Life at the Beach - A Typical Day

(Note: Sarcasm disclaimer on this post!)

Some of you may think that living on a beach is the definition of paradise. But in truth it is actually very arduous. 

First of all, the rising sun and crashing waves wake you up at an ungodly hour...which right now tends to be between 7-7:30 AM depending on when Coco comes up to start licking our faces. So you have to lumber out of bed and walk about five steps to let the dog out for her morning ablutions.

It’s time to fill the kettle for morning coffee and fire up the outdoor propane stove. If the sun is behind clouds, you’ll need a light jacket. The coffee is instant because you don’t have electricity to run a coffee-maker, and bodums make such a mess. But add a bit of Ovaltine to the mix and you have the equivalent of a $6 Starbucks malta-coco-coffee. 

And then comes the first major challenge of the day: what’s for breakfast? Will it be a simple fruit, yoghurt and cereal, or an elaborate chorizo veggie omelette? The choices are dizzying. 

By the time we’ve eaten and done some morning reading, it’s about 10 and we need to figure out what’s going to happen for the day. Usually by this time it’s getting hot so a swim in the ocean is in order. Which then creates a mess of sand underneath the swimsuit, all over the outdoor carpet and into the trailer. A good 20 minutes each day is spent sweeping sand. The struggle is real and it’s constant!

Sand and salt also wreak havoc on your body. First thing to go is the feet. They get wretchedly cracked and peeling on the bottoms, sometimes to the point of bleeding. You’d think that walking on sand would be a great exfoliant, but I guess the body’s reaction to the constant exposure is to add about an extra 15 layers of skin. With the saltwater and wind, your hair gets hideously knotted, and in our family significant time has to be spent brushing out all us furry beasts. 

Chores are neverending. Sweeping sand out of the bed, washing dishes (by hand!!!), cleaning, organizing and re-organizing, adding water to the tank - all must be done daily. 

If it’s not a supply run day, a beach walk or hike with the dog might come next. Or it’s into town for more fresh fruit, veg and tortillas. A supply run day is a big event calling for dry, semi-clean clothes and usually a stop at Shut Up Frank’s pub to cool down with some Pacificos. Before you know it, it’s 3 PM and someone on the beach wants to come join you for a cerveza! So you gotta put down your book and be social. You do want you gotta do...

About 5 PM the temperature starts to drop and the gnats come out, but you’re too busy watching the spectacular sunset to realize you’re being eaten. You’ll notice at 3 AM when you’re awoken by maddeningly itchy ankles. 

Then dinner...imagine coming up with recipes that can be done on a one-burner Coleman for months on end! No standby frozen pizza here! Some nights call for a fire and some call for watching DVDs, and then its to bed early to wake with the sun again tomorrow! 

This life isn’t for everyone...those with the remotest cases of ADD or OCD will be driven mad by either boredom or the need to clean! Thank heaven we have neither ;-)

Turtle babies!

What a fascinating, interesting and exhilarating experience tonight! We had just retired to the trailer for dinner after sundown when our beach neighbours came to the door. Usually, it’s camp rules that you don’t bother others unless they’re outside, so we were like “uh-oh - are these those obnoxious types with no boundaries?” 

Bernadette from Nanoose Bay, BC, said “We just found a nest of turtles hatching next to our RV...thought you might want to come see!”

Our trailer is up on a sand bluff and their RV was on the lower part of the arroyo only 60 feet away, with another set of BC friends camped in front of theirs closer to the beach. And there were at least a hundred leatherback hatchlings spewing out of the sand just beside the arroyo wall in the middle of all of us! 

Now, some may think this is the most beautiful, natural sight to behold. But these hatchlings were at least 120 feet from the water over a treacherous path covered with tire tracks, wood debris, and dogs. So we were scrambling to figure out how to help them without hurting them. It was also an interesting experiment in human nature! 

The younger campers immediately went to Google, where they learned the gospel of “Don’t touch them!”. So they tried to help by creating a raked path towards the water. But it still seemed an unrealistic distance for them to reach the ocean and many were going off in the wrong direction.

Then an older (or shall we shall more experienced) couple from Hornby Island came over and said “Oh, half of these guys will die of exhaustion before they reach the water! We’ve helped with thousands of turtle hatchlings...just pick them up and get them closer to the waterline!”

Which, after a brief but palpable inner argument between Google vs experience, we all succumbed to the feeling we had all along...which was to help the little buggers! Out came buckets and shovels so the 10 of us could quickly ferry as many as possible to the sea. 

Then as the light was fading, it was pretty awesome to stand by on the sloped wet sand and watch these tiny egg-sized critters flap towards the water. A wave would come and wash half of them into the open ocean and those remaining would just keep trudging until they too were aloft. 

