Return of the Two Gringas

T minus 4 weeks -- Tuesday 19 February 2008 -- Vashon Island, Washington, USA

"The Two Gringas shamelessly solicit..."

That's right, and you heard it here first: Rumours of our disappearance beneath the waters of an unmarked blue hole are greatly exaggerated, aaaanddd--

We're doing it again!

The scheduled departure is Sunday 16 or Monday 17 March 2008, and we're actively soliciting meet-ups. Sooo...

IF YOU are anywhere near our projected route and would like a visit from the Two Gringas and a spot in the travelogue, then please post here or PM me or email themisslena ã gmail punto com.

The route map is posted below, and you can see an enlarged version here. A description of the planned route is on the blog here.

(And if you don't already know what the "it" is that we're doing again, or who the "we" is of whom we speak, please have a look at the first Gringa adventure here .)


So, are all the oldtimers still here???

Cheers,
'Lena

PS Here's the proposed route map:


___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail õ com
Her blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com

Hey Marty, love the new forum features, but...what's with the micro-avatars??? No one can possibly see how hot I am in 48px!

Marty, there is some now-incorrect info in the old travelogues which I'd like to fix, but it seems I am no longer able to edit these articles? Help please!

[Edit: The Two Gringas archives have been fixed. 'L]

Good to be back,
'Lena

Lena, so you want to look like you've put on a couple of pixels since you where here last?
:-)

Awesome trip report...... keep going

Lena!!!! Welcome back...........

As a fellow "traveler", I have the utmost admiration for you Lena. What a great trip report about an incredible adventure. Good luck on your upcoming one! I look forward to reading all about it.

L-bert -- It's not polite to mention a woman's surplus pixels...

Luvin'-- Thank you and fear not: I have not yet begun to blog!!!
Hey, I see you're in AZ -- any chance you're near our route?

KLCdude -- Good to see you again, really good to be back, y gracias para la bienvenida!

ExOk -- I appreciate the kudos, really I do, but do you really think it's wise to admire a madwoman???

Hi Lena! I wrote you once a while back about the houses you were building (I think it was you?!)and you wrote me back. Well, I still have my land (Maya Beach) but have not built yet. Too bad you aren't coming across Texas way--you could stop and visit me!
have a fun trip and be safe!
PS I'll be in Belize in only 13 more days!!

Hey Cat -- yes, I remember. How long will you be staying in Bz? Maybe we can meet up there...

Marty -- Are you ignoring me???

[Edit: The Two Gringas archives have been fixed. 'L]

'Lena

MissLena, we land late on the 5th and will be in Maya Beach on the 6th. After we leave there we'll be be-boppin' around the country. I'll PM you my cell # when I get my rent-a-phone; maybe we can hook up!

OMG Miss Lena all I can say is that I was laughing out loud histerically while reading the blog on your first adventure! What an awesome description of your trip. You should really think about a movie. LOL! Unfortunately your route does not come through Los Angeles so I cannot meet you but boy would I love to. What a spirit. Thanks so much for sharing.

HEY LENA BIG HUG!!!! yeah lets fix it. didn't notice it got fouled up

been real busy, missed this thread somehow.....

let me know what we need to fix.... email me at marty@casado.net, easier to catch me....

[Edit: The Two Gringas archives have been fixed. 'Lena]

OK, I got the proposed route map posted. It's back in the first post here .

Why is this woman smiling?



And just what does she think she's doing???

let's see,, from the key tag i'd say it's a rental, it's up on blocks, she can breath.
she was evicted from the motel in the back for lewd and inapropriate behavior, but she was thrilled to have a nice warm trunk to sleep it off. and no one closed the lid.
close?

Lena, hope you two make it for a stop in Auburn!

Cat -- I look forward to the meet-up, but will you still be in Bz when we arrive at the end of March?

Pook -- Thank you for laughing it is the biggest complement I could receive. Too bad you're so far west of our route...

Marty -- Thanks for the hug, now please stop pinching my butt.

Barny -- Not all that close. Hey, we'll probably be out Placencia-way in the first week or to of April; will you be in residence then?

Leah-Ann -- I sure hope so too. We expect to be up at Donner Pass, heading south; but may well make the detour down the hill to Auburn if the timing works out. How late do you serve dinner?

