It's interesting living in Puerto Vallarta, well actually Nuevo Vallarta. Since we started our beach wheelchair rental company, Beach Crossers, we have learned a million things. This week it seems like we are going to learn about the mapache (raccoon).
The first night I was back to Vallarta, I had a visitor. I never saw the visitor, but it got into the kitchen trash and made a bit of a mess. Not too big of a mess as having just returned to the apartment, there wasn't much in the trash. Many people tried to convince me that it was "Google" the cat, but I had never known him to get into the garbage before so I was skeptical. The next evening as I was sitting at the dark dining room table with my computer, the slider opened. I casually said, "Hi Googs." but quickly smelled the odor of a wild, trash eating, pest of a raccoon. I knew without a doubt that it was not Google coming in, so I jumped up from the table and backed away. I'm sure I startled the animal, but with the lights out I had no way to know if it had left or not. I grabbed a flashlight, turned on all of the lights and began to search. I knew that shaking the patio chairs would not send him scurrying if he was holed up. Well, after about an hour of searching, I concluded that he (I truly have no way of knowing if it was in fact a he or a she) had left. I closed everything up tight even though it was still stinking hot and headed to bed. For a few nights I kept the house closed up. One night the frisky visitor came in through a bedroom window that I had left open about 2 inches. Yes, I put a stick in the window. I showed the opening to the grounds keeper in the morning and to one of my neighbors. Both were certain a raccoon could not come through that small opening, but I had seen it leave that way, so I was certain that it could ... and did come through that opening. So, even a small amount of air was out of the question :( This morning when the neighbor's cat, Google got up to leave at 6:00 in the morning (he spends the night here sometimes since his owner got a puppy... with permission from dad of course!) I decided it was probably morning enough to open things up. Five minutes! It took five minutes for the bandit to find his way to the slider and come in. Of course I had barely made my way back to bed so I bounced up and once again told it to "get out of my house." It turned it's little raccoon head around and looked at my from my dining room table to see if I meant what I said. I clapped my hands a few times and he moseyed back out of the door. What to do?
Beach wheelchair and mobility device rentals Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Making Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding area accessible to everyone. Visit our site at Beachcrossers.com
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Monday, August 10, 2015
Beach Crossers Wheelchair Van takes a Road Trip from Yakima to Puerto Vallarta
This story begins with the purchase of our wheelchair accessible van. A wonderful family in Ellensburg had the van as part of an estate sale. We used money from Mom's estate to buy the van. Their mom had always loved road tripping and wanted to go to Mexico. The sentimental connection was there for both families and like most things in our business it felt like God was in control and it was meant to be.
The van that we purchased is a 2000 Dodge Caravan that was modified by Mobility Concepts in Portland, OR. They start by lowering the floor by 6-8 inches! That was obviously something that was going to be a challenge with the topes or random speed bumps in Mexico. Sometimes the topes are called "sleeping policemen" because they do a great job of controlling the speed of traffic, but they are tough on the vehicles. We knew we would need to have the van lifted. What we didn't know is that according to about 6 different locations in Central Washington, "it can't be done." All along I was thinking to myself, "I bet it can be done once we get to Mexico!" Unfortunately, that meant taking the road trip with a van that was guaranteed to drag it's bottom across a number of bumps in the road.
Life threw a few curves and our trip was delayed, re-planned, delayed and re-planned. What was going to be a sight seeing adventure turned into a quick trip with a deadline (okay, we were only expecting company at our tropical home in Vallarta, but it was still a deadline we didn't want to miss).
First day Yakima to Ely, NV. This wasn't our planned route, but it is one we are familiar with. We had planned to go through Reno to visit family, and maybe through Rio Vista to visit more family, but instead we cut out a day and took the shortest route. Some might find this a beautiful drive, but having done this drive several times in the past, neither of us were interested in sight seeing and took turns driving just to cover some miles.
Day 2 Ely to Nogales. Again, not the route we planned. We were planning to spend the night in Ajo, AZ, but there was some construction on Highway 2 in Mexico that we wanted to avoid, so we took a little bit longer day and made it all of the way to Nogales. Let me just mention our hotel rental for the night. According to Kayak, it was the Best Western Siesta Motel. We navigated to the Best Western which didn't have any record of our reservation. After a little investigation, we figured out that we were at the "other Best Western." That is funny in a not so funny kind of way. The "other" Best Western doesn't say anything about Best Western on any of the signs. The free breakfast was, and I'm not kidding, a box of chocolate hostess donuts dumped in a display case. There wasn't even any coffee. We needed a business center, but ... not a chance. It was clean, but it was not like any Best Western I've ever stayed at. We are pretty easy going about lodging, but this was not what we were expecting. However, it was close to the border, which made the next morning pretty easy.
Day 3 Nogales to Guaymas. What to do for breakfast now that our buffet was non existent. Yes, the Safeway bakery was the next best thing. Honestly, one of the best bagels I've ever had. I would certainly recommend it. A fresh bagel, cream cheese and juice. As a bonus there was a Starbucks in the store. Sadly there was no copy machine as we still needed copies of our car registration for the border. After a Google search we found that there were copy services across the border so we headed south with our bagels, coffee and our optimistic attitudes.
The border. Someone could have told us that there is NOTHING at the border. There is a welcome sign about the same as the one that goes from Washington into Oregon. "Welcome to Mexico!" That's it. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but there was seriously NOTHING. It was kind of creepy. We felt like we had taken a wrong turn and missed the border crossing. It turns out that about 10 miles down the road you come to all of the things that you thought should be at the border. First is customs. Let me just mention that the bumps we had to cross with the van here were excruciating! No matter how slow or angled we crossed we were scraping the bottom side of the van in a big way. There is a button you push to get a red or green light. If you've walked into Mexico or arrived by air, you've pushed a similar button. Today was slow at the custom's area, so everyone got red. I wish someone had also warned us that if you get a red there is a horrible alarm that accompanies the light. Even with advanced warning it will have you jumping high enough to hit your head on the top of the car. We pulled over into the stall (scraping the van across the topes). I hopped out opening all of the doors so they could have a look at our van full of lounge chairs and plastic storage. The inspector was much more interested in the modifications to the van. They had never seen an accessible van before. Thankfully, we didn't need to cross any more topes and they didn't ask for duty or taxes; just sent us on our way while they continued to discuss the van. Next is immigration. You have to pull into a parking area where they check your resident visa or issue a tourist card. This should be simple because you either have a visa or you get a tourist card. You just need your passport and to fill out some paperwork. The next stop is to pick up your vehicle permit and it is in the same location. There is a copy center conveniently located on site (so we could have avoided running around Nogales where we never found one open). You get your copies, go to the cashier to pay for your deposit, then back to the first office, where you jump to the front of the line, and get the final approval. There is a sticker that goes on your car and you exit (again with no additional topes) and are on your way. We had our proof of ownership, proof of US insurance, proof of Mexican insurance, and current registration. Paid our deposit and got our 6 month permit. Return to the border within 6 months and we get our deposit back (or so they say. I've heard differently). Hopefully our custom's agent in Vallarta can get our vehicle nationalized so we don't have to drive back to the border every 6 months. This process took less than an hour and might have been faster if we didn't have a first day employee behind the desk. Note: Since this was written we have found that as long as you have your temporary residents visa you don't need to renew your TIP. You lose the money you paid, but save a drive back to the border.
