Regalos Para La Familia.

It there was something in town that resembled UBER services I think it would be our family.  We go to San Pancho everyday several times and we have been giving rides to kids and parents to and from school or Entre Amigos activities for years.  The texts and calls start about 7:30am when people find that their car won't start, their transportation arrangement for that day fell through or they literally just don't have their shit together to get to where they need to be on time.  Contact Ozzy.  The text and calls start up again around 1:30pm just before school lets out.  We are the "go to" solution for transportation.  Even as I am sitting in Entre Amigos in San Pancho waiting for our kids people I don't even really know will come to me and ask me for a ride back to Sayulita.  It appears my reputation has grown over the years.  Yes, UBER at your service.  We don't ask for anything in return, sometimes it really isn't convenient but as long as people make it mostly easy to open the door, hop in and go we try to help whenever we are asked.

For about a year I gave rides to school to a family here in Sayulita.  The mom, Laura, is one of the many jewelry makers you will see set up on the street with her creations set out on a small table under an umbrella.  Almost always smiling, Laura never asked me for a ride but I would see them on the road each morning hoping to grab a ride with anyone who may be headed to school that day.  So, with no commitment or even communication, each morning I would pick up her two kids and along with Alex and Trace I would deliver them to Escuela del Mundo.  This went on for about one school year until around the middle of this year she was able to purchase a van from a local teacher and was able to give her kids and a few others a ride to school each day.

One day she came up to me and presented me with a gift for helping her out for so long.  I opened it and there were four matching necklaces decorated with a twisted metal wire tree, possibly a Higuera Blanca.  They were beautiful and I was blown away by the gesture.  Absolutely stunning!  I wear mine constantly and proudly show it to Laura when I see her to be sure she knows that it was very appreciated.  Laura and some other artisans have set up shop and have an actual store front on the north end of town just across the bridge.  Right across from Z Galeria.  I knew I was going to do this post so I got her email just in case someone out there would like Laura to create something similar for them.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lauraedith.ortegazopena?fref=ts
Email:  yaretziehecatl@gmail.com

Biking In Sayulita

One of the things the kids were just starting to get into before we left the mountains for the beach is mountain biking.  Trace was only 4 at the time and killing it on his balance bike.  Alex was 6 but she was already starting to climb and ride single track even back then.  Biking here is not as easy.  Cobblestone streets, tight roads and tourist traffic don't always make for good biking and the miles and miles of single track that Park City offered is rare here.  So, we are slowly making our biking comeback on some of the back roads in and around Sayulita.

Alex cruising the jungle road.

Having been "flat landers" for the better part of five years, they both ride with the belief that the ride should be and will be downhill... both ways.  The determination to grind, climb and complete uphill sections is just not in their blood.  For now we will happily cruise the jungle back roads until we hook up with some single track.  From what I hear, there is a community of mountain bikers here and some single track cut but I have yet to go asking around for these people to get the full scoop.  Hopefully we will find them and Alex and Trace can get a taste of what they left up north in Park City.

PlayaSola, Boca

Last weekend we drove two hours south to a town called Boca for a weekend getaway with five other families.  And to say the least, it was amazing!!  Our beautiful house was beachfront.  Actually it was the only house on the beach because it had its own private beach. And the only way to travel to and from the house was by boat.  Just imagine, quiet, secluded, no traffic, no noise except for the laughter of us and our very happy children.  It could not have been any better except that it did get better.  We had our own cooks that cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner and bartenders that served us the meals and drinks all day. And the food was wonderful, and oh so much of it. And we didn't have to cook or clean all weekend!

Boca

Arriving via panga boat to our house

This is how we arrived.  No pier.  Just get the boat onto the beach as much as possible and off load.  This is how everyone and everything is brought to the house.

Pool time with our welcome margaritas

Life doesn't suck about right now

Alex with her blue hair enjoying the view 

Alex and Trace had no complaints

For some reason the kids liked to hang out in the stairwell and play games

Pre dinner drinks

In the kitchen while dinner was being prepped.  I am with Luis, our night bartender.  He and I became close.

Dinner with the kids at their own table

We did manage to do some activities. The house had a tennis court, basketball court, volleyball court and gym so those were utilized a bit, mainly the tennis court.  There was also snorkeling and sea kayaking that we all did.

The kids took a banana boat ride which was loved by all

Banana boat

Ozzy snoozing, he also played a lot of tennis

Sunrise from our casita over the house's sports center.

Trace and I took a walk on the beach

Four of us took a little hike on the donkey trail to the next town

and of course we had to get a boat to take us home

Our taxi assistant

Part of the group

These land crabs came out by the thousands on our second night.  We had to walk a little bit to our rooms and they were everywhere and hard to avoid.  Alex lost it and just froze, bawling refusing to move so the next night we were prepared with sticks to sweep them away.

Group photo before we head home

Boating home, or at least to our cars

It was such a great weekend with super nice, mellow friends.  None of us wanted to leave,  mainly because of the cooks and bartenders.  We all like our jobs and where we live so going home wasn't an issue.  If only we could have brought Luis and his team.

Athleta

If your latest issue of Athleta has arrived for Summer 2016 then you are looking at Sayulita and some of it's locals.  This video accompanies the catalog cover telling a brief story about some of the surfing friendships these women have here.  Cool to see Sayulita represented.