Abrazos a todos,
'Lena

Any more guesses on the photo?

Return of the Two Gringas

T minus 3 weeks -- Monday 25 February 2008 -- Vashon Island, Washington

"The Compleat Two Gringas Chronicles..."

The scheduled departure for Two Gringas Adventure #4 is still Sunday 16 or Monday 17 March 2008.

But how did we get to the point of doing this a fourth time, fercryinoutloud??? How many wheels do these girls need?

The answer is: one economical car for general use and one working truck for hauling. When you add the three vehicles already driven down to a fourth bought in Belize, you may wonder that we currently have only one surviving truck in Bz, and that on its last legs. Of course if you have lived in Belize for any period, you will not wonder.

So, bring on number five...

We have been so happy with the performance of the 1992 Toyota Tercel, both in the States and in Central America, that we've bought another to replace the original Belize Bomber which, alas, failed to recover from its third totalling at the hands of the help.





(The lesson here, BTW, is something like "do not allow young Belizean men to drive your vehicle without you in it." Or maybe "at all.")

[The astute Two Gringas fan will note, at the right rear of the photo, the front grille of the venerable Beast monster truck from Two Gringas adventure #2 -- now a helpless lawn ornament thanks to the efforts of an over-confident Belizean mechanic. Belize is murder on vehicles. Belizean "breakanics" are worse.]

So we have opted to purchase our third 1992 Tercel standard. The first two were bought new in 1991 for US $8500 a piece. This one was bought as junk for $1000. Needless to say, we had to put a bit of work into her...




. . .

[Answers to earlier photo quiz:
Q: What is she doing? A: Checking for leaks.
Q: Why is she smiling? A: She's going back to Beeleez!]

. . .

Everyone -- We'd still like one or two more USA meet-ups. And we'd LOVE to get a couple Mexico meet-ups if you have people there. Please PM or post or email themisslena á gmail õ com. An enlarged route map is available here.

Cheers,
'Lena












The Beast
1978-2005



















P.O.S. Truck
1991-2006






















The Belize Bomber
1992-2006












In lieu of flowers please donate Belikins.

___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail õ com
Her blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com

Return of the Two Gringas

T minus 2 weeks — Monday 3 March 2008 — Vashon Island, Washington

"Fit to be tied!"

The scheduled departure for Two Gringas Adventure #4 is still Sunday 16 or Monday 17 March 2008.

I'm beginning to come unstuck.

Yes, I am looking forward to this adventure, and yes, I really want to get back to my southern home and away from the Culture of Acquisition. But creatures don't relish change and, as this creature ages, she likes change less and less.

Yesterday afternoon, as we were working on the Belize Bomber II, I realised I was about to start throwing things. It has been several decades since I threw things and I don't intend to resume now, so I packed it in and crawled under the covers. Brrr, it's cold here.



We are now two weeks from departure and the Bomber is just about ready: this afternoon we reinstall the front struts, and that should be about it.

We've been acquiring "road foods" for a couple weeks now (drinks, nuts, eat-from-the-can stuff, ...), and the pile to be packed is mounting. Next weekend we'll do a preliminary pack of the car; hopefully a major fraction of this heap will fit in that heap...

So many things to get done in these next two weeks and, like the pile to be packed, I'm just not sure how it's all going to fit in. Thus the pre-trip anxiety, which is beginning to render me into the state known as "fit to be tied."

___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail ó com
Her personal blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com
The new Two Gringas blogsite is TheTwoGringas.blogspot.com

SWEEEEEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!

I just ran across your tales of the first two trips last night, and today I find that you are on your third! I'm looking forward to reading of your latest adventures...how long are you in Belize this time? I'll be down in June!! Yes!!!

Greetings Kat! So glad to have a new reader. I'll probably be in Belize in June, but might be elsewhere in the Mundo Maya. You can always find out where I am in the right-hand column, front page, of of my personal blog.

I have finally got the new Two Gringas blogsite (mostly) put together. The first Two Gringas adventure is up now with pix and slideshows (it's essentially an edited & formatted version of the same story posted here on the forum), and the current about-to-happen adventure is there, while everything else is "stubbed-in".

Please drop by and tell us what you think...

