales,_Arizona

To read all about Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, click this link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nogales,_Sonora

Here are some photos that I took…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view...

The old court house lobby in Nogales, Arizona…

Inside of the old court house, the Arizona Rangers maintain a small archive. One of the Rangers as seen in the below photo grew up in Lynnfield, Massachusetts…just a few miles from where I lived in Revere from ages 10 to 18…

The Primera Alta Historical Society Museum had the two old city jail cells…

Preparing to cross into Mexico we could see a portion of the fence that separates the United States and Mexico which is on the right in the below photo. To read about this highly controversial fence, click this link… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico_%E2%80%93_United_States_barrier

Here’s where you enter Mexico…

which deposits you on this pleasant plaza…

We ate lunch at the Fray Marcos de Niza Hotel because it was highly recommended by the Arizona Ranger. This is the hotel lobby…

This was our view during lunch…

After lunch we wandered around the local curio shops…

To see the other 48 photos that I took, click this link…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/DosNogalesTwoNogales

It was another enjoyable day. The visit into Mexico was somewhat disappointing for me as it is such a large city. Nothing like my past experiences during my Mexico and Central America trip in 2004. No old world flavor is left in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico….at least near the border

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona – Day 1

We arrived here yesterday after about a 40 mile drive from Ajo, Arizona. The way the crow flies (presumably in a straight line), our campground is only 4.2 miles from Mexico. In the below Google Earth image “X” marks our campground and “B” indicates the border crossing…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

This is the border crossing that I used for my 2004, 343 day, 16,000+ mile RV trip through Mexico and Central America. See my previous blog entry by clicking this link…
http://wp.me/pDCku-3sb

I have crossed into Mexico over the years three different times at this border crossing, but have never taken the time to stop and enjoy Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument…but this year is different. I’m expecting we will be here for a four-day stay.

Approaching our campground area…

Our campsite is delightfully pretty, peaceful and quiet…

After we got everything set up, we went to the visitors center about 1.5 miles away…

During two hours there we saw a hawk in a nearby tree…

I took this photo of a photo of a Gila Monster as I do not expect to see one in person…

In addition we watched nice 15 minute video about the Sonoran Desert and enjoyed an informative 20 minute talk by a park ranger…

We found out the Sonoran Desert is in excess of 100,000 square miles and relatively young at about only 10,000 years old. Also the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is 516 square miles.

Here’s last night’s sunset photo…

After it got really dark, we sat outside for a while and stared at a few million stars. Really neat! The weather forecast for the next several days is for sun and temperatures in the mid to low 70′s. really neat!

Today we will begin our exploration of the monument.

You can find out all about the Organ Pipe Cactus National monument by clicking this government link…
http://www.nps.gov/orpi/index.htm

You may also click this Wikipedia link…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_Pipe_Cactus_National_Monument

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

A Touch Of Nostalgia…

Yesterday Mary and I drove the about 65 miles from Painted Rocks Historic Park to Ajo, Arizona. Along the  way we passed through Gila Bend, Arizona where we started south on Arizona highway 85 towards Mexico.

It was the first time I’ve driven this highway since January 2, 2004…the first day of my 343 day, 16,000+ mile RV trip through Mexico and Central America. Gila Bend, Arizona was our meeting-up and kick-off point…

As always you may left click upon an image to see an enlarged view and then click once again to see an even larger view…

That’s me in the blue vest and white hat just to the right of center. 17 people in 11 rigs started the trip. Only two people in separate rigs went the full pre-planned route. Myself and Bud Kuball (then new friend and now good friend) fourth from left.

As I drove south on Route 85 it was fun to reminisce those days of a little more than eight years ago. We had not a clue of what we would see and experience. It turned out to be much better than my best pre-trip imaginations. A true life experience!

