Inland adventures; return to Tequila and Tlaquepaque

We were reminded of the joys of inland trips, off the sailboats, sailing along, oops, we mean, driving along open highways in search of more experiences across Mexico.  We were happy that our friends Robin and Kathryn Weber, from S/V Agave Azul*, were eager to also return to the Tequila region of the State of Jalisco. 

*Note: With the last name of Weber, which is one of the primary tequila plants (Weber Agave), their sailboat is appropriately named Agave Azul,  

Last year they had helped introduce us into the finer points of tequila by suggesting several places to go.  We had also met them on the water during the Banderas Bay Regatta, and found a lot in common.

We only had three days and nights.  In addition to visiting favorite tequila distilleries and searching for some very elusive boutique brands, we decided it would be interesting to add a day of shopping and exploring in the suburbs of Guadalajara, called Tlaquepaque. Rob readily agreed to the Tlaquepaque side trip simply because it's a great name to pronounce.  We divided up our trip planning tasks, grabbed a rental car from the airport and headed out on the open road.  Road Trip!!

Fields of Agave Azul plants, the origin of Tequila, signify the entrance to Tequila Region

Gran Orendain: one of the Tequila destinations on the "list"

Tours of distilleries can be elusive.  Despite a lot of head shaking and No's, we ended up on a delightful tour at Gran Orendain by a gentleman who clearly loved the industry and job.  Of course the tour was in Spanish, which ensured we gave him all our attention!

Pinas ready to be cooked in the ovens and autoclaves

The Pina is the base of the Agave Azul plant, after the stalks have been carefully chopped off by the Jimador.  They are harvested after 7-11 years, and easily weigh more than 80 lbs each.  

The old way to crush the cooked pinas.

While many of the distilleries have transitioned to somewhat modern technology, they keep their old fashioned methods on display.

Horse drawn carriage in the streets

Metal Art work made from horseshoes depicting a Jimador (worker in the Tequila fields) and horse

Rob in the oven!

old and new distillers

View of Tequila downtown Cathedral square with pony rides for sale

There are very few gringo tourists here, mostly Mexican tourists all enjoying themselves.  The church bells start ringing by 6AM, and continue throughout the day.  It was very pleasant to sit in the plaza at the end of each day.

Rob was on a quest for a handmade wooden barrel, an authentic way to store tequila.  We stopped at the first place below and tried valiantly to communicate with the young man that we wanted to buy one.  He was very friendly but insistent that his barrels were not ready for sale.  He suggested we go up the road on our search.

Fabrica de Barrilles: Handmade Barrels

The search was over, and Shindig now has more unique treasures to store.  LOL.

The man below is named Misael.  We met him last year at the Guard Shack, aka Tasting Room, of the favorite Miravalle tequileria.  He is still hosting the tasting, but has cleaned up a bit, and is also NOT carrying a gun.  The plastic cups are much smaller now, too, which makes sense.

  

Some of the distilleries were known for their extensive grounds. The below, Tres Mujeres, had facilities for banquets, an elaborate tunnel system with underground tasting rooms and shops. It felt very similar to some of the Napa Valley wineries.

Strolling thru the caves at the Tres Mujeres Tequila Distillery

A dusty piano, just waiting, to be played

Dos Mujeres at Tres Mujeres 

After our stay in Tequila, we drove into Guadalajara for a day and night.  Rob's driving and the Weber enhanced navigation system with iPhones and cell service, helped us find our way to the shopping district of Tlaquepaque.

A model and a photo shoot

Ahogadas are a specialty street food in Guadalajara area, Muy Picante!  (SPICY)

DANZA DE LOS VOLADORES (Dance of the Flyers)
A spectacular pole dance ceremony which includes a dance, climbing to top of 30 m pole and descent to the ground. 

Dancer nears the ground after the slow, spinning descent from the top. 