We all have dogs, and interestingly enough, the dogs all sensed something special was going on. They paced around excitedly but never nipped or got too close to the hatchlings. 

This place is truly magic! We’ve heard stories from many campers who said they came down here 40 years ago when Cabo San Lucas was nothing more than a fishing village with a grocery store, gas station, and open sand. Here an hour north, walking along the 2-miles of open beach today (where we said “hola” to 6 other people), I wonder how much longer it will remain this way. Sadly, I think we’re nearing the tail end of it...my guess in that in another decade this area will be built up with resorts. 

In the meantime we will enjoy and love these lawless beaches, and treat them with respect...and hopefully some turtles will come back! 

Our Beach Home

Sun has just set at San Pedrito Beach and the western horizon is a deep coral. We are here, at what we’ve come to consider our “home” beach - the ideal combination of beach, proximity to amenities, and a cool surfer-vibe atmosphere. 

Every year during the rainy season a flood of water rushes down this area to create a seasonal river, bringing with it tons of wood and debris from the mountains to the ocean. During dry season, starting about now, it becomes a mini-village of campers who slowly pick the beach clean to stoke their fires. It’s free boondocking - totally off-grid - and some residents set up very elaborate winter homes complete with wooden shelters adjacent to their RVs and solar panels for collecting energy to power outdoor lights at night. 

This is only the second year we’ve actually camped here, and by far the earliest we’ve ever gotten here. We were worried the prime spots might already been taken and were surprised to find only a few camps set up. We were also surprised to see signs saying “Private Property” and “Register for camping” as these seasonal riverbeds (arroyos) have always been public lands. Apparently the owner of the land south of the arroyo has decided to exercise more control over campers in proximity to his property. We got the low-down from Ben, a young surfer who works summers as a firefighter and has wintered here for 9 years, who we met last year. 

After some surveying of the area, we decided to set up near where were last year. But in less than 10 months, the landscape has completely changed. In February of 2017, this part of the arroyo was completely covered in rocks between the sand and the shoreline. Now it’s just sand to the beach and all the boulders have moved south. To think what power it took for the ocean to move thousands of huge rocks in only a few months is amazing! 

So we’re in the free section and will have to use some serious time to clear the area properly for our winter here. It’s very sloped with rocks and debris scattered about. But it will be fun to to craft it into our little oasis. It actually feels like a huge relief to finally be here...being on the road constantly wears on you after a few months! Now we can set up our outdoor kitchen, do a proper thorough clean of the trailer and its contents, and get into a routine. Routine may sound boring, but when you haven’t had one for a while - trust me ;-)

On the way, we made our customary stop at the Walmart in La Paz. It’s wild to see how many other RVers are there just like us, stocking up before heading to their favourite beaches. Of course we favour the local mom & pop shops for regular supplies, but there are a few things that are harder to come by in small towns - like peanut butter, shampoo/conditioner, oatmeal, marmalade and such. 

While there, we also decided to invest in real actual glass glasses! You must appreciate how in RV living, anything easily breakable will inevitably break and is a recipe for disaster. But since we plan to be hunkered down for about 2-3 months, we thought we’d tempt fate. It is infinitely much nicer to drink out of glass than plastic or steel! We’ll see how long it lasts ;-)

Glorious Bahia Concepcion

Magical days in Bahia Concepcion. As always. This bay, about two-thirds of the way down the Baja peninsula on the east side south of Mulege, gets pretty close to the definition of paradise. The area is ringed with several tiny bays and coves that host places to camp. 

El Requeson has always been my favourite, thanks to its small triangle of sand that forms a path to the nearby island at low tide. The island is great for hiking around, and we can take the kayaks to its far side to gather firewood. In the mornings before winds pick up, the surface of the bay is like glass and you can see schools of all kinds of tropical fish in the clear waters, along with pelicans, vultures and cormorants circling above. 

While some of the Bahia Concepcion beaches are already full of RVers, we were happily surprised that Requeson was virtually empty. There are six “ramadas” - two-sided and roofed palm shelters to protect from the El Norte winds - and we are able to secure a site at a prime one to set out our outdoor kitchen. 

This spot always seems to be our first stop of R&R in the real Baja. Tonight will be our third night here and we’ve enjoyed two days of warmth and relaxation after a full week of long driving days.

One thing that is so interesting about the Baja is meeting fellow travellers. As mentioned in my last post, the vast majority are retirees from BC who come every winter, which brings a certain pleasant familiarity, and then some are on these incredible journeys that just happen to intersect with ours. 

