PATZCUARO TO THE BEACH

Saturday morning we finally had it all together and were on the road out of Patzcuaro shortly after 9:00 am. A quick stop at the Pemex station and we were on our way.

Instead of driving through or around Patzcuaro to the east, we decided to go southwest on the 14 - the free road that we had come in on - because we had seen that about 20 minutes down that it met up with the cuota - the 37D, which we wanted to take down to the 200. 

That worked out well enough except that we missed the turn off - either there was no sign (my guess) or neither of us saw it. Anyway, we realized we had missed the turn by reading the east bound signs as we drove by. Yup - our turn off. Derek turned around, we took the off ramp, and we were on the cuota.

All is going well....

And some nice scenery.

Unfortunately, our trip took a dramatic turn for the worse. Sad when you can't even see these things coming. The day held so much promise too!

There are no pictures for the next two hours or so. I was too busy either trying to figure out where we should go, feeling bad that we were lost, and then swaying back and forth in my seat. Somewhere just before Uruapan the cuota divides into the 37D, which we were on, and the 14D into Uruapan. Don't ask me how but we ended up on the 14D right into Uruapan. To make matters worse - we didn't even know that this had happened. So, for the first 20 minutes or so we erroneously thought that we were actually on the cuota and for some reason it was going through the city. 

Mistake number two was that we didn't stop and turn around at the beginning of the congestion. We were way to optimistic that somehow we would come out at the cuota - we didn't - we drove right to the airport. No options now but to turn around.

So - we went back the way we came hoping for signs. What a relief when we finally saw a sign for the 37D - which we took. Another mistake - yes the road eventually WOULD take us to the 37D - but we were NOW back on the free road - the 37, headed to Nueva Italia. 

Ahhhh - Mexico - how I don't LOVE some of your road signs.

By this time of course, pilot and co pilot were not really seeing eye to eye on the sequence of events and the cause of the routing problems. 

The surface of the libre was actually very good - but as libre's do it was very winding. Good thing we had the whole day to the the 250 kms or so.

My map showed that we SHOULD be able to get on the cuota at Lombardia - now 36 kms south of Uruapan.

Yup - there's the sign - saying so!

Although Derek did start to doubt me when about 5 kms later we were still on a narrow little backroad. But it all came good when we got on the cuota at about the 11 km mark.

The good news was that we were on the toll road - the bad news - it is in VERY poor shape - very rough and LOTS of pot holes. 

We really enjoyed all the colourful bridges though.

What are the chances?! A yellow truck on a yellow bridge!

We kept trying to find a place to stop for lunch. Sadly, on the cuotas the Mexican government has not provided rest areas .... we ended up stopping at can best be described as a truck stop - we pulled to the front. 

By this time we are all a bit tired and getting cranky from the heat. 

We had forgotten how HOT it can be closer to the ocean.

I'm so confused as to why there are some places with Pemex stations on every corner and the to go hundreds of kms to find none. I was starting to get a bit nervous on our trip without a Pemex in sight - especially since we had spent quite a few miles and gas getting turned around in Uruapan. Thankfully a Pemex appeared at La Union on the 200. It had a line up but who cares - we have gas!

Just down the road from there we exited off the 200 when we saw the sign for Playa Troncones. Our destination. 

We had read about this beach side community on Kevin and Ruth's blog - including the spot they had found to park at - Restaurant Jaqueline. 

The restaurant and the hotel from the beach - you can just see the van through the palapa.

Playa Troncones - to the left and 

to the right (and this way Saturday - now Monday - there is hardly anyone around.)

In front of our restaurant is a group of rocks - the pelican hangout. So - we could sit here and spend the day watching pelicans fish - ahhhh what a way to spend the day.

 Of course it only took us the time to get into our swimsuits to get to the beach. Since the nighttime temps are not much different you can swim until the sun goes down.

Since we are getting our parking for a good price - and we are new here - we decided to eat at the restaurant. This the view from the pool at the restaurant right by the seating area.

Hammocks to lounge in. 

Still looking for a hammock of our own. 

Waiting for our dinner. We were really surprised by the high prices down here at the beach. Back in tourist land I guess.

Cassia quickly made friends with the two girls here - aged 9 and 7.

Back to the beach and back to the beautiful sunsets.

