Escape From the Northwest

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CAVU

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C Dory Year
2002
C Dory Model
22 Cruiser
Vessel Name
CAVU
We escaped the winter snows in Spokane on the 28th of December for a long RV trip to Mexico and Belize. It was a very narrow window of opportunity, with one blizzard after another. At any rate we are now in the tropical tip of Texas and have joined an RV caravan for a 65 day birding trip to Mexico and Belize. We have been getting spotty Wi-Fi on the drive down, but we are told to expect very little opportunity during the trip. I wonder how many thousands of posts I will have to review when we return? No more snow for me for a few months and with a little luck I should see a couple of hundred new birds.
 
good deal on the escape....I think I heard on the news this morning of a Polar bear attack in Spokane....post some pics
 
Hi Ken,

Sounds like a great trip. We've done a Mexico RV caravan in years past and enjoyed it a bunch. Since you'll be incommunicado for a while, we'll be looking forward to hearing about the trip when you get back. Besides the birds, tell us about the roads, the campgrounds, and the beaches in Belize... hope you have some time for water activities there!

Have fun and travel safe,
Jim B.
 
Ken,


On our way home from South Dakota, we came through Spokane New Years morning and based on what we saw and experienced that morning, I don't blame you for exiting the area. Wasn't a lot better than that when we got home, but at least all of our roofs were intact. Enjoy your trip!

Doug DeVore
Lil' Brother
 
I will post some commentary if I get a chance during the trip-pix will have to wait til I get back home.
 
From a couple of dedicated bird-watchers, have a great trip!! In the two years before we bought our C-Dory we decided to travel for the 24 months and try to find 500 species of No. American birds (excluding Mexico). What a joy that quest was - Sitka for winter pelagics at Christmas, Hudson Bay in June for the migrants, Dry Tortugas for the first spring migrants, Avery Island for later migrants ... just marvelous two years migrating with the migrants in our RV. Bird 500 was seen from Halcyon when she was new and just launching along the Texas coast.

We share the thrill of chasing those birds and wish you a great time!!
 
Ken, We will be looking forward to seeing some great shots on your return. Have always been interested in Belize. Anxious to hear how the drive goes. Sorry we will miss you at the SBS CBGT 09.

Travel Safe, and Enjoy.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
 
Ken - keep us all posted on your trip as you are able to!
 
Ken,
When you get a chance, Please tell us what organization this caravan is with. I would also be interesting to hear your thoughts about the camping along the East Coast of Mexico. We also are looking forward to the photos.
 
Thanks for all the kind thoughts. We are going with Adventure Caravans and the leader is a seasoned birder who has done this trip before and has also led a trip as far south as Costa Rica last year. He also does a long Alaska trip. From reading posts about his trip last year I am expecting a great trip. Pre-trip briefings indicate we will not have much beach opportunity, mostly concentrating on inland birds. We are at a large Rv park in Pharr, Tx now. The internet had not been working but they got it fixed today. We made a short trip to Bentsen Park yesterday and in just two hours I picked up eight new birds so I am really looking forward to the next two months. Later today we are all heading over to the Mexican border to do the paperwork for our tourist visa and vehicle importation. If that all goes smoothly we will cross over on Thursday.
Bill, do you and El have the same life list? 500 Northamerican birds without counting Mexico is quite an accomplishment!
 
I was trying to learn more about the caravan that CAVU is taking, and stumbled across this photo from a previous Adventure Caravan trip.

singayta_sign.jpg

The translation is:
"When all the trees are dead, the animals and fish destroyed, and the water cannot be drunk, perhaps then will we learn that we cannot eat money."
 
Yep, like most everything in life, we share - the lifelist, but before we could count a bird we both had to see it. A few times that made some additional excitement since, as you know so well, a sighting may be a fleeting moment.

The 500 we did in a rather relaxed fashion. Living in our camper, we would read about where to go and when for the birds we needed. Then work up a 'schedule' for our driving. The night before the 'search' we would study the books and DVD and listen to the calls we needed to hear. Then, usually at oh-dark-thirty we were out and looking. Great fun, and we traveled to places 'off the beaten path' and at times one (as a traveler) would not ordinarily be there. Great fun and met some fine people, birders and non-birders. Heartily recommend the quest to birders who are retired and have an RV or camper.

Your trip sounds great -- we look forward to your tales.
 
