Corning, California

So far, so good! We caught the ferry on time and boondocked our way down here to The Olive Pit in Corning , CA. Great selection of stuffed olives. We stop here every time and there is a Casino just down the road where we will park for the night. Last night we parked at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville, OR and our stay cost us $40 in the slots!

I don't know when we will get a good WIFI connection to update the Blog but when I can, I will!

It is 80 degrees outside right now and I have to find my shorts.

Welcome to the New Blog

For those of you moving over from "Croft's Travels", welcome. The old Blog will stay intact and will archive our 2007 / 2008 trip. On this new Blog I will document our 2008 / 2009 adventures in Mexico. I will use photos and will try to keep you entertained. We are far better prepared this year than we were last year and will be heading further into Mexico, avoiding the larger cities and trying to get closer to the Mexican People.

We will be leaving Campbell River on October 25th and taking the ferry over to Port Angeles, WA on the 26th. From there we will head down to Yuma where we will meet up with some old friends who have a place there. We also have to buy new six volt batteries for the RV. We are looking forward to sharing our adventure with you!

SWITCHING TO NEW BLOG

I have started a new Blog for our future Winters in Mexico. It is called "Croft's Mexico". The old Blog will stay here and will archive our adventures over 2007 / 2008. This one is getting very full. If you have the Blog Bookmarked, now is the time to change it or add the new one.

We will be leaving Campbell River on October 25 to catch the Port Angeles Ferry from Victoria on the 26th. We will head down to Yuma for a few days to buy new batteries for the RV and to catch up with some old friends. We will cross the border into Mexico shortly after November 1. Please join us on this trip at:

http://croftsmexico.blogspot.com/

Time to Leave

We had a little hail storm, complete with thunder and lightening last night. It is time to head South!!!

Windproof Satelite Dish Mount

As readers of my Blog will recall, we had a problem down in Mexico when our StarChoice tripod blew over in the wind, breaking the arm off the dish. It took a long time to repair it and in the meantime we had to rely on the generosity of neighbours to share their dish with us. This was not the perfect solution as sometimes there was no other StarChoice dish within the range of my cable and other people are always coming and going.

I found plans for this ground level dish mount on the Internet and decided to build one. It was very simple to build using some inexpensive PVC pipe and connectors. Because of the very low center of gravity, it should survive high winds while staying firmly on the ground. I took the opportunity to upgrade to the larger dish to help find and pull in the weaker StarChoice signal in Southern Mexico.

This will be a huge relief as most travelers in Mexico have either had the same problem themselves or know someone who did. StarChoice dishes are impossible to replace in Mexico so the only option is to try to repair them. The repair we did was actually very good and the dish still works well. This one will be better.

Windproof Satelite Dish Mount

As readers of my Blog will recall, we had a problem last year in Mexico when our StarChoice tripod blew over in the wind, breaking the arm off the dish. It took a long time to repair it and in the meantime we had to rely on the generosity of neighbours to share their dish with us. This was not a perfect solution as sometimes there was no other StarChoice dish within the range of my cable and other people are always coming and going.

I found plans for this ground level dish mount on the Internet and decided to build one. It was very simple to build using some inexpensive inch and a half PVC pipe and connectors. Because of the very low center of gravity, it should survive high winds while staying firmly on the ground. I took the opportunity to upgrade to the larger dish to help find and pull in the weaker StarChoice signal in Southern Mexico.

This will be a huge relief as most travelers in Mexico have either had the same problem themselves or know someone who did. StarChoice dishes are impossible to replace in Mexico so the only option is to try to repair them. The repair we did was actually very good and the dish still works well. This one will be better.

Gas Prices

Here in Canada, Regular gas is selling for $1.16 CAN or $.97 USA per litre.

In the USA, it is selling for $3.00 / Gal or $.79 USA per litre.

In Mexico, Magna is $7.44 Pesos or $.59 USA per litre.

I have enough in the tank to make it to Washington State where I will fill up. I will remember to fill the tank before entering California where prices are much higher.

I like buying gas in Oregon because they have banned self-serve stations. They have done this simply by requiring a special license to pump gas. These are easy to get after a short safety course and the practice provides meaningful employment for tens of thousands of (mostly young) people in Oregon. My first job was pumping gas in a Chevron Station in Vancouver, BC in 1961. It was a good job and probably the most “fun” job I have ever had. I am still friends with one of the other workers there.

Gas Prices

Here in Canada, Regular gas is selling for $1.16 CAN or $.97 USA per litre.

In the USA, it is selling for $3.00 / Gal or $.79 USA per litre.

In Mexico, Magna is $7.44 Pesos or $.59 USA per litre.

I have enough in the tank to make it to Washington State where I will fill up. I will remember to fill the tank before entering California where prices are much higher.

I like buying gas in Oregon because they have banned self-serve stations. They have done this simply by requiring a special license to pump gas. These are easy to get after a short safety course and the practice provides meaningful employment for tens of thousands of (mostly young) people in Oregon. My first job was pumping gas in a Chevron Station in Vancouver, BC in 1961. It was a good job and probably the most “fun” job I have ever had. I am still good friends with one of the people I worked with there!

The Dismal Dollar

The Canadian dollar seems to be in a free fall right now, having dropped another four cents today alone. The Peso is doing the same and the USA, the country with the collapsing economy is watching it's dollar doing well in relation to the other two. What is going on! When we bought the motorhome in April, the CAN dollar was at par with the USA. Today our Loonie is worth only eighty-five cents! When we were in Mexico last winter we could buy 10.5 Pesos for one CAN dollar, today that one CAN dollar will buy eleven Pesos so whatever has happened to the CAN dollar has pretty much happened to the Peso!

What is inflating the Yankee dollar remains a mystery. Maybe it is being artificially inflated by all the folks bailing out of the Stock Market and converting to cash. That might do it, but if this is what is doing it, it should reverse when things start to recover and people start using these dollars to buy back into the Market. I am not an economist but this seems to make sense. At least in my scenario there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Out My Office Window

Just a couple of shots of our neighbours taken out the window of my computer room / office! They live in the bush in the back of our property and drop over for a few flowers from the garden once in a while. I talk to them and my wife yells at them and chases them. They are getting a mixed message from this family.

Like the Mexican people used to own the Southwest United States, these deer used to own this property. Unlike some Americans, I welcome these former owners back for their periodic visits.