While we were eating dinner a couple of fellows came to drop off a brochure for Robert's Bistro down the beach. They were having a fiesta and dancing at 7:30 pm (50 pesos cover) and a sea turtle release at 6:00 pm. So - we decided to go down and see about the turtles.

We were actually really late because of waiting for our dinner but we were in luck - they were still headed out. But by this time the sun was pretty low - and you can't use flash - so I only got a few pictures that turned out.

While standing there watching with about 30 others - I overheard a man speaking with the organizer. He mentioned that only 3 of the 100 released with make it. Yikes! Not sure if that is much less then the natural way - seems as though those little guys have a tough time ahead of them. So small in such a BIG ocean.

Nice for Cassia to see - no - she didn't touch him.

The last shot of the day as we headed back to Caballito.

So - a VERY challenging travel day. That's the way it seems to go when traveling around Mexico - one step ahead and two back.

BUT - we made it to the beach safe and sound. And what a nice beach it is!

That was Saturday - now it is Monday..... I'll have to try to get another post out tonight since we are moving further south tomorrow. 

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: Have you heard of Playa Troncones before? We hadn't - just not one of the those places you really hear about. Here is some more info. It appears to be mainly a beach for Mexican tourists although we have seen a few 'gringos'. 

BE CAREFUL!

Famous last words right.....

But first! We are still sitting nicely at the Villa Patzcuaro Hotel and RV Park. I had a feeling this may happen. By 9:00 this morning we weren't even NEAR ready - NOT good. On a travel day we like to be on the road by at least this time.

Blame in on the Market.

Market Day yesterday in Patzcuaro, had Derek and I so tired that we could barely move last night. That coupled with the fact that we didn't get home until after 6:00pm, meant that packing and organizing did not get done. Also NOT good. If we are to get a good start to the day we need to be almost ready the night before.

So nice to see the majority of the sky as blue this morning with sunshine, although it was still pretty cool. By the afternoon, when Derek took this photo, it looked like we were in for a thunderstorm  - but it didn't happen.

While I was busy getting things ready this morning -- Derek was glued to the computer reading a story that I had read the day before. Progress was not being made. So - I suggested we stay one more day. After traveling for a while you start to get a sixth sense about good days for travel. With our packing behind and this news we were reading on line and talking about  - today wasn't the day.

So, what were we reading that got us so turned around?

A completely crazy incident that happened to travellers/bloggers Adventure Americas. If you haven't heard about it yet - why not go over and read about their Nightmare in Peru - I'll wait.

BAD - right?! I mean REALLY BAD!

When I first saw the title and was headed to read the post, I thought - how bad could it be. I certainly wasn't expecting to read the story I did - I mean who would have ever even imagined that such a thing would occur.

Ahhhh traveling to far away destinations - overlanding it in this case - and ours. This is the kind of story that can't help but cause us to question our own travels.

Derek and I talked about little else during the day. What REALLY happened? Why DID it happen? Why didn't they let Jed, Meg and Jenny go from the start? Why did so MANY villagers get involved? Women and children? KILL them?!

Of course, in hindsight we can all agree that traveling into a small mountain town in Peru in the dark and setting up camp probably wasn't the right decision to make. But really I don't think that any of us would even THINK that this type of thing would occur. Maybe being mugged or robbed by a few guys, or some such thing - but beaten brutally by an ENTIRE village? No.

Which takes me back to the words - BE CAREFUL.

I stopped counting how many times we have heard these words prior to traveling to Mexico. During the summer months I actually stopped mentioning it to people because I was frustrated with such a warning. Now - don't get me wrong - there is NOTHING wrong with people offering such a comment - in the right context. As in - "I've traveled throughout Mexico and these are things you should BE CAREFUL about."

But these warnings were not coming from people that have traveled - or dare I say don't travel beyond the Canadian or USA borders at all.

Because here is the thing - we are ALWAYS CAREFUL. Careful in Canada, careful in the USA and careful in Mexico. Careful, careful, careful. And not just when we are traveling but exceedingly so when we travel.

I bet Jed, Meg and Jenny are the same. Although reading through their blog probably not as careful as we are! But they look to be in the 20's - we're in our 40's  - there's a difference. Age DOES have a way of holding you back. I think back now when I first drove through Mexico at the age of 24 with my boyfriend and how Derek and I travel now - yup - there is a HUGE difference.

