Moving to Mexico, Day One and Two

Friday morning June 2 around 7a CDT.  We have finished packing the trailer and the truck, we have walked the dogs and we are getting ready to start the adventure to Mexico as well as for Matt who is going to purchase a new home back in Minneapolis.




So around 7:30 we crank up the truck and start the journey which today will take us down to Minneapolis.  This is the shortest part of our journey as it will only take us 5 hours or so and the remainder of the trip will be averaging between 11 and 12 hours a day driving.  One of the reasons that we took the short trip on the first day is to make sure that the trailer is packed properly and that we don’t have any movement or other problems with the stuff we have packed in the trailer.

We arrive in Minneapolis around 1p and Matt’s closing is not until 2, but it is very hot and humid in Minneapolis.  We do find a good parking spot in a fairly shaded area so the dogs and Keesha will be protected and we go in to Don Pablo’s for our last Mexican meal in Minnesota.  Well it was bland and not at all authentic, but it fills the hunger and Matt is off to his closing.

My sister, Julie, and her youngest daughter, Alexa, also come over to say good bye to me.  It was a very nice visit and I am glad to be able to say good bye as who knows when I will be coming back to Minneapolis in the future.

After Matt completes his purchase we go over to his new home, it is a wonderful house in a extremely nice neighborhood that is close to shops, the lakes and the theaters. 



That evening Matt’s brother throws a welcome back to Minneapolis party for Matt and we all sit on the steps outside the house drinking wine and eating BBQ as there is no furniture in the house and it is still so damn hot.

Early the next morning we load up the truck and start the second day of the adventure.  So far we have gone around 250 miles and today our goal is to progress from Minneapolis to Wichita Kansas, which is around 500 miles or so.

After bidding farewell to Minneapolis, we are tooling down I35 with Matt driving the first leg, actually I did not want to try to navigate the city streets of Minneapolis and I had not had my morning cup of coffee, so Matt was the pilot.



Driving down I35 we see the rolling hills of Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, everything is very green, but the temperatures are still very hot, so we do not stay anywhere long as we do not want to leave the dogs and Keesha a lone in the truck.







We do stop in northern Iowa and while I am checking on the truck and the trailer, oh and of course giving Keesha some food, Matt is out trying to walk the dogs.  As I see him walking back to me, I have to ask “who is walking whom?”



We do pass by Des Moines where I went to college and I am amazed at how the city has grown.  Like all of the medium and large towns in the US, it seems that they have all expanded significantly over the past 25 years.  I am also reminded of our friends the Fifos who live near us in Ely, but use to live in Des Moines.  It is Frank who build the trailer and the doggy sleeping car for us, and I wanted to say thank you to him and Retta for their friendship and help.



So around 6p we pull into the Holiday Inn Express in Wichita.  It is hot and humid (have I already said that several times?) so we check in to the hotel and then take the dogs for a walk.  While we are going to a local convenience store we see some of Wichita’s finish busting some people.  I am not sure what was the cause of the confrontation but clearly something is wrong as there are two police cars and a third showed up shortly thereafter.  Well I am glad that is not me as it sure would ruin your Saturday evening.



As you can see the trip has been fairly uneventful so far (thankfully) and we are on schedule and have not had any problems.  Please continue to read on for the trip update for day three and four.  Also if you want to skip ahead and look at the remaining photos, please go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanmiguelphotos/sets/72157594161715579/

One Last Paddle in the Boundary Waters

It is Memorial Day in Ely and it is hot and humid.  Just a week ago it was 30 in the morning and today the highs are suppose to get up into the low 90s or high 80s.  We are hot and getting tired of packing for our trip to San Miguel so we decide to take a break and do one last paddle into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.  It took Jo Ann probably two or three nanoseconds to agree that we needed to get out and away from the chores of packing.

So we loaded up the ATV with the kayaks to head down to our landing at Farm Lake which is one of the entrances to the BWCA.

As we head out to cross Farm Lake the winds are strong and in crossing against us.  It is exhausting but we do get across relatively quickly but we do need to take a break from the paddling.

Where we stop is one of the many cabins on the edge of the BWCA that have no power and are accessible solely by boat.  These places are truly wilderness cabins compared to our “log cabin”.

We enter the BWCA through the Kawishiwi River which is a beautiful place to paddle a kayak or a canoe.  The river never flows too strong and the trees along the river keep the winds down.

While we are slowing down for another rest I pull out the camera again and shoot this image of the paddle and the water with Jo Ann’s reflection in the background.  It is so serene and peaceful in the BWCA.

We finally turn around at one of the portages along the river as we are having Jo Ann’s parents over for Memorial Day’s dinner.  As we are leaving the BWCA I have so stop and say good bye.  This is one of the world’s truly beautiful places and such an enjoyable place.  It is one of the many great things that Ely has to offer and I will greatly miss it.

