Before (Cirrus 820)
After (Lance 830)
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics, check out the travel/adventure/personal memoir I wrote:
Roaming About
A Life Less Ordinary
Category: Truck camper living (page 9 of 11)
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
For most of last month, Mark, Maya, and I happily kept traveling and living throughout Baja California Sur and Baja California (Norte) in Mexico, slowly making our way back “home.” After 3.5 months south of the border, we returned to the United States on April 26th, 2022, and spent about a week in Southern California. We have covered thousands of miles since then.
Entering the state of Baja California, the northern half of the peninsula
Rows of bumps in corners to slow us down
Topes in towns are often unmarked, blended in, or fake
Back to the border – and border wall – in Tecate. The line wasn’t too long and the crossing itself was uneventful.
Back to highways and complicated road infrastructure!
And, super expensive fuel in California
That’s why we filled up in Mexico at US$4/gallon before crossing the border
Once we reached the historic town of Loreto by the end of March, we regretfully felt our time on the Baja peninsula was diminishing, as we would start making our way back to the US from there – where to, we didn’t know yet.
Camped along the dirt road to San Basilio after a failed attempt to reach the beach ten miles in
Back in Mulege, camped at our favorite spot south of the river, except, conditions change…. The humid climate (wet sand and salty air) chased us inland a bit
Our second spot to camp for a couple of nights, north of the river. This is where Katherine and Brandon “found” us
Little did we know that a couple of weeks later, a chance encounter with Katherine and Brandon in Mulege, sent us south again, back to Loreto Bay/Nopolo. Our new friends had invited us for a few days of splurging at their condo (showers, laundry, great company, a pool), which was followed by another handful of days of beach camping near town.
View from the condo’s balcony
Dinner at our friends’ condo in Loreto Bay/Nopolo
Fabulous food, drinks, and company
T&T parked near the condo building of our friends
Clean and beautiful Nopolo neighborhood
Narrow alleys in Nopolo village
Camped on the airport beach in Loreto for five nights, where I dealt with a dreadful flu
On April 22nd, we did – finally – start our long journey north and pretty much drove every day for the remainder of the month, slowly covering the 850 miles from Loreto to Julian, California, via San Diego. If you think our gas price for this jaunt in Baja was high, wait until the expense report for May comes out…
Driving north again…
…past the pretty Bahia Concepcion beaches, without stopping this time
Mission de San Ignacio
Interior of the San Ignacio Mission
Restaurant along the square in San Ignacio
Camped for the night along the shady square
We finished all the food in our fridge before crossing the border, so an extensive shopping spree was in order. Fortunately, our friend Janis made dinner in San Diego on our first evening back in the US. We had a nice time with her and her husband Paul.
One night in Mission Hills – photo taken by Janis Heppell
Meeting up with Janis and Paul in San Diego
In Baja, it was still affordable to go out for dinner, so we did this a few times, to celebrate our postponed combined birthdays at the amazing restaurant Mi Loreto and to eat fish and shrimp tacos in San Ignacio. After taking Katherine and Brandon on the incredible Mesquite Canyon hike, they were extremely generous by treating us to a delicious seafood lunch on the drive home.
Birthday dinner out at Mi Loreto
View of the Mission from Mi Loreto
Swimming through Mesquite Canyon
Seafood lunch at the “clam shack” on the beach – thank you, Brandon and Katherine
Restaurant where we had fish and shrimp tacos and a Jamaica (hibiscus) juice for me
Our last meal out in Mexico at Victor’s
Mark and I swore we would not eat out – or do take-out – anymore once we left Mexico, as inflation is hurting us, but we happily bought our friend Amy a pho on our second night in San Diego and were treated to pizza by our friend Diana, once settled for a few days on her beautiful and peaceful property in Julian, CA.
Stocking up on fresh ratone pastries in Loreto before leaving the area and the peninsula
Diana taking a selfie by the fire with Doug, Mark, and me in it
We paid for six nights at campgrounds in April – in Loreto, Playa La Perla (Bahia Concepcion), and near Ensenada on our last night in Mexico, which happened to be the least attractive and priciest stay of the bunch.