Did Derek and I want to overland to Central America - and someday South America - yup. Will we now - probably not. And not just because of this horrifying event - but because of our age and because we have a child. It's just not worth the risk.

Is Mexico a risk? Yup - it is. Is driving through the USA a risk? Yup it is. Is driving in Canada a risk? Yup - ditto. Being careful means that we don't drive at night and we try not to camp overnight in a village or small town. Although we have. But here in Mexico - no, we would not. Not necessarily because something would happen - odds are they wouldn't - but we just don't want to take the chance. We take calculated risk - yes. Because in the end I would rather die living then to die WITHOUT living.

Awful things happened to people everyday, everywhere - it's best to keep that in our minds. Was someone else beaten somewhere else in the world the other night - yes they were.

What we can't figure about this incident is WHY were all the villagers (or most) involved and in such a horrible way? Perhaps we will never know.

As we have experienced, travellers pull together, and support has been pouring in for the Adventure America team - we were happy to read their update from today - Peru Update and Gratitude. Also, glad that this incident was on the front page of Peru's newspaper - sure wish I could read it, it is in Spanish - and the 125 comments!

Do I blame Jed, Meg and Jenny for this?

No - I don't.

Do I wish they had done somethings differently - of course. But ahhhhh how nice is hindsight - right?

Cassia has taken to tree climbing as she has been watching Emilio and Estevan do the last few days. 

An avocado tree no less.

Here's a short movie Derek took of Cassia this evening.

Our hope is that with the publicity this story seems to be getting and the politicians and government offices involved, someone - or all of the villagers - are held responsible for this crime. Because that's really what it is right?! 

A CRIME! 

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: Good to see that when people are down there is help. According to Crowdtilt - $17,992 have been raised for Jed, Meg and Jenny. It'll help.

MARKET DAY IN PATZCUARO

Thursday, is MARKET DAY in Patzcuaro. 

There is a market everyday but come Thursday it becomes a market with a capital M.

So - the three of us hit the town.

I don't think there is anything you CAN'T get at the market! And row upon row of produce vendors.

We passed these fruit cups - looked at each other and said - we'll come back for them for dessert. Remember where they are - akin to - remember where we parked!

Later in the day we bought some fruit and veggies to take home. Have I mentioned how nice it is to be eating such fresh produce at such good prices in the winter!

My wish would be for everyone to experience a large Mexican market in their lifetime. It is an AMAZING experience - the sights, the sounds and smells. I find it takes a bit of inner strength to take on such a market day - it is a bit on the overwhelming side - so much to see and so many people in a small space. I wouldn't trade it for anything though.

Lots and lots of clothes. Here are traditional clothes however most of the vendors sell regular clothing - jeans, shirts, jackets, socks etc. Being winter there is a large selection of sweaters, hats, mittens and scarves - as the three of us walk around in our t shirts! And SHOES - I notice that I missed taking pictures of all the shoe stores and vendors. Shoes and boots are HUGE here.

We WERE tempted but again where would we put him? Strapped to Caballito's roof!

VERY popular in Mexico - near as I can tell - fruit flavoured gelatine in vanilla/cream gelatine - my best guess.

No shortage of sweets - from this stand Derek bought a jar of Cajeta de Celaya . We first saw it as a flavour of ice cream - when we looked it up in our handy dandy new food dictionary - Derek figured that it was something he HAD to try.

Hmmmm - not sure - but they looked good!

And pastries - we doubled back here later in the day and picked a few out to take home.

Something we hadn't seen before - and everyone seemed to be selling them. 

Cocadas - coco, leche, azucar and miel - yum!

Santuario de Guadalupe.

 After all that looking around lunch was in order. We walked around and looked at ALL the food stands - which to choose?! We are still a bit on the cautious side when it comes to eating at stands - we do NOT want to repeat our Montezuma experience now do we?! As we were walking along one of the vendor men started to speak to us in English. When we said we wanted tacos he pointed us to the 'guys in the blue shirts'. Boy we sure appreciated the advice.

 With our bit of Spanish and one of the guys bit of English we got the job done. You can sit and order taco after taco until you are done - then you get the price. For us - 3 tacos each and 1 sprite for $46 pesos. 

