Arriving in Mexico

On Saturday, we left our campground in Ajo at about 8:45am, and drove to Why, Arizona to get fuel and meet up with our friends with whom we would be caravaning. Carl and I discussed the conversations that may ensue if you lived in Why... 

"What is your city name?"  

"Why."

"Because I need to put it into the computer. What is your city?"

"Why."

"I *told* you why! Just tell me your city name!"

and so it could continue!

We got to the fuel station first and topped off Gracie and filled up the Jeep. A few minutes later, our friends arrived -- they filled up gas and diesel and propane tanks.

When we got to the border, we parked on the US side and walked across to arrange to get liability insurance for our vehicles. US vehicle insurance does not cover liability when driving in Mexico. Steve had a place that he had used previously, and we walked there...

The fellow needed to fill out a form in triplicate for each vehicle and time period - so, since we wanted to add insurance for the Jeep (for the whole time), and for Gracie (just for the day we were driving in and the day we were leaving), it took him completing three forms. To make the 3 copies, he used carbon paper (I was trying to get a picture showing the carbon paper on the form he was completing). I didn't know carbon paper still existed!

Once we completed acquiring liability insurance and re-entered the US on foot (going through US immigration), we got in our rigs and headed through the border crossing... Steve was in the lead, and they really examined his rig. The inspector on our rig just verified that the registration that we had matched the VIN on Gracie. He also asked Carl if we were carrying any firearms, over $10000, or drugs (Carl allowed that he wished he *had* over $10000, but said that we did not).

Once we got out of Sonoyta, the roads were pretty good and the traffic was not heavy. We were the "tail gunners" so the other three rigs were in front of us. We had walkie-talkies that we could use to keep in touch with each other as we traveled.

Parked at Concha del Mar Campground and RV Park in Puerto Penasco

We have parked in a U shape so we have a common area between three of the rigs - Gracie on the left, Pam's rig in the back, Steve and Nancy's to the right, and Wayne and Amanda's beyond Steve and Nancy's.

View out our front window toward the Gulf of California

Looking northwest in the campground

We walked to the northwest end of the campground and then along the beach...

Looking southeast from where we would go down to the beach.

Looking northwest

Shrimp boats (we're looking forward to having shrimp this week!)

Looking back up toward the RV park

Our group walking along the beach (I'm with Ada, a 94 year old friend of Pam's - she is amazing - so agile and active and less grey hair than any of the rest of us - you'd never think she was over 60!)