Mexico Plans were done and we were off. Loaded up and headed out west bound. First stop Wichita to pick up Daughter and Granddaughter. Off we go, US54 west bound. First night Tucumcari. Stopped in at the Mountain View campground, no a bad place to stay for a night. Next morning get on I-40 west bound for Santa Rosa and pick US54 again. Next stop Alamogordo and Holloman AFB, where we found a very nice campground.
Took a small side trip to El Paso to see the old homestead, the place has changed so much we couldn't find it. Next morning back on the road west bound on US70 to Las Cruces. Climb the mountain and then down the other side. Got through Las Cruces ok and got on I-10 west bound. Next overnight facility, Ft. Huachua, by Sierra Vista. Very nice campground with views of the mountains. Planned to spend two days and three nights here. It rained each day in the afternoon. One morning Pat stepped out side to find a very large tarantula, it was BIG.
Granddaughter and I paid a visit to Tombstone, she loved it. Watched a gun fight, popped in to just about every store and had lunch at a nice little restaurant. Spent almost the entire day doing the tourist thing.
Here is where it got a little on the bad side. The morning we left I got in a hurry and forgot a couple of things, like taking the truck out of first gear and unlocking the steering wheel. Here is what happens when the above things are not done:
Don't do this, it's expensive. Called the insurance company to arrange transport for the truck to somewhere for repairs, found a Chevy dealer in Sierra Vista. Then found out the Chevy dealer is not on the approved list for the insurance company. Took two weeks for the adjustor to get to Sierra Vista and do the "how much are we going to fix and what will it cost" thing. All this was done on the cell phone from Mexico. Finally got that done when we returned to Sierra Vista where I found out that we had gotten a new adjustor. Felt like I was on a merry-go-round. Got the approval for the repairs, was hoping for a total... Oh well. Got the estimate for repair time, "this is going to take a while". This was July, I got the truck back in September.
Back on the road bound for Nogales and the border crossing. That was fun. Got in the wrong lane, should have taken the 'bus' lane. Where were the signs??? Finally got through and entered Nogales, Mexico and found that I had made a very big mistake. There were cars everywhere and no descernable traffic lanes, cars were going helter skelter this way and that. To top it off the road was under construction. An hour or so later we got to the southern edge of Nogales and onto the highway. Will not do that again. Headed south on highway 19 toward Hermosillo, 170 miles away. The roads are not bad but there are sections that will jar your teeth and loosen joints. The good thing? Diesel fuel is only $2.20 a gallon, we had been paying up to $5 a gallon. The people are very friendly and helpful.
Arrived in Hermosillo about 3:00pm and checked in. There is a real difference between Nogales and Hermosillo. No tourists for one. Slower pace of life. And not dirty. Went to Walmart. Got learned in enough Spanish to be able to get around and know what I'm buying at Walmart. The parking lot at Walmart was a lesson in pragmatism, each line of parking spaces was covered. Now how neat is that???
Eleven days later we leave and head for home. Back up the highway toward Nogales. Got stopped at a Mexican Army checkpoint, Pat and Daughter thought the two cute soldiers that inspected the motorhome were "hotties". Good grief. They were impressed with the rig and looked in every cupboard and closet and any door that opened. Back on the road. Got to the border. This part was no fun at all. Big mistake going through a border crossing that was this busy. It took us three and a half hours to get through. First the inspected the inside, we had to get out and stand at the side of the building, then they did the mirror thing underneath, then they brought in the dogs, then they sent us to get X-Rayed (which took two trips around the compound mingling with the big trucks), then to agriculture inspection where they went through every opening again. All they found was one grilled pork steak in the freezer, I was surprised the dog didn't find it. Finally got cleared to continue our trip. Stopped at the KFC in Nogales, AZ and had supper. Hmmm hmmmm good. North bound to Tuscon and Davis-Monthan AFB. http://www.militarycampgrounds.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=38
Definitely not a good day. Got to the campground and registered then over to the spot. While pulling in, a very tight spot by the way, I managed to rip out the water spigot and ding the water heater exhaust pipe. The campground now had a water feature fountain. Go back to the office and call the emergency phone number. While talking to the campground manager, whose wife had passed away that morning, the camp host shows up. I offer my condolences to the manager and hang up to deal with the host. Get out the insurance papers, registration, and ID card. Do a lot of paperwork and finally get settled in to a different spot. Next morning I take Pat and Daughter to the Tuscon airport, they had had enough and decided to fly home. At the airport I had a conversation with the rent a cop who told me I couldn't park where I did. Now anyone that has ever been to an airport knows that a 40' long, 8.5' wide 13' high motorhome can't be parked just anywhere. I parked in the "deliveries" spot. This rent a cop didn't think this was a good idea since the spot was marked for "deliveries". Duh! I pointed out to him that I was making a delivery, my wife and daughter. He was not impressed. I told him to call the cops and disengaged. The airline folks had by this brought the wheelchairs and were wheeling to two of them into the terminal. Granddaughter and I boarded the motorhome and left. Never did see any cops. Sierra Vista here we come. Spent four hours at the Chevy dealer and was informed that the adjuster had arrived and done his thing. Talked to the adjuster and was informed that the truck would be repaired. Ok. Back on the road. Next stop, White Sands Missile Range campground. Not shabby for an overnight stay. 
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