Front row seats watching the food being cooked.

One of the things on our list was boots for Cassia. Here we are trying some on. We ended up purchasing them - you'll see them a little later on.

A bit later Derek struck up a conversation with a vendor who does or used to live in San Diego - she spoke some English. Cassia is fascinated by the little girls and vice versa.

If you can believe we found our fruit cup ladies back after all that - no small feat - we had made our way to the opposite end of the market. It was worth it though! Chopped up fruit with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Sorry - another price - I just cannot get over the price of some things - both for less than $2.

During our first tour of centro Patzcuaro I neglected to take photos of the smaller plaza - Plaza Gertrudis Bocanegra. I fixed that today - here it is.

It sure seems like we spent the day eating - and we DID! Here's Cassia with her new boots! and a pastry. 

Ok - so we were down at the plaza and market area for about six hours so even though it looks like we were eating a lot there were a few minutes here and there when we weren't! By five, we either had to head home and make dinner or visit another stand. Gee - tough decision!

Hi our names are Derek and Teresa -- we are Mexican food'aholics!

This time we got much larger meals - Derek the chicken enchiladas and me the chicken taco dorado. For the life of us neither of us could finish our plates. We also tried Horchata for the first time.

After dinner we walked back over to the larger plaza - Plaza Vasco de Quiroga - finishing the day off with a small cup of iced fruit was in order. Cassia got the usual - fresa while Derek decided to try something new - guanabana.

We had by this time also added to Cassia wardrobe one more time. Since she is still learning to keep her dress DOWN we decided to by her some leotards

By the time we got back to the RV Park shortly after six we were all pooped! With all the eating good thing it is quite the hike from here to the Plazas and back.

A nice way to end our stay here in Patzcuaro. 

Tomorrow is moving day! After 25 days in the interior of Mexico we are headed back down to the beach. We have really enjoyed our time in Villa Corona, Hacienda Contreras, Uruapan and Patzcuaro but it has been cool - we are looking forward to some warmer temps and our beach walks.

If you come to Mexico - put Patzcuaro and Isla de Janitzio on the list!

It should be a good trip, 257 kms on the cuota straight down to the coast which I see from our route map will cost $226 pesos. We will be at a small beach community for a few nights and I have no idea if we'll get wifi for even if the telcel will work. 

If not then we'll see you in Zihuatanejo.

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: We didn't shoot a movie at the Patzcuaro Market but I wish we had. I did find this one on YouTube though, if you would like to see more of the market and all sights and sounds.

IT'S NOT ALL PLAY - FINDING WORK

A couple of lazy days around here for the Wood Clan. With the cool and wet weather here in Patzcuaro we've taken to staying close to the van and mostly staying in doors. Back to our small 95 sq ft space - good thing it hasn't been raining steady and THANK GOODNESS for free wifi.

Looking out to the two other rigs here - both from Quebec. Although there is a third now - a 35ft 5th wheel with Mexican plates. That puts to rest that the Villa Patzcuaro Hotel and RV Park is just for small rigs. If they can get that thing in here pretty much anything can fit.

For me it's been a good time to start thinking about and working on our plans for next summer.

WE NEED A JOB!

Well, two jobs actually - traveling is only a distant dream unless Derek and I both put our noses to the grindstone and make some serious cash while we are back in Canada.

Since we have already found a couple of positions to apply for, with quickly approaching deadlines, I have to get my butt in gear to put a resume and cover letter together.

NOT one of my favourite things to do - how about you?! Plus, it seems like forever since I've had to do one AND I've never put one together for both Derek and I. Because we are applying for couple positions - it's the way to go.

There are many on line resources that we are following to find potential positions. Although there are many types of jobs we would be suited for, we are generally looking for a Campground Manager position because they are fairly plentiful and they last for 4 or 5 months - which is about our max.

For a while now I have been following Working Couples, an online employment database targeted at couples - perfect for Derek and I of course. Recently I've also been checking out Happyvagabonds. Will and Alicia Smith, in addition to providing a ton of RV information, also provide an extensive list of Canadian campground jobs. Most of the listings are for Camp Hosts, so if you are looking for that position, check out the link. These types of positions don't work for us because most offer a site and hook ups as renumeration. Whereas Derek and I need cash - cool, hard, cash.