So we met Jim and Morgan set up in the ramada next to ours. Jim is British and runs an eco-tourism hostel in Estonia, and he met his partner Morgan last year in Berlin. She hails from Vermont, where they are now heading for Christmas with her family. They had a Kirrian bear dog, appropriately named Gonzo,  that was gorgeous and very much wanted to play with Coco, but didn’t understand its own power. Coco was willing to try to play until all 100 lbs of Gonzo landed on top of her and she went yelping away. Now we have an invitation to an eco-lodge in Estonia....might be worth checking out! 

In previous years staying here, we didn’t realize there were easy clams for the pickings at this location. Jim and Morgan showed us their haul and now we have a bucket full of clams for dinner! Literally, at low tide you only have to scoop your hands through the sand and you’re bound to catch a decent-sized clam or two. 

Another highlight of this place is Playa Buenventura. The beach itself is nothing spectacular (compartively!) but it is the location of Mark’s restaurant. We first met Mark four years ago on our first RV venture here where he is the proprietor and chef of a crazily-decorated shack complete with singing parrots. It’s an easy kayak or drive from where we on are Requeson. 

Today was their famous Taco Tuesday and the place was packed with expats and seasonal residents. Dogs lazily lounge around while a local crooner sang Sinatra songs, and we feasted on delicious coconut shrimp tacos. Words cannot do the scene justice.

Coco seems to be settling nicely back into her Baja roots. After so many months on leash and restricted access to “normal” life, she seems to be finally relaxing into the freedom of Mexico - wandering around the beach but not too far, springing through the water, cautiously introducing herself to fellow campers and their dogs. I was so impressed with her today as she swam through the shallow waters with us and scampered over large rocks on the neighbouring island. And everywhere we go, others comment on what a cute sweet little tyke is is...and she is :-)

The (difficult) road south...

Getting to Coco’s Corner was just as difficult as the last time we did it in 2015...the nice newly-paved highway stopped at the same point. While it looks like progress has been made on the preparation for the new road, they’re not letting you drive on it yet! 

It was great to see Coco again, as sassy and vital as ever at 80 years old. It’s astonishing to know he has been living at this remote outpost alone for almost 28 years, and cleared the land and built his own little kingdom as a double amputee! 

When we introduced our puppy to him, we explained we named her Coco after him because she has short legs too, and he laughed. When we joked that our Coco liked beer too, he opened a tin just for her and poured some into a little bowl! Thankfully she only had a few licks and walked away; we didn’t want to hurt his feelings by asking him to take it away! 

In the evening we enjoyed a roaring fire thanks to wood others had discarded. Andrew was even able to do an oil change in the morning - Coco was happy to take the discarded oil - it’s what he uses in his pit toilets to stop the smell, along with diesel. It stinks too, but lesser of two evils! 

Today we made slower progress than we hoped. On the other side of Coco’s the road is really difficult, and has actually been made worse by the construction teams building the “new” highway. There are paths intersecting all over the place with no signage telling you where to go. We saw many people on the “new” highway only having to turn around once it petered out. I just couldn’t understand the rationale behind these intense efforts to tame the land...the current road is not a bad path other than it needs to be paved over so there aren’t potholes and rocks jutting out. But they seem intent on building another completely different road while leaving the current one in appalling condition. 

Coco had advised us the going would be smoother if we took air pressure out of our tires, and there is a tire repair shack where the MX 5 meets the MX 1 (paved) so we could re-inflate the tires. There we met Sean from Vernon (yes, Vernon, BC!) who had a new trailer and hit a pothole so hard he blew a tire and bent the axle on it! They were trying to mickey-mouse a fix for him so he could limp it to a larger town for a proper repair. 

BC stands for “British Columbia” and for “Baja California”, and they night as well be the same thing. Since crossing the border, 90% of the licence plates that aren’t local are British Columbia. At Coco’s we met another couple from Vancouver Island, who we will surely meet up with again as their destination is our same home beach. 

Back on the paved MX 1, we only managed to go 9 km before coming to a stand-still. Who knows what happened...but the road is crazily narrow with no shoulders...and a semi seemed to be stuck across both lanes. We finally started to move 90 minutes later. 

MX 1 is the only paved road traversing the entire peninsula, and it wasn’t even built until the early 1973. Even decades later, it is still a horribly kept pathway in many parts, a thin 18 foot wide strip with no shoulders and many potholes. When we spend the majority of the winter at the southern tip, in the triangle “metropolis” of La Paz, San Jose del Cabo, and Cabo San Lucas, we forget how bad the roads are here in the wilds. It’s slow going and white-knuckle at times. But that’s the price you pay to drag your home to paradise! 