Here are three photos from yesterday’s trip on Highway 85…

To help celebrate my nostalgia… (remember these photos were taken with a film camera and developed along the way…)

If you’ve got the courage and the time…

You can see 468 photos from the Mexico portion of the trip by clicking this link…
https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Mexico2004

And 60 photos from Belize…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Belize2004

And 208 photos from Guatemala…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Guatemala2004

And 97 photos from Honduras…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Honduras2004

And 117 photos from Nicaragua…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Nicaragua2004

And 41 photos from Costa Rica…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/CostaRica2004

And 4 photos from El Salvador…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/ElSalvador2004

And 136 photos from Panama…

https://picasaweb.google.com/110455945462646142273/Panama2004

I hope you enjoyed the photos!

We’re parked at VFW Post #3570 and just in time for the chili cook-off today!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2012
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

I’VE BEEN EVERYWHERE, MAN

I received a message from Jerry at http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com 

about the song I’ve Been Everywhere.

He sent me to a web page where there are parodies and take-offs on that song by  different artists.  I listened to a slew of them.  They were pretty cool.  Click on the links to hear some I got a kick out of.

The first is I’ve Been Everywhere , Texas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaTJxS_mu8c&feature=related

This link is:  I’ve Been Everywhere, Austrailia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UAh7ogwAYQ&feature=related

Now we have a Johnny Cash parody:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UAh7ogwAYQ&feature=related

The next one is:  I’ve Been Everywhere, Minnesota. I think. It has some clever, corny stuff like I ate corn dogs at the fair, man, …in my underwear, man.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BynH5WYdX2A&feature=related

After I  identified five to put into this blog , swish, the sneaky electronic Genie has tossed one of them into cyberspace, so I’m hoping that the four I have left  are identified correctly.

When I mentioned the song two days ago,  I was talking about my partner, Jim. And,  just to give you an idea of why it fits,  he has crossed the United States 6 times in his Motor Home. He has been in every state of the union. Plus, he took his rig 17,000 miles across Mexico, through every country in Central America and to the Panama Canal and beyond, (until the road stopped.)  Then, of course, he returned those same, many miles back to the States. He’s traveled all over Canada as well.  (South America is still on the agenda.)

Yesterday was a pick up and move, empty tanks, fill up with water, get gas and propane, find the recycle place,  shop for groceries…that  kind of day. We bought two sets of sheets and replaced the butter-soft thin ones we had. I spotted a Burlington Coat Outlet and got a white jacket to replace my warn one.  We’ve been everywhere, man- in Yuma!

The frig is full and we are parked in a weedy little town at a VFW with a huge membership. The bartender told us they serve around 400 hamburgers on Mondays. Tuesday was women’s dart competition and men’s pool tournament. They are open and busy seven days a week. We had a drink and left early because they allow members to smoke in the bar. Nobody was smoking at the time, but we both came out with our hair and clothing stinking  like old cigarette smoke.

The move put us closer to our destination, the Petroglyphs.

5,844 Days Ago…

was December 22, 1995…the day I departed Olympia, Washington to begin my full-time RVing lifestyle. Today therefore marks the beginning of my 17th year.

Back in 1995 I was driving a Chevy Suburban and towing an 18 foot travel trailer. Here’s a photo taken while in Baja, California, Mexico in 1998. The film was developed in Mexico hence the spotty photo. As always you may click upon the photos to see an enlarged view…

In 1999 I bought a 1983, 23 foot Class A Suncrest Motorhome and a 1984 Ford Bronco II specifically to take to Central America. This photo was taken in 2004 during that trip…

I met Mary in 2008 and in 2009 we acquired our current motorhome and Ford Bronco II…

The last 16 years have been delightful. Here’s hoping I’ve got another 16 years of full-time RVing. It’s a lousy job,,,but someone’s got to do it! 

Now…you may be wondering how I came up with the number of days. Did I find an old bunch of calendars and count them all? Nope. If you want to know the number of days between two events, all you have to do is click this link…
http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html

Isn’t the Internet wonderful?

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust

I’m On The Panama Magazine Video Channel…

Yesterday I identified that quite by accident while poking around the Internet, I found myself in the New York Times. Well, I continued poking around and found myself (or rather one of my videos) featured on the Panama Magazine Video Channel.

