Trip Info

This is where we went - total of 5750 miles down and back

As I promised – some info about our trip
Total days on road - 138
Total miles driven in Jennie - 5750 did not keep tract of miles we put on Willie

Expenses are in US dollars
Gas for Jennie – 2164 - averaged about 7mpg
Gas for Jeep – 648

Tolls paid - 479 (both Mexico and US) All but 14 dollars in Mexico

Campgrounds in US - 589 for 26 days = 23 average per day
Campgrounds in MX - 1820 for 111 days = 16.40 per day

We did no boondocking - always had electricity of some sort and water.

Biggest daily expense was eating out – 1733
And groceries – 1224

In Mexico we averaged 64 dollars a day in expenses – that includes every cent we spent.
In the US portion of the trip we averaged 137 per day (one reason it is so high is we put a lot of miles on the RV in a very short time while in the US so used more gasoline here. In MX miles driven were only 1813 – in US 3940
It was a great trip and Jennie performed beautifully – though she was starting to feel pretty small by the time we got home.

Spring is springing here – looking down over the valley we can see lots of green sprouting on the trees.
Had a couple 80+ days but this week it will be in the low 70s to high 60s. With rain a couple of days.

So that’s it for this years trip to Mexico -

Back in Indiana

The end of this year’s trip – we spent 138 days on the road. The last couple of days in Mexico we spent just north of Queretaro in the same campground we’ve been going to since 1978 –Then it was called Azteca now it is Juriquilla In and RV. The 30amp service we paid to put in last year was still working. No one else was using the RV part but several of the Inn rooms were in use. The restaurant still has the Wi-Fi service and good food. This year we didn’t go into the older district at all. We just went to the gringo area. Visited the big Mega complex on Benito Juarez and got all we needed to do right there.
Now that Bill is letting his hair grow he needed a professional haircut. Got a nice one for US$5 – enjoy it it will be more than that at home.
We also inquired about getting some prescriptions filled. For us with our insurance, even with its prices going up this year, it is much cheaper to get them filled in the US.
That night I cooked the rest of our Italian sausage and hard boiled what eggs we had left and then we watched the movie Men Who Stared at Goats – weird – but I enjoyed it. Love George Clooney’s voice.
Left bright and early (before it was light) on Wednesday the 17th and did what Bill swore up and down he wasn’t going to do – drove 580 miles to McAllen Texas. The roads are good all the way – only a few topes but lots of Toll Booths – US$98 worth of them.
The weather was threatening with really dark skies but rain never materialized – did have lots of wind though. One area we’ve gone through on this road has always set me wondering. There are a lot of roadside stands there with long skinny things hanging from them. What are they? Well this time I think I’ve figured it out – they are snake skins.

We got the paper work for the vehicles turned in okay but still have our tourist cards – oh well – will worry about that next time we got to Mexico.
Crossing into US was fine – they didn’t take any food away from us this year. The eggs and sausage were fine as long as they were cooked. And we ate the last apple during the day.
Nice to be back in the USofA.

We stayed in McAllen for a week – while The Driver got over his horrible cold. Then we made tracks for home. Like the horse that smells the barn – zoom. Left Franklin, KY early and made it home by noon. And would you believe it was a nice day. It was raining the day before and it rained the two days after we got home. Could not get the Internet working at the house so that’s one of the reasons I’ve not finished this. Also the big TV in the basement isn’t working – talked to Dish TV and though it was straightened out – but went to turn it on yesterday and nope – so have to call them today. Had a tech come out from Hughes.Net to fix the Internet – poor guy was here for five hours. Finally got it working. Then went to use it an hour later and it was DECOMISSIONED!!! What? Called Hughes.Net back and they said they couldn’t help me I had to have the Tech back – poor guy lives 65 miles from here. Got a hold of him by phone and he walked me through the fix – now why couldn’t they do that – it was their problem.
Also found out the roof still leaks in the bathroom and some of the paint has peeled from the wall – need to call insurance again for that. The house otherwise is in great shape – nice and clean and the yard has had a lot of work done in it. The daffodils are blooming and the weeping willow trees are budding.

There are zillions of little fish in the pond and the water is clean and clear. Guess the ECO system is working well. The weather is beautiful – supposed to be in the high 70s today.
Got reminded we were back in the middle of the country again – went to Wal*Mart to get some groceries on Sunday. Bill picked up a case of beer and when we got to the check out stand the young cashier pushed a button and another lady came running over announcing at the top of her lungs, “You can’t buy beer in Indiana on Sunday.” Everyone within hearing distance turned around to look at us. Oh well – good to be home.
Bill now has an ingrown big toenail which has already prompted a visit to the doctor. He’s on antibiotics and has to soak it off and on. Hope it clears up or else he’ll have to have it cut out. ISH. But he has managed to build himself a work bench in the basement so he can play with his beads.

And I’ve found places for all of mine.

Did I mention we are staying home next winter – we’ve got enough stuff to keep us both busy for years. Anyway that’s what we say now.
I’ll post some statistics on the trip later today....days,miles etc.