2024 Travel Highlights

 

WOW, I did not realize how much I have covered until reviewing the whole years travel map. Of course, one detour to central Canada for a RV Factory repair was totally unanticipated and did add allot to the map.

Details of each month on the road are in other posts. To find them look on the right side of this page and see a column listed by year and when you select a year it expands to have more posts. Select each post one at a time to read the blog containing pictures and narrative of what I have seen or done in that area of the country. Although I have been RVing for 30 years I started journaling in 2002 and traveling full time 8 years ago.

My wife Tanya was able to work remotely for 4 years and traveled with me. It was so great to share these adventures with her. 2 years ago while wintering over in Key West, FL she steps out of the RV just crying so very hard, she had received an email stating for everyone to return to the office by February. Since then I continue to travel in the RV and when we talk every day and I share what I have seen or done she can visualize it herself and share vicariously my travels for she has had similar experiences while traveling.

This years summary of travels also starts out in Key West, FL. My friend Gene Miller from the WIN's (Wandering Individuals Network) and I spent parts of January and February in Key West. Eating allot, soaking up the sun and he and I are both sunrise aficionados!

Going back to the mainland I purchase a Ford Maverick to tow behind the RV. I love this truck! It allows me to carry my toys and have a dry warm vehicle to tour around in. Of course, it means no more motorcycle for I will not load one into a truck nor will it fit with kayaks overhead. Met another WIN member John who came over and spent the entire day installing the baseplate to tow the truck with. Later John was with me to go to Alaska!

Leaving Florida to slowly go west in preparation for Alaska I connect with more WIN's in Texas to see the Solar Eclipse, while there meet other WIN's who go to Alaska with me Ken Geibe. Also reconnected with Steven Weiler, Marsha Bloodsworth, Linda Funkhouser, Jennell Jones who had traveled to Canadian Maritime together.

In Nevada I discovered a Gemstone Mine and the nearby town of Goldfield, NV with great attractions. This stood out also because similar to Cadilac Ranch near Amarillo, TX they had allot of vehicles nose first into the sand!

Also in Nevada was memories of driving through a cattle drive with Tanya a few years previously. 

A months stay in Oregon visiting family before meeting up with other WIN's and beginning our Alaska journey.

All of the stories of bad roads, broken windshields, flat tires is from many years ago when the roads were still gravel. Now it is paved 99% and only when detouring off main roads have had gravel roads. No one in our 9 member group had vehicle issues except one travel trailer and that was not due to road conditions.

My most enjoyable portion of traveling to Alaska is the vast amount of wilderness and wildlife. Including a herd of approximately 1200 Caribou caught on a drone video, the video is posted on the blog page for you to see.

Denali wildlife 

15 Dall sheep
3 bear
6 caribou 
1 arctic ground squirrels 

Whole trip wildlife 

11 Black bear
1 Grizzly bear, 1 cub
1 Red Fox
14 Humpback whale 
4 Sea Otter
7 Puffins a
3 Eagles 1 baby
2 Mountain goats , chased by black bear 
16 Moose 
9 Trumpeter swans 
20 Sea Lion 
16 Wild horses 
6 Rabbit 
11 Ptarmigan 24 chicks
2 Artic ground squirrels 
1200 Herd of Caribou
3 deer
82 Bison

A on water cruise and saw whales feeding. They dove deep, swam in a circle blowing bubbles to compact baitfish, then swam up through the fish pod with mouths open breaching the surface! Theres a video of this too!

Both the trip north through Canada British Columbia and the trip south there was allot to see and do. Jasper National Park was on fire when we were there so we did not see Jasper or the Icefields Highway.

Towards the end of the trip my brother drove up and joined me for some flyfishing in BC. I'm hoping that future years we spend more time fishing BC.

Returning to Oregon for another month to see family and I received a recall on my RV. When the local shop could not fix it, I was offered to go to the factory for repair. So, a 1600-mile detour to the factory then another 1600- mile to return to my itinerary of going to Mexico for the winter.