And Andrew is such a good driver! He says it takes him a few days to get his teeth. The first time we came down, we almost turned around these parts. Every semi that passes you, or that you choose to pass, is a nail-biter. I can’t imagine doing this road with anything wider than our little fibreglass trailer.

Then you meet other travellers that just stun you! A few miles before our stop for the night, we passed a group of three - two on bicycles with no helmuts and one on what looked like he was pushing a scooter! An hour later they pulled into the same RV park as us. The couple is from France and they’ve been travelling on their bikes for the past six months starting in Montreal. The young fellow is from Singapore and is actually using a skateboard as locomotion, pushing a baby stoller that holds his supplies! And their plan is to travel all the way to Argentina in this fashion! I’m mostly agnostic, but will be praying for their safety! 

Today we should reach Bahia Concepcion south of Mulege on the Sea of Cortez, with a string of beautiful sandy coves to set up camp on. Then we can relax for a few days before the final push to the tip of the peninsula. 

At “home” in Baja California!

There are things you don’t even notice are missing until they return. Wind is one of these things. All through New Mexico, Arizona and into the eastern Sea of Cortez side of Baja, there have been howling winds that are really a PITA (pain in the a$$), making it difficult to enjoy the gorgeous sunny weather. Rough life, I know - sorry. 

These are not unexpected. This area is known for its “El Norte” winds that prevail during most of the winter. Further down the peninsula, El Nortes are why wind-sport seekers flock to the region...the world kitesurfing championships are held in Los Barriles. 

Most mornings on the Gulf of Mexico we were met with dead calm. It’s such a big change...amazing what geography can do. 

We got to the border at San Luis south of Yuma this morning at 9:30 AM. No line-ups! It was the first time for us going through this crossing and a little nerve-wracking not knowing how it would go. First you go through Customs where they inspect the truck and trailer, then you have to find a place to park the rig while you go to Immigration to get your tourist card. 

Thankfully, the border guards at San Luis were wonderful! They were more interested in asking about the trailer’s details and cost than inspecting it. I had a friendly chat with one fellow who asked to see Coco’s proof of shots, and then he told me exactly where we could park and go for the Immigration papers. It was a tight fit, and after we got our tourists cards, it required Andrew to back out through a narrow gate. The border patrol, plus random strangers and onlookers all gathered around, offering waving hands from various vantage points - “Go, go, it’s ok”, “oh, no, stop!”, etc. They’ll probably be talking about us silly gringos for weeks! 

The sudden change in atmosphere after crossing the border is always jarring. Narrow roads, fast drivers, ramshackle buildings, stray dogs wandering everywhere, stop signs and speedbumps in the middle of nowhere - some without warning that cause the trailer to lurch and spill everything not secured. 

Along the highway there are also many “vados” - dips where seasonal rains run across the road on their way to the sea. Sometimes they creep up on you...you don’t even realize you need to be slowing down until you’re bouncing all over the place! On one such vado, someone actually took the time to spray-paint “Oh Shit Dip” on either side as a warning! Still the road was scarred with score marks from vehicles bottoming out. 

No matter...both Andrew and I felt an amazing sense of familiarity and comfort, our second home. We really have truly chosen this place as our winter home. Our time in the US was like a vacation, and now we’ll be able to get down to our favourite spot in Todos Santos for just regular life. 

When we reached San Felipe, the winds were causing sand to sweep across the highway and create dunes in some spots, almost blocking an entire lane. We pressed 45 km further south to a campsite recommended by our trusty “Traveler’s Guide to Camping Mexico’s Baja” by Mike and Terri Church - known as “The Bible” down here by RVers. 

Here we are the only campers in a large sandy lot covered in pinon pine about 100 metres to the ocean. The beach is gorgeous white sand, which Coco took great glee in running around off-leash (thank heaven to be away from all those RULES!), though with the wind we couldn’t actually sit down and relax on it. 

Coming this way down MX Hwy 5 vs Hwy 1 south of Tijuana should shave a day off our journey south. A lot depends on the condition of the road we’ll tackle tomorrow - a shortcut with 35 km of rough gravel. We did this route in 2015 after Hurricane Odile and we couldn’t drive faster than 2-10 km/h. Last year we didn’t even try, but have heard it’s been cleared and widened in preparation for eventual paving. 

The highlight of this route is Coco’s Corner - an famous stop in the middle of the desert - where long-time proprietor 80-year old Coco sells cold Coke and beer (only the two things on the menu!), and let’s you stay overnight with purchase of a beer. The decor of his place consists of old tins, a few vehicle carcasses and a toilet “garden”, and female underwear pinned to the ceiling, all donated and signed by patrons.

