Yes....It's the Little Things..........

June 10, 2010

Quite a lazy spring I am having!  Did I say spring?  Santa Cruz is usually its most beautiful in the spring.  Yes... It is still beautiful but it has been unseasonably cold.  So I've been doing the 'little things' and it reminds me that I don't have to be on the road or in the warmth to enjoy my life. 

If you read my last blog post, you will know that I lost my beautiful redwood forest resort.  The investment I made 4+ years ago of $6,000.00 is not being honored by the new park owners  Get this!  They WILL let me stay there for $85.00 a night with a 10% discount for a few months.  It is now called the Santa Cruz Redwood RV Resort....in Felton.  Enough of that!

I digress.....I've been mostly staying with my sister and we still have lots to talk about.  She has a club house in her community and they are quite active with parties (for every reason) and  bar-b-q's  Any excuse to eat and drink (mostly sherbet punch). 

These pictures are from our St Patrick's Day Party.....corned beef and all the trimmings.

We also had a Mother's Memory Lunch for Mother's Day.  It was all about nostalgia.  I brought my satellite radio and we listened to 40's music.  Everyone reminisced about the 'olden' days~TV commercials, radio shows, songs, movie stars.  Just a bunch of old ladies (and a few men) giggling and having fun.  I was helping with the party and didn't bring my camera.

There's a great restaurant up the coast from Santa Cruz in Davenport,on Highway 1..  Great surf spot and many sharks visit that area.  The restaurant used to be called "The Davenport Cash Store".  Now it's called The Davenport Roadhouse at the Cash Store....or something like that.  That's it below.

 


My  friend, Deanna and I have been going there for almost 30 years.  We recently went back.  Not the same, of course, but lots of nostalgia.  It wasn't busy and there was only one other lady in the Roadhouse.  She wasn't alone for long.  She just had that look of an adventurer on her face.  We had a couple more cups of coffee.  She was there for old times sake as well with her memories and we were sharing quite a bit.. 

Saumya (new friend) has just moved to Eugene, Oregon and on my way to British Columbia (in a few weeks) I will be stopping to see her and we will do some more ya ya ing.  These pictures are some of the life in Davenport.

Pat and Saumya

Deanna and Saumya

Pat and Deanna

Heading South

My sister (Deanie) and I got so sick of the cold and rainy weather and I was getting itchy wheels, so we took off for a couple weeks in Phoebe McGee to find some sun and warmth.  We did!  We headed for the Mojave Desert and it was HOT!  Highest was 98 degrees and the winds were howling and the dust was blowing.  So were the many energy turban windmills.  TaZzi barked like crazy at them but we loved them.

We spent about 10 days in the beautiful and very warm areas of....

We stayed here:

We practically had it all to ourselves as many guests had left because of the heat.  Considering it was May, quite a few were there.  Deanie was in the pool and hot tub A LOT!  I was there SOME!  We ate lots of good food....fixed it ourselves and went on lots of day trips.




We had a day at Joshua Tree National Park and the weather was great that day....70's.   Our picnic was old-fashioned fun and we met some nice people, and learned a lot.

Adaptation in the desert is a miracle!  With very little water, lots of very hot sun, we may wonder... how does anything survive?  Vulnerable.... but the Mojave and Colorado deserts are home to hundreds of  species that know how to beat the heat.  

In 1936 FDR proclaimed Joshua Tree, a National Monument.  It was 1994 when it was renamed the Joshua Tree National Park.  794,000 acres of the park are protected.  Congress does some things right. 

This is where we had our picnic  There are so many areas to pull over to eat, to view, to watch wild life.  Campers, hikers, and climbers have abundant areas to stay.  We shared our watermelon with these 2 ladies from the east coast.  Deanie is busy cutting her favorite food in the whole world.

                                                                                                              

Why is my sis hiding in the RV?  A lady had just told us she had just seen 2 rattle snakes within yards and that we should watch out.  It didn't take Deanie long to get back in.  I continued taking pictures.  The lady said that the snakes were courting so I figured they wouldn't notice me

                                                                               You can see why the rock below is called Skull Rock!

                                                                      This is the picture I took while I was waiting for the snakes.