And because we are VERY flexible as far as our location - after all we take our home with us - I keep track of the Yukon, BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan Park sites - many Park jobs are just now beginning to surface for the 2013 season.

It hasn't been ALL work - yesterday the three of us braved the drizzle and walked up to the Bodega Aurrera for a few things. We ended up picking up a soccer ball for Cassia. With all the other kids around here with soccer balls and Cassia getting enjoyment out of it we figured she was due for her own. 

An action shot!

I suppose for most, we are completely crazy to put ourselves on the edge by needing to look for a job each summer, to then carry us through our travels during the winter months. If I think about it too long I start to think that way also. But really, the reward of freedom and adventure are worth it - definitely. 

Many travellers have found a way to be location independent. They either have a skill that can be used as they travel, they sell products i.e. multi marketing, or work through the internet. There is even a website called Location Independent  to assist people with getting off the traditional treadmill to a job that they can take with them as they travel the world. In fact, these days LI has become a bit of a buzzword with many other's giving their two cents about how to get it done - there is the Huffington Post and from nunomad - 25 Career Ideas to Design your LI Lifestyle hmmmm - maybe Derek and I should take his advice and become Balloon Artists - or maybe Camel trainers - do you think?

There are ALL sorts of TRAVELLERS with ALL sorts of ways to support themselves and their addiction NEED to move around.

Although we've thought seriously about these types of money makers - selling products or working through the internet - we have yet to make any kind of leap. We've been self employed before - feast or famine - it's a tough row to hoe! So - we look for a job with a steady paycheque attached to it - it works for us - it works for our family - right now. 

We are flexible - who knows what the future holds. And at this point - really - who cares. Seriously - I have wasted WAY too much time in my life worrying about the future. Brave or stupid?

I found this quote from here, I LOVE the graphics and it sounds about right to me. 

Darn - no resume done tonight - my evening units of time have disappeared with this post. Oh well, there is always mañana! Right?!

By the way, if you hear of a seasonal job (May 1 to Sept 30 or thereabouts), in Western or Northern Canada, that sounds like a good one - please feel free to let us know about it! Thanks in advance!

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: WoW! AGAIN! How have I missed this site in all my internet travels - I mean REALLY. Just stumbled upon Trail of Ants - the good news - a TON more travel blogs to follow - the bad news - a TON more travel blogs to follow!

OUR LITTLE CABALLITO

Here it is -- the information many of you have been waiting on the edge of your seats for.

Right?!

Well, probably not. But here it is anyway. The thing is - as you are all traveling along with us - seeing the pictures of the places we visit and the experiences we are having - we - the three of us + one dog + one cat are living in approximately 95 square ft. 

95 square feet for 6 months - 24/7! 

Therefore, our van is a VERY important topic to us - this 95 square foot space IS our home - and unless we find a job that provides accommodations it could become our ONLY home for the years to come. 

And how do we feel about our move from a 134 sq ft trailer with truck/canopy to our camper van? 

We ♥ LOVE ♥ it! 

Absolutely LOVE our van -- the whole idea of being able to get into our seats and go -- or to stop and access the back -- is ideal - for us. 

So - we love the whole - but some of the parts .... not so much. In order to make things much better for us next winter certain things will HAVE to change and somethings - well -- we can dream - can't we?

BUT

Before we get to the alterations that we have planned -- let's talk about the name we have given our van - after all - it is a part of our family now.

I never really thought about naming our van - we never did name our trailer. But then, reading about Kevin and Ruth with Sherman and then travelling with Bill and Carol in Jeanie and towing Willie - we started to wonder. The straw came from follower Brian from Austin, who commented that surely our van deserved a name. Hmmmm - notice how things are hard to come up with when you are really trying. 

But Derek persevered -- he must have had some extra time on his hands one night because he sat there for a few hours -- think, think, think.

Crazy that he actually came up with a name - a GREAT name, a VERY appropriate name, the name

CABALLITO 

Which means in Spanish 'little horse' or 'rocking horse' - also sea horse but the rocking part rings true for us. You see - when we are driving down the road - specifically down MEXICO roads - there is a definite swaying motion - rocking - if you will. We can laugh about it but if things are not completely secured, odds are that very shortly they will be flying through the air. And taking a curve a little too fast......