We returned to Rivera del Mar RV Park in Loreto and tried to sell our electric bikes, unsuccessfully.
Home for three nights – Playa La Perla along Bahia Concepcion
Sunrise over Bahia Concepcion
Pancake breakfast at the beach
Finally a spot to hang our hammock up again!
Walking south from La Perla
Homemade gnocchi dinner with new friends Mary and Ted
Our last night in Baja was spent at Mi Refugio in Ensenada; not our favorite
The rest of the month, we boondocked (camping without facilities) in nature for free.
Camped in an arroyo for one night after visiting Mission San Javier
Maya waits to go for a walk
Cactus in bloom
One of our last nights in Baja, surrounded by cacti in Catavina
And we finally bought a souvenir – a handmade Mexican blanket. We’d been keeping an eye out for one and gauging prices at a few markets to get a feel for what they were worth. Eventually, after three months on the peninsula, we bought one from a beach vendor at a very fair price.
Our Mexican blanket, which will grace one of our dinette cushions one of these months
Parked near Mission San Javier
Mission San Javier near Loreto
Looking out through a door in the church
Surroundings of the mission
Now that we are back in the US and expect to spend thousands of dollars on camper preparations, parts, and fuel, we have to cut down on expenses in other categories. The coming months, we will avoid eating and drinking out, buying alcohol, and paying for laundry. We are fortunate to have friends in the Pacific Northwest, who will happily host us and provide services, like a level driveway, tools, water, electricity, a shower, and laundry facilities. Let the camper work and another transition begin!
Changing gears again the coming months
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
Donate to Roaming About to help maintain this website.
A hike in Mesquite Canyon, located about an hour south of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, was on the agenda last year, especially after seeing photos about it on our friends Sandie and Karsten’s blog. They had told us how to get there, but our mistake was not writing down the instructions and neglecting to search for the approach on Google Map’s satellite image.
Hiking in the heat to find the trail last year – in vain
We found the correct entrance road in the spring of 2021, drove through the gravel pit area, parked, and explored two approaches on foot with Maya. One brought us to a gate, which we didn’t think allowed public access (it did) and the other gravel path brought us into the mountains after a couple of hot and rocky miles, before we believed this wasn’t right.
The gate was closed last year, so we didn’t proceed. The trail starts two miles past this point.
It was late afternoon by the time we returned to Zesty, so we spent the night in the peaceful environs of a gravel pit. Bummed, we gave up on this alleged incredible canyon hike. When we saw Sandie and Karsten again, they mentioned the trail started two miles past the gate.
Camped with Zesty near the gravel pit, last year
Needless to say, this hike in Mesquite Canyon was high on the list during our recent return trip to Baja California Sur. This time, we did enough research and were determined to find the trail. Except, it was Sunday and the access road to the canyon was blocked off. Despair and disappointment arrived.
Oh no, the access road is blocked!
In the beginning of February, Mark, Maya, and I spent ten days on a pebble beach near Agua Verde in Baja California, Mexico. During that time, we visited this small village with our friends Duwan and Greg, in their car. Waiting for a fish taco lunch at the town’s waterfront, we spotted a protected bay with anchored boats and a sandy beach through binoculars. We decided to stop there on the drive home. Within five minutes of setting foot on that white beach and gazing at the surrounding rock formations, Mark and I concluded: “Let’s stop here for a week on our drive back north.”
Agua Verde bay
So, a good six weeks later, after we explored more of the Baja California peninsula and rounded Cabo Este, we stocked up on water, propane, and food for another nine days off the beaten path. Our first night was spent at the end of the ten-mile paved stretch of road, which then turned into dirt for another 20 miles to Agua Verde.
(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Sign at the entrance of the 30-mile road
Welcome back to the mountains!