Back on the road. When you get into Mexico you can choose to use the toll roads or the smaller roads that go through towns. Similar to the interstate vs. the state highways. Of course we were sticking with the toll roads because there are generally better road conditions, fewer topes, faster travel times and the best benefit of all: when you pay your toll you are eligible for free road side assistance. Keep your receipts and know where you are. There are call boxes about every mile and peace of mind all along the way. The Green Angels have gas, tires, batteries, water and can call you a tow truck if you need one. This gets important later :) The road from Notales to Guamas was mostly more desert, but as we headed back to the coast the biodiversity increased. This was also going to be a short day, so we finally had time to look around and enjoy the sights. We arrived at Guaymas. We had a room reserved at Playa de Cortes. It was beautiful. It was full of old Mexico atmosphere. The air conditioning was great, the view unbeatable. On a comfort scale, the beds were about a 4/10, but that is pretty normal for a lot of places in Mexico. There was no refrigerator in the room, and the bathroom smelled musty. That being said, I would stay there again. The view and grounds are so spectacular! The restaurant would get mixed reviews. The soup I had was amazing, but the Monte Cristo sandwich was laughable. It was some turkey and a slice of packaged cheese on a piece of toast. Yes, that's it. Served warm, but not melted (not sure that kind of "cheese" can actually melt). Nice people all around.
Day 4 Guaymas to Mazatlan Getting out of Guaymas was interesting as there are topes everywhere and they are not gentle. We grabbed breakfast at McDonalds and were happy to get back to the toll road. The toll road is interesting because you never know how much the toll is going to be (from 35 to 220 pesos) or how far it will be between toll booths. You would think the higher toll gets you a longer stretch of road, but there doesn't seem to be a pattern. We reserved a room at Don Palayo's in Mazatlan. The drive was pretty nice. We had a long section of road that had a speed limit of 110 km (about 70 mph) so travel was good. We stopped at Starbucks in Obregon (if you read much of my blog you'll soon realize I'm totally addicted. It's a side effect of years of living in Washington State). Since we had another short day we were able to enjoy coffee and wifi and the company of fellow coffee lovers. It was 110 outside and we ended up sitting on the patio because the air conditioning was too cold. You can always count on Starbucks to keep the temperature cool. We enjoyed our coffee, grabbed a Subway sandwich and headed to Mazatlan. Yes, 110 degrees. I asked Sheri, "did you turn off the air conditioner?" "No" she said, (not the answer I wanted), "but I noticed that it's not blowing cold air anymore." Windows down we continue to Mazatlan. About 10 miles outside of town the van starts to vibrate. We arrived plenty early, although there was a problem with our reservation so check in took over an hour. They were really nice about it, but an hour of check in is still an un-enjoyable hour. . Once we were checked in, Sheri got some ice for her very swollen ankle/foot and I got on the "On the Road Mexico" Facebook forum to find a mechanic. We had several recommendations in just a few minutes. The next morning we checked out of our room and headed to Farco Automotriz (next to the green laundry on Avenida de la Marina). We dropped off the van and headed across the street for a torta and fresh squeezed juice. Both of which were delicious. By the time we returned they had the air conditioning unit removed and were trying to find a new compressor. Auto zone said 3-5 days (no thanks) and the junk yard didn't have a used one. They ended up replacing the bearings, removing all of the rest of the compressor and sending us on our way. This was after-all our last day on the road and we could get it fixed by our own mechanic in Vallarta (highly recommend William and Willy at The Chevy Shoppe. Both speak great English, are priced competetively and always get our vehicle back to us promptly. They will also do house calls if needed). We still had a little bit of a shimmy going on so the mechanic directed us to the tire shop where we had the guilty tire balanced and headed on our way. They were such nice people and we actually enjoyed hanging around the shop for half the day. Reminded me of the time spent at Antioch Radiator as a kid where Dad and Al had areas where we were allowed to play and areas that were off limits. There were plenty of toddler toys at the shop in Mazatlan. They mechanics were friendly and brought us cold drinks while we waited.
