A dangerous roadtrip, Olympic highlights and a trip to a chilly beach

ARROYO SECO, Jalisco, Mexico - It rained again Wednesday. Real rain, as in slick-as-shit-road rain but the Pink Flamingo needed propane (for a new gas BBQ grill brought in last week by amigos Jim and Vicky), the gasoline supplies were low for the motorcycles and we needed some plumbing supplies to fix the geysers that have erupted in our sprinkler system.

A quick trip down the highway to the neighboring cities of Melaque and Cihuatlan solved all of those issues, though my neighbor Chon was concerned about my carrying gasoline and propane in the Toyota Tundra in one load.

Chon looked in the back of the truck and declared that with the tanks and gasoline cans, I had created una bomba. Yup, it means bomb. And even though he was concerned, he did hand me a 20-liter gasoline can to fill for him at the Pemex station.

Having transported a lot of propane and gasoline over the years for various boats, I knew enough to keep them quite separated with the propane tanks secured the cab of the truck, the gasoline (and diesel) strapped securely in the back. The propane tanks looked quite cute with their seat belts on.


No seat belts needed here

A celebratory lunch was in order after the solo voyage, and I followed the truck above into La Manzanilla, watching as the younger children leaned over the edge of the truck trying to touch the leaves on the low hanging branches of the trees.

There is a seat belt law in Mexico. The driver has to have one firmly buckled, as least on the highways and in Puerto Vallarta where the city police have discovered tagging people sans seatbelts is a good way to make some revenue.

It's the one place I buckle up all the time.


Better than watching golf. Really

At Palapa Joe's, the restaurant had a good lunch crowded packed in, with all eyes glued to the television where Olympic coverage was on from the Winter Olympics.

And while my first choice would have been downhill skiing and/or ski jumping, the women's curling events actually were far more interesting than I thought they would be. While I wolfed down a club sandwich, it was the Germans vs. the Americans and the yells and grunts from one German team member were wild.

Those Germans take their curling seriously.

Seriously.


Laura with Princess Mia at Tenacatita

Earlier this week, Admiral Fox and Laura and I did take an afternoon off to go to Tenacatita Beach for lunch and some boogie boarding and snorkeling, taking along Princess Mia (I knew Hazel wouldn't stick) for the sojourn.

We met up with friends Randy and Karin from California and also winter Tenacatita Beach denizens Mario and Sharon who were leaving the next day to return to Portland.

But the overcast socked in solid, and it was almost cold (in the low 70s, brrr... ), a big change from earlier trips this winter when we were bobbing in the surf to keep cool.

Some of the tourists even took to jogging to keep warm.


Jogging to keep warm at Tenacatita Beach

One day off the projects and a chance to hit the beach

TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - The Admiral came back from Puerto Vallarta late Wednesday with a truckload of goodies: a new refrigerator, a washing machine, doors (to make tables and a bar) along with a dozen other smaller items.

Oh yeah. And a kitchen sink. Really. A kitchen sink.

But by early Thursday morning, the Admiral and I were completely burned out on projects and after plugging in the refrigerator (and loading it with cerveza) we made a run to the Tenacatita beach for margaritas, rollo de mar, and some swimming.


Mario and Michael pose for the Admiral's camera

The beach was much quieter than it had been during the Christmas holidays, though our favorite spot, Fiesta Mexicana, was packed with tourists from several resorts to the south that have less desirable swimming beaches.

Listening to the people playing bocce ball, I picked up a weird melange of comments in English, Spanish, German, French and Canadian.

Yes, Canadian is English. Yes, it was a little different than the English being spoken by the people from New England.


Bocce on the beach

The afternoon also showed that while tourism might be down in Mexico, the tourists who have come are definitely enjoying themselves. Some seem to be saving money by not buying bathing suits that require a great deal of cloth to make.

With any luck - and a willingness to forego projects - the Admiral and I will get back out to the beach (perhaps here in Arroyo Seco), this weekend.


Enjoying the sun at Tenacatita beach


Riding the wild surf

Back on the beaches of La Manzanilla & Tenacatita

TENACATITA, Jalisco, Mexico - The best part of having company, especially company that is new to the area, is getting to show off the place.

And so for the past two days, I have been driving around and about with Jen Bills and her mom Ruth. Ruth, of course, is a Mexico veteran now, having been here for two weeks tomorrow. She can say margarita and Cuba Libre like a native.

The dynamic duo spent the morning at a temporary mercado set up in the town square shopping for clothes, souvenirs and trinkets while I aided Admiral Fox in her real estate endeavors by driving some potential buyers around. We went up hills and down hills and around hills.

I wish the Admiral would find some properties to show where the terrain is flat.


Jen Bills takes a picture on Admiralty Beach

We stopped at Admiralty Beach to visit briefly with Mario - Mario of Mario & Sharon and the current occupant of the Grey Goose Express parked under a ramada next to his property. He was napping when we drove up but we took a minute to take gaze at the ocean from his nearly completed homesite. And we scouted for whales.

The afternoon before we sighted several whales right off the beach in La Manzanilla. They were no-shows out in front of Admiralty Beach today.


Grey Goose Express at Mario's

As soon as Mario's house is finished - soon we hope - we are considering moving the GGE (Grey Goose Express) down to our lot, provided we can get the road finished, a concrete pad poured and a ramada built to shade it.

Sounds like a lot of work doesn't it?

But work was not the top priority today as we headed over to Fiesta Mexicana, ready to eat, drink and go boogie boarding. Unfortunately, the wild Pacific surf - so evident at Mario's lot - was none existent around the corner in front of the restaurant.

But I settled for some nice swimming in the ocean and checking out the natives as they enjoyed the warm day at the beach.


Shaking out the sand