Extra water to add to our tank later
The road in
Those last 30 kilometers (20 miles) of the Agua Verde road were rutted and potholed; some were steep and narrow, down a treacherous slope, where you hoped nobody arrived from the other side. This was the second time we attempted this route. Heading down and looking ahead, clouds of dust announced opposing traffic. Sometimes, I would jump out of the passenger seat to assess the situation. On the return trip, it was more difficult to see oncoming cars. We hoped they would see our dust cloud.
Heading down the hill
A steep descend
What do you mean no passing allowed?
Another sharp turn
A dust cloud tells another car is heading our way.
A truck heading our way!
At the bottom of the windy hill, the track was mostly flat but still in awful shape. The entire stretch of road, from Mex 1 (the main “highway” in Baja) to Agua Verde took us two hours and a half of being shaken. Despite our slow progress, car sickness still befell me. But it was worth it.
One-lane dirt road towards Agua Verde
Our campsite
After a last, steep descend, an empty beach opened up. We had encountered quite a bit of traffic on the drive, so we feared the place would be packed. Not so. A group of fishermen was camped for the night by the entrance of the beach and multiple sailboats peacefully swayed at anchor. We had our pick to park and chose a spot higher up. From here, we could see the protected bay on one side and the windier Sea of Cortez on the other side. Depending on shade, we moved our chairs around the camper.
First camping spot
Bedside view towards the Sea of Cortez
Bedside view towards the calm bay
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
Last month, Mark, Maya, and I happily kept traveling throughout Baja California Sur in Mexico. The grocery and car expense categories battled for the top position. As to be expected, fuel burned a lot of money as we rounded and explored the southern part of the peninsula. The gas prices in Baja haven’t changed much from last year, but they are fluctuating, just like propane. In any case, these prices are less than in the US now, so we will fill all our tanks before returning.
(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
Filling our tank when it’s close to empty is an expensive endeavor – more than US$100!!
The top price is for gasoline and one of the cheapest per liter that we have found in Baja this year
Gasoline prices in Loreto, one year ago (the top number)
Driving on rough roads is not good for the fuel economy!
Rough road downhill to Agua Verde
Rough road to one of the Pacific beaches
Our utility cost while in Mexico is higher than in the US, because we kept paying for our cheap and discontinued AT&T data plan north of the border and for internet in this country. We also pay for drinking water now and keep having to fill our propane tanks to run our fridge and cook. We can’t wait to get a compressor fridge that works on electricity, which we have plenty of thanks to our solar panels.
Free camping along Camino Cabo Este
Parked for the night at Playa Palmilla in San Jose del Cabo
An entire arroyo, just for us
Boondocked along the road to Agua Verde
Parked in a free public lot in La Paz again, for a couple of nights
Camped at El Canejo beach
One of our favorite free campsites in Baja California
As always, most of our camping spots were free and attractive.
We stumbled upon an international triathlon in La Paz
Baby turtles ready to be released
Turtle release after sunset in Todos Santos
Hiking above Agua Verde
Hiking with friends of the furry kind
Beach walks with Maya
Hiking in Mesquite Canyon, worthy of a separate blog post…
Just like lots of activities we enjoy: witnessing a triathlon in La Paz and a turtle release in Todos Santos, hiking, bird watching, beach and town strolling, hanging out with friends, snorkeling, watching sunrise and sunset.
Van pizza made by Greg and Duwan and eaten with them and our new friend, Gehn
Snorkeling in Agua Verde
Even Maya made new friends: Delilah and Pyros…
… and Lola, the beach dog, of course.
In March we did stay at a couple of pay campgrounds (south of El Pescadero and in Loreto), ordered a part for our awning (which was shipped to a friend in San Diego, CA), and cooked more meals than in February.
Camped for a few nights in Rivera Del Mar RV Park, Loreto
Dinner out with friends, Greg, Duwan, and Gehn in Todos Santos
Delicious fish tacos in Todos Santos – the cheapest we’ve bought in Baja
Homemade pizza in the truck camper of our new friends, Deb and Andy, who have an oven!!!
Sharing a fabulous homemade pizza with Deb and Andy on our beach in Agua Verde
Mark made the most delicious tortilla soup for dinner one evening – with fabulous toppings!
