ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Every once in a while life in Mexico is not the easy time we plan. Our last trip back to Magic Carpet is a perfect example that shit happens even in paradise. Our recent road run south greeted us with blinding rains, flash flooding and detours. With two hours left in our twenty four truck passage we noticed our fuel gauge was traveling fast towards empty, despite the fact we had just refueled. The Captain pulled into a Pemex station and checked under the truck & saw a consent drip of diesel fuel; we soon knew we needed a tow truck. After arranging with a local to send one our way for$ 6,000 pesos! They then decided money had to be transferred to their bank account first! The Admiral assured them we would gladly pay this amount but, not in advance and would pay in cash Mexican pesos, no bank transfers. We were than threaten that if we didn't pay in advance with a bank transfer, that we be stuck all night in the dark cold rainy fuel station. We assured the locals that we felt it was a good place, our truck was warm comfortable and we were in a safe place. There was an OXXO (like 7/11) clean Bano's, hot coffee & 24 hour lights. The mountain behind the station hosted the local shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we felt protected. On a coffee run a double semi Bimbo Bread trucker asked what was going on. He right away arranged for the local truckers tow service to deliver us to Marina San Carlos. Two and one half hours later we arrived for ¼ the cost, safe & sound, just stressed out to board our little floating heaven.
Right away fellow cruiser's jumped to our aid and lent us "little red" a Mexican run about! The Ford dealer in the next town assured us they could repair our leak, 10 days later they found the problem. Our home mechanic informed us it was a 2 hour job and a $100.00 part needed. Our Mexican Ford Certified mechanic removed more than needed, some with a crow bar and gave the Captain a list of what was needed to repair our beloved truck. Mexican Ford parts & U.S. Ford parts have different numbers & are not interchangeable. Our home mechanic got us the U.S. part numbers; we ordered them and arranged for them to be shipped to the Green Valley. Arizona Ford Dealer. As soon as our parts were ready we rented a little Mexican Flintstone type car and made a dash for the boarder what should have been a six hour drive turned into a 8 ½ hour trip because of boarder hold ups. This delay necessitated a Hotel stay right next to the Ford Dealer, early the next morning $1,.000.00 U.S. dollars latter we headed south.
After delivering the part to the Mexican Ford Dealer were in Limbo still waiting to see if they can really fix our truck. Meanwhile "Little Red" our local Mexican special had a flat! We found that we had a good spare, but not all the tools to change it! The Captains hair is whiter, the Admiral been hitting the vitamin B bottle & little Z was found in the driver seat during the long tow. We wonder if she thought that finely she was driving all by herself.
Our South of the boarder Ford mechanic has told us to come by late next week! So we wait "Limbo in Paradise"
How they almost created "Heart Attacks" We popped in on the Ford mechanic early in the week to find our truck had disappeared! We both will always remember the looks on our faces. She was missing our imaginations went wild! Soon the cute little senorita service manager approaches us all smiles; it was like she could read our minds! We were assured our truck was fine running perfectly just out being detailed for us, after a 24 day stay. Suddenly we were all smiles; than the boom came down we were led into cashier's office and presented the Bill. Fifteen hours labor, $6,500.00 peso's at 18 to 20 to 1 U.S. dollar that's about $350.00, now it's time to examine our feelings! Was this an Adventure or ordeal?
Were still thinking on this one, it was not fun that's for sure! And we don't want to ever go through this again - but we guess all is well that ends well! Our Ford F250, 4x4 pick up is running great (so far) After 24 days wait we have Findlay be able to unload the camper shell with all the new parts needed for this year's cruising season. The Captain busy installing all our new upgrades including new life lines, Balmar Voltage monitor, replacing halyards, installing new solar panel brackets, which he designed & manufactured himself. And to many surprise repairs that keep popping up! Were happy to have our life's back in order, and dream of once again cutting the dock lines.