Keys View is an elevation of 5,185 feet. It was way more spectacular than my picture.  The San Andreas Fault is in the valley below.

I'm going to continue ... "Yes, it's the little things~part 2" in my next blog.  So I can have a break and you can, as well. 

~the gypsy~

Post.... 'bump in my road' & 'losses'

April 12, 2010

At the end of my last blog, I wrote I'd had a bump in my road.  It was a little one and in retrospect, a needed one.  Life has its way of slowing us down.  Have you noticed?  So, the bump was actually a fall with a pretty badly bruised knee.  First crutches...walker.....cane....now just a limp.  My sister, isn't tired of me yet, so she says.  Oh, you say, why are you staying with your sister?  You'll find out ....read on!   When in my home, Santa Cruz, I must store Phoebe and live with my sis..

Some of you may remember that even before I bought Phoebe McGee (my RV) I purchased a membership  in a great park in Felton (River Grove Resort) whenever I was in my town of Santa Cruz.  It was such a retreat for me .....a lovely and restful and peaceful place with ripples from the San Lorenzo River and some of the largest, oldest, majestic (families) of redwood trees in California.  I called it my Redwood Forest!  I met so many wonderful people there and have such beautiful memories.  Some pictures below.

Yes, I'm speaking in past tense.  The people I bought it from 4+ years ago have gone bankrupt and it has been sold.  My home has been taken over, has a new name, new owner, been updated.....and if I want to stay there, I must pay $65.00 to $85.00/day.  Needless to say, since I already have  $6,000.00 invested in this lifetime....pass it on to my grandkids ..... membership, I will not be paying that much to stay there.  I've wanted to go see it and meet the new management but....I must heal more before I do that.  It's kind of like loving that man...he leaves.....and you go to meet the new woman.  Heartbreak of the monetary kind.

I'm thinking I have no recourse but haven't pursued any action yet.  I received no written notice, was billed and paid my annual dues 2 months ago and the bankrupted owners kept it.  I am sad beyond words.  This was my (old-age) security when I could no longer travel as I do now.  I have other RV resorts where I can stay for free that I've also invested in, but they are in Palm Springs, Arizona and Sonora, Mexico.  Weather not conducive to summer in California.  So,  as I rework my plans and as that door closed, I know another one will open.  It always does.  The picture to the right is the inside of the cabin I received each year for 2 weeks along with my membership and annual dues.

Since I've been babying my knee and am eating less, I haven't been socializing much.  Have just seen a few friends, had and continue having lots of doctor appointments, spent time with my niece, going through tons of old pictures my Mother left behind when she died.  It's very hard to throw pictures away.  With me having no space in my RV, and my pictures are now all digital, I surely can't carry them around with me.  My sis and I never run out of stuff to talk about and she loves TaZzi almost as much as I do, so she's enjoyed filling in for me with doggie walks.

At the end of June I plan to leisurely travel north to beautiful British Columbia, stopping along the way to see other friends.  Althea and Brian, my Baja neighbors are meeting me in Vancouver; we will see a few sights and camp along the way to their home in Powell River.  I will buy a ferry pass for my travels in B.C. and am really looking forward to my most extended stay there.  To present I've only had cursory visits. I'll return to Santa Cruz sometime in September and figure out then whether I will again spend my winter in the Baja.  I will pay attention to the safety-factor at the borders and then decide.

til next time y'all.....it's the gypsy! saying hasta luego, ja mata nee, arrivederci, chio  and all that jazz!

busy....busy....busy....Baja.

March  2010

busy....busy.....busy.....Baja

Got back from the East Cape just in time for the Super Bowl. Many sports bars, restaurants, hotels, vied for gringo attention of this USA happening. We chose a local restaurant (Marina's) in lieu of the many bigger and better and experienced big screens. It was a good choice.....eventually......at the end of the first quarter, we finally got to watch. We kept telling them it was on NOW and they thought they had the right channel....because it said NFL. It wasn't. It was sexy, skinny girls dancing around. When we finally got the right channel, it was only in Spanish..so they put on the radio announcing with the TV screen....result.....timing was way off. They said they would get it right next time.

