CABO SAN LUCAS 2014 – BLANCO WEEK – PART 4

Our second  week in Cabo San Lucas (March 10 – 17) was at the first timeshare I bought (1991). Its name then was just Pueblo Bonito, but to differentiate it from the two more Pueblo Bonitos built later (Rose and Sunset Beach), it is now nicknamed Blanco for its white paint. It seems very familiar now after 22 years.  I wonder if we will be using it in its final year of 2019! We have a fixed  week (no.10) there in junior suite 323, but this year we were moved two stories higher to 523. The lower floors were rented to Spring Breakers who often were noisy.

An advantage of Blanco is in its proximity to downtown and its many restaurants. Sunset Beach is so remote from town that there we had dinner every evening in one of its restaurants. While staying at Blanco his year we had one dinner at the Giggling Marlin. We do not need to go there again.  Newly remodeled  Romeo and Juliettas was better than ever. We often split an entree as portions were large.

 

From our balcony we had a clear views of Medano Bay and the  ships which anchor there. Two cruise ships were in this day. On other days we saw huge yachts and even a Mexican Navy vessel. In the foreground is the resort’s pool. Medano Bay is great for swimming and other water sports. Wave runners are popular, as is parasailing.

Here is the literal land’s end as seen from the beach-side restaurant at Blanco.

Jo particularly enjoys watching the dessert Strawberries Flambe being prepared, so one night we had dinner at Baja Cantina on the beach at Cabo Villas where  it is served. A single lady we met poolside at Blanco went with us to dinner.  Here is an early step in its preparation as the ladies (below) looked on.

Now comes some flame to heat the sauce.

 

The eager eaters are digging in.

One day  we went out in a Panga (24 ft. open boat)  for whale watching. There were just 5 of us on the boat, so we could all see well. The whales were co-operative by putting on a show for about an hour. Jo is decked out with her life vest, and in the background is a large yacht.

The first area visited was Lover’s Beach where folks may spend the day if they can take the lack of shade that long. The other end of the beach fronts on the Pacific Ocean, where undertow and rogue waves can take swimmers out to sea. That part aptly is called Divorce Beach.

Near Lovers Beach is the arch and the very tip of the Baja Peninsula. Seals hang out on a low rock just to the right of the pinnacle on the left.

 

We saw several signs of whales, from blows when they come up to exhale and inhale to splashes from partial or full breaches (leaping out of the water). They are hard to capture on the usual digital camera due to (for me) slow reflexes) and the delay on most such cameras between pressing the shutter button and the shutter going off. Near the end it was clear that we were following two whales, perhaps a mother and a juvenile.

 

 

I think that we are looking at the tail on this fuzzy telephoto shot.

 

 

This one is just blowing.

I got lucky on this one! The boat at the right is the same as our Panga.

 

The show ended when the whales went back out to sea from Medano Bay.

Our favorite restaurant now is named Puerto San Lucas, formerly Galeon. The building sports a new paint job and elevator so patrons do not have to climb a steep and long set of stairs. It is located at the marina near the pier used by cruise ship passengers. We were told that there was no change of ownership nor chef.

The same pianist has been there for years, playing mainly easy jazz.

This is about as dressy as we get in Cabo

Roadrunner February 2014 Campout - Lake Pleasant

 

Roadrunners have had campouts at  Pleasant Marina campground on Lake Pleasant several times in recent years. On some Jeff Clyde has brought his boat and provided rides for interested members. Jeff could not come this time. Some of us found an appropriate spot nearby for target shooting and went  through a few rounds. As one of them, I must admit that I need a lot of work on my trigger squeeze!

The pictures this time all were taken in a Canon 350 D digital single lens reflex camera with a 28 – 135 zoom lens. I have a long learning curve to understand all of its features.

Near the lake is a small airport  from which sailplane rides are provided, as well as rides in seaplanes and an old biplane. We often see ultralights flying out of there.  Tom, Herb and I paid the airport a visit.

Here is a 1929 biplane. Its radial engine has 7 cylinders. We later saw it flying near the lake.

This single engine amphibian has room for several passengers.

 

And here is a twin engine amphibian we later saw flying over the lake.

The crop duster type plane at the left is taking off with a sailplane in tow.

 

And even this big amphibian took off during our visit.

This was the view from our campground looking at a small part of the marina. The land is owned by the Maricopa Water District. The 20 year lease to the builder and operator of the marina expired, and the District has taken over its operation. This a wide angle view of the scene.

Here is a telephoto shot from about the same camera station. The camera was not on a tripod, so its image stabilization seems to work well.

This view is from about the same spot but at a different  angle. The truck and two sailboats at the left can be seen in the wide angle shot above.

