CONTENTS

MAZATLAN, MEXICO

        This all started about 1980 or so when we wanted to leave the 'Frigid' Las Vegas area in the winter time. Initially we camped lakeside at Lake Domingos. This was great sport but not too much fun for Millie since we were the only people there. The bass fishing was fabulous but we needed a place that was a little more exciting. Our next stop was at Mazatlan. We lucked into a very nice beach front spot and reserved it for several years. The trailer park was sold and the El Cid hotel is at that spot now. This was a great place to winter but it did get a little chilly at times.          
          One of our pastimes was that the men would set up their lawn chairs on the beach and as the gals walked or jogged by, they would hold up large cue cards numbered from one to ten. This rated the gals as to their attributes. Luckily, none of them ever stopped and gave us hell. We thought that it was very funny. Millie was the one who made the cards for us, honest.
        Besides being on the beach, there were many other attractions to keep us busy for three to four months and the cost was minimal.

RINCON DE GUAYABITOS, NAYARIT MEXICO

        One of our fellow trailerite friends mentioned a place further south called Rincon De Guayabitos, down near Puerto Vallarta. We decided to drive down and luckily found a spot, also on the beach at a trailer park called Tropico Cabana. This was 35 miles north of Puerto Vallarte. We mixed well with the perennial occupants and made reservations for the following year. We continued to do this for the next 12 to 15 years. Many of the people that we met then are still very good friends of ours today.
        Fishing was the primary attraction for us in this area. Dorado or Bull Headed Dolphin, Yellow fin Tuna, Sailfish, Marlin and at times Sierra were the fish that we sought. On most of the days that we fished, we were very successful and our freezers were always full, long before we started for home. The ladies didn't have too much to do but managed a little card playing, lunches, and I guess gossiping. Most of the ladies really didn't enjoy their winters there.
         We had our boats on the beach and would help each other launch and recover them through the surf. We used canvas covers with three or four 9 inch balls inside as rollers so that we could easily move the boats to and from the water with minimal effort.
        Gail and her husband and Jay and Jan visited us for a week or so during one of winters that we were there. We took them to a neighboring town called San Blas for three days where we stayed at a fairly nice hotel. One afternoon they had two for one Daiquiris and the three gals just love strawberry Daiquiris. Well, I said that I would pick up the tab. They had some more after dinner and I think that between them they consumed about 30 or more. Good thing that they were very reasonable. They also must have had short shots of tequila in them or the gals would have been ossified. I have always taught my children that when they leave anyplace where they have had several drinks, to tightly clench their fists and in that way nobody will step on their fingers.  
        After our return to Rincon, Ron Miller invited Jan to go out fishing in his boat. They had a very successful day with Jan hooking, fighting and landing 10 Dorado and several tuna.
        For a change of scenery, we would take two weeks off, leave our rigs at Rincon and take trips through Mexico with four friends in our Suburban. We covered just about every road in Mexico. We saw all the old ruins, Mexico city and went almost to the southern border. These were fun trips with good friends. The rule was that we would alternate the responsibility for finding a hotel and restaurant. We made lots of mistakes but also found some very good places to eat and stay. I am famous for ordering the wrong thing. It seems that everybody else gets a great meal and I end up not being able to eat mine. I've even gone so far as to let somebody else order for me.
        At times, people in our park would declare that they were going to host a party for everyone camped there plus lots of neighboring RVers and we would have a great time.
        One winter I decided that Millie and I would host a Gin and Orange party. Great!! We bought a load of oranges, squeezed them and put the juice in 5 gallon bottles, kind of thin glass, and left them inside the front of the trailer while we went to sleep. In the middle of the night I heard a great noise and when I went into the front of the trailer, I found that one of the 5 gallon bottles had exploded!!! Orange juice was everywhere. While I was trying to mop it up, the other bottle exploded too. Can you Imagine the mess!!!.
          In the morning, friends helped us clean it up which included taking up the rugs, moving the couch out and washing it and trying to remove all the sticky orange juice from the interior of the trailer. Lots of fun but we finally had it fairly clean, bought some more oranges and had our party.

REAL FIREWORKS

        I found a place in Las Varas a small town about 11 miles north of us, where I could purchase fairly large sized aerial rockets. I would bring them into camp and we would shoot them out over the ocean, into the small waves and they would explode under water. Great fun. The first rocket that I shot was launched from my campsite at the rear of the park. Of course, this one didn't go on a straight trajectory but spun a few times and landed on the thatched roof of the restaurant next door. We all held our breaths but luckily it did not set the roof afire. Whew !!.

DEEP SEA FISHING

        Fishing was great. [note: more details on fishing under the Fishing chapter] Our fishing area was from 7 to 65 miles at sea. This may sound very dangerous for a small 13 foot car topper but in reality, we watched the weather and the sea for any anomalies that could  alert us to adverse weather conditions. The sea was generally calm and in all those years only one boat failed to return to the beach at night. That happened to be one of the most experienced guys but he just didn't give us his correct position, even though he had an operable radio, for three days. We found him by trailering about six boats to a spot about 30 miles North and then making a sweep to the south. They were both OK but the boat stunk because they had about 10 dead tuna still in the boat. Dumb!
        Guess that I've covered most every road in Mexico and I do enjoy the country but modern day Mexico has become very dangerous. I just don't want to face some snotnose kid holding a gun on my chest again.  [ See fishing ]
        Another reason for not going down is that the cost of everything has escalated. Gas, tolls on the roads (over $200 from Nogales to Puerto Vallarta) and food is exorbitant. I'll do my traveling in the USA. I may have to change my attitude since the bass fishing is so good. Jay retired this New Years, 2000, and he and Jan and even Millie might go down with me for a month or so. Could be fun and I could use the help with the boat and chores. (see fishing)  
        There are several cardinal rules for driving in Mexico. One, if you are on the Baja, fill your tank at every Pemex [gas] station because many times there is no electricity for the pumps. I've see pumps with bicycle wheels attached and turning the wheel would activate the pump. I've even taken my generator out, wired it to the pump to get gasoline. Fun.
        Another rule is that if you see a tanker or bus behind you, accelerate until you find a straight portion of road, slow down and let him pass since he is going to pass you regardless of the road ahead. I was once passed bv a bus on a curvy road where he could not see oncoming traffic. About ten miles down the road I saw the same bus only this time he had gone off the road, through a barn and off a 10ft cliff and was on his back with his wheels still spinning. Did I stop, hell NO. If you stop, you are then involved in the accident and probably will go to jail and have to pay Morbida [payoff] and who knows what else. Believe me, it happens. I know of several cases so the rule is, no matter what happens, if you can drive, keep going.