There were also a few smaller expenditures: laundry, new flipflops and a quarterly blood test for Mark (did you notice how cheap these are in Mexico?), a small turtle souvenir for me, and a bone for Maya. All in all, not a bad month…
Walking around Todos Santos
Hotel in Todos Santos
Sunset in Agua Verde
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean, which has bigger waves than the Sea of Cortez
Another sunset over the Pacific Ocean
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean through a cactus
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While any visit to the Agua Verde area by vehicle can only happen after taking a 30-kilometer/20-mile slow, steep, uncomfortable, and extremely bumpy ride (after another 10 kilometers/7 miles of pavement), exploring the East Cape by its access road Camino Cabo Este is even tougher and more demanding. No wonder this stretch is called one of the worst roads in Baja.
Camino Cabo Este
Luckily, you don’t have to drive the entire 100 kilometers (60 miles) of washboard and potholed dirt track in one go! As a matter of fact, it took us twelve fabulous days to complete this one-way adventure.
(As always, hover over or click on the photos in galleries to read their captions.)
La Paz
But first, Mark, Maya, our friends Duwan and Greg, and I spent a few days in La Paz, where we found a decent parking spot for three nights. Mark and I remember the capital of Baja California Sur as a pleasant town with a good vibe and historic charm. In the last sixteen years, it hasn’t changed much.
Fishermen next to our camper, going out in the early morning
Mural at our La Paz parking lot, at night
Mural on the property of the Marea Hotel
Happy hour in La Paz
Dinner out at a local seafood restaurant
Sharing a pink smoothie on Valentine’s Day
Our arrival in Baja California, Mexico, was delayed by six weeks, because we decided to work for a month in the Phoenix area (Arizona, USA) after spending more money than anticipated on the cross-country drive from east to west. We also had a few important phone calls requiring unwavering internet and we needed an extra two weeks to prep our camper for the trip.
The majestic Sea of Cortez
Soon after crossing the border in mid-January, we decided Mark should fly back to Massachusetts for a family matter. To accommodate that impromptu trip, we “rushed” south on the peninsula and prepared for his imminent return. Maya and I stayed at a campground in Loreto (Rivera Del Mar) during his ten-day absence.
(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)
The Malecon in Loreto
Loreto: a cute, historic, and colorful town
The Mission in Loreto
After all those arrangements and adjustements, you can imagine that we were more than ready and excited to take “a break from life” and start our Baja adventures. On February 1st, we filled our truck camper, T&T, with drinking water, propane, and food, emptied our sewage tanks at the campground, and headed south for a beach vacation along the Sea of Cortez. We spent one night at Juncalito Beach to get a decent start the next morning. The road to our destination in the Agua Verde area would be slow, treacherous, and mind blowing; a perfect introduction to Baja’s roughness and beauty.
Camped along the beach in Juncalito
A calm bay at Playa Juncalito
As expected, the single-track dirt road contained sharp turns, potholes, small rocks, and gravel. Some parts were steep and nerves of steel were required. Mark did a great job bringing us down to the coastline, where the track turned into the usual Baja secondary road: washboard, sand, and gravel. The cloudy, drizzly weather was unusual.
The cloudy and drizzly approach to the Agua Verde coastline
Slow and careful drive, back up!
Hopefully nobody is coming from the opposite side!
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
Mark, Maya, and I spent the entire month of February in Baja California Sur, Mexico. It was a fabulous time for the mind, body, and wallet, once Mark returned from his 10-day visit to Massachusetts to spend quality time with his dad.
Sunrise in the Sea of Cortez
Our home beach for ten days, near Agua Verde
Walk along the beach and rocks
Beautiful waters of the Sea of Cortez
Maya in the dunes
As a matter of fact, February 2022 was a month for the books – we generally had a really good time, exploring the peninsula, discovering peaceful beaches, spending time with friends, and eating delectable fish tacos. I hope to elaborate on some of our fun Baja experiences in upcoming blogs, whenever resources allow.
