Puerto Penasco, Mexico: Hello, Dear Reader! Today we pointed the Magna Peregrinus south and ended up in Puerto Penasco, Mexico! (Props to Readers Peter & Patty who spotted us on the 101 this morning outside of Phoenix!) Viva la Mexico! We are camped on the Gulf of California - near the tip of the gulf. We have been here before. We will be here again. Always fun. Always cheap. Always interesting.
Dad followed us all day in his RV. We stopped in Why, Arizona for a lunch break. This morning, I made my version of Heidi Swanson's (of 101 Cookbooks fame) Saffron Pasta Salad. I love Heidi and I love her vegetarian recipes, but today I did not have whole wheat pasta... but I had everything else (doesn't everyone have saffron, goat cheese, asparagus & pine nuts in their motorhome?), so I made my RV-version of her delicious homage to spring. I followed her recipe "pretty much" except I used the entire 16 oz of regular orzo pasta - because that is what I had and I could not figure out what I would do with the leftover 4 oz of orzo - and I added a cup of frozen peas and freshly-cracked black pepper.
Our gourmet lunch, on the road, pointed south to Puerto Penasco.Dad, Dave and I stopped at a turn-out to take photos in Organ Pipe National Monument. The ocotillo cactus are just starting to bloom and the desert is crazy-beautiful with wild flowers.
Ocotillo blooming
Organ Pipe National Monument
Ocotillo & Saguaro
Ocotillo ready to bloom in Organ Pipe National Monument
A beautiful Cholla cactus in Organ Pipe National Monument
Close-up of a Cholla. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Beautiful Organ Pipe National Monument - we drove through this for over one hour - STUNNING!
Lupines are in bloom in the desert
Gold Flower
Just after leaving Organ Pipe National Monument, you leave the United States and enter Mexico. Today - being Spring Break and the suffering border-town economy due to the H1N1 flu and the drug wars - we were waved through Mexican immigration. We did not stop. We barely slowed down. They did not ask for our passports. They did not ask us if we had guns. They did not ask us if we had pets. They did not ask us if we had booze, beef, fruit, vegetables or cash. The Mexican government didn't even ask us if we were Americans. They waved us through. Then, they waved Dad through.
Welcome to Mexico.
Just over an hour later - over beautiful roads - we found ourselves in Puerto Penasco at The Reef RV Park (where we have stayed before). Our site is probably supposed to be a front-in campsite (for the premium ocean view), but the hook-ups are on the beach-side, so we opted to back into our site. We have 50 amp, "some" water pressure, and are able to find our satellites floating above us to access HD television and high-speed internet.
Perfect.
Sometimes a girl just needs to rough it.
It is close quarters... and yes... most of our neighbors are Arizona Sun Devil fans... yet they still speak to us lowly Ducks.
Our situation in Puerto Penasco (also called Rocky Point). This is our view to town - about 4 miles from our campsite. Puerto Penasco is near the end of the Gulf of California. On a clear day, we can see Baja California from our campsite.
And yes, Dear Reader, this is me. I am holding a margarita. It is not a stunt margarita. I made it myself - using my recipe. (NOTE: Not for wimps.) I am pretty much schwasted as I type this blog tonight.If you have ever read my column while we have been in Mexico, you know my Beloved Husband loves to stimulate the local economy.
One dollar at a time.
Dave loves to purchase these strange bobble-head creatures from little native girls (I refer to Mexican Indian girls) who walk up and down the beach after school selling crapcrafts. As is his custom, DT does not bargain with the girls. He does not dicker. He does not ask for a better price. He just gives the girl one dollar for her silly bobble-head critter.
DT has quite a collection of these bobble-head trinkets.
Over the years, DT has probably sent six girls to college.
One dollar at a time.
I told the girls I wanted a duck. Not too bad for two bucks, eh?Until my next update, I remain, your Mexican correspondent.
RV Park: The Reef RV Park - Hundreds of campsites, all in sand. 30 & 50 amp power, water and sewer. Some power hookups are shared - one camper gets the 50 amp, and their neighbor has to use the 30 amp. This campground is popular with ATVers, families and many Canadians spend the winter here. A regular campsite (non-ocean front) is $150 week.