On the road again and headed home. We didn't even take time to backtrack to the Starbucks, we just headed South looking forward to seeing our own beds. About 2 hours later the van was shaking so severely that we knew we needed to stop. It was shaking more severely when we pushed on the accelerator. We were pretty sure a motor mount had broken. We pulled over at a call box just past the exit to Rosamorada. In my best Spanish I let the operator know that we didn't need gas, water, battery or tires, but that we needed help and that our car was broken. In hindsight, it would be good to learn the word for tow truck (grua) before taking a road trip through Mexico. She kept asking for more information and it was incredibly frustrating. Finally, I told Sheri it was her turn. I had given the number off of the toll receipt, the location of the toll box, and asked for help in every way that I could think of. I had tried for almost 2 hours without success when Sheri got on the box and said, "Carro no bueno" and shortly after that the aid car arrived. Even better though was the SUV that pulled in while the aid car driver was putting on his safety vest to cross the road to our location Rene, Julia and their son Aldo were driving toward Mazatlan when they saw us broken down. Rene asked Julia if she saw those two white women, one on crutches broken down and did she think they should stop. She hadn't seen us, but said if he thought they should stop then they should stop and was he going to be okay driving on without knowing if we were okay. PRAISE GOD. I love the Mexican people and I love the language, but I was so very happy to hear, "You guys need some help?" in English. Rene and Sheri talked with the mechanic about what the van had been up to and what our next steps would be and I chatted with Julia. What truly kindhearted people. It took some McGuivering to get our lowered van onto the tow truck, but Julia kept on the driver, watching every inch of the process to protect our muffler. When we were loaded up they said they were taking us to the next town to the mechanic. It was that time of night where the mosquitoes start to swarm so we knew we would be spending the night and headed for the tow truck. Rene insisted that we ride with them as they were going to go with us because the mechanic might not speak English. Ruiz is 25 km in the wrong direction, but they insisted. Thank God for sending these angels to assist us in our time of need! We had no problem with conversation and chatted non stop in both the front and back seats all the way to Ruiz. We spent a few hours at the mechanic together finding out that the fly wheel was either cracked or broken and that they could probably get us on the road by either the same time the next day (if it was cracked) or the following day (if it was broken). Well, only 2.5 hours from home and looking at an extended stay in Ruiz. Rene and the whole group of mechanics discussed where we should spend the night in Ruiz (I understood enough to be enamored by the care they were giving the two white women). They decided that even though there were no services nearby that we should stay at the "new hotel" because it would just be better for "the two white women". They would come get us in the morning and take us to breakfast, then come get us for lunch and hopefully the van would be ready after that. So, Rene, Julia and Aldo took us to the hotel. There was no room at the inn! I think everyone in town was looking for some relief from the heat and booked up all of the rooms with air conditioning. The hotel receptionist recommended another hotel and we were off again (remember that Rene and Julia were headed to Mazatlan and now it's getting late). On the way to the second hotel, Rene stopped to ask direction and the man said that hotel wouldn't be the best for "the two white women" as sometimes the highway road crews check in late at night and they can be noisy. He recommended another place and we were on our way. The hotel we landed at was awesome. There was no office, it was a 50s style single story building around a courtyard. The courtyard had building in the middle that was both a commons area and the home of the owner. There were chickens and cats running around, plenty of fruit trees and it turns out that it was only a block and a half to the mechanic. Most importantly, there was a room available. we were happy to see two beds, an air conditioner that worked, a bathroom with a shower and a 9" TV. The owner brought us clean towels and toilet paper. What more could we ask for. We asked Rene, Julia and Aldo to dinner and thankfully the taco place that was just outside our new home for the night was open late. The owner said not to worry about a key, she would be around LOL. The door did lock from the inside so good enough. We enjoyed some really great tacos and quesadillas and the company of our new friends. It was probably 11:30 when Rene suggested they get back on the road since they were still driving to Mazatlan. What a great adventure and wonderful people.
The next day we left our hotel (unlocked) and headed across the street to the OXXO (like an AM/PM or 7-eleven) for breakfast. Rice pudding and string cheese ... yum. We got directions to the ATM and an internet location and headed downtown with Sheri on crutches at 110 degrees. We were about half way to the ATM, which was much more than the 4 blocks we were told, when Sheri notice that right next to us was a place that said, in English "Coffee and Internet"! Seriously, just like a Starbucks from before there were Starbucks! He only had Mocha and the Internet was on some computers that were older than the ones donated to my classroom 15 years ago by the hospital because they were upgrading. He dusted off the computer, brought us some frozen mochas and we were HAPPY. His English was perfect. He called the mechanic, Reuben Guerrero, to check on the van to find out that we were going to have to stay another night. Not ideal, but we already had a room so good enough. We stopped at the panadaria across the street to pick up a loaf of sweet bread, stopped by the ATM to get money for the mechanic, and crutched our way back to the room. Wait, where is that taco stand that was here last night? I asked the owner about tacos and she said, "manana, no hay hoy." Really, this is the one day the taco stand is closed? I asked where else was close by and she said not to worry that the tacos would come to us and to just head to the room. A short time later there is a knock on the door and a young man says, "My mom said I'm going to get you some tacos?" I'm sure this was the first time they had ever offered room service! We told him what we wanted, he hopped on his scooter and brought us our order a while later. It was awesome. Dinner was delicious and we had sweet bread for a dessert.
The next morning we went to the OXXO for rice pudding and string cheese. Sheri sat down on a planter box and I was going to head down to the mechanic. Just then, here comes our van with a smiling mechanic behind the wheel. He flips the u-turn and I go for a ride with him. Sadly, the van was still shaking. They had replaced the fly wheel which was in fact broken, but that obviously wasn't the only problem. Sheri took a ride and we all agreed that we were heading back to the mechanic. With only 2 seats in van, I walked down and met them there. They took apart the left axel, then the right. Oh, there's the problem. The CV joint was broken. This time Auto Zone said 5-7 days and the junk yard didn't have one. During this time, they brought us ice cream, offered us their car, and showed up with lunch. There was one mechanic that spoke English, so all in all it went really well. They took the broken part to a machine shop where it was sanded and welded to almost perfectly smooth. He said it wasn't fixed, but would get us to Vallarta. We asked if we should drive slow and careful and he said, "No, it's good to go. I guarantee it for 7 days." And we all laughed. Now, how to get back to the toll road? It was dark when we got to Ruiz and it's not exactly on the toll road. Rueben said to follow him and he got on the scooter with his brother driving and started leading us out of town. Rueben is obviously well known and well liked because he was like the Grand Marshall in the "We got the white women back on the road" parade. We were so glad he took us to the road, because he tried to avoid topes and when there was one coming up instructed us on where it was most gradual. Such nice people. We broke our rule about driving at night. The most important reason to not drive at night is that most of the highway in Mexico is also in open range, cows are black and like to sleep on the road. There are steep shoulders and random speed bumps. There are some areas of the country where criminal activities escalate at night. We were far south of any criminal hot spots, there was a long line of semi trucks going our way, and we would be home by midnight. We actually arrived at the house at about 12:30. We had just enough time to sleep, unload the van into the living room and pick our friends up at the airport at 3:30. Perfect timing. And a fun road trip. Mom would have loved it.
The van that we purchased is a 2000 Dodge Caravan that was modified by Mobility Concepts in Portland, OR. They start by lowering the floor by 6-8 inches! That was obviously something that was going to be a challenge with the topes or random speed bumps in Mexico. Sometimes the topes are called "sleeping policemen" because they do a great job of controlling the speed of traffic, but they are tough on the vehicles. We knew we would need to have the van lifted. What we didn't know is that according to about 6 different locations in Central Washington, "it can't be done." All along I was thinking to myself, "I bet it can be done once we get to Mexico!" Unfortunately, that meant taking the road trip with a van that was guaranteed to drag it's bottom across a number of bumps in the road.