Dinner at our place with Jon and Gail
Campfire with friends
Happy hour with Duwan and Greg on a hill – Cabo Pulmo
Our biggest February expense was the car again, mostly because our annual Newburyport residency tax was due. Since we sat still for a chunk of the month, the fuel amount wasn’t too bad. In Baja, Mexico, a liter of gasoline costs around 22 pesos at the moment. This is roughly $4.20 per gallon. Usually, this is more expensive than in the US. While prices for fuel have gone crazy there, in Mexico they have gone up less than 1 peso per liter (20 cents per gallon) since March 2021. Food for thought…
Rock formation with Maya
Rock with a view – Cabo Pulmo
Endless beaches along the Cabo Pulmo peninsula
We didn’t spend a lot on groceries for a few reasons: prices for produce are cheaper than in the US, we don’t care about imported or brand products, and we have eaten out multiple times, which is reflected in the higher than usual dining out category. Once a week, Mark and I order fish or shrimp tacos from a street vendor or at a restaurant. These cost around $2 a piece, of which we each consume three or four. And, there might have been an extra meal or two on top of that.
Mezcal tasting and dinner out with Duwan and Greg
Dinner out in La Paz with Duwan and Greg
Utilities include propane (which, luckily, is cheaper here than in the US), water (which we buy at agua purificado shops that have a hose to fill our tank – average cost is 13 cents per gallon or about $5 for a full tank), discharging our black tank (when we’re careful, it takes three or four weeks to completely fill Temp’s toilet tank; this has never happened – in Zesty we could only go one week), and internet. We keep our US data plan going, even though we are not using it right now. At $35/month for unlimited data, we don’t quite want to give that up, because this particular AT&T plan doesn’t exist anymore.
Ordering purified water in La Ribera
In Mexico, we use a local SIM-card and buy internet plans. Our friends Duwan and Greg (from Make Like An Apeman) had extra data the end of February, so they were super generous to let us use as much as we wanted. Most of the time, however, we are not in areas with cell (data) service. Because we make phone calls through Google Voice (over the internet), we don’t need phone plans.
Flor de Cana tasting on the beach
Birthday happy hour on the beach
Happy Birthday, Mark
We started celebrating Mark’s birthday a day early, on February 28th. I’d bought him a 7-year-old bottle of our favorite rum, Flor de Caña, and we did a tasting – adding the 4- and 5-year-old versions we already had – on our “private” beach in a remote area of the peninsula. Tip for anyone else who likes Flor de Caña rum, which originates in Nicaragua: the 4-year-old one is pretty much the cheapest rum here on Baja, at 160 pesos ($8) for a 75cl bottle!
Sea of Cortez
I joined Duwan and Greg on a day trip to the Sol de Mayo waterfall and a couple of other sites. Dogs were not allowed, so Mark stayed home with Maya. At seven dollars, the entrance fee to the falls seemed steep, but it was worth it. One could spend an entire day there, swimming, photographing, and walking upstream to smaller pools and cascades. Plus, I snuck a shower in the refreshing water!
Visiting Sol de Mayo
Sol de Mayo waterfall
Walking upriver revealed more pools and cascades
Under the waterfall
We managed to camp for free the entire month, finding some amazing places off the beaten track. As always, we couldn’t have done it without our trusted iOverlander app and tips from friends. Special thanks to Jon and Gail and Sandie and Karsten.
Playa Juncalito, south of Loreto
Parked in La Paz with Ballena Blanca for a few days
Sunset at our camp spot in La Ventana – T&T and Ballena Blanca
Camped on the small peninsula of Cabo Pulmo town
Less windy campsite in Cabo Pulmo
Beach-side camping
Beach camping by ourselves
Camped in a peaceful arroyo along the Cabo Pulmo peninsula
Our total expenses were well under average last month and we hope that’s an indication of how we can live and travel south of the border. Once we arrive in South America, we hope $800 (instead of $1,300) can become our new average…
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
Duwan and Greg also covered their month of February in two blog post: here (part 1) and here (part 2).
