Motorhoming from La Peñita de Jaltemba, Mexico to Oregon

 Outrunning the Heat and Wildfires to Reach the U.S. Coast

Minnie Winnie at El Mirador RV Park

At Playa Huatabampito, Sonora, MX

This is our first RV trip back to the United States since we drove our Regency Class C motorhome to Arizona to sell it in early 2020. (You can read about that trip at OUR LAST RV TRIP IN MÉXICO AND WHY! New Travel Plans) Minnie Winnie is making her first road trip from La Peñita de Jaltemba, Mexico to Oregon. As with all adventures, some unexpected events in the U.S. slowed us down.

Driving To Mazatlán, We Loved Seeing

The Green Hills and Fields from Recent Rains  

The New Toll Road from La Peñita to Mazatlan was Great!

We enjoyed most of our usual stops along the Mexico Pacific coast, though it was so hot we decided to cut each stay short. We only spent two nights in Mazatlán, one night on the beach at El Mirador RV Park in Playa Huatabampito, and then bypassed a favorite, San Carlos, Sonora. Instead, we hightailed it to Punta Vista RV Park in Santa Ana, Sonora which left us a short run to the border the next day.

Passing the Lines of Cars at the U.S. Border Crossing!!

I was uneasy about crossing the border as Americans with Mexican Permanent Resident Visas driving an RV with Michoacan, MX plates. To make matters worse, we missed the Mariposa crossing exit and drove through the center of Nogales, MX, where RVs are forbidden. Fortunately, a trinket vendor told us to get in a dirt lane along the railroad tracks because RVs and buses won’t fit through the Nogales centro entries. We received a gentle scolding from the U.S. immigration officer for not crossing at the Mariposa truck crossing, but he was kind as he checked our passports and wished us better luck following Google Maps next time.😅

Our border crossing went smoothly, and we entered Arizona! A whole new kind of heat awaited us--blistering hot and bone dry.

Driving into a Dust Storm in Buckeye, AZ

We outran the Arizona heat and plowed through a dust storm near Buckeye, AZ—we didn’t stop in Arizona except to change drivers and grab a snack from the fridge.

The Arizona and California Heat Finished This Tire OFF!

It was my turn to drive through San Bernadino, California when the heat caused a massive front tire blowout. Jon said I handled the rig well, braking smoothly and pulling safely to the shoulder. We sat there only thirty minutes after calling for help when a roadside assistance guy arrived. Jon enjoyed helping the serviceman remove the wrecked tire and put on our spare, even in that scorching hot weather!

Jon Helped Change the Flat Tire on the Side of the Freeway

It was time to buy a complete set of new tires. We drove slowly to the closest Les Schwab Tire Center in Fontana, CA, and got five new tires (darn, they didn't have all 6). The guys were great, working until 8:00 to get us back on the road. They warned us that our brakes were in dangerously poor condition and needed to be replaced.

So, we drove slowly and carefully for hours after sunset to reach our reserved Santa Barbara campsite. It was good practice to downshift and use the Tow Haul rather than our brakes to slow our speed. We were glad to have missed rush-hour traffic. 

Four Days of Driving from La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit

To the Fresh, Cool Air of Santa Barbara, California

A Santa Barbara Sunset Viewed from the Wharf

I feel a special connection to Santa Barbara because it is Puerto Vallarta’s sister city. The palm trees, the Pacific Ocean, delicious fresh seafood, sunny weather, and beautiful beaches make us feel at home. The Sunrise RV Park was an excellent central jumping-off place for walks and Uber pickups.

How We Choose Our Camping Sites in July and August:

1. We wanted to be near the California and Oregon Coasts to avoid the heat and wildfire smoke typical in late summer. Our RV air conditioner can't keep the rig cool in temperatures over 82 degrees, so we're hugging the coast. (We'll be solving that later.)

2. Within walking distance of restaurants so we can get exercise and tour the area on the way to lunch or dinner. Or, we want access to bus, Uber, or taxi services to get around since we don't have a car.

3. I search for areas with views of blue water, such as the ocean, bay, lake, or river. This gives us a dose of Blue Mind (or Blue Water Effect, as I like to call it), a calming effect that improves mental health.

4. After our dash north through Mexico, I wanted campgrounds or RV parks that allowed us to stay for three to four days so our travel would be relaxing and unhurried.

Four Days in Santa Barbara and a Walk to East Beach

Two Nights at Morro Dunes in Morro Bay

Three Nights at Moss Landing RV Park, CA

Near the Marina and Several Good Restaurants

Four Nights at Casa de Fruta RV Park 

Near Gilroy, CA, Recovering From Covid

Lots of Walks in the Country

Then, it was time to find the next Les Schwab to purchase our sixth tire and new brakes for all four wheels. Minnie Winnie will be ready for many more Mexican miles after replacing all four brakes and six tires at Les Schwab.