And to top things off - Derek found this cute little video. PERFECT.

PIMPING OUR RIDE

As you may recall, upon purchasing our Caballito we had many changes in mind -- big dreams of van renovations. Turns out that we had more ideas then money last summer so in the end the changes were minor - the interior anyway. Adding the solar panel to the roof and taking out the hot water tank, to provide more space for storage and a nifty outdoor bbq table, were life changers. 

But - 2 1/2 months on the road now has taught us quite a few things about living in such a small space. What we need and what we don't.

First, what we DON'T need - a MUCH smaller list:

- the dinette is too large  - I don't have a good picture for it but the dinette seat nearest to the kitchen creates about a 12" space to fit through to get to the back of the van - it is a constant source of aggravation. The seats of the dinette don't need to be so wide anyway - so either the one or both will be narrowed - the table too most likely.

- the shelf we have over the back has GOT to go. Oh it sounded good last summer and more so when we purchased 4 large bins to place on the shelf. We are now realizing that we barely go into the bins, which means of course, that we can live without everything in them. Plus we are tired of not being able to stand at the back - to - uh - go to the bathroom.

- carpet flooring - We THOUGHT that we could live with the carpet for this winter but we were completely wrong! Yes, it has plastic over most of it but really - everything is getting trapped where it isn't. We looked at a few small hand held vacuums as we went through the States but knowing how gutless they are we didn't buy one. Vinyl or laminate flooring is a MUST! SOON!

Now what we DO need: 

+ an awning, a screen room and a carpet - a MUST for next year. Lets face it, 95 sq ft is small for the three of us. A little girl I know needs A LOT of room to play! With the warm temps down here in Mexico doubling our living space on the outside would be a dream! Something like this from Camping World is what we have in mind.

+ new closed cell foam for our bed - we are just getting by with the old foam plus a new foam topper - it's ok - comfortable enough. Unfortunately the bed foam is in two parts. In order to slide the bed in, to increase the head room, all the blankets must come off and one cushion is place on the other. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. So - we leave the bed extension pulled out and spend most of our time moving around the van hunched over. Next year one piece of foam that we can roll up and therefore push in the extension.

+ front and roof rack - we are not HUGE fans of the back rack with bins on it. It works for now but the hassle is that we can not use the back doors unless we take the rack off which we did at Villa Corona. Instead, we would like to add a large beefy front rack to provide space for a few more batteries and add a roof rack to carry stuff. Our handy friend Bud, in Nampa, could do the work for us - something to consider for next fall.

+ PAINT - lots and lots of paint - inside - outside - paint. Last fall I found this picture from Glen over at To Simplify. THAT is what I want I said to Derek - we can do it - we need paint. Derek was pretty gun ho himself and so, since we first saw this photo we have been dreaming of the day that we pimp our ride to look like a - tank. Although we like the look of this one we are leaning more towards a lighter or khaki green for the body with black for the bottom - not quite as metallic as this one below. We would also like to have the bottom sprayed with rock guard to protect the lower portion of the van. 

The picture that got us thinking about how COOL el Caballito COULD be!

And of course, as I've mentioned - a complete paint job inside. Right now I feel like we are living in a wood panel house - ya - like the wood panelled cabin we lived in for the last two summers.

In the DARE to DREAM category:

+ a skylight over our bed - Derek and I have about 6" above us up on the bunk - not much! At first I woke up almost hyperventilating from the lack of room. We've both gotten used to it but just imagine if we could all lay up there and look up at the stars and have a little more room to boot!

Well, I think that ends the list - plus all the little things we haven't quite gotten to like window coverings, removing the last of the valour walls and recovering the upholstery. 

I have no idea WHEN or HOW these changes will get done. Since we live the winter on the money we make in the summer, a strict budget must be adhered to. We'll have to see what can be done sooner and what will have to wait until latter. As always, we'll keep you apprised of our modifications.

I'm glad that I FINALLY got this post down on keyboard.

Teresa

TODAY'S INTERESTING LINK: The internet offers an unending list of resources to assist us with our alterations. We would really be in luck if we had a truck camper because Truck Camper Porn offers a ton of ideas - but really some could be adapted to our van - I think. Have you been to TCP before - a pretty neat site! If only I could see inside some of those rigs.....