A blur of activity since arriving in Arroyo Seco Saturday

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - We arrived last week in Arroyo Seco, only to find that we had landed on the first day of a two-day fiesta, an affair that included a lot of eating, a real-deal cowboy rodeo, and lots of delicious comida.

Within 24 hours, we had purchased a Honda ATV - a 500 cc affair that is at least 100 cc's bigger than what I had thought we would buy. You could call it an opportunity buy. Our amigo Nino had bought it new only a few months ago and decided that he had stretched his budget way too thin,

We fattened the budget back up for him, while emptying ours.

And so far we have roared all over the village and up and down the beaches with a lot more adventures to come. I've had it up to 40 mph and I bet it will do 60.


Beth, Sylvia and Nate on the new quad

Nephew Nate Schwartz and his mom Beth are wintering in La Manzanilla - in our old house, Casa Lupita, learning Spanish, swimming, and generally loving that they are not in Harrisburg, PA for the foul weather there. Nate - the rumor has it - might be getting some surf lessons for Christmas from us, on a new surfboard we bought from a French surfer who lives in our village during the winters. Surfer Julian said he would throw in the surf lessons with the board.

There's talk I might even climb on this beginner's surfboard and see if these old legs (and balance) can get me to ride a few waves without ending up in the orthopedist or physical therapists' offices.


Moving the trailer

When we arrived in Arroyo Seco, we slid the trailer close to where we wanted it, but the final touch required either a lot of muscle - or some serious equipment. And as luck would have it, our friend Nino - the same Nino from whom we bought the Honda - came over with a backhoe and within an hour, the Grey Goose Express II was right where the Admiral wanted it.

Leveling the unit will be another process, but I am working on that.


One big-ass snake

I lost track of the number of mosquito bites I have gotten since arriving. And today, while getting ready to drive to son Dustin's in Puerto Vallarta, I managed to get a spider bite on my leg that is actually quite hot to touch. If it was a tire on a car, I would worry about the tire exploding.

But I am happy that the bites and stings have been limited to various insects.

We passed the snake, shown in the photo above, on the road into Arroyo Seco two days ago. Although it looks ferocious, this particular specimen is dead, the victim of a motor vehicle on the road. Still, when we use the Honda ATV on jungle adventures, I think I will be careful of anything hanging down from tree branches.