So as we are leaving the BWCA we come to a place that will always have a special spot for me.  Two summers ago we had our niece Alexa up for a visit.  We took her out for a paddle and a picnic.  It was a beautiful day when we left, however as can happen up here the weather changed and the winds picked up.  Well as Alexa and I were trying to paddle our canoe we just could not make any progress and in fact many times were flowing backwards until we pushed ourselves ashore.  Jo Ann was able to navigate her kayak back to our landing and was able to get our great neighbor Frank who is a regular at rescuing wayward paddlers who are leaving the BWCA and trying to cross Farm Lake.

Well while we were waiting for Frank to come with his power boat, Alexa (who is a drama queen of the grand cru) kept telling me that we were going to die.  Well of course we did not die or get eaten by a wolf or a bear, but were rescued like many others.

So as we left the BWCA I had to shot a picture of the location were Alexa and I were waiting for certain death.  I was sad to see that the lot is now for sale, maybe Alexa will want to come up and buy it, not.

So I say good bye to the BWCA.  It is beautiful and if you want to really see what nature is like without man’s intervention, please come up and paddle in God’s country.

Less than One Week Until the Next Really Big Adventure

So it is less than one week before I start the migration from Northern Minnesota to the Colonial Highlands of Mexico.  Jo Ann and I have spent the past week getting our truck and the trailer ready to go and have just started packing.  Wow, I can’t believe how much stuff we want to take or looking at it from a different perspective, how little space you have with a Ford truck and a small trailer.

We have tried to get everything broken down into groups based on priorities as to what is needed at our ranch and what will be hard to obtain down in San Miguel.  However, as we lay all of the stuff in the garage, I almost break down in tears as to what will fit and what I still want to bring.  Oh well, it is only possessions and you have to start to ask yourself, “is it really needed or can we get by without it”.

So the plan is to finish the packing by Wednesday this next week.  On Thursday we will take the dogs for one last hike of Bass Lake and then early Friday, Matt and I will be off from Ely to Minneapolis.  Although this is an exciting day for me, as I start my migration to my newly adopted country, it is also an important date for Matt as he is closing on his purchase of a new house back in Minneapolis.  It seems that we are all leaving Ely this year, all for different reasons, but the two of us are commencing on new journeys on the same day.

Then early Saturday morning Matt and I will start the journal from Minneapolis to Wichita and on Sunday we will continue down to San Antonio.  Assuming that we are on schedule that has us crossing the border in Laredo on Monday morning and if all goes well (which of course it will not) we will be in Rancho La Luz by Monday evening.

The scope and magnitude of this upcoming move is starting to hit me as I start to comprehend what a major change in our lives this move will be.  Although the move to Northern Minnesota was traumatic it was still to a location in the US and we did not have any language issues (ok yes they do speak funny up here but it is still an English dialect).  Now we are off to a different country where we will be the foreigners, where our grasp of the language is basic at best and our understanding of the culture is only evolving.  However that is part of what is attracting us to this latest chapter of our adventure that is called life.

So check back in over the next several months to get some updates on how we are progressing with our move to Mexico and how we are adapting to our new adopted country.

Spring in Ely

Memorial Day weekend in Ely and we are preparing for our move to San Miguel de Allende Mexico.  The weather is beautiful, the lakes are fully of boaters and fishermen, and the gardens are in full bloom.

In order to save some of my sanity, I went out and shot some exposures of some of the beautiful flowers that are in bloom.  Although the season can be short here in the Northland, the spring flowers make you feel so happy, especially after the long cold winter.

 Enjoy some of our gardens and the color that is in full bloom.

Halfway Through the Renovation

For the past two weeks we have been at our ranch in San Miguel working with our contractor on the renovation of the house on the property. The weather has been wonderful, with most days in the high 80s to low 90s, and then nice cool evenings. We have even had some late afternoon thunderstorms which should help to address last year’s drought conditions.

Jo Ann and I have significant experience in working on renovations of older homes, but we have never done one outside of the US let alone working in a language other than English.

Well I have to say this has been one of the most enjoyable renovations that we have ever worked on. The crews are most professional and the quality of the workmanship has been great.

One of the first projects we needed to do was to fill in an old unused swimming pool. What we are doing is to turn the major part of it into a large cistern holding tank and the remainder into a root cellar (which will also be used as a wine cellar).



Then we wanted to completely redo the kitchen in the house. Here you can see the state of kitchen after the crew demolished much of the old counters and removed the old appliances.



The work on the kitchen was going much faster than we expected, especially considering that we were having to use the kitchen during the renovation since we were living in the house as the work was proceeding. Here you can see the kitchen now with most of the new tiles installed and the new appliances.