Life threw a few curves and our trip was delayed, re-planned, delayed and re-planned. What was going to be a sight seeing adventure turned into a quick trip with a deadline (okay, we were only expecting company at our tropical home in Vallarta, but it was still a deadline we didn't want to miss).
First day Yakima to Ely, NV. This wasn't our planned route, but it is one we are familiar with. We had planned to go through Reno to visit family, and maybe through Rio Vista to visit more family, but instead we cut out a day and took the shortest route. Some might find this a beautiful drive, but having done this drive several times in the past, neither of us were interested in sight seeing and took turns driving just to cover some miles.
Day 2 Ely to Nogales. Again, not the route we planned. We were planning to spend the night in Ajo, AZ, but there was some construction on Highway 2 in Mexico that we wanted to avoid, so we took a little bit longer day and made it all of the way to Nogales. Let me just mention our hotel rental for the night. According to Kayak, it was the Best Western Siesta Motel. We navigated to the Best Western which didn't have any record of our reservation. After a little investigation, we figured out that we were at the "other Best Western." That is funny in a not so funny kind of way. The "other" Best Western doesn't say anything about Best Western on any of the signs. The free breakfast was, and I'm not kidding, a box of chocolate hostess donuts dumped in a display case. There wasn't even any coffee. We needed a business center, but ... not a chance. It was clean, but it was not like any Best Western I've ever stayed at. We are pretty easy going about lodging, but this was not what we were expecting. However, it was close to the border, which made the next morning pretty easy.
Day 3 Nogales to Guaymas. What to do for breakfast now that our buffet was non existent. Yes, the Safeway bakery was the next best thing. Honestly, one of the best bagels I've ever had. I would certainly recommend it. A fresh bagel, cream cheese and juice. As a bonus there was a Starbucks in the store. Sadly there was no copy machine as we still needed copies of our car registration for the border. After a Google search we found that there were copy services across the border so we headed south with our bagels, coffee and our optimistic attitudes.
The border. Someone could have told us that there is NOTHING at the border. There is a welcome sign about the same as the one that goes from Washington into Oregon. "Welcome to Mexico!" That's it. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but there was seriously NOTHING. It was kind of creepy. We felt like we had taken a wrong turn and missed the border crossing. It turns out that about 10 miles down the road you come to all of the things that you thought should be at the border. First is customs. Let me just mention that the bumps we had to cross with the van here were excruciating! No matter how slow or angled we crossed we were scraping the bottom side of the van in a big way. There is a button you push to get a red or green light. If you've walked into Mexico or arrived by air, you've pushed a similar button. Today was slow at the custom's area, so everyone got red. I wish someone had also warned us that if you get a red there is a horrible alarm that accompanies the light. Even with advanced warning it will have you jumping high enough to hit your head on the top of the car. We pulled over into the stall (scraping the van across the topes). I hopped out opening all of the doors so they could have a look at our van full of lounge chairs and plastic storage. The inspector was much more interested in the modifications to the van. They had never seen an accessible van before. Thankfully, we didn't need to cross any more topes and they didn't ask for duty or taxes; just sent us on our way while they continued to discuss the van. Next is immigration. You have to pull into a parking area where they check your resident visa or issue a tourist card. This should be simple because you either have a visa or you get a tourist card. You just need your passport and to fill out some paperwork. The next stop is to pick up your vehicle permit and it is in the same location. There is a copy center conveniently located on site (so we could have avoided running around Nogales where we never found one open). You get your copies, go to the cashier to pay for your deposit, then back to the first office, where you jump to the front of the line, and get the final approval. There is a sticker that goes on your car and you exit (again with no additional topes) and are on your way. We had our proof of ownership, proof of US insurance, proof of Mexican insurance, and current registration. Paid our deposit and got our 6 month permit. Return to the border within 6 months and we get our deposit back (or so they say. I've heard differently). Hopefully our custom's agent in Vallarta can get our vehicle nationalized so we don't have to drive back to the border every 6 months. This process took less than an hour and might have been faster if we didn't have a first day employee behind the desk. Note: Since this was written we have found that as long as you have your temporary residents visa you don't need to renew your TIP. You lose the money you paid, but save a drive back to the border.
Back on the road. When you get into Mexico you can choose to use the toll roads or the smaller roads that go through towns. Similar to the interstate vs. the state highways. Of course we were sticking with the toll roads because there are generally better road conditions, fewer topes, faster travel times and the best benefit of all: when you pay your toll you are eligible for free road side assistance. Keep your receipts and know where you are. There are call boxes about every mile and peace of mind all along the way. The Green Angels have gas, tires, batteries, water and can call you a tow truck if you need one. This gets important later :) The road from Notales to Guamas was mostly more desert, but as we headed back to the coast the biodiversity increased. This was also going to be a short day, so we finally had time to look around and enjoy the sights. We arrived at Guaymas. We had a room reserved at Playa de Cortes. It was beautiful. It was full of old Mexico atmosphere. The air conditioning was great, the view unbeatable. On a comfort scale, the beds were about a 4/10, but that is pretty normal for a lot of places in Mexico. There was no refrigerator in the room, and the bathroom smelled musty. That being said, I would stay there again. The view and grounds are so spectacular! The restaurant would get mixed reviews. The soup I had was amazing, but the Monte Cristo sandwich was laughable. It was some turkey and a slice of packaged cheese on a piece of toast. Yes, that's it. Served warm, but not melted (not sure that kind of "cheese" can actually melt). Nice people all around.