'Lena

Return of the Two Gringas

T minus 1 week — Monday 10 March 2008 — Vashon Island, Washington

"Uh, what's that drip?"

The scheduled departure for Two Gringas Adventure #4 is Sunday March 2008.

OK, the Belize Bomber II *was* ready for the road...and now it isn't. And it all my fault for looking for trouble...



I'm under the Bomber hunting down an annoying rattle in the exhaust line. I find the offending clamp and Denise joins me to have a look. She brushes a hand across her forehead.

"Something dripped on me."

"What?"

"I don't know..."

I stick out my hand and catch the next drip — just one tiny drop, every minute or so. It's fluorescent green.

"Coolant."

Denise rolls out from under, saying "This is your fault, you know..."

"Yeah, I know."



So we're tearing into the motor assembly. Again. Or rather, Denise is. The bit we need to get at is, of course, at the back, under a manifold, between other assemblies, equally unreachable from above or below.

"Gee Neecie, I'd sure like to help, but it looks to me that there's only room for one pair of hands..."

"So why don't you plug your pair in here?!"

In fact, there is barely room for one hand, much less a pair.

"No...no... you know you're much better at that than I..."

So now there's an engine component sitting on the kitchen counter. It's a water pump. It's supposed to be attached to the engine, but it isn't. This is a problem.



The auto parts store promises to have the part the next day. The next day arrives, we call, yes, the delivery arrived. We go.

They do not have the part. What they have is an irrelevant part which goes on the other side of the motor. A part, which in fact, we've already replaced. One among dozens.

I stay at the counter to sort out the parts-irrelevancy issue with the parts-ordering wizard; meanwhile Denise roams the aisles in search of cup-holders, which the little Tercel lacks. She returns empty-handed and looks inquiringly at the nice man.

"Cup-holders?"

"No cup-holders."

She is clearly disoriented...

"Auto parts store...automotive cup-holders...none???"

"No cup-holders."

Turns out it's a "liability issue" — hot coffee, spills, hot groins, distracted drivers, lawyers, all that. Good grief.

We return to the Bomber empty-handed. Since she can't fix the car, Denise gives it custom cup-holders.



___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail ó com
Her personal blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com
The new Two Gringas blogsite is TheTwoGringas.blogspot.com

Took alook - th blogsite looks great and I look forward to living vicariously through your trip : )

Return of the Two Gringas

T minus 4 days — Wednesday 12 March 2008 — Vashon Island, Washington

"How do you stuff a hippopotamus into a Tercel?"

The scheduled departure for Two Gringas Adventure #4 is Sunday 16 March 2008.

There is a hippopotamus in the living room. OK, not a real hippo, but a heap the size of a hippo, which is now supposed to go into the Belize Bomber II. A heapopotamus.

Unfortunately, there are already two large ruminants in the car:



(Yes, Dear Reader, that really is a standard-size air compressor and a large microwave oven. Before now you'vesuspected that we are insane. Now you're certain.)

So how do we cram the heapopotamus into the Tercel?

Simple! First we carry the whole mess out...



...and then you just put it all into the vehicle.



And it's just that easy!



Look! The doors even close!



___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail ó com
Her personal blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com
The new Two Gringas blogsite is TheTwoGringas.blogspot.com

Return of the Two Gringas

Day Zero — Sunday 16 March 2008 — Vashon Island, Washington

"Is that a nook or a cranny?"

At long last it is Day Zero.

Tomorrow morning we point the Belize Bomber II south towards Central America, never to return to this northern clime...



Yesterday we installed the new water pump, belt, etc. and changed the oil; today we took her for a test drive and rated her road-worthy. From here on down, anything else that requires replacement is officially "a problem."



It is the final packing day — clothes, toiletries, books — and the cats are confused and nervous. Something is happening, and they don't know what to make of it.



The Bomber is utterly packed: Denise took the nooks and I got the crannies, and I'm running out of crannies.





The weather was decent today, tomorrow we're off with the rain...a Two Gringas tradition we've never missed.

We'll see you all in Oregon...or maybe California...

___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail ó com
Her personal blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com
The new Two Gringas blogsite is TheTwoGringas.blogspot.com

Can't wait!