Sunset on the sandspit in La Paz
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I invite you to come along for a particular 24-hour time period in Mark and my life, last week, in an area south of Todos Santos, on Baja’s west coast.
Mark, Maya, and I are driving north along the southwest coast of Baja California in Mexico. We’ve picked a free camping spot for the night at Jimi Beach, which we read about in iOverlander. Tomorrow morning, we will try to access a different place by a waterfall, which promises to be peaceful yet adventurous to reach. That’s why we opt for an early start and not push our luck today.
“I’m not sure camping at Playa Jimi is such a good idea,” I mention as our truck camper T&T (Temp & Thirsty) bridges the gap to our destination’s turnoff on the GPS.
“Why is that?” Mark asks.
“Well, you also read that people were robbed at gunpoint just south of there, two weeks ago. We want to be able to sleep at night and not worry about intruders.”
So far, we have never felt unsafe on the Baja peninsula, but it appears that the southern tip is more crowded, touristy, and potentially dangerous.
“I guess we can go to the waterfall spot instead. Better safe than sorry. It is getting late, though,” Mark says, as he focuses on the road ahead.
We usually aim to be settled by 5pm. It is 4pm and we have no idea what to expect. We change the waypoint on the GPS to the turnoff for this new location. Mark had scrutinized that area on satellite images ahead of time.
“I read the turnoff is very tricky, so look for it carefully. It is situated just past the second bridge,” he says. These “bridges” span arroyos (washes or dry river beds), which are often used as roads.
We slow down and pull over, off the main road. The turnoff is behind us, an extremely sharp bend that double-backs parallel to the highway. The only way to get there is by making a U-turn over four lanes. Luckily, this section of the pavement does not have a divider.
The access road to the fence and arroyo runs parallel to the highway and requires an approach from the north.
We wait until no cars are seen and make a quick loop on the asphalt to reach the dirt road, which leads to a barbed wire fence. I drag it open and close it again after Mark passes. That would keep the riffraff out, we both think.
The highway, seen from the dirt road after the turn-off
“Well, that was the worst part,” Mark sighs.
We follow the dirt track and turn left. Based on Google Earth, this is a short and easy stretch to join the wide arroyo Mark had spotted. Except, now, years later, pointy bushes and plants with needles have grown and the access route is very narrow.
Google Earth image of the area
Not again, I think, remembering our hours of cutting and sawing trees and brush to reach a lovely pebble beach last month. All in an attempt to prevent scratching up our truck camper.
Mark grabs our handsaw, which now lives in the cab of the truck, and jumps out. “You drive, while I cut branches,” he instructs.
For the next forty minutes, he labors and sweats, while I inch our camper forward, trying to avoid the remainder of overhanging branches. There is no room to turn around and we have no idea how much further it is to a less narrow part of “road.”
Mark saws branches while I slowly inch the truck forward
The sun is setting fast. Eventually, we reach a wider stretch – we have arrived in the arroyo, where soft gravel and sand await us. Mark takes over the wheel and stops again after a few yards (meters).
Continue reading
Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂
This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.
This monthly expense report is a bit delayed for two reasons: I recently posted our yearly report (and who wants to be bombarded by numbers every week?) and I have taken a step back with internet “chores,” because our data is limited, expensive, and often inaccessible. And, I’d rather explore the Baja peninsula at the moment than sit behind a computer. 🙂
(As always, hover over or click on the photos to read their captions.)
Building a frame for our platform at the Home Depot of Yuma, AZ – another failed attempt as it didn’t support the camper enough
Using 2-inch foam as part of our platform did not work well – it compressed due to the off-set weight of the camper. We needed a new solution.
New platform, which consists of a built-up frame and stall mat
Taking the camper off the truck again in the California desert, to fix the platform
Mark lowered the bumper of the truck to make the camper fit better in its bed.
The newest platform set-up, which is much lower and thinner than ever before.