Day 4 Guaymas to Mazatlan Getting out of Guaymas was interesting as there are topes everywhere and they are not gentle. We grabbed breakfast at McDonalds and were happy to get back to the toll road. The toll road is interesting because you never know how much the toll is going to be (from 35 to 220 pesos) or how far it will be between toll booths. You would think the higher toll gets you a longer stretch of road, but there doesn't seem to be a pattern. We reserved a room at Don Palayo's in Mazatlan. The drive was pretty nice. We had a long section of road that had a speed limit of 110 km (about 70 mph) so travel was good. We stopped at Starbucks in Obregon (if you read much of my blog you'll soon realize I'm totally addicted. It's a side effect of years of living in Washington State). Since we had another short day we were able to enjoy coffee and wifi and the company of fellow coffee lovers. It was 110 outside and we ended up sitting on the patio because the air conditioning was too cold. You can always count on Starbucks to keep the temperature cool. We enjoyed our coffee, grabbed a Subway sandwich and headed to Mazatlan. Yes, 110 degrees. I asked Sheri, "did you turn off the air conditioner?" "No" she said, (not the answer I wanted), "but I noticed that it's not blowing cold air anymore." Windows down we continue to Mazatlan. About 10 miles outside of town the van starts to vibrate. We arrived plenty early, although there was a problem with our reservation so check in took over an hour. They were really nice about it, but an hour of check in is still an un-enjoyable hour. . Once we were checked in, Sheri got some ice for her very swollen ankle/foot and I got on the "On the Road Mexico" Facebook forum to find a mechanic. We had several recommendations in just a few minutes. The next morning we checked out of our room and headed to Farco Automotriz (next to the green laundry on Avenida de la Marina). We dropped off the van and headed across the street for a torta and fresh squeezed juice. Both of which were delicious. By the time we returned they had the air conditioning unit removed and were trying to find a new compressor. Auto zone said 3-5 days (no thanks) and the junk yard didn't have a used one. They ended up replacing the bearings, removing all of the rest of the compressor and sending us on our way. This was after-all our last day on the road and we could get it fixed by our own mechanic in Vallarta (highly recommend William and Willy at The Chevy Shoppe. Both speak great English, are priced competetively and always get our vehicle back to us promptly. They will also do house calls if needed). We still had a little bit of a shimmy going on so the mechanic directed us to the tire shop where we had the guilty tire balanced and headed on our way. They were such nice people and we actually enjoyed hanging around the shop for half the day. Reminded me of the time spent at Antioch Radiator as a kid where Dad and Al had areas where we were allowed to play and areas that were off limits. There were plenty of toddler toys at the shop in Mazatlan. They mechanics were friendly and brought us cold drinks while we waited.
On the road again and headed home. We didn't even take time to backtrack to the Starbucks, we just headed South looking forward to seeing our own beds. About 2 hours later the van was shaking so severely that we knew we needed to stop. It was shaking more severely when we pushed on the accelerator. We were pretty sure a motor mount had broken. We pulled over at a call box just past the exit to Rosamorada. In my best Spanish I let the operator know that we didn't need gas, water, battery or tires, but that we needed help and that our car was broken. In hindsight, it would be good to learn the word for tow truck (grua) before taking a road trip through Mexico. She kept asking for more information and it was incredibly frustrating. Finally, I told Sheri it was her turn. I had given the number off of the toll receipt, the location of the toll box, and asked for help in every way that I could think of. I had tried for almost 2 hours without success when Sheri got on the box and said, "Carro no bueno" and shortly after that the aid car arrived. Even better though was the SUV that pulled in while the aid car driver was putting on his safety vest to cross the road to our location Rene, Julia and their son Aldo were driving toward Mazatlan when they saw us broken down. Rene asked Julia if she saw those two white women, one on crutches broken down and did she think they should stop. She hadn't seen us, but said if he thought they should stop then they should stop and was he going to be okay driving on without knowing if we were okay. PRAISE GOD. I love the Mexican people and I love the language, but I was so very happy to hear, "You guys need some help?" in English. Rene and Sheri talked with the mechanic about what the van had been up to and what our next steps would be and I chatted with Julia. What truly kindhearted people. It took some McGuivering to get our lowered van onto the tow truck, but Julia kept on the driver, watching every inch of the process to protect our muffler. When we were loaded up they said they were taking us to the next town to the mechanic. It was that time of night where the mosquitoes start to swarm so we knew we would be spending the night and headed for the tow truck. Rene insisted that we ride with them as they were going to go with us because the mechanic might not speak English. Ruiz is 25 km in the wrong direction, but they insisted. Thank God for sending these angels to assist us in our time of need! We had no problem with conversation and chatted non stop in both the front and back seats all the way to Ruiz. We spent a few hours at the mechanic together finding out that the fly wheel was either cracked or broken and that they could probably get us on the road by either the same time the next day (if it was cracked) or the following day (if it was broken). Well, only 2.5 hours from home and looking at an extended stay in Ruiz. Rene and the whole group of mechanics discussed where we should spend the night in Ruiz (I understood enough to be enamored by the care they were giving the two white women). They decided that even though there were no services nearby that we should stay at the "new hotel" because it would just be better for "the two white women". They would come get us in the morning and take us to breakfast, then come get us for lunch and hopefully the van would be ready after that. So, Rene, Julia and Aldo took us to the hotel. There was no room at the inn! I think everyone in town was looking for some relief from the heat and booked up all of the rooms with air conditioning. The hotel receptionist recommended another hotel and we were off again (remember that Rene and Julia were headed to Mazatlan and now it's getting late). On the way to the second hotel, Rene stopped to ask direction and the man said that hotel wouldn't be the best for "the two white women" as sometimes the highway road crews check in late at night and they can be noisy. He recommended another place and we were on our way. The hotel we landed at was awesome. There was no office, it was a 50s style single story building around a courtyard. The courtyard had building in the middle that was both a commons area and the home of the owner. There were chickens and cats running around, plenty of fruit trees and it turns out that it was only a block and a half to the mechanic. Most importantly, there was a room available. we were happy to see two beds, an air conditioner that worked, a bathroom with a shower and a 9" TV. The owner brought us clean towels and toilet paper. What more could we ask for. We asked Rene, Julia and Aldo to dinner and thankfully the taco place that was just outside our new home for the night was open late. The owner said not to worry about a key, she would be around LOL. The door did lock from the inside so good enough. We enjoyed some really great tacos and quesadillas and the company of our new friends. It was probably 11:30 when Rene suggested they get back on the road since they were still driving to Mazatlan. What a great adventure and wonderful people.
