On our way to Lake Chapala we stopped in the town of Jocotopec to drop off a couple big bags of laundry. When I hopped back in the bus and tried to start it I got nothing but a click. Batteries checked out just fine, wiring all looked good, but still, click-click-click.
I tried to hotwire it with a big screwdriver across the terminals on the starter, but even that didn’t do the trick. Looking back I think I may have just not made a good connection. I sat there pretty sure that our starter motor had died. A couple minutes without any new ideas popping into my head, I turned the key one last time. Vroom. We were off again.
We drove straight to the campground, not wanting to strand ourselves someplace else. Roca Azul overlooks the lake but is set off from the main highway by two miles of cobblestone road through a gated community. The entire place looks to have seen some sort of crazy heyday back in the 70s—in Russia. We stayed here in the VW a few years back, and nothing has changed. That’s sort of a theme with our RV park stays so far—nothing ever changes. Things decay further, but improvements never seem to be made, and only very rarely does something new come along.
There wasn’t much to be done about the starter issue, so I shelved it for a few days until we reached Guadalajara. Assuming we reached Guadalajara.
A total of five of those big containers with raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries for a smidge over a buck each. We could have just parked the bus right there for a week.
Roca Azul, Jocotopec.
The bus fired up and we were on our way to Guadalajara—headed to a campground that we last stayed at in 2008 when it was already run into the ground. Driving head first into Guadalajara traffic wasn’t exactly high on our list of fun things to do, but we wanted to visit the city again, and this campground was the best place to do it from.
We also needed to get to a grocery store, so on the way in we stopped at Wal-Mart. When it was time to leave I turned the key and got nothing in return—not even a click. I checked the battery compartment first. Voltage all looked good, but then my eye caught a glimpse of one of the short battery cables that links the two 6v batteries together. The cable had pulled right out of the ring terminal. The cable had been a tight fit already, and over the bumpy roads the batteries had shifted by about half an inch. Enough apparently.
I climbed back in and turned the key. Still nothing. I popped the engine hood and began to stare again. Everything looked okay. Without any good ideas, and stranded in the Wal-Mart parking lot, I grabbed a big screwdriver and started pounding on things. No, I actually used it to reach down and touch the two connections on the starter motor. A spark, and a vroom. Rolling again.
In a few more minutes we navigated the harrowing traffic and found our way into the campground. As expected, the place had only fallen further into disrepair. Whatever, it’s not as if there were other choices anywhere near the city.
As soon as we got settled in I got to work under the hood. I suspected the starter solenoid, and started my investigations there. It only took a minute to discover the problem. When we were stuck in Jocotepec the other day I had been wiggling wires, including the ignition wire leading to the starter solenoid. I must have messed with it a bit too much, and during the rough ride out of the campground that morning it must have come loose. Yes, in one day I had jiggled two wires loose. I hooked that back up and the bus fired right back up again.
I’m not sure I’ve solved anything, but at the very least I’ve found a couple of things that needed tending to, and it didn’t require a mechanic or tow truck, so I consider that a win.
There was also an AutoZone right up the street. I decided maybe getting a couple of spare parts wouldn’t be such a bad idea and walked up to get a spare starter solenoid and starter. They had the starter motor for about fifty bucks, but they couldn’t find the solenoid, which is really the part that I should have. Oh well, at least I know how to hotwire the bus.
One night in camp, and we’re off for the city.
As it turns out, it was May-Day, and the local drug cartel had decided it was a good day to exact some revenge on the government who had just locked up their boss and frozen all of their bank accounts. All over the highways around the state they hijacked cars and burned them in the middle of the highways, burned banks, and torched gas stations. I guess it was a pretty wild day. Somehow our bus into the city missed all the excitement and we had no idea of the craziness going on until later that night when our inbox filled up.
We’re always faced with a moral dilemma when we come across children trying to earn tips for their family. Today was a holiday, so it’s possible that this was just going on because it was a day off from school. It’s possible, though not likely. They were adorable, of course, and their tip hat was overflowing.
We saw this guy shooting pictures of tourists with his ancient Polaroid and Ali wanted one. He took our picture for forty pesos and while we waited for the film to develop we talked about his camera. He’s had it since 1980, but said he would trade me if I’d like. He was a nice old man who had terribly shaky hands. It’s a miracle he can continue to shoot pictures at all. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t trying to frame our picture the way he did, but in the end I think it is one of our best family photos. A classic traveling family photo.
Continuing our theme of participating in things that leave us with moral questions, we took a horse-carriage ride around the city. This is sort of an institution in Guadalajara—everywhere you look they are tromping through the city streets. The kids liked it, and Ali and I loved kicking back and taking a break.
The view out of our hotel window. The best thing about Guadalajara is the abundance of plazas. They are everywhere you turn. This is the Plaza de Armas.
We couldn’t snap out of tourist mode.
We had dinner at a Birrieria. Birria de chiva is slow roasted goat—and our ever adventurous eater Ouest ate three tacos full of it. Lowe is a little less adventurous, but does pretty well usually.
All in all it was a great first day in Guadalajara. We really like this city. There is good food, tons to see and do, and the plazas are always there to offer some shade and a place to relax and watch the world do its thing.