Jon "Supervised" the Brake Replacement

He Was Amazed at How Large the Rotor/Hubs Were 

We were so glad to be able to have this work done while in the U.S., where they could obtain these parts. It was a big job, but they did it in one ten-hour day! Jon says we're rebuilding her from the ground up. 😀

Time to Get Back to the Coast of California!

Two Nights at the Porto Bodega Marina

RV Park Bodega Bay, California

Two Nights at Caspar Beach RV Park

We Caught the Local Bus From Caspar Beach To

Historic Mendocino, CA, Where We Shopped and Ate at

A Favorite Pub, Patterson's--Good Memories 💚

One Night, Walks, and Picking Wild Blackberries

The Ancient Redwoods RV Park Near Eureka, CA.

We Finally Arrived in Oregon!

Two Nights at the Brookings, Oregon Beachfront RV Park

Seven Nights In Bandon, Oregon

We Ate Lots of Delicious Dungeness Crab Cocktails

And Tony's Famous Crab Sandwiches on the Boardwalk

We finished Creating the RV Bed's Headboard

 To Match the Bedspread From Puerto Vallarta

Five Nights at the Port of Siuslaw Campground and Marina

In Florence, Oregon, One of Our Favorites

We Discovered New Darling Buildings While

Walking Around the Florence Historic

District. ❤️ The Hanging Flower Baskets

One Night Camping with Electric Only

At Three Rivers Casino, Florence, $30!

No More Free Boondocking Here

Six Nights at the Port of Newport Marina

RV Park With a Beautiful View of

The Yaquina Bay Bridge

On Another Walk, We Discovered Nye Beach

In Newport, Oregon, and Rested at

The Taphouse with a View of the Water

A Rare, Warm Day at the Oregon Coast

Sitting on an Outdoor Patio at Nye Beach

We Recommend This Restuarant on the Newport Bay!

Four Nights Over Labor Day Weekend At

The Logan Road RV Park Owned By This Tribe

Lincoln City Weather was Gray and Rainy

We Spent 42 Days On the U.S. Coast,

Between Santa Barbara, Time in RV Parks On

the Way North, And In Lincoln City, OR

We Like Leisurely Coastal RV Trips In the Summers

Time to Go Inland to Visit Our Family

Hoping For Cooler Weather and No Smoky Skies

Clear Skies Would be Hit-and-Miss as

We Dodged Forest Fires On Our Trip

Down Memory Lane in Oregon.

Burned Forest From Santiam/Detroit Fire 2020

We Found Blue Skies in Rogue River, Oregon😊

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We're Ready for the Next Hurricane! Our Kitchen Windows Are Protected

 Jon Built a Hurricane-Resistant

Folding Window Stabilizer Device

These Windows Can Blow Out in a Hurricane!

Hurricane season started early this year. Will our home be ready for the increasing strength of these storms? These accordion-style windows in our condominium are wonderful during pleasant weather. They hang from a track at the top, free at the bottom so we can fold them back to open the kitchen. The downside is that they move in and out when the wind blows and let water in at the bottom when it rains sideways during a storm.

2023 Hurricane Damage In Puerto Vallarta

We are still reeling from Hurricane Lidia, which hit Puerto Vallarta hard in October 2023. Our kitchen windows shook and rattled violently during the ferocious winds, but they didn't blow out because Jon had secured them with an extra hook. Some condo units in our building with these accordion-style folding windows weren't so lucky.

Jon decided to create a device to further protect our kitchen windows. I invite you to watch the videos below to see how he built this system that we'll use during hurricane season.

Jon Started with Two PVC Pipes and Other Parts

He Attached Climbing Rope to One PVC Pipe

To Brace the Inside of the Window Frame

Jon Fed the Rope From the Interior PVC Pipe

Through Backer Rod Insulation Under the Window

And Sophie Didn't Like Him Moving the Window!

Jon Tied a Knot Securing the Exterior PVC Pipe

Jon Tied a Knot to An Eyelet Bolt in Each Square

Tubular Beam Under the Exterior Granite Shelf

Creating these videos gave Jon good speech and problem-solving practice—important exercises as Parkinson's disease advances. He's also practicing his speech by "writing" a book about his life, using the microphone in his Word document app, and is amazed at how quickly it records his story. He hopes his son will enjoy reading it someday. I know I will❤

Interior PVC Pipe Window Stabilizer

Exterior PVC Pipe and Tie-down of Window Stabilizer

We love living in Puerto Vallarta. Condo living is better than we ever imagined. This is just one adjustment we've made to make living in a tropical area more comfortable. I'm so grateful Jon can create safety features for our condo and motorhome. To read more about life as expats in Mexico, see my books, available on Amazon worldwide.

