There We Go....Here We Come...

So much to do before heading across the border, but the quick install of the satellite dish seems to get us moving quickly to southern Arizona.  Sometime between Quartzite and Yuma, right after Sparky unzipped his fabric kennel from the inside and got into the receipts…(yum!).. I start thinking about passports and where was that again I put them?  Then the sinking feeling in my stomach as I search the passport drawer in the RV and come up empty handed.  A few more places and I give up and call brother Rob at home.  Hey, maybe he could just wander over to the house and see if by some incredible chance they are tucked into the passport drawer at home.  Yep.  There they are.  So begins “Operation Passport Recovery” plan A.  Since it’s Friday, our heros: Rob at home and at Post San Juan can arrange for FedX, but not until a Monday departure for Yuma.  Sigh. 

So far the broken brake “reader” arrives in Quartzite before our planned departure.  Thank you Poulsbo RV and UPS!

Our first broken part arrives in AZ

Job: Unwrapper Extreme

One windshield wiper is picked up in Everett….but the other has to be ordered and sent to San Diego.  In Arizona they tell us, no they don’t have that part.  It doesn’t rain in Arizona.  Hum.  Thank you Tiffin Motorhomes in Red Bay, Alabama, and UPS for a quick delivery.  We just figure it IS going to rain on this trip….sometime.

Now with the passports delaying us in Yuma we decide to turn it into an opportunity to go up to Senator Wash and see what the dry camping is all about on LTVA land. (Long Term Visitor Area)   We find very busy desert RV communities all set up for a “long winter stay.”  Check out the camper who has the easy chair out in front of the RV…coffee table…reading lamp (is it real?) and a few other items as well. 

Check out this camper's "Living Room in the desert"!

We enjoy lakeside camping at Senator Wash on National Rec. Land

While enjoying the lakeshore there we meet Nadia and Kevin from the U.K. who have a motorhome like ours.  We have two great chats about the rigs and learn about their year long U.S. adventure “driving the loop” from one coast to another. 

We set up the satellite dish but it won’t lock onto a signal.  Upon deciding to put it down again….Bummer, it’s stuck in the “up” position.  No cell service here to call our installer in Quartzite, so we drive 15 minutes to a signal, Paul tells us what to do…we drive 15 minutes back…and the “fix”…doesn’t work.  That’s sad.  Three more trips and the third trick works.  The next morning we put it up, it grabs the satellite perfectly, but again refuses to stow.  More driving, more tricks, including in the end a hot wire approach. 

Oops....dish stuck in "up" positio

So Monday it’s back to Quartzite. Of course, it worked perfectly.  But on the 8^th or 9^th try, the same lock up!  Yay!  It’s officially broken and now Paul knows what to do to fix it for real.  A new sensor and motor is installed and we spend the entire day and evening doing trials.  By the next morning and trial #15 we are satisfied it is good to go. 

Yuma pick up center

On to Yuma, again, arriving at FedX just in time for the noon arrival of the passports.  Nan is smiling. 

One happy camper...or two!

On to the Quechan Casino, park the RV, get in the Jeep and drive the five minutes down the road to the border town of Algodones.  Here we walk across, get our tourist permits stamped and make a visit to the Purple Pharmacy.  We can buy drugs at 1/5^th of the copay price in the U.S. 

Yuma Proving Grounds....watch out for these crossing the road!

Yuma Proving Grounds....guns, guns, gun

At the casino we are parked right next to two rigs from Canada.  And I mean, right next!  When they arrive, their tow car is so close to hitting the Jeep they have to stop.  Steve goes out intending to help out by  moving our car.  The woman says, “WAIT…we are having a “family DISCUSSION” right now, and although it very generous of you to offer to move, that’s not what I need right now!”  I knew I liked her from the beginning!  We have a lot in common, being almost neighbors at home, part of the winter migration RV community. One couple is from Nanaimo and the other from Calgary.  Happy Hour turns out to be a great time with these new friends and we are sorry we don’t have more time to share.

Quechan Casino, Yuma....a parking lot approach, but....FREE!

Had to check out the games....we don't know how to play any of them!

Wednesday morning we are off in time to get to the Costco in El Centro when they open.  Get the last of the Costco supplies, stow in unique nooks and crannies aboard and off to San Diego.  The weather is lovely and I-8 in that part of the world is straight and smooth!

Not quite feeling like we’re off on a “trip” yet.  More like a series of inconvenient problems to solve… three steps ahead and four backwards.  Maybe tomorrow….