We also wanted to completely remodel the master bathroom which included demolition of the entire existing bathroom, replace the counters, the sink and the toilets as well as changing which side of the shower the shower head was one. One of the amazing things about construction in Mexico is how patient they can be when having to move things like water lines through the brick and concrete that is used in almost all of the construction. Here you can see that all of the tiles were removed and the water line was moved from the left side of the shower to the right. For me that would have been a major effort but for the crew it was just another day on the job.



When you are working on renovation in Mexico, you need to learn that most of the work on the structure is done in brick and concrete, so when the crew needs to move an electrical outlet or a water line, they need to chink away at the concrete and move the line. Well after two weeks of this chinking, I can tell you it is the only irritating part of the process, it seems that someone on the crew is always chinking away and it settles into your brain like brain sludge.

One of the last parts of the project was to paint the interior and exterior. Here is am image of our new exterior color.



As the image below shows, you can see the old white color of the ranch, which was faded and in need of an update, compared to the new color of the ranch.



So at the half way point we are excited with how the house is proceeding and impressed by the work done by the crew. Now it is only the half way point and much can go wrong as we work to complete the project, but I have to say it has been the best renovation that we have ever worked on. If you are looking to buy a home in Mexico and need to have work done on the house, don't be afraid, it is easier than working with remodeling contractors in the US.

We are excited about completing the work as I am heading down to live full time in less than two weeks, so hopefully the crew will be done and I can settle in with the dogs awaiting Jo Ann's arrival.

Celebration at Puente del Carman

Wow was Saturday evening an interesting night. It was another beautiful day at our ranch in San Miguel and then in the late afternoon a magnificent thunderstorm blew through. Though out the day we could hear a festival that was happening at the small village about 5 kilometers from our house called Puente del Carman which had music and fireworks blasting all day. However, when the storm blew through the music ceased and all was quiet.

The storm was gone in a little under two hours and as soon as the rain stopped the music started again and of course the ever present fireworks erupted. When we went to bed around 11p the festival was still going full speed, which was not a surprise. However, I awoke at 4:30a and guess what, I could hear the music still blasting away, in fact I would say it was louder than ever. Then at 6a the fireworks commenced again, so the festival continued through out the evening. I have not been at a festival or party like that probably since I left college.

So on Sunday morning, we decided to walk down to Puente del Carman and see the festival first hand, since we had already experienced it the prior evening. It was so great to see all the people milling around and looking so happy to be with their families.



There were children everywhere always laughing and giggling, especially at these gringos walking around with their camera. However we were having a great time experiencing the festival with our new neighbors and watching all the children.

Then we came upon this Ferris wheel called “The Titanic” where these two boys were just howling and laughing. I just love the smile on the one boy who kept watching me as I shot this image.



We had such a great time just walking though the festival and seeing people who are happy to be with family, friends and to enjoy the sense of community. I hope that we can develop this same carefree sense of happiness as this community when we are with friends and family.

New Additions to the Rancho La Luz Family

It did not take long but we have now added four burros to the animal community known as Rancho La Luz. Those of you who knew us from our Gualala farming days, know that Jo Ann and I have a weak spot when it comes to taking care of pets and other animals. So when we heard of the opportunity to get these four burros from a great new friend who did not have the space to allow them to graze adequately, we jumped at the opportunity.

So without further ado, here are the new additions to the Rancho La Luz community.

So we have Fernanda,


Panchita and Primavera together,


Another of Panchita


But I seem to be missing one of Pascual so that will have to come later.

But we have one last image to share and this one asks the questions "who do you think is really walking whom?"

Happy Trails to One Man's Best Friend

Earlier this week, our best friend Matt's dog died. Obie was one of the cutest and most enjoyable dogs you could ever know.

We all are missing Obie, it was a very sad day on Monday earlier this week. Although Obie had lived a long life, most people still mistook him as being a puppy and not an adult dog. He had a look that just made people happy and a prance when he walked that said, I love life. However doggy Alzheimers disease over came such a wonderful dog and we all miss him.

To quote Matt "He was one of the finer things that happened in my life. He made me a better person, certainly a healthier one. Think of him kindly, he was my great pal. He deserved a better fate."

Good bye and thank you for being part of our lives.

Ely's Version of Starbuck's Coffee

Many people have never had the experience of enjoying Campfire Coffee and their view of sophisticated coffee is from Starbucks or Peets. Well when you go hiking in the woods, there are no coffee houses or barrister and you have to make do as best you can.

So on the recent hike and picnic we put water in an old coffee can and put it on the fire.


To get the best coffee you need to get the water boiling which requires a very hot fire.



Then when the water is boiling, you throw in the coffee and let is boil some more and hopefully the grounds settle to the bottom of the can. What you end up with is an enjoyable cup of coffee that really tastes good when the weather is cold and windy.