When we went through in spring 2015, we ended up spending a beer-soaked evening with Coco and heard all of his “war” stories. The best of which had to be about his leg amputations. When he was young, he lost one leg in a farming accident just below the knee. Years later he developed diabetes and had to have his foot amputated. But he told the doctors “take it off at the same level as the other one, so at least then I can get around like a monkey”. And he does! He has thick leather pads on his leg stumps and motors around like a silverback gorilla. Even has extensions so he can use a quad to scoot around the property! We hope he is still doing well...he truly is a legend! And we can check to see if my underwear is still there 😉

Adios America, and Hola Baja!

Tomorrow we will enter Mexico. What a wonderful adventure we’ve had in the USA over the past 2 months and 2 days! We’ve driven through 21 of the contiguous states and stayed for a night or more in 15 of them. We’ve logged 10,395 kilometres, all safe except for a cracked windshield! 

As we get ready to leave the USA, we reminisce about our time here and think about the things that will be missed once in Mexico: 

• everyone speaks English
• you can flush paper down the toilets
• cheap gas
• inexpensive and still good-tasting wine 
• very friendly people who aren’t trying to sell you anything
• great freeways with shoulders and signs in English
• salad kits (it’s impossible to find decent lettuce south of the border) and such easy availability of food staples.
• A plethora of radio stations playing music we know 

We’ve stocked up on everything that is hard to come by across the border, such as decent wine, Ovaltine, quality dog food, and spreadable butter (on that note, I’m ticked Canada doesn’t have spreadable butter - it’s the best thing EVER!).

That said, there are also so many things to look forward to about Baja: 

• no rules - no one telling us we can’t have a dog off-leash, drink a beer on the beach, or collect downed wood for a fire! 
• The BEACH and big Pacific waves
• cold Pacifico beer available everywhere
• fresh, locally-made tortillas in every town, freshly-caught seafood bought from the fishermen, refried beans, Oaxaca cheese, and Fud chorizo 
• like-minded RVers
• warm dry sunny days and cool nights
• TEQUILA!!!
• Familiarity of place - now we feel like locals! Catching up with our buds at El Litro RV Park and Shut Up Frank’s bar in Todos Santos
• whale-watching
• Going back to metric - miles are just SO friggin’ long! 

Adios - enjoy the winter peeps! 

Westward Ho!

El Paso, TX was much bigger than we expected...a huge, sprawling mess of a border town. And as the saying goes “Everything’s big in TX...”, the size of the churches was staggering! Big as stadiums with new age names like “Abundant Living Faith Center”. We kept on the freeway and got through as quick as we could. 

The rest area just across the border into New Mexico was incredible! A huge, landscaped area with over a dozen covered picnic tables that you can stay at free for 24 hours. The immaculate restroom complex actually had a courtyard with a tiered water foundation, and Christmas carols were playing in the bathrooms! 

This is one thing the USA seems to do really well - rest stops. Most of the ones we’ve seen feature pet walking areas and picnic tables, maps and vending machines. Good to know that you can stay overnight at ones here in New Mexico and Arizona, plus we’ve discovered Oregon is the same great boondocking options after long driving days. 

Though we only had one night in New Mexico. We stopped at Rock Hound State Park in the foothills of the Little Florida Mountains and enjoyed spectacular sunset views over the desert. But awoke to freezing howling winds and hit the road as soon as we could. 

There are signs all over warning what to do in case of dust storms: pull over and turn off all lights until it clears. While it seems counter-intuitive to turn off lights, apparently there have been many fatalities when people try to use lights as a beacon and end up running right into other vehicles! 

The weather is really starting to drop in these parts so time to hit Baja. Overnights are getting near freezing, and while we do have a furnace in the trailer, it’s just not fun. We just crossed the continental divide at 4,500 feet so am sure elevation has a lot to do with it. Will definitely have to make plans to enjoy more of New Mexico and Arizona in future years either in spring or fall. What we’ve seen so far on the drive is very much like the landscape of Baja, so might as well be in sun in it!

Big Bend Country

Our next stop on the march westward was Amistad National Recreation Area, located on the Amistad Reservoir created by a dam on the Rio Grande. On the recommendations of friends Matt and Amy, we set up camp at Governor’s Landing, a small site just off Highway 90 north of the town of Del Rio, TX. 

What a great park! For $8/night, you get a private paved site, a large covered picnic table, grill and your own trash can. No services but there were clean vault toilets and potable water taps throughout the campground. Paths lead down to the water where there is a dock, and there are many other paths to explore all over the park’s rocky archipelagos. And it was virtually empty! We enjoyed two nights there, just chilling in the sun and swimming. 

