Travel Log 14: December 9, 2009 - First Trip to Yuma and Algodones, Mexico

After a month in Mesa, we left for Yuma on Saturday, December 5. We hear a lot of fuss about Yuma so we want to see what it's all about. We are also meeting our friends Rod and Jean, from Vernon. 

 

We planned to stay at Bonita Mesa on the first night in Yuma, but Rod persuaded us to free camp with them in the desert on the first night. They were already set up at a known free camp spot with about a dozen other rigs. I was concerned when his instructions included "turn left at the green army tank". Turns out the camp area is on public land behind a Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) property. 

 

Free camping means no hookups. We use the generators for electric and we use only the water in our tank. Adrian doesn't mind the free camping, but I couldn't get out of there fast enough the next day. Very glad to descend on Bonita Mesa RV Park the next day. We are here for a week.

 

On Monday night we had quite a wind storm here. The people across the street from us having been coming to Yuma for 19 years and have never seen such a storm. The pool and hot tub are closed due to sand and debris in the filters.  It's not quite warm enough to use the pool during the day, but we are missing our evening hot tubs!

 

Yesterday we went with Rod and Jean to Los Algodones, just across the border in Mexico. We parked on the U.S. side and just walked over. The town is right on the border. This is where everyone goes to get their dental work done. Usually when we walk through any other Mexican town, shop keepers call out to us to buy jewelry and pottery -- here they shout out dental services! "Hey Lady, free tooth cleaning today -- hey lady, no appointment needed". 

 

I mentioned in my last email to some of you that in Mesa we met so many people who would travel to Los Algodones to get their dental work done. In any gathering of a few people, there would soon start the comparisons on which doctor they went to and the procedures done. It was interesting to note that no one said they had a bad experience, in spite of the fact the each went to a different doctor. 

 

While we were in Algodones, we were in a little tourist shop and standing beside me was in fact one of the ladies I met in the hot tub at the resort in Mesa. She was down for a tooth cleaning. She shared with me that she a few years ago she had each tooth in her mouth crowned and the cost in Algodones was $7,000. Her quote for the service in the U.S. was $250,000.

  

We have until now been so undecided about where to venture for the rest of the winter. We have finally decided that we will go back to Mexico. We looked at going to the Texas gulf coast, we thought of Palm Springs, or going down the Mexico Baja. We've settled on basically following our route from last year down the west coast of the mainland of Mexico. Our destination is Teacapan, which is about one hour's drive south of Mazatlan, on a long spit of beautiful beach. It is remote and one must be provisioned properly to go. We got caught on that last year and had to leave earlier than we wanted to. However, Mazatlan is only one hour away, so planned shopping once a week will keep us in good shape. Mazatlan has WalMart and Mega.

 

Our plan is to stay at Teacapan for a month, or maybe two. If the weather cools too much or we go stir crazy with lack of entertainment, we may venture further south, but no solid plans at this point. We'll stay where we did last year at Villas Onac RV. It's the biggest park in the area and we were very happy there last year camped on the beach with full hookups. They have laundry facilities and a very nice pool. 

 

Tomorrow we see Rod and Jean for supper, Friday we'll do some sightseeing, and Saturday we have booked a company to come and wash the outside of the rig. $35 for a full wash -- how can you not?