Tale of Two Springs - Part Two

So now it is the first week of April and we are back in Ely. For Ely the weather has gotten very warm for this time of year but as you can see, this is not the same spring that we had last week in San Miguel. On Wednesday we decided to have a hike and a picnic on the Bass Lake trail so we packed up the troops and headed off to the trail.

As we were walking the first thing we noticed is that the snow had melted significantly, and the creeks that had been frozen over just two weeks ago were starting to run. As the image below shows there still is ice but we now are having some run off.



Then as we came around a bend we saw the first of the new spring growth. This plant is something the locals call Princess Pine, but it really isn't a "pine" tree, but it sure looks like it.






The Bass Lake trail then runs down to High Lake and although the ice was still very thick on Bass Lake you can see that it is starting to recede on High Lake. It is always a happy time when the ice does finally drop as it really means that we have started the transition of the seasons.








As the trail continues around Bass Lake you come to Dry Lake Falls where the creek from Dry Lake runs into Bass Lake. During the summer this will be an area that will be very crowded with many of the tourists as it is usually very sunny and the children can sit in the creek and have the water running around them.

However at this time of year, the water is very cold, there are no tourists yet and we can enjoy the serenity of the seasons with out interruptions.

Tale of Two Springs, Part One

I can't believe it has been almost a month since we came back from San Miguel this last trip. I have had some out of town projects since we came back to the States and of course we are preparing for our next trip to San Miguel in May. However, I wanted to present a two part posting about the differences in the spring season between San Miguel and Northern Minnesota.

Here I have posted a couple of images from our walking around San Miguel, which highlight both the beautiful colors and varieties in the high desert, but also the beautiful blossoms of the cactus when it is in bloom.

The Jacaranda Trees were in full bloom and could be seen all around the city. I have never seen these trees before when they were in bloom and they are gorgeous.

There were also many flowers in bloom that I would have considered normal in either Northern or Southern California, but I guess the topology is similar and I understand that just about anything that can grow in California can grow here.


Here are a couple of other examples of what I was talking about.


















But of course when you are in the high desert, you can not experience spring without watching the cactus blossoms as the plants come out of their winter slumber. I really enjoy the cactus in bloom.


Now hopefully tomorrow I will be able to get some examples of spring in Northern Minnesota, which of course will be several weeks after we had the start of our spring time in San Miguel.

Rancho La Luz

Wow, what a long day, but we finally did it. We have purchased a ranch about 12 miles out of San Miguel de Allende on the highway that heads to Dolores Hidalgo. It is a beautiful property that has been previously been used for agricultural purposes and seems to have a very good water well that has been used for farming purposes.


The purchase/sale transaction had a number of complications, none of which individually would seem difficult, but when viewed all together they were. However, with the help of the Notario, the work of our brokers from Re/Max Colonial of San Miguel, the seller and his tenants we were able to over come them and close the transaction.

After the closing we went out to visit the property again and it was another beautiful day in the country. Once the sun set we headed back to our apartment in San Miguel and started to celebrate.

We have decided to make this our full time residence and will be moving down to the ranch in June. We still have to sell our home in Ely, and of course there is the entire process of moving our personal goods down, but we are so excited about starting to make Mexico our new adopted home.


We have previously owned and operated an organic farm and orchard in Northern California so we think we know what we are getting into, however, no matter what happens it will be another adventure.

Rocking the Jardin en Domingo

We arrived in San Miguel late Saturday evening and quickly unpacking from our long day of traveling we hurried off to have a wonderful dinner at Tio Lucas. As usual it was crowded even at the late hour but the music was wonderful and the service tremendous.

However, that evening around 2a we heard a marching band playing in the street outside our apartment, and then if that wasn't enough the group started to shoot fireworks off. This festival or celebration or what ever you want to call it, continued until around 6a so to say the least we did not get a very good sleep that evening. Oh well, such is the life in a small apartment that is very near el Centro. So after a couple of morning naps, Jo Ann and I started out to resupply the apartment.

Later that afternoon we headed out to walk around town as the sun was bright and shining and the weather beautiful as usual. After walking up to el Charco and then back to el Centro we came upon a small concert in process at the Jardin with many people dancing and enjoying the wonderful day.




Although the sound system was not the greatest, the weather was wonderful and it was so great to see all the families and tourists standing around and enjoying the concert and being together outside.

We really enjoyed watching the guitarist jamming some of these old Bay Area type sounds. The afternoon really reminded us of our lives in Muir Beach and going to the Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department picnic every Memorial Day weekend, such fun.

So while the group played, many people took to the streets that surround the jardin and started dancing. There was one couple which really caught our eye as they seemed so serene and at peace, even though there were all these others out there strutting their stuff.


Of course there was also others who were really enjoying the music and putting on more of a show than others.

With the sun shining and everyone having fun we enjoyed an ice cream cone and talked about how much we are looking forward to moving to this little place in paradise. We are so happy to have found this gem and can't wait to start this next chapter of our adventure called life.