GMC Motor Home, Travel with Teri and Dan

Rolled out early, 820 am, and was on the road by 9. Met my friend Jeff, from Silver, in Lordsburg. He needed to drive to Deming so he could get home faster. We met there and he parked. took off down hiway 11 for Palomas. these bad boys are everywhere. Lots more than I have seen in the past.

At the border about 11 am. I am normally not a nervous guy but today I was. Have been to Mexico many times and never worried. Now I am concerned. Jeff came to ease my tensions. He is a "regular" down here.

My dentist has moved and it is about 3-4 blocks south of the border. Jeff left to take in the sights and hang out at the Pink Store. He also visited an optometrist and had his glasses worked on. First thing I did was look for a back way out. The front door is locked but glass. I know what bullets do. Found a window in the bathroom that I thought I could make my exit through if the need arose.

Bad news from Doc Lam. I am not happy. Had a root canal done here in 08. The filling came out 2 months later and then the tooth broke off. Is he going to help me out any? Nope. Right off I knew I had problems. Needed a tooth filled, filling fell out with help of a tootsie roll. He says another root canal on this one. I told him no way. 240.00 for that by a girl that comes on Wednesdays from Juarez. I told him to pull it. Said he couldn't as it has infection and gave me a prescription to clear it up. So, here is the deal, 240 root canal, 90 for stud, 200 for crown, and 3 more trips. Not happening. I asked him what about a partial plate? 230 bux. I like that. Fills both holes plus one I have already. So, now how much to pull my tooth, when infection heals and get the one out he messed up already? Maybe 260.00. Must call the "specialist" in Juarez. Same girl that did my previous root canal. I wait, in chair, for 30 minutes for her to return call. Nope. I tell him I need to go as my friend has to get back to Silver City before 4 pm. "Ok, we will call you". Fine.

So, on the drive home I get myself all psyched up to get everything finished and be able to eat normally again.

This is the only vendor I saw on the street. I am telling you things are a lot different now than before when I was down here. A few beggars on the street and that was it, except for Jeff and me. Stopped at the pharmacy for the meds to kill the infection and some stuff for my daughter. I am telling

Few cars trying to cross, but the ones that were are being held up and searched.

We are close now. I can't walk fast enough. I did my best to look as confident as I could while the two of us were walking.

I could not get a good picture of this sign about the border but it looks like it has been here since Poncho Villa was killed.

Almost. Now to show that new 70 dollar card the US Gov't rooked me into getting. Told the Border Guard I thought I saw her on "Border Wars" last night. She was not amused.

They are tearing this car up. I don't care, we are in the USA now.

Looking back at the border we can see the cars lined up. Might have been 20 of them lined up back into Mexico, not many. Bet there twice that many Border Patrol folks here. They need to get out and keep a look in the desert. We did see the baloon up as we drove along, also a helicopter.

15 miles in, we get checked again. These guys were a lot more prone to smile than the girl at the border.

A peak at the skies as I near Duncan, after I dropped Jeff back at his car in Deming. No rain though.

Well, here is the deal. 430 pm, no call from dentist so I call them. Price to get the gal over from Juarez has now jumped to 600.00, cash only. I nearly hit the floor as I told them that would not happen and hung up. 5 minutes later I get a call back from them. Do they have a better price? Nope. Tell me I better let them know as the girl can come over Friday and Saturday but Sunday she takes off to Mexico City for a month. I told them I am not buying her fare down there and we are not doing any more buisness.

There you have it. I won't be going back to the Lams, husband and wife. All they can do is clean teeth, fill them, and or pull one , if it is healthy.

I am not giving up on Palomas just yet. There are a couple of dentists there that I plan to call. I know one of them does his own surgery so maybe I can get a better deal.

If you want to see where Palomas is on the map, turn on the tracker and look back at my tracks for today. WD0AFQ-1

Dan