The next day we left our hotel (unlocked) and headed across the street to the OXXO (like an AM/PM or 7-eleven) for breakfast. Rice pudding and string cheese ... yum. We got directions to the ATM and an internet location and headed downtown with Sheri on crutches at 110 degrees. We were about half way to the ATM, which was much more than the 4 blocks we were told, when Sheri notice that right next to us was a place that said, in English "Coffee and Internet"! Seriously, just like a Starbucks from before there were Starbucks! He only had Mocha and the Internet was on some computers that were older than the ones donated to my classroom 15 years ago by the hospital because they were upgrading. He dusted off the computer, brought us some frozen mochas and we were HAPPY. His English was perfect. He called the mechanic, Reuben Guerrero, to check on the van to find out that we were going to have to stay another night. Not ideal, but we already had a room so good enough. We stopped at the panadaria across the street to pick up a loaf of sweet bread, stopped by the ATM to get money for the mechanic, and crutched our way back to the room. Wait, where is that taco stand that was here last night? I asked the owner about tacos and she said, "manana, no hay hoy." Really, this is the one day the taco stand is closed? I asked where else was close by and she said not to worry that the tacos would come to us and to just head to the room. A short time later there is a knock on the door and a young man says, "My mom said I'm going to get you some tacos?" I'm sure this was the first time they had ever offered room service! We told him what we wanted, he hopped on his scooter and brought us our order a while later. It was awesome. Dinner was delicious and we had sweet bread for a dessert.
The next morning we went to the OXXO for rice pudding and string cheese. Sheri sat down on a planter box and I was going to head down to the mechanic. Just then, here comes our van with a smiling mechanic behind the wheel. He flips the u-turn and I go for a ride with him. Sadly, the van was still shaking. They had replaced the fly wheel which was in fact broken, but that obviously wasn't the only problem. Sheri took a ride and we all agreed that we were heading back to the mechanic. With only 2 seats in van, I walked down and met them there. They took apart the left axel, then the right. Oh, there's the problem. The CV joint was broken. This time Auto Zone said 5-7 days and the junk yard didn't have one. During this time, they brought us ice cream, offered us their car, and showed up with lunch. There was one mechanic that spoke English, so all in all it went really well. They took the broken part to a machine shop where it was sanded and welded to almost perfectly smooth. He said it wasn't fixed, but would get us to Vallarta. We asked if we should drive slow and careful and he said, "No, it's good to go. I guarantee it for 7 days." And we all laughed. Now, how to get back to the toll road? It was dark when we got to Ruiz and it's not exactly on the toll road. Rueben said to follow him and he got on the scooter with his brother driving and started leading us out of town. Rueben is obviously well known and well liked because he was like the Grand Marshall in the "We got the white women back on the road" parade. We were so glad he took us to the road, because he tried to avoid topes and when there was one coming up instructed us on where it was most gradual. Such nice people. We broke our rule about driving at night. The most important reason to not drive at night is that most of the highway in Mexico is also in open range, cows are black and like to sleep on the road. There are steep shoulders and random speed bumps. There are some areas of the country where criminal activities escalate at night. We were far south of any criminal hot spots, there was a long line of semi trucks going our way, and we would be home by midnight. We actually arrived at the house at about 12:30. We had just enough time to sleep, unload the van into the living room and pick our friends up at the airport at 3:30. Perfect timing. And a fun road trip. Mom would have loved it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Beach Crossers is driving to Puerto Vallarta from the Pacific Northwest
Well, this is going to be an adventure. I've found some really good resources for our trip. I joined "On the Road Mexico" and "Puerto Vallarta: Everything you need or want to know" groups on Facebook. It's amazing how you can post a question and have 100 replies in a relatively short time. If you want to know where the gas stations are located, just ask. If you want to know whether or not you should stay on the toll roads, just ask. There are people driving that route every day and they can give you current road conditions and border crossing information. I'm still debating on the route, because I have a lot of information to sift through. I'm also going to borrow a login and put together a triptik from AAA. I haven't found an online resource that is nearly as thorough. If you have something I'd love to hear about it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Beach Crossers adds a wheelchair van to their options for Vallarta
This is our newest addition to our service. We've found that many people need a lift from one place to another and there just aren't many options in #Vallarta. Importing the van is becoming the next hurdle in the never ending list of hurdles we've jumped thus far. Vehicle import seems to be "frozen" at this time unless you have a 2006 or 2007 vehicle. Then, the wait is about 5 weeks at the border. Well, at least that is the word on the internet. We are planning on driving down in June. Looks like we will be getting a 6 month permit at the border and hope that sometime in that 6 months the rules ease up. We were also told that once we get our permanent resident visas we won't be able to bring the vehicle in at all and would not be able to renew our 6 month permit. So, we are really not sure how the wheelchair van is going to get into the country or how long we will be able to keep it there, but we are praying and hoping that things work out with this. It would be so nice to add this option to our product line.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
What mobility devices should Beach Crossers add?
It's so hard to decide what products to add. Essentially, we are guessing what people may want to rent in the future with absolutely no history to guide our guessing. Beach wheelchairs? Power chairs? How about some crutches?
Originally we thought that we would need mostly beach wheelchairs, but that has proved a little inaccurate. Power chairs have been much more requested than we anticipated. Those of you who came to Vallarta and had an accident during vacation love the power chairs. They are great for getting around the resorts and if you don't want to cross the sand, can take you most everywhere else. The beach wheelchairs have been popular downtown. It turns out that they cross cobblestone far easier than any of the other chairs, and with the umbrella, cup holder and elevated leg rest, can be a pretty comfortable way to see the Malecon. And the walkers... who knew. I would have thought that people would just bring their own walkers, but I would have been wrong. It turns out that airlines are pretty hard on mobility equipment. Lots of people have told us that they would rather rent something than to have their own equipment damaged or lost. Yes, lost!. When traveling home with a wheelchair, one of the airline employees asked me, "are you traveling with a wheelchair?" "Yes." I answered, "But, I checked it through." "Well, is this your chair?" Why my chair made it to the terminal is still a puzzle, but I'm glad that we were reunited and the chair made it to my final destination after all.
We've had a few requests for items. That part's easy. People asked for a walker, we got a walker. People asked for a rollator, we got a rollator. People asked for crutches, etc. But what about the other needs? Anita needed a chair that would elevate her leg and fit through some less than standard sized doors. The only chairs we have with elevating legs are beach wheelchairs. Lindsey needed a beach wheelchair, but she was just a little bit of a thing and needed pillows on all sides to stay put in the beach wheelchair. We really want to meet the needs of our clients, but our experience with mobility is limited to traveling with Mom. She used a chair because it was easier than towing her oxygen concentrator along behind her. When we came to steps that were not passable in the chair, she could get out and slowly make her way up the steps. At times, some nice men would come along and pick her up, chair and all, and depsit her at the top or bottom of the impassable obstacle.