We did most of our visiting in the shade of a ramada in the grassy area around which RVs were parked. Tom Holz is at the left, then Mike and Barbara Williams with their new puppy named Boomer. They were hoping that Boomer would learn from the Fusts dog Emma some of her tricks. Boomer seemed interested in chewing on a ball but the retrieving part needs some work.

The marina at sundown on Friday night.

 

After many tries, I finally got a picture of Emma catching the ball. She usually caught it on the fly!

 

On Saturday morning we caught a ride on the little shuttle to the restaurant in the marina for breakfast. No, I didn’t drive – the shuttle drive took the picture.

JEEPERS CREEPERS BULLDOG CANYON RUN

Twelve members and friends in 5 vehicles took the Bulldog Canyon run on Feb.16. Three met at Dillards, and two more met at the trail head on Usury Pass Road. After introductions, we headed out at 9:30.

Duane Steen was the tail gunner and had with him guest Gene Meth; Austin and Mary Ellen Hulcher had guests Sam and Joy Schwartz; Jay and Diane Olson had guests Don and Eva Johnstone. Bill Strong was the trail leader and Jeff Clyde in his white Wrangler Unlimited rounded out the  group.

The spacious trailhead was a great place for gathering and introductions.

Duane is standing by as Jeff unlocked the gate for us. We all had the required forest service permit to run these roads. The free permit gives the combinations for each of six months for the locks on the gates.

 

With the gate open we ready to roll.

The road from the Usury Pass trailhead follows a wash for a few miles with fine views of the desert. It joins the road from Bush Highway in a wide wash. The road is so rocky in many places that the ride is much more comfortable with tires aired down.

Austin makes the climb up this obstacle with ease. I had a bit of trouble with it but made it after Jeff guided my  wheel placement. Two weeks ago on a pre run I climbed this one in two wheel drive with tires aired down.

This is the alternative route up the same hill. Three of our five vehicles climbed this one with no problem.

Of course, we found time for a coffee break. The run was so short (3 hours driving time) that we were off the trail by lunch time. It is a great run for winter visitors as it is so close to Mesa – just south of Saguaro Lake.

 

There are some fine views of the Goldfield Mountain .along the trail.

 

 

In some places the cholla was so lush one might call it a cholla forest. The mountain here is covered with yellow lichens.

As we neared the end, we had this view of Weaver’s Needle and Superstition Mountain. This run ended at Apache Trail north of the Goldfield mine. Several stopped at the Mammoth mine tourist attraction for lunch.

ROADRUNNERS AT QUARTZSITE 2014

As usual, this was the Roadrunners largest turnout of the year with 27 members and friends present, plus several of the Machinist group. There were fewer RVs parking at Main Event than in prior years, and the Big White Tent was not crowded. The Quartzsite we knew is fading/

We had a nice fire both Friday and  Saturday nights.

As sundown approached on Sat. we began to set up  for the 5:00 hors d’oeuvres potluck.

From left to right: Elsie Holz, Mary and Herb Fust and Mike Williams.

Food has arrived! The LeGats’ motor home is in the background.

 

From left – Jo Strong, Barbara Williams and Lary LeGat

The serving line was popular ands the food delicious.

VISIT TO GUSTINS IN MOJAVE CA

 

After the Indio rally is over, we like to go 175 miles more to Mojave CA to visit my granddaughter Samantha Gustin, husband Chris,and their family. Samantha home schools their 15 year old son, Luke and 6 year old Ivy. When we arrived Tabitha had just celebrated her 5th birthday.

    

Ivy is enjoying a home made ice cream cone

Tabitha playing with her mother.

Both girls (Ivy left) with father Chris.

More playing with Samantha,Tabitha on left

 

Tabitha is showing me her new doll. While Ivy is older, Tabitha is taller.

We visited a facility near Rosamond which keeps rescue felines of  endangered species. This is a black mountain lion, commonly called a cougar. African lions are not endangered, so they have none. Their animals originate all over the world, many in Asia.

Tabitha, Ivy in glasses, Samantha and Luke.

Ivy, Jo and Tabitha

The area around Mojave is literally bristling with wind turbines. Just a few of them are shown here. Many have been added since we last were there two years ago.

Twenty miles north of Mojave, up a long hill, is the town of Tehachapi and Tehachapi Loop, billed as one of the seven railroad wonders of the world, Trains go around the loop (really a spiral) having an elevation change of about 75 feet and northbound trains leave the loop, shown below, through a tunnel under part of the tracks.  The trains are so long that the northbound locomotives are exiting the tunnel while some of the cars are still above it.

Here (both above and below)  the northbound Union Pacific  locomotives are exiting the tunnel while the cars they are pulling are still in the circle over the tunnel. This is a mainline route between San Francisco and Los Angeles.