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An Extraordinary Copper Canyon Experience at a Tarahumara (Rarámuri) Farm

 And An Unexpected Hike Off the Mountain!

A Gracious Tarahumara Couple at Their Farm

Our Copper Canyon Adventure tour included some unplanned adventures that created special memories for Jon and me that will remain with us forever. We stayed two nights at the wonderful Rancho Cabañas San Isidro Lodge near Urique, Chihuahua. Our guide was one of the ranch owners, a man very knowledgeable about Tarahumara life and culture.

Rancho Cabañas San Isidro Lodge Main Building

For two days, he drove us into the canyon, up and down steep dirt roads, to see many fascinating things. One of the most interesting was a Tarahumara farm in a remote area. We learned firsthand from the Tarahumara couple and our guides what pinole and tesgüino are, how they are made, and their cultural significance.

View of the Mountains and Pine Forest From the Farm

The Tarahumara are also known as Rarámuri, an indigenous people who live in the Copper Canyon in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. In their language, rarámuri means foot runners or those who run fast. Some families live in caves on the steep canyon walls, and many live on farms near springs, growing food for themselves. In the past, they hunted animals, running after them for long distances until their prey collapsed. The foot runners are known today for their ultramarathon champions, running in traditional clothing and sandals. See the Ultra Caballo Blanco Facebook page for more information and videos about today’s Tarahumara runners and the ultramarathons in the Copper Canyon.

Tarahumara Woman Stirring Corn Kernels Toasting Over Fire

When we arrived at the farm, high in the mountains surrounding the Copper Canyon, this Tarahumara woman was ready in her colorful traditional dress and head scarf. She was already roasting corn kernels over a small fire and eager to continue her demonstration of preparing pinole, a staple in their diet high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other nutrients.

She Demonstrated Constantly Stirring the Roasting Corn 

My Turn to Stir the Roasting Corn—It Looked Easy But…

I tried stirring the corn over the fire, but some burned—I must not have stirred consistently and thoroughly. The woman casually picked the blackened kernels out of the hot pot with her fingers before continuing to stir until we heard corn popping. It was time for the next step.

Grinding the Roasted Maize (Corn) with a Metate

A Video of Her Strong Hands Grinding the Maize

View Video Above: Interesting Raramuri Technique of 

Separating The Dry Shell from the Ground Corn Kernels

The pinole was ready when she had ground the corn to a fine powder. We all tasted it to learn about this significant Tarahumara staple. As a powder, it was very dry, fairly tasteless, and hard to swallow. I mixed it with water and tried drinking it, but that wasn’t much better. After adding a sweetener, it was okay, but I think it’s an acquired taste. 

Endurance runners rely on pinole for energy, mixing the powder with fruit or other food before races. They eat pinole powder dry or sometimes sweetened with raw Mexican sugar or mixed with water during races as a power food. 

Dry Pinole and Mixing It In A Drink

Jon Sampling Tesgüino, a Sacred Corn Beer

We were tasting tesgüino and looking around the farm when Michael Miller ran in to see what was happening. Michael and his wife, Kimberly, are marathon runners and organize the annual Caballo Blanco Ultramarathons in the Copper Canyon. They are knowledgeable about the Tarahumara culture, and Michael told me how these indigenous people make tesgüino.

Michael Sampling Tesgüino in Front of Bamboo Stalks

Michael said, “They geminate the corn (yes, blue here) and then hand grind it on a metate. They cook/boil it; it then sits to ferment for a couple of days before it develops some alcohol content (maybe 2-3%), and by the fifth and last day of still, it’s stronger (around 6-7% alcohol).”

Germinating Corn and A Cup of Tesgüino

Rarámuri people celebrate holidays with many hours of dancing and drinking tesgüino, often the day and night before a race. They consider this drink sacred and part of the ceremonies.

Rarámuri Grow Their Own Corn and Fruit on the Farm

Surprise Ending to the Day

Jon and I generously tipped each of our hosts after they finished the demonstration and farm tour. They smiled shyly and thanked us.

Then, there was a surprising turn of events! Our tour guide said his truck tires got stuck in the soft soil when he turned it around. He told us to start walking down the mountain, and he would have another ranch truck pick us up. Jon and I had worn flip-flops, as we weren't expecting any hikes on this tour!

Walking Over Rocks Down the Mountain in Flip-Flops!

Still Walking Through the Pine Forest as the Sun Set

Yeah! A Ranch Truck Arrived at Dusk!

What a memorable day! Luckily, we'd had a snack of pinole and tesgüino to fuel us on this hike. But we were hungry when we arrived back at the ranch house for dinner—boy, home-cooking tasted wonderful that night❣

I invite you to read some of our early adventures in my eBook, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2. Download it FREE with KindleUnlimited.

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Terry, Jon, and Bella in Yelapa, Mexico

Terry L Turrell, Author