They (Marina's son Eduardo).... pictured below....was smiling before the camera got him..... served ribs with all the trimmings and eventually a few more sports enthusiasts showed up. It was mostly just a bunch of us girls and we had stuff to talk about.  The couple above were friends from the RV Park where I stay.  OH, had to watch commercials the next day on line, as we didn't get those either.   Best part..the Saints Went Marching Home!

Then the Olympics happened. Opening ceremony party was held at Brian and Althea's...all were Canadian...but ...... yes..... you guessed it.....ME! Friendly sarcasm was abundant....so was the food and the cake.....Brian shared his birthday with the Olympics.

.

                                  The Malecon in La Paz

Carnaval was held in La Paz. A high school friend, Joann, was here so we spent a day at Carnaval. Perfect weather and it was quite an experience. Food OK, good drinks, great parade, not as crazy as New Orleans but the food wasn't as good either.....I love that Cajun stuff. We both got to dance in the parade and took lots of pictures.

Joann

A girl must have her jewelry....Joann bargaining

'Who's behind that mask!

        
                                                                         

           Pina Colada Time!



The Parade!  Yea, we got pulled in!

                                                                                                                                                                                            

                One of my days was spent 4 wheeling in remote places less traveled with a bunch of old geezers, like me. Great fun! Had a good lunch and lots of fun.  (no pics)

                                                                    One of the Quad Trails

If I continue coming to the Baja for winters, I will definitely get a quad. TaZzi and I have had quading experience in Colorado but I've always been a tag-a-long. One day, TaZ and I went quading with Brian. We took about a 4 hour trip......up, out, through, in, over, under........on roads I had no idea existed. What fun. Brian fixed TaZzi a seat in back of me with a cushion under her and one between the basket and me. We were most comfortable. It's so good to get off the beaten path sometimes.....we did that day. We stopped to see Joann on the quad and she wanted to go, so the next day Brian got to repeat the route with her. Althea joked that he could go into business taking old ladies in to the bush. I think he would make some money.....he knows those roads and many don't. Thanks Brian... and Althea.

Every Sunday at Cerritos Beach in the afternoon, Jazz lovers gather to listen to Daline's sweet soft sounds...We sit outside the restaurant at the tables and chairs on the beach...satisfied and content.....drinking margaritas, filling our bellies.....until the sun begins its descent.....we say our goodbyes and head home..

A last dinner with good friends at Don and Joyce's lovely home. Lots of good communication, laughs, a bit of gossip, Don's special margaritas, home made bread, pork chops and all the trimmings.....and the beautiful sunset seen exquisitely from their deck.  See the table below.

Joann and I didn't want to miss touring the Cultural Center in Todos Santos... so we didn't. Quite informative, then lunch in beautiful Pueblo Magico aka Todos Santos after checking out some of the abundant art galleries and shops and bakeries..yes.....the coconut macaroons were as good as always. Oh, we also took a trip to a Mexican Cemetery.....what an event that was. It looked like a little town with mini casitas ..... very colorful and well planned. I took pictures but most did not turn out.....problem with my camera.

So, it was almost time to return to California. I knew I had to take that Sky Ride (Ultralight) I had so often seen with envy ..... high in the air over the ocean. Of course, Joann, didn't want to miss out. She made me go first....just in case. When I landed joyous, content, excited and ...... alive.......she thought it was safe for her. And it was.

Time was tight...we closed the Olympics by watching the Canadian....USA hockey game .....with lots of Canadians......at the beach....the jazz singer was great. She knew she had way too much competition so she only sang in between breaks. Canadians are so nice; it wasn't difficult to be happy for their big win. Actually .... it wasn't that BIG! We missed it in overtime by one little ole point. In hockey, one point is a lot.

Good byes were said and I am now enroute to California. I've been on the road for 3 days and I'm only a few hundred miles from Pescadero. I keep finding all these wonderful places to stay and running into people I've met here. They are also heading back to the states and to Canada....very slowly. It's best to tackle this road slowly.

I am now in Loreto, a lovely and friendly town of about 15,000. It has all a town needs....according to me. History, culture, fishing, kayaking, plaza, mission church....and a newly restored light house. Loreto's malecon is a great place to stroll... the scenery of the National Marine Park offshore and the Sierra de la Giganta is dramatic to say the least. I checked in yesterday, (Friday) and I may not leave until Monday. I want to watch the Academy Award show on Sunday and there is a place near me with a giant screen.