What do we need? Many of you are much better at seeing those needs than we are. Help us out. Send us your suggestions. We listen and want to grow in the right direction.
Originally we thought that we would need mostly beach wheelchairs, but that has proved a little inaccurate. Power chairs have been much more requested than we anticipated. Those of you who came to Vallarta and had an accident during vacation love the power chairs. They are great for getting around the resorts and if you don't want to cross the sand, can take you most everywhere else. The beach wheelchairs have been popular downtown. It turns out that they cross cobblestone far easier than any of the other chairs, and with the umbrella, cup holder and elevated leg rest, can be a pretty comfortable way to see the Malecon. And the walkers... who knew. I would have thought that people would just bring their own walkers, but I would have been wrong. It turns out that airlines are pretty hard on mobility equipment. Lots of people have told us that they would rather rent something than to have their own equipment damaged or lost. Yes, lost!. When traveling home with a wheelchair, one of the airline employees asked me, "are you traveling with a wheelchair?" "Yes." I answered, "But, I checked it through." "Well, is this your chair?" Why my chair made it to the terminal is still a puzzle, but I'm glad that we were reunited and the chair made it to my final destination after all.
We've had a few requests for items. That part's easy. People asked for a walker, we got a walker. People asked for a rollator, we got a rollator. People asked for crutches, etc. But what about the other needs? Anita needed a chair that would elevate her leg and fit through some less than standard sized doors. The only chairs we have with elevating legs are beach wheelchairs. Lindsey needed a beach wheelchair, but she was just a little bit of a thing and needed pillows on all sides to stay put in the beach wheelchair. We really want to meet the needs of our clients, but our experience with mobility is limited to traveling with Mom. She used a chair because it was easier than towing her oxygen concentrator along behind her. When we came to steps that were not passable in the chair, she could get out and slowly make her way up the steps. At times, some nice men would come along and pick her up, chair and all, and depsit her at the top or bottom of the impassable obstacle.
What do we need? Many of you are much better at seeing those needs than we are. Help us out. Send us your suggestions. We listen and want to grow in the right direction.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Beach Crossers Press Release for February
Beach wheelchairs roll into Mexico. Is there anything better than a stroll on the beach with a beautiful sunset on a warm Vallarta evening? Many people have mobility limitations that in the past made that experience unattainable. With Beach Crossers in town, people who could not get to the beach in the past are taking an evening “roll” with family and friends.
Puerto Vallarta, MX February 2015. Beach Crossers launched their business last summer and immediately began to get calls and requests through their website at www.beachcrossers.com. The owners, Terrie and Sheri were inspired to start this venture by their mom, Shirley, who unfortunately passed away before they got started. According to Terrie, “She will always be part of the business. She taught us to care about others, follow our dreams, and that we were capable of doing great things if we were willing to work hard.”
There are 4 manufacturers of wheelchairs specially designed for use on beach surfaces. Beach Crossers is now the national distributors for 3 of them here in Mexico.
- The Debug wheelchair is great for most people. It has big balloon tires and scoots across sand and cobblestone with ease. It fits through standard sized doors without removing the wheels. It has an elevating foot rest and comes with a cup holder and umbrella.
- The Hippocampe will meet the needs of a select few. It is low to the ground for easy transfer to the sand, kayak or jet ski. It is meant to be self propelled by the client that is used to getting around without assistance. If you have perfected your “hop”, this chair is the right choice for you. It also fits through a standard door without removing the wheels.
- The Sand Rider is a sporty choice. With a high seat, this chair is easy to get in and out of. It crosses the sand and cobblestone easily. It has a comfortable relaxed seat position and comes with a cup holder.
Beach Crossers has helped many people to the beach since last summer. Zach, a 21 year old young man who has lived his life in a wheelchair, Nicole, an adorable little one who spent the day in a beach stroller, Anita and Wayne who each had injuries on the 2nd day of vacation. It’s not just the person sitting in the chair that benefits. Lawrence brought his 90 year old blind mother to Vallarta and having a beach wheelchair was really helpful. Mike had his granddaughter, Lindsey, 12, who has Cerebral Palsy.
Terrie, one of the owners says, “The best part of Beach Crossers is when we take the chairs to one of the resorts and find someone to give it to for the day. We’ve seen so many tears of joy since we started that I really look forward to this being my future.” We watched one day as Terrie and Sheri found just such a person. This elderly gentleman was at Paradise Village poolside with his family. Terrie approached and offered the Sand Rider for the day. (you can see pictures here https://www.beachcrossers.com/rentals/sand-rider/) The gentleman was non-verbal, but his smile and the smiles of his family members spoke of memories that will last a lifetime.
What’s ahead for Beach Crossers? According to Sheri, “We are planning to get an accessible van so we can help our clients get around Vallarta a bit easier.” This is good news for locals and tourists alike as finding a ride when you are not able to get out of your chair is more than challenging.
We can’t wait to see what’s ahead for Beach Crossers. We are lucky to have this family and this business in our community.
Wayne doesn’t let his injury interfere with an awesome vacation.
Zach and Jason take the Debug wheelchair for it’s first spin on the beach.
The Hippocampe is built for sport.
Abuelito gets his feet wet in the Sand Rider beach wheelchair.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Accessible does not mean the same thing everywhere in Vallarta
The beach wheelchair business is going well in Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta. We never thought we would be so busy so soon. The business is covering it's own expenses right now and we are very encouraged it will continue even as the busy season winds down. We have quite a few advanced reservations already. Who knew?
But enough of that ...
The topic of today's blog is, "What do they mean by ACCESSIBLE?"
Wow, can this mean a lot of different thing in Vallarta. Now that we have people using our beach wheelchairs and power chairs at a variety of locations we are beginning to really appreciate those facilities that are accessible in the same way that you would expect back in the states.
