Rancho Sordo Mudo

We left Potrero at 11am and are in Rancho Sordo Mudo at 1:30.  Best day for traveling so far; the kids played before we left; are playing now; and we got where we wanted to go.  Border crossing was super easy except I wanted to get a vehicle permit (for when we cross over to the mainland).  We decided to get it in Tecate to allow us the flexibility to take the ferry without having to go to La Paz (furthest north to get permit after the border).  I asked the Aduana where to get one, he sent me to the bank; bank sent me to immigration and immigration sent me back to the bank.  Bank misunderstood; thought I wanted a tourist card.  Had to run back to the van (double parked along side the strip dividing the road (should have gotten a picture, but I was REALLY focused on getting the permit and out) for more paperwork and Jamie was frantic; a police officer had either told him it was ok to park there or he could park there only for a little bit - and just this once.  He was NOT about to move the van/trailer in the city.  I wasn’t too worried because we were one of 3 other rigs parked there and I figured we’d be ok.  He wasn’t convinced. 

On the way out of Tecate, on MX3, a number of oncoming cars flashed their lights at us.  This had happened yesterday, in the US, and we were starting to wonder if something was wrong with the van.  I remembered reading that in Mexico this signifies that there is something to be cautious of ahead but since it had happened the day before, in the US, I pulled over (and nearly broke an axle in the process; pullouts in Mexico are usually river washes) and Jamie checked the front of the van.  All good.  Back on the road and a bit along we came to a semi, parked in our lane, on the highway, on a hill.  Federales were diverting traffic over a very opportune (because they simply don’t exist) pullout.  Then we got to play the "flash your lights" game with our oncoming traffic.  Whee!

We’re now at Sordo Mudo (Deaf Mute School which also runs a campground), the sun is warm and bright, I’ve purified 5 gallons of water (1/2 tsp of bleach) and kids are busy playing. 

After dinner, the boys enjoyed a warm shower and apparently, some painting fun.  The bathroom had been recently painted but there were no signs or warnings.  They stepped in a puddle of paint and managed to make footprints on the floor and hand prints on the walls.  They had a blast.  When they came back to the trailer, they were quite confused as to how paint had gotten on their clothes.  They didn’t even NOTICE that there was wet paint in the bathroom.  I asked them to be more careful in the bathroom and thought nothing of it.  Later, Pike came back to the trailer after trying to use the bathroom and said that the caretaker had told him he couldn’t use the bathroom - either the boys or girls.  Sounded fishy to me, so I accompanied him and found the reason.  Luckily, both boys owned up (course, Jesse had "forgotten" his involvement until Pike fessed up) and braved a fierce dog to apologize to the caretaker.  He turned down their offer of working tomorrow, but they decided to ask him again tomorrow (he speaks no English) when they see him working about.  I told them I was proud of them for owning up and speaking to the man (while I translated). 

I picked up about $200 worth of books, workbooks, Klutz books, "educational materials" and travel books at Barnes & Noble and Borders while we were in San Diego.  I’m currently reading, "Traveler’s Guide to Mexican Camping" by Mike and Teri Church (THE camping Bible), The Lonely Planet’s "Baja California" and The Lonely Planet’s "Mexico".  For fun, I’m reading, "Talk Stories" by Jamaica Kincaid.  It is a collection of Jamaica Kincaid’s original writing for The New Yorker’s "Talk of the Town" from 1978 to 1983.  They are absolutely fascinating. 

Tomorrow we head for San Quintín.  If we leave early enough and don’t dally in Ensenada, we might push on to El Rosario.  The warmth is drawing us south.  A Canadian couple pulled in to camp; they were attired in shorts and "warm weather" gear.  They’d come up from Cabo, and said it was 26 degrees (Celcius) there.  They came up from Cataviña today.  I gave them a few letters to mail; Sissy has lost "Sally", her baby, and I think she left it either at the Trek store, Barnes and Noble or Souplantation (dinner).  I wrote the stores and asked them to email us if they found it.  It seems that the surest way to send mail is to ask someone going north to mail it from the states.  Otherwise, Mexican post seems to get "lost" a LOT!

Pictures today and yesterday are at Sordo Mudo.  Only spent $24 today!!!  AFter almost getting back on track with 3 weeks in San Felipe, we’re back to overbudget.  The stuff we bought will last us a number of months (good coffee, organic PB, organic cheese and butter, pasta (haven’t seen it anywhere in Mexico), RV stuff, diesel oil, etc.) so that helps my peace of mind.