Photo Gallery - 2005 Mexican Fiesta
Baja Mini Rally at El Dorado Ranch, San Felipe
March 18-24, 2005

A MEXICAN FIESTA !

Calexico's Wal-Mart parking lot was buzzing early on March 18th as our assortment of Bigfooters came together. Big Al Enger towed his trailer from Colorado and we all had the opportunity to see his face before it became permanently covered by his video camera. Barry and Sue Ambrose drove their 24-footer down from England. (Well, actually, their Bigfoot waits for them in North America.) On the way, they camped at Joshua Tree National Park and came upon Dolores Westfall, who was driving her 30-foot from Northern California through all the desert parks. Introducing themselves, they discovered they were headed for the same rendezvous!

Del and Sue Chase Bigfooted from Arizona, being guided by Moqui, their really friendly German Shepherd who enjoys the space provided by their slideout. Ric and Linda Allen drove the shortest distance, coming from the San Diego area with daughter Jenny, who was celebrating Spring break. By the time we left the parking lot, we were already good friends.

Ric led the caravan to El Dorado Ranch (north of San Felipe), communicating with the rest of us by CB, radio and a collection of portable hand units. He kept himself busy and confused by saying everything multiple times, occasionally forgetting which gadget he was speaking into.

Once there, we quickly settled into a week's worth of activities. Between poolside breakfasts at La Polapa Restaurant and dinners at Juanito's Cantina, we played tennis, drank margaritas, practiced yoga, drank margaritas, danced at Juanito's, and drank margaritas. We viewed notorious Big Al videos, toured local building projects, rented quads and drove the countryside, took an off-road tour to a turquoise mine, and visited the town of San Felipe. Jenny flew her first kite, Dolores took her first ultralight "trike flite," Moqui ate a Frisbee, the Chases put on a luscious seafood feed, and Big Al photographed everything.

The absolutely silliest laugh session came during a tequila/mescal tasting when Barry, Sue Chase, Del and Al came to no conclusion on the tequilas, failed the mescal, and decided that the worm was too pickled to care. Moqui left in disgust and Dolores was laughing too hard to participate. The longest walk was taken when some of us decided to dip our toes into the Gulf waters during low tide. We must have walked a half mile to get to the water and learned firsthand about the huge horizontal tides there!

We took two different routes back to California. Three rigs drove back up Baja's Highway 5 through the desert to Calexico, and two rigs took a route over wildflowered hills on Highway 3 to the Pacific Ocean, joining Highway 1 and entering the U.S. through Tijuana. The Ambroses, Allens and Dolores soothed their separation anxiety by camping one more night together at Sweetwater Regional Park in Bonita before going their separate ways.

We had a fun adventure with good folks, and we all hope to meet again in Oregon!

Roving BOCI Reporter

(click on small photo for larger view)

BOCI CARAVAN ENROUTE TO SAN FELIPE	JUST ONE MORE TECATE	NEW CONDOS AT EL DORADO RANCH

MOQUI CHASE ON BEACH PATROL	THE BEACH AT SAN FELIPE	A LITTLE MARIACHI MUSIC AT LUNCH

LUNCH IN SAN FELIPE VILLAGE	BEACH ART	THE FLEET

A COOL FLIGHT OFF THE BEACH	DESERT IN BLOOM	NEAR THE TOURQUOISE MINE

Delores Westfall flying high over Baja