Left the cold and snow at home.

Enjoyed dinner with family before driving to visit Don and Gayle in Owatonna and spend the night in Windom and Dean Sue’s.

Windom, MN - spent the night at Dean and Sue’s. \240Enjoyed dinner with them, Kevin and Denise, and Chris and Scott.

Deadwood, SD Spent the night at the Historic Hotel. \240A nice room for $20 a night, recommended by a couple at a restaurant outside of Deadwood. \240We visited the historic saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was shot. \240I was there as a little girl with my family and remembered it! \240

We had a fun visit at a wine bar on the Main Street with the bartender and a patron from Grand Rapids, MN. \240They both signed my t-shirt.

Bozeman, MT - Lynn and Kathy’s (friends that we made in Routan, Honduras several years ago).

We spent 2 nights here. \240It was chilly but sunny. \240We enjoyed a drive to Yellowstone Nat’l Park and Cooke City. \240Beautiful drive!

After leaving Bozeman, with icy roads, headed west. \240Fortunately, we drove out of the ice after an hour. \240We spent the night in Ceur d’alene, ID. \240What a beautiful city.

My sister’s home, finally - Mt. Vernon, WA

We spent 3 nights which were so much fun. \240Loved seeing their new home, Alicia, Zoee and Lewis and my 4 great nephews.

Unfortunately, the weather rained the whole time and was cold.

Tigard, OR - Jack and Sandi’s

Spent 2 nights with Jack and Sandi. \240Such wonderful hosts. \240Went to Multnomah Falls and had lunch. \240Unfortunately, very cold and WINDY.

Newport, OR - Stayed here our first night driving down the Oregon Coast. \240It was absolutely stunning and we had unusually warm and sunny weather.

Cape Perpetua Area

Winchester Bay

Working our way down the coast. \240Nature’s Beauty at it’s best. \240The Redwoods are amazing! \240I feel so small and insignificant when I look up at these trees. \240It’s so peaceful and serene.

We arrived at Pat and Ray’s on the 12th and spent the night. \240Their place is beautiful! \240It was fun to catch up and meet Dory, their new puppy. \240We went to a winery which was a first for me.

The afternoon of the 13th we went to Bob’s cousin, Shirley and Don. \240Had a nice visit with them and spent the night before driving south to Yosemite National Park.

We are enjoying the weather - in the high 60’s, low 70’s.

Yosemite National Park was one of the highlights of our road trip - at least for me. \240The park is in a narrow valley with cliffs and waterfalls on each side.

We stayed at the Yosemite Valley Lodge 2 nights. \240We had planned to stay just one night but as our room was so nice and the park had much to see and do, we extended it to 2 nights. \240It was definitely cool at night - in the 20’s I think. \240I bought a sweatshirt as a souvenir and to keep warm.

They have a bus system that runs a circle through the park which made it easy to hop on and off wherever we wanted to go. \240We hiked up the Vernal Falls Trail our second day. \240It was cool starting out but coming back it had warmed up and we were shedding our jackets. \240The views were stunning. \240There were others hiking but it wasn’t terrible busy which was nice. \240Part of the trail was blacktop paved. \240Once we got to the more rugged part with stone steps leading up to the top of the falls it was more of a challenge. \240Especially for me with my fear of heights. \240I sat and waited while Bob hiked up further.

It a lovely visit with nature. \240I hated to leave the next day.

Stopped briefly at Joshua Tree National Park which has totally different landscape and vegetation than what we’ve seen. \240Huge boulders with cactus spread around.

After leaving Joshua Tree National Park, we drove to Palm Springs, CA. \240Bob and I had never been here before and planned to visit my good friend and prior co-worker from AXIS Insurance, Tracey Crowley. \240We found a hotel close to where he lives and he picked us up for dinner. \240It was nice to catch up with Tracey. \240He lives in Palm Springs 6 months of the year and the remaining in Woodbury, MN. \240He is such a fun person to talk with.

Palm Spring is a pretty city nestled at the bottom of hills. \240The weather was nice, warm and sunny.

Drove to Nagales, AZ and spent the night before crossing the border and driving to San Carlos.

Crossed the border with no problems EXCEPT for missing the K21 stop where we purchase our tourist card. \240After driving for 30 minutes, decided we better turn around and go back. \240That made for an additional delay as more people were waiting in line.

After about spending an hour in line, finally headed south. \240There was road construction most of the way which made for crazy driving, avoiding the daring drivers who passed slower moving vehicles when they shouldn’t have.

