Thursday, December 22, 2016

December drive to Mexico

Dec 17 departure Had a good start on our trip last Saturday, fine weather and a half price ferry ride after some Christmas cheer with the McKnights in Nanaimo.
An early Christmas dinner with Shannon and family then a snowy start on Sunday towards Seattle, trying to stay ahead of the freezing rain that was predicted. Snow and slushy conditions to Burlington but got to my sisters by 2:30. Lovely visit and dinner and time together Monday morning.
Head out at noon and sleeping in Eugene Oregon tonight. This has been good timing so far. If we had departed on our original plan, we would have hit this place in a major ice storm. The hotel we stay at was without power for 2 days, schools closed for three days and those days added on for the students in June. Now the coast roads are in flood warning as the ice melts and the rivers swell.
Looking at getting through Grants Pass , temperature were predicted in high 30 s so no snow to worry about and sailed right through, same with Mt Shasta. We spent last night in Williams, visiting one of Dave's favourite spots, Granzellas for their olive tasting and good food. We are heading to the coast at Kettleman City, would love to spend a day in Solvang, a Danish magical town, sounds something like Leavenworth, Wash., so booked in Lompoc tonight We can poke around for a day as we only need to be in LA on the 24 th for a dinner with 19 of the Crochets. Shannon and family coming from Vancouver as well.
 Then to Mexico, winding our way to La Penita for New Years and Melaque . Will return to LA for Spring Break with our other son and family from Edmonton to do Disneyland etc. Hoping to see the Copper Canyon on the return trip and some of the Grand CanyonI
If you want to watch for those Sun Wing specials for Cabo Blanco in Feb, come on down, then extend your stay and join us. We do have a spare bedroom in the apartment and an unobstructed view from our rooftop palapa!

 Dec 21 Lovely day. Left the I-5 Kettleman City, at hwy 41 and west to he 101 , followed the coast through San Luisdopispo, past Hearst Castle, bringing back memories of our motorhome trip with Auntie Ted in the early 80s. Chose Lompoc for a few nights, great base for Solvang and Santa Barbara.
Plan to leave the LA area on the morning of the 26 and spend that night in Tucson.

Dec 25 after a day in the lovely Danish town of Solvang on the 22nd and the next day at Ventura, we arrived at Hawthorne, LA, spent Christmas Eve with 18 others at the Crochets.
Those French chefs did it again! Amazing meal and wonderful entertainment watching the two wee ones looking out the window for Santa.
Christmas Day brunch at noon at Step and Davids. Another feast, featuring eggs bennie, salads and baked veggies, folloed by a gateau de Nantes and a banana cake.
Long drive tomorrow to Tucson so early to bed with our good books Santa delivered!!

Back to the hotel for a complete repack of the car, getting all Melaque in the hatch section of the car and our travel supplies on the seat behind us.
We had taken off our new winter tires after the passes, purchased two new summer ones so rearrangement was necessary to get all our humanitarian goodies stuffed i. The middle of those tires. Full load!
Today, Monday the 26th we had an early rise, a big protein breakfast at the hotel and on the road shortly after 8, hardly any traffic on the 91, 60 or I 10 all the way to Palm Springs, Blythe and Phoenix.
Feeling badly that we hadn't arranged with Dennis earlier, could have had lunch with him in Palm Desert but by the time we got his response, we were already in Quartzite., 2 hours past him.
Stop at a friend's in Casa Grande before our hotel in Tucson. Great day!

Tomorrow morning crossing the border at Nogales and heading for our friend's place, Bahia de Kino, just west of Hermosillo.

Not sure of wifi for the next few days but after two nights in Kino, we have a night booked at Los Mochis, then a night in Mazatlan and New Years Eve with friends in La .Penita. Planning little side trips to the beaches along the way San Blas etc
So signing off until 2017. Will write from Melque then. 
Happy New Year everyone.

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