We would have stayed longer, but the forecast is showing an incoming cold front to hit Tuesday with nighttime temperatures getting to -4 degrees. Brrrrrrr! So we have to make tracks to get to Tucson, AZ out of the cold front’s range.

This is Big Bend country, so named because of the big bend in the Rio Grande river and the national park with the same name. Driving through here is like being back in Mexico! It features the same rolling hills covered with dry scrub, yuccas and paddle cactus. It’s barren and deserted except for the odd ranch and ramshackle villages. And border patrol. With the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and the US, half of the trucks we see are border patrol. Even though we didn’t get within a mile of the border, we still had to stop at a immigration checkpoint to ensure with were legit. I almost feel at home. 

This afternoon we reached Marfa. As what typically happens when I have such high hopes for a place, it was a complete bust. Which I should have expected given it’s 3 PM on a Sunday afternoon. Pretty much everything was closed and only a few of the art installations at the Chinati Foundation were open for self-guided tours, which I figured wouldn’t be worth it without the guide to explain things. Some contemporary art is like that. And they’re now closed until Wednesday. And we have to get to Arizona asap to avoid the coming cold. So....it’s not Marfa’s fault, it’s mine. I’ve heard this quirky little town is like that...if you just drive through or do a quick walk, you won’t “get” it. It’s worth a few days to check out some of the restaurants, see the art and meet locals. We’ll just have to come back some day :-) ! 

At least we’ll be able to stop at Prada Marfa on the way out of town. It’s been on my bucket list for a long time. It’s a permanent art installation on the side of Hwy 90, a “boutique” with genuine Prada handbags and shoes in the window. But of course it’s not really a store. I think it’s genius...this display of commercialism in the middle of nowhere, that you can see but not touch or buy.  

Now we’re hunkered down for the night at the Marfa Lights viewing area. Along with contemporary art, it’s the other thing that tiny Marfa is famous for. Since 1883, there have been reports of mysterious lights visible in the distance with no scientific explanation being found to this day. There are only 10-12 sightings per year so our chances of seeing anything tonight are slim. But here’s hoping... ;-)

On the way to West Texas...

We awoke to a dense forest of fog our last morning in Galveston. Couldn’t see a hundred feet away, very eery. Everything outside was covered, not in dew, but big dripping beads of sweat! It subsided as soon as we crossed the bridge to the mainland. 

Google maps told us the quickest route to San Antonio was to go straight through the heart of downtown Houston. Thank heaven we invested in a cell-enabled iPad with GPS...I have no idea how anyone could navigate the tangled maze of interchanges in both these cities! Even with highway signage and a detailed map, it was imperative to know which lane to be in to either not miss an exit or inadvertently be pushed off an exit without meaning to! Google maps navigation system shows us what lane to be in amidst these six+ lane freeways! I still have absolutely no clue how anyone could have traveled these roads as a tourist with just a paper map...

Heading westward, the landscape grew visibly drier and we saw our first patches of cactus. The Mexican influence also became much more pronounced with signs for Tex-Mex restaurants and everything in duel languages. 

Knowing we wouldn’t get into San Antonio until around dinner time and without easy access to trailer parking in the city at night, we opted to hit the big shopping mall north of the city so I could indulge my inner fashionista after so much grotting in the wilds. I asked the roaming security truck if it was okay for us to park overnight and got the friendliest reception. When the security guard found out we were from Canada, he wanted to make sure that we were getting a warm welcome from everyone down south and we assured him we were. 

Later that night I talked to another security guard who again confirmed we were free to park in the lot overnight, but then ominously asked if we had “self-protection”. Thinking of the bear spray we keep above the bed, I said, “uh, yeah” and then realized he was probably asking if we had a gun! 

The next day was dedicated to downtown San Antonio. Like Chicago, another urban center that has done their planning right! Lots of parkland, plaques with historical information everywhere, and smart use of the landscape. They’ve created a gorgeous sunken Japanese garden from an abandoned limestone quarry and made the most epic pedestrian experience along the Riverwalk. 

We only saw a small section of the Riverwalk - an ingeniously planed thoroughfare one story below the road network on the banks of the San Antonio River - lined with shops and restaurants. What makes it especially inviting is that every section is unique. Each pathway, each bridge and underpass is different, some featuring mini waterfalls and spillways. So many of the old trees have been kept in place and built around so they shade the way. Kinda like Venice with greenery and lacking crowds. 

I insisted we enjoy Texas BBQ for lunch. Texans take BBQ VERY seriously! While researching for the trip, I happened upon Texas Monthly magazine’s publication of the Top 50 BBQ joints in the state. It takes 16 professional “tasters” eight months to cover the state and savour almost 400 smokehouses to update the list every five years. 

