Mary is no longer available for RV traveling, but we remain good friends.
Because we have 4,000+ postings, I’ve invited her to continue posting entries on this blog.
I’m currently in my 22nd year of full-time RVing and my lifestyle is changing, For more info click Here
The motorhome is parked at the Paradise Casino in Yuma, Arizona. I was expecting to leave here recently, but I’ve changed my mind. I currently have reservations at Thousand Trails in Palm Desert, California, February 13th. Between now and then???? For the moment I remain in Yuma.
I just love the ability to change plans at a moments notice. As I tell everyone…All my plans are firmly etched in Jello!
Today’s subject: A drive into Mexico leaves me glad and sad…
Today’s Blog was first posted in January, 2014…
Yesterday I drove the Bronco the 25 miles south of Yuma into San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico. The purpose of the trip was to have my no-longer-cooling air conditioning system recharged with R-12 refrigerant which is no longer legal in the United States since 1996.
After crossing the border I drove only about one mile to Midas (mee-DAHS in Spanish). The shop opened at 8:00 AM, I arrived at 9:15 and was the only vehicle there…
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 manager asked why I did not want to convert my system to the new R-134A refrigerant explaining the cost was the same as the R-12. I said okay…let’s do it.
The job took about two hours with the majority of the time taken up by removing the system compressor, draining the oil and installing the new oil…
Once that was done it was time to load the R-134A refrigerant which took four cans…
The job completed, proved than the R-134A cools much better then the R-12. I’m glad!
The Midas shop also had an adjacent car wash which also washes motors…
I ended up with a clean motor and a clean Bronco…
An interesting aside about this story. Returning to the border crossing, on the advice of the Manager of Midas, I got into the furthest right of the three possible lanes of traffic. As it turned out…it was the wrong lane…
As I was informed by very adamant U. S. Customs Agents. The told me that this lane was only for “trusted travelers” who have passed a very detailed background check. Apologizing profusely. I explained how I happened to end up here and offered to go back to get into the correct lanes. Not easily done they gave the Bronco a brief inspection and had me sign a form that stated if I did it once again I’d be subject to monetary fines and vehicle impoundment. The one agent with a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun and bandoliers of shotgun shells across his chest like Pancho Villa (really) was quite pleasant about the whole affair.
Now about the glad parts…
My R-134A conversion including all parts and labor was $75 U.S. Dollars in Mexico. I could not resist calling Midas in Yuma to inquire how much it would cost to convert my Bronco to r-134 and was told…figure on between $700-$800. In addition, my engine and hand-car wash in Mexico cost me only $20 in U.S. Dollars. In the United States it probably run at least $75.
Now about the sad part…
I have the equivalent of two years and about 16,000 miles exploring Mexico. I just love the Mexican people, scenery, food, music, etc… and enjoyed wandering freely about the country. That all changed on December 11, 2006 when Mexico formally declared a War on Drugs. Since that time Mexico has become a very dangerous place…relatively speaking. It is estimated that 50,000 people have died in the War on Drugs in the last six years. You can read about it by clicking this link… http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2012/05/mexicos-drug-war-50-000-dead-in-6-years/100299/
No longer being able to freely wander Mexico makes me sad! But at least I have my hundreds of photographs…and memories…
You can read about San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico by clicking this link… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_R%C3%ADo_Colorado
I hope you enjoyed the photos.
Yesterday was mostly sunny and 68 degrees. Forecast for today is mostly cloudy and 67 degrees.
Enjoying nice weather is another joy in the life of a full-time RVer!
The red dot on the below map shows my approximate location in the State of Arizona. You may double left-click the map to make it larger…
Enjoying 65-75 degree temperatures with low humidity 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
My current travel rig is a 2006 Fleetwood 26′ Class A Motorhome and a towed 1986 Ford Bronco II, Eddie Bauer Model. This photo was taken in the desert at Slab City near Niland, California…
On October 27, 2012, I created a two-minute video titled America The Beautiful. The music America The Beautiful is by Christopher W. French. The photos, which I randomly selected, are from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia (not shown in that order)…are mine. Yup, That’s me standing in front of the Post Office in Luckenbach, Texas…Y’all!
Click this link to start the video. Make sure you have your speakers turned on and go to full screen asap.
http://youtu.be/FfZUzEB4rM8
If you would like to see my YouTube videos, click this link… http://www.youtube.com/user/JimJ1579/videos
There are more than 700 photo albums in my Picasa Web Albums File. To gain access, you simply have to click this link… https://get.google.com/albumarchive/110455945462646142273?source=pwa
If you have not checked out my Ramblin Man’s Photos Blog, you can do so by clicking this link…http://ramblinmanphotos.wordpress.com/
For more information about my books, click this link:
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/panamaorbust
All original works copyrighted – Jim Jaillet -2017
Que Sera, Sera... Whatever Will Be, Will Be... 