We arrived in San Carlos the middle of the afternoon and were VERY glad to be there. \240We had rented a condo for a week at Marina Terra Condo’s, #116, which was the same one we stayed in 2 years ago. \240It was wonderful seeing Lynn, Sally, and Fern again and meeting new arrivals.

The weather was in the 70’s, sunny and perfect. \240What a difference it made going back a second time, knowing our way around and having friends close.

Settled in and enjoying going back to our favorite bars:

Hammerheads, Captain ????, Sogge Peso

Christmas Eve. \240We were invited to join Fern and several others on a boat they rented for the boat parade (?). \24013 boat and all decorated for Christmas. \240They cruised along the shoreline where people were lined up on the beach cheering us in. \240It was an amazing experience although chilly.

Christmas Day. \240A potluck was arranged by our friends. \240The food was arranged through the Marina Terra Hotel. \240Unfortunately, I had been sick all night and unable to go. \240What a disappointment to be sick inside on a beautiful Christmas Day, watching Bob and friends enjoy their meal under the community palapa.

New Years Eve

A fun evening starting with snacks, beverages and games at Lynn and Sally’s. \240Followed up with a visit to Hammerheads to listen to the music and ring in the new year.

Road trip to Copper Canyon.

10 of us, in 2 cars, left San Carlos and spent the first night in Alamos. \240It was a great trip but not so fun ride there and back. \240Fern, our friend, drove in her RAV4 with us and Dave and Sue, an older couple with health and physical challenges. \240Fern, being an aggressive driver, made the trip a scary ride. \240I was sure we were going to die during one of her attempts at passing another car. \240Her inattention to traffic and topas (speed bumps) kept all of us on alert to warn her ahead of time.

We arrived in Alamos late afternoon at “Sallys B&B”, a wonderful place to spend the night. \240The start of the Alamos Music Festival had started and several us walked down to the plaza to hear a great band. \240It was fun to see families out with their children enjoying the music.

The next morning we left for El Fuerte.

Alamos - a wonderful place to go back to some day. \240We had a lovely breakfast outside on the terrace at Sally’s B&B. \240We enjoyed a tour of 3 older colonial houses that people had renovated and turned into beautiful homes. \240

We took a 6 hours train ride to Copper Canyon. \240

We stayed at a charming colonial resort that used to be a home. \240Our rooms were very unique.

Visitors from Minnesota! \240Dave & Donna LeClair

Walk for the Cure - starting point at La Palapa Griego. \240It was a great fundraiser and fun day.

Carne Asada Anual

The local school had the annual fiesta with the children dressed up in traditional dancing attire and performing for those attending. \240The local women provided a delicious Spanish meal of tacos, beans, salad. \240

The children were delightful!

Semana Santa (Easter Week)

This is a festive holiday week for the Mexican’s. \240The children have a 2 week school break and many of the parents are off work for part of the week. \240They flock to the beaches in San Carlos to celebrate.

From Wed. to Sun. San Carlos traffic is SLOW moving from about 4:00 in the afternoon until the early morning. \240Grocery stores will not sell alcohol in glass bottles, they often times run out of food, ice and alcoholic beverages. \240The beaches are crowded where locals have sent up tents, grills, games. \240Some restaurants close for the week end to allow employees to celebrate with families or to avoid the party goers.

We stock up on water, beverages and food and stick close to home in the evening. \240There tends to be some late night and loud parties at condos rented out in our Marina Terra community. \240The bars closest to us and Marina Terra Hotel have bands which play most of the day - and night.

In the evening several of us walked the Main Street towards the center of town to people watch. \240Traffic was stop and go with locals parking their cars anywhere along the side of the road, their trunks open, radios blaring, coolers full and lawn chairs set up. \240Heavy police presence made us feel very safe.

It’s quite impressive how in the morning all the trash is picked up and the streets are cleaned. \240We were told drunken locals who are arrested are the lucky ones chosen to pick up the trash.

It’s definitely something to experience.

Snorkeling.

Friends from disc golf invited us along on a snorkeling trip. \240It was a warm day but very, very windy. \240We questioned whether the boat would go out but it did. \240

We stopped at a protected bay where we swam and looked for fish. \240Saw beautiful fish!

The downside to this trip was fighting the wind and waves on the way back to the marina. \240I will admit I was frightened. \240

The delightful side was the pods of dolphins that were racing towards the shore and our boat, jumping the waves. \240There were hundreds of them. \240Definitely one of the most awesome experiences.

Wonderful friends in San Carlos!