I spent November in Puerto Penasco, Mexico with other WIN's friends. Then back up to the states to fly and visit Tanya before going to Quartzsite, AZ for the annual WIN's get together. In January my brother comes down to Quartzsite and we return to Mexico for January and February.

A very, very long travel year for me and loving every moment! I hope everyone has a happy Holiday season and enjoy living vicariously through my travels.

2024 November Puerto Penasco Mexico

 

That was allot of miles this year! Bucket list of RV to Alaska has been achieved. An additional detour from Oregon to Winkler, MB for RV factory repair was needed that added 3200 miles of unanticipated travel.

That repair was for a warranty item that the local RV shop did not feel they could do because of the frame repair I had done the previous year in Key West. At the factory they were so impressed with my frame repair they even wrote on the invoice what a great job it was. Now all is good and I do feel that the longevity of the coach is fully restored!

Here in Puerto Penasco, Mexico now to spend November with WIN's friends. It's my first time to winter in Mexico and so far I am enjoying it greatly. Daytime temps 75 and nighttime 50. Morning surise with my friend Rod, we have coffee and watch the sun come up, sometimes complaining that it is cold at 50!

If the wind is down I kayak along the Sea of Cortez over to the rocky point and the water is clear to see fish schooling. The little harbor has mostly shrimp boats and 1 Coast Guardia patrol boat. Only a few tourist boats such as Pirate Ship that may go out once or twice a week.

So many restaurants! it is obvious the tourist trade is the big industry here. I'm sure summer does not get too many tourists. Obviously Mexican food is the majority, many hamburger places, and even found one Chinese!

Kayak, walks on the beach in warm sun, walk or bicycle around the town, sit at each other's campsite and chat seem to take up most of the day. Each day the WIN's group has a meeting to talk about what we did that day and make plans for the next day or two. We have added a segment to share helpful tips and tricks and I shared perforated vinyl on the windows to reduce heat gain.

Many of us ask the campground owner Edgar about repairs and he sources people from the village to do the work, very, very good labor rates here! I'm going to have the back of the RV painted the same color as the rest of the coach (currently black, change to gold) then paint on the compass rose and cover with clearcoat. 

Then after a few days, wash and wax and add the perforated vinyl over the windows again (I removed it to go to Alaska) and have them put the perforated vinyl on all the black painted surfaces as well. I'm not sure if it will work putting it over the paint but we will see. If you are not aware of it, perforated vinyl blocks 90% of ultraviolet light from heating your home up. It works on the windows, but I also want to try it directly on the paint.

The WIN's come here each November, then travel the US Southwest until January to go to Quartzsite, AZ. I'm doing the same and when brother Bob and his ladies join me in late January we are going to Baja for February.

Some cool pictures of billboards on the highway getting here. This is not a political statement, simply some pretty cool pictures!

Rod and me

Breakfast at Lucky's restaurant the same as on the billboard 

Some other cool sights 

Focus was Minnie Mouse!

WIN's gathering 

Motorcycle Rally, wow it was loud all weekend! This is trick riders prior to the parade.

Went to an Oyster bar and I got stuck in the sand. I was following another car when a local came down the road and insisted that she stay in the middle of the road, pull off a little bit and pooh, stuck! The local lady seemed irritated that a gringo was in her way and took off. Glad I was not alone!

letting air out of the tires

Tow strap, the other car is a Honda CRV all wheel drive

Rod's favorite breakfast is Lucky's Cantina on the Malecon. Same place as the billboards with the Trump comment that I saw coming into town.

Potluck on the beach 

Rod's favorite BBQ Rib's

Advertised as 4 different types of Pallea. I was disapointed for very little seafood, rice dishes were not very good.

Cooking class held at the campground, learned how to make Ceviche, stuffed shrimp.

Tequila factory, was not an actual factory, showed a video of the process of harvesting Agave plants to make tequilla.

Parade on Revolution day

A gag of riding the short bus.

I had the painter removed the compass rose decal that I had installed, paint the formerly black back panel to match the RV color champagne and paint on a compass rose in a simple pattern.

Fiddler crab races

Oops, overshooting his parking spot, ender up on the beach