CAVU - please excuse my ignorance but are you taking the C-Dory ? We spent a month in central Mexico in '07 and had a fantastic time. I'd like to take a boat down there - "some day".
 
CAVU - please excuse my ignorance but are you taking the C-Dory ? We spent a month in central Mexico in '07 and had a fantastic time. I'd like to take a boat down there - "some day".
 
Toyman,
This is an RV trip, no boat this time. I have taken a boat to Baja before but it was many years ago before I had the C-Dory.
We are now in San Miguel de Allende at an RV park where we have a fair WiFi connection. We have meandered our way through Monterrey and south to San Miguel. We have traveled entirely inland through the highlands at elevations up to 6000 ft. The birding had been great and the group is a very friendly and helpful bunch. I am fairly new to birding but I am getting many tips and lots of help with identification. My "new" bird list is already at 36 and we haven't even got to the tropical stuff yet. I am typing this while watching the inauguration at the RV park office. It makes me proud to be American.
 
Certainly not to be an alarmist, but today's Everett Herald has an article about a gentleman who resides in my hometown of Arlington, Washington.

I'll try to briefly paraphrase the article:
"Edward Chrisman just wanted to take a day trip (he was spending the winter in Yuma, Arizona) across the Mexican border with his grandson. Now the 86 year old Arlington man and his 40 year old grandson are being held in a Mexican Federal Prison with no release in sight. Edward and his grandson traveled from Yuma to Algodones, Mexico for Gary to have dental work. The two of them stopped at a convenience store. Edward waited in the car while his grandson went in to buy a soda. While in the convenience store Gary asked a family if he culd pay them $25. to take their photos. He'd been taking photos of Mexican culture all day with a new camera. The mother granted permissin and took his money. He snapped headshots of her two daughters, 17 and 18, and left the store. The elder Chrisman never got out of the car. Local police arrested both men a few minutes later. Their money, passports and other belongings were taken. They were placed in a holding cell in Morelos. The charge: "intent for pornography"). The men later told their families that for two days they had nothing to eat and no place to use the bathroom. Currently both men are in a prison in Mexicali. They are being held in a concrete cell with 40 other prisoners. The room had one toilet and Edward was sleeping on a metal bed frame with no mattress. The family has already paid $3,000.00 to attorneys and others in the Mexican justice system. Sen. John McCain's office and the U.S. Consulate in Mexico have been contacted but no progress has been made to release them, even though six days after their arrest the family was told that by a judge that they had been found innocent".
 
We have meandered our way to an RV park near Cuernavaca, Mexico. Since my last post we have spent many hours in many natural areas looking for the high altitude species. We have birded up to 11,100 feet according to my GPS. One of the most interesting days was a trip to the Monarch butterfly wintering areas near Zitacuaro. Literally millions of butterflies crowded around a few trees-even the trunks covered so thick it looks like moss. Many interesting new species of birds that do not occur in the US. So far I have added over 60 new birds to my list.
The RV parks in the remote areas we are visiting are very rudimentary. Even those with "Full Hook-Ups" are sometimes a challenge-poor quality water, low voltage, high voltage, sewer hook-up's that may or may not work etc. But the birding and mountain scenery are spectacular. Air quality is a real problem. Even in the large cities it is common the see someone burning their trash right in the yard. It can be quite a shock to first time travelers.
On the subject of safety and security, we are traveling with experienced leaders who know the ropes and I have been very comfortable with the travel conditions so far. Still haven't spotted any C-Dories but I will keep a sharp lookout.
 
Ken, that sounds like the trip of a lifetime. No doubt you've come across gracious, stimulating denizens whom you'll long remember. And I can imagine the warm, smiling faces of children you've seen and met. We inhabit a small planet, with much in common.

I also get a thrill out of bird watching. Until age 15 I hunted them, and I guess I still do. Only now I don't kill them. These days, greater awareness allows for an appreciation of birds' link in the fabric of life. Their beauty, complexity, songs, grace and dignity are captivating. Birds are elegant ornaments on this sublime landscape.

I'll stay tuned, and keep the cat indoors.
:cat
 
Ken - so glad that the trip is still great for you - keep the posts coming. Catman, we enjoyed your description of 'birds.' Do your cats agree? Hmmm.
 
Brock,
Your comments are right on! The smiling laughing children we see every day are a constant reminder of how little it takes in the way of material things to be happy. We are traveling with a small group of like-minded couples, all about the same age, and we really are having the trip of a lifetime.
 
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