Receiving the honour means big business. If you’re on TripAdvisor or Google reviews of any of these Top 50 places, you’ll see many comments from people saying they’re visiting just because of the designation, along with their judgements and recommendations. 

San Antonio has one Top 50 just off the Riverwalk, but it was way in the northern section I was unwilling to trudge to in the 26 degree heat. So we just hunkered down at “The County Line” next to the Hard Rock Cafe...typical tourist fare, I know. But it was still impressive. $20 got us a half rack of pork ribs, a decent piece of beef brisket and two housemade sausages, all slow-roasted to tenderness and slathered in sauce, plus really good ‘slaw and potato salad. Plenty for the two of us! 

Now we’re about an hour west of the city to head back into the wilderness westwards. 

Welcome to the Lone Star State!

We had an appropriately wild west introduction to Texas. A few miles across the state line we stopped at the Visitor Information Center to pick up maps and brochures. Just as we were getting out of the truck, we heard wailing sirens, squealing tires and someone blasting their horn. Then a black car came screaming through the rest area parking lot at 80-90 mph with police in hot pursuit, and flew back onto the highway on the other end of the rest area. It’s a miracle no one was killed! 

About 30 minutes down the freeway we encountered bumper to bumper traffic and then saw the black car, damaged at the back, surrounded by cops with a shirtless young man on his knees and handcuffed. Gotcha! 

Heading towards Houston, the landscape was covered with huge refinery complexes - pipes and tubes and towers everywhere. We were in oil country! 

Skipped Houston and turned south to Galveston Island, a large barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico. The forecast called for clear skies and mid-20s temperatures, and we were looking forward to the beach. Though not as clear and pristine as Destin FL, the beach here is still very nice with fine light brown sand that stretches for miles. After 4 nights boondocking at casinos, Coco was happy to have a large grass campsite to run around. 

What we never expected is the history and architecture here. Really enjoyed exploring the historical downtown district which is peppered with plaques explaining the significance of the buildings and sites. We learned about how the 1900 hurricane decimated the island and is still the largest natural disaster in US history. 

Obviously hurricane-proofing is a big thing here. All the coastal homes site atop 12-15 ft tall stilts, featuring metal roofs and storm shutters. We didn’t see a lot of Harvey damage in these homes -  only a few getting roof repairs.

We met our first fellow BCers! Noticed the license plate as they pulled up at the neighbouring campsite and turns out they are from Armstrong! It’s their first winter south and they’re Florida-bound. I didn’t have the heart to tell them they’d hate it ;-) Well, that’s not fair...FL is pretty cool. But between the ticks, alligators, humidity, high prices and flatness, we’re happy to be heading westward! Onward to San Antonio tomorrow...

Musings over the Bayou

Heading towards southwest Louisiana we crossed a massive bridge over a flat plain of water and patches of aquatic trees. Google informed us it was a “girder bridge” over the Atchafalaya Basin, just under 100,000 feet long. I can’t even imagine the cost of the infrastructure needed to tame this land, nor can I imagine what it would have been like to be an early settler among the swamps, bugs and bayous. 

We noticed many RV parks next to the highway - ugly flat patches devoid of trees but full of large trailers and fifth wheels closely packed together. It seems hard to imagine any traveller would want to stay at such a place so we pondered if these were parks for the “homeless” - the many people who can’t afford a home but can get cheap electric and water services at these noisy sites. Sad to think about...

Our destination for the day was Lake Charles, LA, and as I read the visitor guide I was informed we needed to try out a local speciality called boudin (very French - pronounced BOO-dah). We pulled off the highway at a shop that proclaimed it was rated #1 in the state for boudin. 

Not being local, it was a confusing mess trying to figure out what and how to order. I surveyed the refrigerated section and pondered buying some alligator, then settled on seasoned rabbit steaks. Finally figuring out where to find this mystical boudin, I ordered three links. 

It is a pork and rice seasoned mix encased in real intestine, boiled and served warm so you can just basically squeeze the mix into your mouth. Reminded me of English white pudding, sort of the same idea made with oats, but more spicy. Quite yummy once you get over the off-putting texture...like raw ground beef. 

The guide also informed me to the subtle yet distinct differences between “creole” vs “cajun”. Apparently Creole refers to the French and Spanish aristocracy that settled here and their language, culture and cuisine, while Cajuns were French Canadians displaced by the war of 1812. Probably some of you smarties already knew this, but I didn’t! 