A festive statue made by Rodo Padilla, contemporary local artist

Perhaps the largest Tequila and bottle collection in Jalisco

Our hotel was the Quinta Don San Jose, a beautiful boutique hotel in Tlaquepaque.  In addition to the pretty grounds, it offered onsite the friendliest staff, festive happy hour and romantic Italian restaurant.

The bartender below was happy to discuss our Tequila trip.

Street Mariachi performers
Guadalajara is a center for Mariachi music and costumes

Some of the shopping finds: glassware is also a regional specialty 

Great Road Trip, Let's do it again next year! 

Holidays

Our holidays started early and extended into the New Year, with family visits and reconnecting with friends in Banderas Bay.  We rented a hillside place in Sayulita, the surf town, just north of here, to have some relaxing time with Bryan when he flew into town.  Later, we celebrated the holidays with dockside potlucks and dinners out with cruising friends. Our sailboat, Shindig, is in the La Cruz Marina, which is really feels like the center for cruisers coming and going. And our short trip back to the Sacramento area last week was a holiday culmination with a nice visit with Nancy's mother, sister Elaine and JD, Bryan and girlfriend Kate.  Happy 2015!!

Margaret Maxfield (88) with daughters & son-in-laws

Mexico's fresh vegies are plentiful and colorful

Layered Vegie Dish to be baked
Nancy likes to contribute healthy dishes at potlucks to balance out the  "bad" stuff

Christmas Day Dock Party 

Merry Christmas with Danny and Deborah from SV Cyclades

A Festive Table made from Surfboards 

Deborah and Nancy: Christmas Morning Paddle

Xmas day: Playing with the Dolphins in the Marina of La Cruz

View from Sayulita place

Bryan enjoys his first course prepared by Sonia and sous chef at our place

Colorful family shot on the beaches of Sayulita

Another meal in Sayulita home

Christmas Toe-Socks from Kate - Thank you!!

January: Nancy gets one more visit with Bryan before he returns to college in Boston

Boat maintenance in exotic locations

This season we have experienced more than our share of boat maintenance.   I know, I know, "poor Rob and Nancy....  Living it up in Mexico, and complaining about a few boat chores"  I can just hear a teeny little violin (not even a cello) being played right now...

When you start using a boat more, you would expect that you would have more stuff to fix.
I get that, but for one reason or another, this year has been by far the most..... challenging.
Maybe being 17 years old means that Shindig has become a surly teenager.

When we put the boat to bed in June we  usually spend two weeks decommissioning the boat for summer in La Paz.  All the sails come off, anything bolted to the rails gets put down below.  There is a long list of chores that we power through in the heat of June so that we feel good about leaving the boat for 4 months during hurricane season.

The recommissioning process in the Fall usually unwinds all that was done in June; then we can apply proper fixes to things that broke the season before and make a few upgrades for the next season.

I always expect there to be a few bumps along the way but not like the Baja 1000.

Here is our recommissioning list and maintenance log so far. This list is exported from a handy to-do application on my iPad.  It just keeps reminding me of all the things to do, as I juggle these projects with the proper amount of socializing required of me.  I won't go into more details, but you might say that it is a wonder that Shindig has moved from the docks in La Paz,got a few fun days in the beautiful islands nearby, and is now in the marina at La Cruz.  And that Nancy is still aboard and not flying out of here.

Let's just say that I am ready for the New Year and hopefully more sailing and less boat maintenance.

Recommissioning list  (what you do normally in the Fall to get ready for a Season)

Above Deck

Inspect for hurricane damage (bent stanchion, lost tricolor lens, broken dock line)

Put Diesel fuel in jugs

Get Dinghy fuel

Replace dinghy fuel filter

Mark anchor chain at 50 ft increments

Install fishing rod holders

Install lifesling

Install engine hoist

Refill scuba tank

Remount Lifting harness on outboard

Unlock dinghy lock

Inflate dinghy

Wash dinghy chaps

Make body strap for new hookah I can use for cleaning the bottom and sides of the boat 