Paradise Village is in our top recommendations for accessibility. The sidewalks have ramps that are actually wide enough for wheelchairs, the paths are mostly gently sloped, and even the pool has a ramp for the water safe chairs to visit the activity pool. Another thing nice at Paradise Village is that the doors are wide enough for either a power chair or a beach wheelchair without removing any parts. I haven't been inside of the accessible rooms, but we've not heard any complaints from customers. They have an elevator in every tower. The elevators are large enough for the chairs and companion (which is not true at all resorts). There is even an elevator to go up to the Xcarat night club entertainment (welcome party when it is hosted indoors), although this is through the restaurant. It's a little odd, but functional. Sometimes other guests are not considerate and park in front of ramps or move their chairs in from of access, but they are usually good about moving out of the way when asked. They have wheelchair accessible tables throughout the facility including at the beach. They have beach mats that can be put out to wheel across. You just have to ask for that service as they are not out at all times. Even the spa and gym are easily accessible. They also run a shuttle down to the mall and to the golf course, but those are not wheelchair accessible as far as we've seen. They are so helpful though, that they might have an option if one were to ask. Ana at the concierge desk is very helpful. She has all the information you need to access mobility devices or information. She's always got a smile and will go out of her way to make your stay pleasant.
Another resort that seems pretty accessible is the RIU Vallarta. We've had a few rentals there and the only negative feedback we received was that the doors are difficult to maneuver because they don't face straight out to the hallway. The access ramps are easy to get to, the staff is very helpful, and there is a clear effort to make the facility accessible. Michelle at the concierge desk is quick to respond to email, has a wealth of information and is a joy to work with.
We haven't had much luck getting into the Grand Mayan, but the Mayan at the Marina has contacted us with several requests. The property is very accessible. However, the elevators are incredible small. It is not possible to have both the chair and another person in the same elevator. On the other hand, the doors face outward and are plenty wide enough for the chairs. The beach wheelchairs barely fit into the elevator and actually rub on both sides requiring a little push to get through the doors. Arturo and Oscar seem to know everything. They are a resource worth tapping as they can help you with not only mobility, but anything you might want. If you need to reserve a mobility device, they will actually get on the computer and walk you through the process step by step.
The Hard Rock Nuevo is very accessible once you get into the resort. However, it is kind of weird getting into the property with a wheelchair. You have to go to this little side door and wait around for a security guard to let you through. They are doing some remodeling out front, so hopefully this will change. Once inside the resort is more accessible than most. The ramps are wide and easily maneuvered. We haven't seen the rooms or elevators, but have had nothing but positive reviews from our clients.
Canto del Sol in the hotel district was very difficult for our clients. The "accessible" shower had a 4 inch lip making it impossible for the wheelchair to enter. It did have a drain outside of the shower and a hand held shower that could be used in that area. The rooms are small and difficult for a wheelchair to maneuver. The staff was absolutely wonderful and really tried to make it a comfortable stay, but the facility is just not set up well for limited mobility.
We visited the concierge at Samba and although we haven't seem much of the facility, it seemed like there would definitely be challenges in a wheelchair. Just the lobby area posed some obstacles, so unless there was some modernization somewhere around a corner I don't think this would be a great choice.
We plan to visit all of the resorts and check out their facilities more thoroughly. Will keep you posted :)
But enough of that ...
The topic of today's blog is, "What do they mean by ACCESSIBLE?"
Wow, can this mean a lot of different thing in Vallarta. Now that we have people using our beach wheelchairs and power chairs at a variety of locations we are beginning to really appreciate those facilities that are accessible in the same way that you would expect back in the states.
Paradise Village is in our top recommendations for accessibility. The sidewalks have ramps that are actually wide enough for wheelchairs, the paths are mostly gently sloped, and even the pool has a ramp for the water safe chairs to visit the activity pool. Another thing nice at Paradise Village is that the doors are wide enough for either a power chair or a beach wheelchair without removing any parts. I haven't been inside of the accessible rooms, but we've not heard any complaints from customers. They have an elevator in every tower. The elevators are large enough for the chairs and companion (which is not true at all resorts). There is even an elevator to go up to the Xcarat night club entertainment (welcome party when it is hosted indoors), although this is through the restaurant. It's a little odd, but functional. Sometimes other guests are not considerate and park in front of ramps or move their chairs in from of access, but they are usually good about moving out of the way when asked. They have wheelchair accessible tables throughout the facility including at the beach. They have beach mats that can be put out to wheel across. You just have to ask for that service as they are not out at all times. Even the spa and gym are easily accessible. They also run a shuttle down to the mall and to the golf course, but those are not wheelchair accessible as far as we've seen. They are so helpful though, that they might have an option if one were to ask. Ana at the concierge desk is very helpful. She has all the information you need to access mobility devices or information. She's always got a smile and will go out of her way to make your stay pleasant.
Another resort that seems pretty accessible is the RIU Vallarta. We've had a few rentals there and the only negative feedback we received was that the doors are difficult to maneuver because they don't face straight out to the hallway. The access ramps are easy to get to, the staff is very helpful, and there is a clear effort to make the facility accessible. Michelle at the concierge desk is quick to respond to email, has a wealth of information and is a joy to work with.
We haven't had much luck getting into the Grand Mayan, but the Mayan at the Marina has contacted us with several requests. The property is very accessible. However, the elevators are incredible small. It is not possible to have both the chair and another person in the same elevator. On the other hand, the doors face outward and are plenty wide enough for the chairs. The beach wheelchairs barely fit into the elevator and actually rub on both sides requiring a little push to get through the doors. Arturo and Oscar seem to know everything. They are a resource worth tapping as they can help you with not only mobility, but anything you might want. If you need to reserve a mobility device, they will actually get on the computer and walk you through the process step by step.
The Hard Rock Nuevo is very accessible once you get into the resort. However, it is kind of weird getting into the property with a wheelchair. You have to go to this little side door and wait around for a security guard to let you through. They are doing some remodeling out front, so hopefully this will change. Once inside the resort is more accessible than most. The ramps are wide and easily maneuvered. We haven't seen the rooms or elevators, but have had nothing but positive reviews from our clients.
Canto del Sol in the hotel district was very difficult for our clients. The "accessible" shower had a 4 inch lip making it impossible for the wheelchair to enter. It did have a drain outside of the shower and a hand held shower that could be used in that area. The rooms are small and difficult for a wheelchair to maneuver. The staff was absolutely wonderful and really tried to make it a comfortable stay, but the facility is just not set up well for limited mobility.
We visited the concierge at Samba and although we haven't seem much of the facility, it seemed like there would definitely be challenges in a wheelchair. Just the lobby area posed some obstacles, so unless there was some modernization somewhere around a corner I don't think this would be a great choice.
We plan to visit all of the resorts and check out their facilities more thoroughly. Will keep you posted :)
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