Lake Charles itself is a small resort town situated on the shores of a, you guessed it, lake. It used to be a thriving community with lumber and mining industries, but a fire in 1910 destroyed most of the downtown and work went elsewhere. Most of the buildings in downtown are vacant and boarded up, though there are fantastic mansions along the shoreline and two huge posh casino resorts. 

We enjoyed a fascinating self-guided walking tour of the historic district thanks to an app created by the visitors center. We learned about distinctive Lake Charles-style columns (square and tapered vs typical round Grecian columns) while viewing homes built before the Civil War. Many featured two stories of wrap-around porches and made us wistfully want a home with a covered porch and swing (for sure I’m putting a swing up in our patio at home!). Some are in pretty rough shape and some have been faithfully restored, depending on the owners I suppose. 

Along the way, we were greeted by a local fisherman selling shrimp he’d caught that morning out of the back of his truck - five dollars a pound for huge prawns! He had stopped in the driveway of a house next to one featured on our tour, and the home’s owners were quite fascinated to learn why someone from BC was all the way in Lake Charles. The home was built in 1837! “Southern hospitality” is a truism - the husband said “Oh, bring your camper here and we can chat more.”

But our afternoon plans consisted of beach. With temperatures reaching 25 degrees and blue skies, it’s idyllic to sit on the sand, blog and start a new novel. And we are the only ones here! 

Tonight will be our last casino boondocking night as we have reservations at Galveston Island State Park in Texas starting tomorrow. My first order of business will be a shower! Learned a vital lesson - always enjoy a shower at a serviced campsite when you get the chance. I skipped having one at our second to last park because I figured I’d have one at Davis Bayou. Consequently their hot water pump was kaput! So it’s been a while and I can assure you it’s a good thing you are all miles from me!  

Of course we have the shower in our camper but it’s pretty cramped, a real rigamarole to maneuver one’s body around and clean up the water afterwards. Works when necessary but I’m always like...”ah, I can sponge-bath ONE more day!” Or as I like to look at it, I’m being very light on the environment right now! Other than gas, our carbon footprint is more like a toe dip. And it’s all good :-)

Giving thanks in Baton Rouge

Thanksgiving in the US is a BIG DEAL! The busiest travel days, the craziest shopping days. We managed, ironically, to enjoy one of our most relaxing days yet! 

We knew from previous experience that campgrounds in warm weather climes need to be booked well in advance of the Thanksgiving weekend. Even though we started searching in late October predicting where we might be, we were SOL. So it’s Walmarts and casino parking lot surfing for us from Nov 22-26. 

Stayed at a Walmart in Baton Rouge, Louisiana last night and picking up their Black Friday flyer noticed that the wireless speaker we JUST bought was going to be 50% off. Talking to customer service this morning: 

Me: “So it says in the flyer that these deals come out at 6 PM. Can you let me know if this store has any?”

WM: “Oh, yeah, we got ‘em.”

Me: “So best to come here at 6 and go the electronics department?”

WM: “Oh, no, those deals are throughout the store. Speakers might be in the frozen section. You need to check out the balloons - they’re already up showing where certain deals will be.” 

Me: “Okay, got it - yes, I see the signs. So come back at 6?”

The three ladies behind the customer service counter looked at me like I had two heads.

WM: “Well, you ain’t going to get one then. People start lining up at 1 and just mill around what they want until they’re released. And then it’s just a free-for-all!”

At this point, picturing myself having to stand around for 4+ hours to battle people for $40 back on my speaker, I figured I’d count myself out of Black Friday. 

Instead we drove downtown to stroll Louisiana’s state capitol area, blissfully quiet with all the stores and offices closed. We took in the exquisite architecture, the historical markers, the beautiful parklands and Mississippi River without seeing more than a dozen people. 

The Old State Capitol looks like a castle - a hybrid between real European castles and Excalibur in Las Vegas - complete with huge stained glass windows and the original cast iron fence from 1850. When a new building was needed they went even grander with a 27-story tower (the highest state capitol building in the US to this day) intricately carved like Egyptian tombs. Coco got lots of exercise at City Park, practically devoid of human life on the holiday. 

Driving south to our night stop at L’Auberge Casino, we passed the grounds of Louisiana State University. The football stadium is IMMENSE!!! It’s insane...it looked like it would hold twice the people of BC Place. Though I have no interest in watching team sports and don’t even understand football, it does make me think it would be an interesting experience to take in a US college football game. The sheer energy of the crowd would be amazing. Too bad it couldn’t be channelled into something more productive....oh, there I go again with my pontificating! Well, it’s my blog and I’ll write what I want to!

Going to head into the casino soon to see if they have any turkey dinner on offer ;-)