Safe trip - can't wait to hear about your new adventures

Return of the Two Gringas

Day 1 — Monday 17 March 2008 — Washington-Oregon

"Live from the Dive"



We left Vashon Island, Washington about 9 this morning, and headed south through Tacoma, Olympia, and on south through Portland and Salem Oregon, then east over the mountains through Bend.



We are now nestled down for the night at the Bit-of-a-Dive Motel in Chemult, southern Oregon, near Crater Lake. Tomorrow morning we'll do a scenic loop around the lake.

I'll post a proper log of today somewhat later.

See you all in California...


___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her email is themisslena á gmail ó com
Her personal blog is at galenaalysoncanada.blogspot.com
The new Two Gringas blogsite is TheTwoGringas.blogspot.com

Safe Drively Ladies - can't wait to hear of your adventures!!

Leah-Ann -- check your PMs and call us ASAP!!!

I LOVE this message board!
Miss Lena and Denese stopped in at my place last night; we had dinner & drinks, talked and talked and talked, and finally crashed for the evening. Even though we'd never met, we instantly felt like old friends. I will say, there is absolutely NO room in that car for another thing, but they do look and sound like they're having fun. What a fabulous pair of gals and what a great pleasure it was to get to spend time with them.
Happy Trails, girls!

p.s. - Mr. Lunch seems a bit lonely now.

Now that is what I call PS&MO (pack sh__t and move out!)

How lucky are you Leah Ann! Their adventurous spirit is right up my alley! I wish they were coming through CO, I'd invite them in as well. Can't wait to hear about the travels!

Door is open in Maine too, if ya get lost Lena

One would have to be lost, if they ended up in Maine.

These ladies won't be getting lost. That vehicle is equipped with all kinds of locating devices!

Just a brief note -- wonderful stay with Leah-Ann at her beautiful new home...drove all the way down through the Calif. gold country and landed here in Yosemite Valley for the night. The Ahwahnee Hotel -- pretty posh and waaaay over our budget (L-A, you made it possible!), but I don't suppose we'll be passing this way again...

Here's a pic Denise took of me just now as I write this:



Again, full reports as soon as I can complete them...

The Ahwahnee - what a lovely place! I was just there last summer for the first time! Just visited, tho - didn't stay overnight. Keep us posted!!

If my map reading is correct (I'm a guy...I don't ask for directions!) you should be nearing the bright lights of Vegas on your way to Hoover Dam about now.

We'll be on the north end of Lake Powell this weekend, so won't quite link up, but I'm eager to read your trip reports as I will be driving down and back twice this fall if all goes as planned, once with a boat and once with a Rhino (golf cart) and some household goods.

Watch out for Colorado City (take the northern route)...Warren Jeffs is in jail now, but there's a few of his relatives who would be only too happy to marry you off to some lucky guy who's running short of wives!

Safe driving....I'm looking forward to sharing your adventures

Yay for you gals! I love the Ahwahnee! What a beautiful treat! Keep that coffee cup full and those posts coming!

I have to say I am a BIG FAN of the Gringas now and am totally addicted to checking this blog everyday. This message board rocks and so does everyone on it. Go Gringas! C'mon everyone cheer with me. "Go Gringas Go, Go Gringas Go." Can't wait to hear the trials and tribulations once you get into Mexico. I am sure now that you have experience you won't be getting lost or disoriented right?

We left Yosemite at noon and drove out and around via Bakersfield, then up amazing Hwy 178 (above) past Lake Isabella to 395 north (yes: north!!!) to Owens Lake, where we are now ensconced for the night.



Tomorrow it's Death Valley, Las Vegas, and onward to the Grand Canyon!

'Lena

PS Is this really the way to Belize?!

Great pics - safe trip what - a cool adventure

Gringas, I'm in Prescott Valley, about 100 miles north of Phoenix towards Flagstaff, off Hwy 89 & 89A. If you ladies need anything give me a call @ 928-771-3115 (cell).

The Two Gringas are in ¡VEGAS! baby, and we're about to cruise The Strip!

[azbob -- we'll call!]

'Lena

Miss, Lena, are yall going to be passing through Texas at any point?

Not this trip Cowgirl, sorry! We're crossing over from Arizona this time...

Whereabouts are you?

'Lena