Polish and install outboard motor lock

Lube outboard steering and throttle, inspect plugs

Re-rig all halyards

Bend on jib

Bend on main

Add chafe discs to outhaul

Install board racks

Put up bimini

Install solar panels

Test output of solar panels

Clean out aft lazzerette- cleaning supplies

Test hookah

Rig outhaul and move line above boom light

Below deck

Inspect and replace zincs as needed

Place oil pads in bilge

Put in new galley water filter

Check fan for battery box

Water maker - remove and replace RO elements

Fit new damage control pump impeller

Lube aft fans

Install new raw water impeller on Onan

Flush raw water and fresh water side of Onan with barnacle buster

Zinc in heat exchanger - Perkins

Flush raw water and fresh water side of Perkins with barnacle buster

New coolant for "Perky"

Flush raw water side of Perky

New raw water impeller on Perkins

Engine and generator vacuum brake inspect

Transmission cooler service

Lube steering cables

Test Generator - not getting to RPM - 95 volts and 52 to 54 HZ - white smoke

Drain shocked water from tank

Backup computer and photos to server and external HDD

Check A/C

New bilge pump impeller

Turn on refer and inspect for freon leaks

Flush generator with barnacle buster

Flush Perkins with barnacle buster

Inspect and tighten Allen bolts on shaft coupling

Inspect engine batteries- voltage differential

Service all strainers

Test bow thruster

Test sailing instruments and radar

Test VHF

Test Ham Radio

Test Pactor modem

Test navigation lights

General and Unexpected Maintenance

Generator -  remove exhaust system and repair blockage

Generator – make new exhaust manifold gaskets

Generator – clean and pressure test heat exchanger

Generator - clean head for exhaust gasket

Generator - exhaust tube weld patch

Generator - Retest generator for water leaks

Generator - Touch up paint for Onan near water pump

Generator - backside and pan cleanup

Generator - heat exchanger cleaning and paint

Generator - mixing elbow cleaning and paint

Generator - exhaust manifold cleaning and paint

Generator - Reinstall generator sound box

Generator – Raw water pump leaking – replace with spare

Generator - Remove failed heat exchanger – replace

Generator - drill out drain cock for generator coolant

Install new dinghy transom guard

Fix red LEDs in electrical panel for sockets, water heater and microwave

Water maker – diverter valve failed - re plumb without diverter valve

Water maker - install new boost pump and test

Aft head leaking - pinhole in hose – replace 8 feet of hose (Yucky job)

Fix port deck fitting that was broken off. – fill and paint

Install new boom light

Replace lost tri color lens

Touch up paint on boom vang

Paint thru-hull handles

Replace failed aft cabin fan

Replace failed thruhull for generator raw water

Fix green washdown hose

Paint outboard flushing device - rusted

Re adjust belt and pulley on refer

House alternator is misbehaving – measure output and monitor

Pressure switch for fresh water failed – replace

Pressure pump weeping from bottom – rebuild pump

Clean switch connections on primary winches – port side intermittent

Clean corrosion on the transmission CV joint and paint

Replace failing Perkins exhaust hose 2.5 ft

Paint and install new exhaust mixing elbow on Perkins

Replace mater maker RO  elements and test

Replace failed bilge pump

Replace failed AC recirculation pump

Replace failed sump pumps

Install torsion springs on door latches that are broken

Fix chicken loop on kiteboarding harness

Rebuild spare generator raw water pump

Fix bent stanchion – gift from Hurricane Odile

Replace aft head manual pump

Firmware update for solar controller

Replace failed alternator cooling fan

Replace corroded stern shower H/C handles

Lube primary winches

Replace failed 24v alternator

Service clickers on both fishing poles

Replace hot water tank pressure relief valve

Upgrades

Install 24v fan at nav station

Install Wichard folding pad eye on mast for dingy hoist

Missing Tricolor lens after Hurricane Odile
Going up the 70 ft mast is needed for this photo

Replacement of the RO elements for the water maker.

Restriction found in the generator exhaust

Pressure testing the generator heat exchanger - FAIL

Two fried alternators, leaking pressure relief valve and failed heat exchanger.  Merry Christmas