Author: janamccandlessyahoocom

Not us, our batteries! Don has been talking about how our bike batteries are getting a tad bit tired and how nice it would be to get new ones and use our current ones as back up. We have talked and talked this trip about how that would extend our bike camping trips and gravel riding.

On our drive to Huntington Beach we once again were talking about new batteries. It then occurred to me that Fth power, where our batteries are made, is in Walnut California, 20 miles from our rv resort.

We drive right past Disney Land to pick up the batteries. It was hard, but I survived

We each have new ones. We met the owner and told him how we much we enjoyed our bikes. So fun. It saved us $140.00 in shipping.

Leaving and headed to Sacramento to visit families.

22 USA states and 2 Mexico states

Huntington Beach. Don and I came here for his birthday in 2017. We were staying in Anahiem to run the Disney half marathon. We both like this beach town for the food, beer, and great bike riding. Miles of trails! We rode 30 miles the first day and it was all trail that runs along the beach.

On Wednesday we rode the Back Bay Trail. A very nice loop around the bay. Really beautiful area. If you click on the pictures in this blog they are bigger and show more detail.

This is one of our favorite spots in town. No window. The weather is so nice you can sit and sip on a Guiness on tap and watch the world. By the way, this is November 30th!

We were staying in an rv place a block off the beach and were able to ride our bikes everywhere we wanted to go.

Shibo rode for over 50 miles in Huntington beach. She sees the bikes and us getting ready to go and just climbs in here chariot.

We went to Tubac, a very small old town in Arizona. There we went to the Tubac Presidio Historic Park. It is a central site in the history of the Native American, Spanish, and American Southwest. It is the oldest settlement in the Arizona region of New Spain, settlement vs mission.

Dad! Tubac had the first printing press and newspaper for Arizona! Made me think of you.

Thus is the house of Louisa Rojas. Her grandfather built the house in the early 1800s. She was the caretaker of the school. She was born in 1883 died in 1982.

We then went to San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tuscan.

This is called the White Dove of the Dessert.

It was built to serve the San Xavier District on the Tohono O’odham reservation and still does to this day. The school goes from k to 8th grade. Founded in 1700 and completed in 1797.

We stayed out here in the nicest rv park called Rio Bend. Golf course, pool, full bar and restaurant, pool bar, pickle ball, tennis and a stocked lake. I really could have just stayed there and never come home. 75 and full sun every day. The sun was very intense so it felt warmer.

I wish I had taken some pictures. Oh well.

From here we went into Mexicali crossing into Mexico at Calexico. Glad we went because the contrast to Juarez is amazing. Nice shopping malls, restaraunts and yes, a big China town

When the railroad was completed back in the 1860s, the Chinese moved to mexico because of how poorly they were treated in the states. So, yep, we went to China town in mexico. Don wanted to eat at one of the Chinese restaurants but I figured we were really pushing our luck after eating all the stuff we did in Juarez and not get Montezumas Revenge.

We are off to Huntington Beach!

When Don, Jef, Collin and I were in New Mexico a couple years ago we fell in love with the hatch Chilli. I was stoked to learn that in Las Cruses we were only 30 miles away from the Chilli capital known as hatch. As the historical marker states, the Chilli was named after a commander.

A hatch Chilli can grow up to 12 inches long, with a plant that only grows two feet tall. These extra long chillies are called Big Jim. We have bought some big jim Chilli seeds and Jane and I are going to grow some. They make the best Chilli Rellenos. We know. Because we ate at the Pepper Pot in Hatch and sat at the table where Anthony Boudine, famouse chef known for his food travel show, sat and ate. Needless to say. He was a fan.

Chili fields, pinto beans, pecans as far as the eye can see

From Las Cruses we drove to El Paso to meet our guide Rich who took us across the boarder to tour the town.

Juarez is a tough city that has been devastated by the warring drug cartels. Blocks of empty buildings that have a look of post apocalypse. Rich walked was through the areas and showed us puctures of what the area looked like in better days.

He then took us to the better part of town and took us through the Tin Tan museum. He is a famouse comedian and actor

We then went to the Museum of Revolution in the Borderland. We spent a good amount of time there and he did a great job explaining it all to us. Pancho Villa and many others were discussed.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe which is attached to the old and still preserved Franciscan mission built in the 17th century

November 20 is Revolution Day in Mexico. It is celebrated annually marking the start of what became the Mexican Revolution which is what we learned about at the museum. We timed our visit well, there were all kinds if festivities occurring. Food, and music, and people out having a good time. We had burritos and beer.

Our tour guide, Richard, and Don both tried it. Me, no way. Gross.

When prohibition hit, distillers moved to Juarez and a trolley took people into Mexico from El Paso to embibe in the fruits of their labor. In here we had margaritas and tried Satol it was good.

This plaque roughly translated… a really juarezian knows that the Kentucky is not a place where they sell chicken. Are you a real juarezian?

This is where the margarita drink was born.

This is a nice little very old town that is part of Las Cruces. So much history here. Many battles, outlaws and you name it. The US and Mexico both claimed it because of a map error so for a while it was called no man’s land. Some moved because they did not want to live in Mexico and some because they didn’t want to live in the US. It was resolved with the Gadsden Purchase. Two battles were fought here during the Civil War.

During the wild west era, Mesilla attracted such figures as Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and Pancho Villa.

After all the learning and stuff we were looking forward to our Texas BBQ. After researching we had chosen 225 Urban Smoke. We tried to go the night before but they were closed. While we sat in the truck deciding where else to go, we watched a stream of people arrive, see the closed sign, and walk away with a very disappointed look. We knew that would be the place to go. Yes, it was open!!!

I introduced us as being from Oregon and being over the top excited about experiencing real Texas BBQ. We talked a while telling them how we enjoyed the river walk downtown and seeing the missions. I was having a difficult time deciding what to order, so many tough choices. Well, we made our choices and sat down. Then the food came, and kept comming. Turns out they were they ownerss and wanted us Oregonians to get the whole experience. They gave us everything on the menue.

Catfish

Pork

Ribs

Brisket

Chicken Wings

Chicken

Potatoe salad

Corn on the cob

Dirty rice

Red beans and rice

Fried onion rings and jalapeños

Home made pickles and onions

Mac and cheese

We ate more than we should have and still had enough left for another dinner. It was all delicious 😋 What nice people.

San Antonio has a nice bike path that takes you along the river to 5 missions.

Espada Mission

San Juan Mission

San Jose Mission

Mission Concepcion

The Alamo.. Mission San Antonio de Valero

Reading the history of these missions stirred a lot of emotions, anger and sadness mostly.

River Walk

The river walk is a nice stroll along a beautifuly manicured garden that runs a mile through downtown San Antonio. You walk along the rivers edge that is below the level of the city. You can’t hear any of the city sounds. Plenty of restaurants and pubs along the way.

We just got to town early enough to walk the river and decide where to eat bbq food tommorow. Looks like 225 Urban Smoke is it!