What appears to have happened is on September 5, 2008 Panama Magazine took this video of mine off of my old website. They incorrectly titled it “Travelling Through Costa Rica By Motorhome”. In reality, the video pictures and the music are both from Nicaragua,

I suspect that you most likely have not seen this video, so I thought I’d show it to you here. Turn up your speakers! It runs 7 minutes and 11 seconds.

During that trip 343 day, 16,000+ mile RV trip through Mexico and the seven countries of Central America, Nicaragua was my favorite country. That is why I created this video showcasing some of the people/things I saw in my almost month-long visit to Nicaragua. Enjoy!

Re-watching this video brought back lots of very pleasant memories from that trip.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://lulu.com/panamaorbust

A Ghost From Out Of My Past…

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I traveled the about 75 miles from Yuma to Quartzsite, Arizona.

Along the way, about 50 miles north of Yuma and 25 miles south of Quartzsite in the middle of nowhere, all north-bound traffic is required to pass through this U.S. Border Patrol Station for inspection looking for illegal aliens and drugs.

Because we do not look suspicious, three easy questions and we were once again on our way. While an agent asks the questions of the driver, another agent with a drug-sniffing dog inspects the motorhome and towed vehicle.

Arriving in Quartzsite we pulled into La Posa South, a Bureau of Land Management long-term visitors area where my friends Jim and Joan are parked.

Jim and Joan look terrific for being in their late 70′s.

Mary had not met them before. We went out and enjoyed a nice lunch together.

Okay…now to the story of the day…
Upon entering La Posa South and before meeting up with Jim and Joan, we stopped to make a couple of phone calls and do a little computer research. I happen to look our of our dining area window and said to Mary…”There goes a motorhome that looks just like my old one!” As it went by, I then said…”It is my old motorhome!”

Ned Bedinger bought my old motorhome in September of 2009 and I haven’t seen it since then. I checked my computer and had one 360 area code number for Ned. Dialing it, I got his wife Jane in Washington who gave me his cell phone number. I called Ned and we made arrangements to meet nearby at 4:00 PM. Had we arrived five minutes later, we would have missed Ned going by where we had stopped!

We enjoyed a nice hour-long visit with Ned and seeing my old motorhome once again. He has made only a few minor changes. He told us he left Washington only about one week ago and had never been to Quartzsite before. He also told us the he and his wife and son are really enjoying their new-to-them motorhome and they have had not one problem with it.

I had bought my old motorhome in September of 1999 specifically in anticipation of my trip to Mexico and Central America which I accomplished in 2004.

I owned that motorhome for 10 years during which time I drove it about 100,000 miles. It brought back a lot of nice memories I had experienced in my RVing past!

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com

A Visit With Very Unique And Interesting People…

Jim says:

Yesterday Mary and I visited with our good friends Horst and Margot Schneider who live here in Yuma, Arizona. We are parked adjacent to their home.

Horst is 90 and Margo is 89 and they are still full of life! I took this photo of them during my last visit with them just before Christmas.

I first met them in 2006 when the Yuma Sun Newspaper did a full-page article about my 2004, 343 day,16,000+ mile RV trip through Mexico and Central America. Horst saw the article and asked the newspaper to have me contact him. He explained that he also was an author. They invited me to their home and we’ve been great friends ever since. They met as teenagers in pre-World War II Germany and have been together ever since. They have lived most interesting lives and are just full of stories which they love to tell.

Last December I wrote a separate and more complete Blog entry about Horst’s book. Click this link to view that Blog entry…
http://blog.seattlepi.com/ramblinman/archives/189267.asp

During the last year life has started to change for them. Margot never did drive and for the first time Horst failed to pass his driver’s license examination. Not later than April 15th of next year they will be moving to their oldest daughter’s home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We’ve promised them that we will visit them in Baton Rouge in 2013 on our next scheduled trip back to the east coast.

All original material Copyright – Jim Jaillet 2011
For more information about my three books, click this link:
http://www.panamaorbust.com