26 Comments on “Guadalajara”
Your campsite at Roca Azul looked strangely familiar. So I looked at our photos and I’ll be damned if we didn’t both park in the exact same site. I like your description of the place. The shower room in the big baño on the far side of the swimming pool? WEIRD! Kind of had a One Flew ver The Cuckoo’s Nest vibe to me.
It felt like there should have been a lot of steam and a big hairy Russian babushka standing there ordering you to drop your towel and lie down. My kids liked the echoes that it made.
What a pretty city! Great pictures.
The dude moved the telephone company building with everybody inside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI9SHBsVons
Pretty cool, huh? That thing was really causing traffic problems.
I was wondering if you guys were paying attention to the news once you turned inland a few days ago. From what I’ve read, you are in the middle of one of the drug war areas of Mexico. I don’t think I’m that adventurous!
We don’t pay any attention to the news ever.
https://www.diegovalle.net/narcomap
I’ve got that exact same camera. I wonder what film he was using, it’s getting increasingly difficult to find.
I think we ran into the same Mickey and Minnie in NYC. They were Asian and a little smelly 🙂
Mark and Cindy
Your photos are, as usual, incredible. You really do show the heart of Guadalajara. I never made it there except to drive through and I pretty much did that with my eyes closed as Kirby gave me directions and I just drove! What a beautiful city. BTW – I love how you are raising your children. What a fantastic childhood! They always look so happy and you seem to be teaching them to enjoy the simple things in life. Good for you!
Thanks, Suzie.
I agree, and did you see that beautiful thing-of-a-jig hanging from the tree? Which one made that?
Pat,
I replaced several starter solenoids and a one starter on my van before I realized I had a poor ground from the battery to the engine block/transmission. The jumper wire connection from my van’s frame to the motor was corroded. At the parts store I bought a battery terminal that had two black wires. One wire was grounded to the frame and the other I ran directly to the starter motor. I removed one mounting bolt from the starter and attached the eye of the grounding wire under the bolt head. This gave me a direct ground connection to the starter and fixed my no start problems.
Keep up the adventure.
Thanks. I’ll double check that.
It was pretty cool reading this post and seeing the same spots we were at. Like the campground! I loved those trees – it was so trippy to see so many that we have up here in NorCal and didn’t expect to see in Mexico.
Staying in a hotel: really smart. We only did it for a couple of nights there, but next time (- later this year, I think) we’ll stay the whole time in one. Driving around there was crazy.
Are you guys going to Tonala and the other arts district?
No, we hung close to the historic centro area. Two nights was enough—the kids were ready to be back in their bus. They gave it a hug when we got back. And yeah, driving around here sucks. Mainly because of the signage.
Thinking about buying a wildcat 35 soon. If you were doing the trip again what boat would you buy? Really would like to meet and share stories sometime face to face. I’m in usvi now…before when I reached out to y’all I was in MA
A 52′ Nordhavn. As for the Wildcat, my advice, look elsewhere.
The Saline 43 would work too:)
I remember your troubles and re read the emails again, IDK, your boat did do the job. I’m going to look at your suggestion on the 52′ but I am single, living in the hood here on st thomas and teaching at a high school. Have roughly 40 k on a fixed ten year loan and possibly double that on a 20 year loan. WhT do you think? I skype if you do. Langce1 is my handle
Christopher: Yes, the original Bumfuzzle did the job and Ali and Pat completed their circumnavigation with it. Keep in mind, though, that they had to have the hull virtually rebuilt half-way ’round (New Zealand), then had to replace an engine not long after resuming their voyage. The demise of Wildcat in the wake of
Pat’s thorough documentation of the stiff-arm the factory provided instead of support means no Wildcat owner will ever have a strong builder to turn to in a time of need.
Take Pat’s advice and look elsewhere . . . It’s always a buyer’s market when it comes to boats.
BTW: Unless you have a spare $1,000,000 minimum lieing around to drop on a used Nordhavn 52 trsawler, you might want to lower your sights a bit. If it’s really a sailboat you’re after, you’ll find many decent vessels throughout the Caribbean. Of course, there will be lots of junk, too, so get an experienced local to assist you if you can’t easily see the difference.
Keep in mind as well that financing a used sailboat is not an option . . . No lender is going to fund a mobile, depreciating asset in the hands of a novice sailor. Nor will you find it easy to obtain insurance on an old sailboat unless you own it outright and get it out of the hurricane box from June through November. Failure to do so generally voids coverage.
Most boaters are self-insured, and the really creative ones who need to provide someone in authority proof-of-insurance print their own documents (putting your sister-in-law’s phone number down as the insurance company’s office number is optional ;-).
TJ
I love the pic of the 1950 Pontiac Chieftan, not only for the artistic shot but because the car and I are the same age…wish I was holding up so well.
happy travels……..alolha Ron
One of those boys looks like my son. I think I need to buy him a good cowboy hat.
Ever since I started traveling the Americas, people are always asking me if it is dangerous, if I am worried about the crime, etc. I have been living 42 years in Germany. I have been robbed 3 times (all in France) and abducted (yes abducted!) once (in Germany). And both countries are supposed to be safer than the US. If it is meant to be you, it does not matter where you are. Keep on trucking!
Hola i Was born in Guadalajara in 1973 i live in usa for 25 years my familia used to own a cabinne in roca Azul love your story your pictures bring wonderful memorias thank you for sharing I love my city and the birria de chivo i love the pictures off your familia in downtown Guadalajara and love riding the calandria