Mark, Maya, and I started our new year in the desert just west of Yuma, Arizona, getting ready for our postponed multiple-month trip in Baja California, Mexico. We had to fix a few more things on the camper and the car, like rebuilding the platform that goes in the bed of the truck for the umpteenth time and making sure the “basement” was secure. We eventually ended up dropping the bumper of our pick-up truck and taking the clearance lights off, after another improvement attempt on another Home Depot parking lot failed.
Greg helps Mark inspect the “basement” of our truck camper
Mark takes off the clearance lights on the truck and needed electricity from inside the camper to drill out the holes in order to plug them.
Thirsty without the orange lights on top of the cab – we’d already put black caps on them as a blend-in mechanism right after buying the truck.
Mark assembles the truck’s interior parts after the job is done.
While the camper was off the truck, we decided to go on our first off-road adventure to explore a bit of the area, like the “Valley of Names.” What a bouncy endeavor that was! None of us can say we actually enjoyed the jerky experience…
Our first time “off roading” in Thirsty
A bumpy ride
Extinct volcano along the way to Valley of Names
Valley of Names
Walking by hundreds of names formed by people using rocks
The Valley of Names stretches for miles!
I also needed a dental check-up (and a $10 haircut apparently) right across the border in Los Algodones before we could really head south. Luckily, none of these visits and repair tasks were expensive, so we were off to a good year, moneywise, despite a few more delays. Having friends around made everything more fun!
Strolling in the border town of Los Algodones, famous and popular for its amount of dentists and pharmacies
Walking around Los Algodones
Long line at the border to cross back into the US
Short hair again, for $10
Visit from Patti and her dogs, in the desert near Yuma
Maya had doggie friends visit.
Our friend Greg, from the blog “Make Like An Apeman” joined us for a little while as well, in between house sits.
Life in Mexico is cheaper than in the US, so we had high hopes for a less-than-average month as far as living costs were concerned. We knew gasoline would be pricey (the equivalent of $4/gallon) and ended up driving bigger-than-planned distances from the start.
Our first boondocking spot in Baja California, at Shell Beach, half an hour south of San Felipe
Sunrise on Shell Beach, along the Sea of Cortez
Expansive and pretty Shell Beach
Walk along Shell Beach
Bounty after a long beach walk
We arrived in Baja on January 12th and soon realized that Mark should leave the country for an impromptu visit back to his parents in Massachusetts. The price for that “detour” resulted in an extra $530 for flights, public transportation, parking, a Covid test, and a ten-day campground stay for Maya and me in Loreto. All our other camping spots last month were free.
The dunes of Guerrero Negro were our second stop on the peninsula, before heading south to Loreto.
Hiking in the sand dunes of Guerrero Negro
Maya digging a hole to cool off – or have fun, or get me all sandy!
Funny girl!
Resting on the dunes with my pup
Nope, we are not in the Sahara Desert…
From 2022 on, we are splitting the camper category into two parts – car and camper – to keep better track of those expenditures separately. Our Mexican car insurance was higher than stated below ($442 instead of $113), because it incorporates the refund for our American insurance, which we paused.
Camped for free in Mulege, the last stop before “settling” in Loreto for twelve days
The mouth of the Mulege River
Moonrise in Mulege
Delicious dinner after finding clams at low tide on a rocky beach in Mulege
Ospreys are abundant in Mulege
The grocery category is lower than usually, as food is cheaper in Mexico and we eat out more often for the same reason. Since our favorite rum (from Nicaragua) is available on the peninsula, we splurged buying several bottles of Flor de Cana instead of Bacardi, hence the pretty high number for alcohol. For now, we kept our affordable unlimited (and now unavailable) $35 AT&T data plan in the States, on top of buying data for our Mexican SIM-card ($27), which explains the larger number in the utilities section.
T&T in our preferred campground in Loreto
Rivera del Mar RV Park was much busier this year than in 2021.
One of the bathroom buildings at the campground in Loreto
Tourist cards for Mexico cost about $33 a person, which created an extra expense category this past month. Other than the money needed for Mark’s trip back to attend to a family situation, January had us on track for an average $1,300 month… February – so far – is looking much better. ????
Find all our expense reports here. To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.
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