......to be continued.....stopped blogging on the way back....within 2 days of arriving in Santa Cruz, I fell and  hurt my knee pretty badly (not broken) but a 'bump in my road'......

Exploring Baja's East Cape

February 2010

 I began my jaunt in Cabo San Lucas getting my "Phoebe McGee" tuned.....she was due for her 10,000 mile check up. Phoebe has given me 53,000 glorious miles now.

Since I had not yet explored the East Cape, I decided now was the time to do it. Avoiding, sadly, the "camino costero" where we would have visited secluded beaches and rocky points and freshwater springs hidden deep in the mountainous interior.....because of the condition of the road...washboard, bumpy, narrow! Phoebe rejects those conditions. Another time in another vehicle.

I decided to stay in Cabo for a night and loved it so much~ended up staying for 10 days. Being retired and without an agenda, I get to do whatever I want. Within 5 minutes of arrival I met another adventurer from Santa Cruz and also a man I had met last year.....also from Santa Cruz and another couple from Finland that had been staying in Pescadero right next to me. Laurie and I have many mutual friends and she was staying a couple weeks....so we had reason to park right next to her and her 2 great dogs, Ari and Cali. After many mango margarita's, lots of home-made food and restaurant food, fabric shops, walking the dogs, sunsets, and a pirate cruise, TaZzi and I finally headed for our destination.

Our stay in Cabo was at the Villa Serena RV Park and the palapa restaurant on site is a popular spot overlooking the ocean~and serving fabulous food, i.e., my favorite....coconut shrimp. I took the picture below sitting in the restaurant, sipping a margarita and eating coconut shrimp.

 

Laurie is such a pirate! And I got to be a pirate, as well, when we boarded the Pirate Ship Buccaneer Queen. We embarked on an epic journey along the coastline of Los Cabos, passing the famed landmark of El Arco "the Arch" aka hole in the wall. Because of our hats and our eagerness to be pirates we got to participate heavily in the pirate show. We were not shy! And that's all I'll say about that!  The pictures will speak.

                                                                                            Pirate Laurie and Pirate Pat

                                                                                    hole in the wall

Now it was time to explore the East Cape. TaZzi and I said our goodbyes to Laurie, Cali and Ari and others, then headed to one of the few larger towns (with a highway). It was a short drive to Los Barriles. This quaint town formerly the sole domain of sports fishermen and wind surfers now attracts early retirees. They speed along in their ATV's riding everywhere. Few automobiles. We stayed at the beach resort Martin Verdugo's. Our space was right next to the hotel you see below in this picture overlooking the crystal clear water of the Sea of Cortez, the pool, the roof top restaurant and the palapa bar, and the mountains surrounding the town of Los Barriles.

Even though this town has become a resort, you still have the feel of the "real" Baja. Roosters roam the streets, taco stands and family-owned businesses are plentiful, and a cement factory where hand-made blocks are still made. Like so much of Baja; contrast is ominous. The local Mexicans know each other by their nicknames (sobrenombres) and the untamed back country is just minutes away.

We met lots of fun and friendly people and stayed for 5-6 days.

 

Not far from Los Barriles is La Ribera and that was our next destination. It is the last coastal town with municipal power and water heading south until San Jose del Cabo. Population is only 2,000. The town has all that is needed (at least by me) 1 RV Park (La Trinidad) ATM, Internet Cafe, 2 Pemex (gas stations), hardward store and grocery store. Plans are huge for this area, so real estate offices are plentiful.

Near the beach, but not on, is the RV Park La Trinidad, where we stayed. I think the owner, Mike, is a gringo and it is a great place to stay. It is a small park and the people were outrageously friendly and quite the "party (ers)" Hiking trails were plentiful, the pool and palapa bar immaculate. It was a bit cold and we had several storms with lots of rain while there for 3-4 days. There is also a restaurant but Mike only opens it on weekends because there are so few tourists in these hard times for all of Mexico.

                                                                                  TaZzi's unexpected friend.

Above are some of my party friends....Canadians and U.S. They were a fun-bunch!  Notice the pictures we took of the men turned out so much better than the ones they took of us. 

Til next time y'all........the gypsy