On to Colorado Springs, Colorado

My oldest daughter Annie is moving from Colorado to New Mexico so I thought it my motherly duty to go help. Colorado Springs is nestled next to the southern part of the Rocky Mountains with a great view of Pikes Peak. I was only here a couple days before we left in a rented UHaul truck, headed south, hopefully in my mind for warmer weather.

Club in Austin

I did manage to get in a little night life while in Austin. There is a new club in the warehouse district...QUA Bottle Bar...that features a 19,000 gallon underground aquarium with dancefloor on the top.
There were spotted leopard sharks and several types of sting rays. I am not sure how long the club will remain open as there were ongoing protests from PETA(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). I have to agree, it was very ecologically imbalanced, but it was a cool visual effect....the aquariums behind the bar were amazing!

Train from Creel

Upon arrival in Creel, I checked out the bus and train schedules to Chihuahua City. The bus was cheaper at $19, the second class train at $31......I took the train as I knew it would be more scenic and safer!
The Chihuahua al Pacifico, known as ChP or Chepe links the town of Chihuahua to Los Mochis near the Pacific coast for a 400 mile journey, mostly through the Copper Canyon. It is run by a private company that took over in 1998 from the Mexican government. It was interesting to note that even in a major logging town like Creel that the railroad ties were made of concrete.
At the train station, I met 2 twin sisters who were on holiday from Mexico City. I could understand practically everything they were telling me in spanish except the fraternal twin part, but we got around it by them explaining they were born in different bolsas (bags) HA!! We had some great laughs....ended up all rooming together in a great little hostel (Casa Chihuahua) directly across the street from the train station in Chihuahua City. That was very convenient as we got in around midnight and we all had early flights out the next day. From there I flew to Austin Texas.

Casa Chihuahua Hostel run by a lovely family. Very clean....they have a big front room where they project a video of local attractions on the wall.

Leaving Batopilas

Tarahumara Indians walking along the road that follows the Batopilas River.
I stayed on in Batopilas for a few days after my friend left. If I had realized that it was so difficult to leave I might have gone with him. The public transportation here consist of a "Bus" (it was a suburban with 11 other people inside) leaving Batopilas at 5:00 in the morning for the 5 hour climb to Creel on weekdays only and not all weekdays. However the hiking was incredible and there was a German artist who offered me his studio to stay in so I felt at home.

Hiking in Batopilas Canyon

This is the view I woke to every morning when I stayed at Luis's art studio. Its an old hacienda/headquarters of a silver mine.

Hiking here was some of the most physically demanding I have done, mostly due to the ever constant LOOSE ROCKS and steep paths. It was necessary to watch every step I took, which meant I had to stop if I wanted to look around and take in the beautiful veiws and also keep my bearings. Beginning in the morning when it is cool and jacket is needed and the sun hasn't quite reached the bottom of the canyon, the roosters are crowing and the river is gushing by, the climb to the top of a mountain doesn't appear that far away. After a climb to one peak, there is another, then another.....water seemed to be my only limitation as I carried almost a gallon.

Native sandals

One can purchase sandals that the Tarahumara wear from a sandal maker in Batopilas. They are cut from the sidewalls of tires. Very practical.

As I hiked several of the trails around there, I can fully appreciate the skills these people have for getting around in the terrain. They are mostly steep, narrow trails made of loose, sharp rocks. And they RUN on these trails. Amazing!!!

Tarahumara

I can hardly talk about this area without saying something about the indigenous people. The Tarahumara or Rarámuri as they call themselves are said to be the last group of native peoples in North America not assimilated by modern society. In small family groups they have been able to live in harmony with their environment, growing corn, beans and squash on the plateaus and floodplains of the deep canyons.
Their traditional life is changing. Children are now required to go to schools instead of staying home to live in the traditional way. The Indians fell in love with the violin when they were introduced by the Spaniards and started making their own. They have become quite accomplished violin makers.
Some speak Spanish, but most only speak their native language. While we did have amazing encounters with some, they were not as friendly or inviting as the Mexicans are, they prefer to be left alone.

Satevó

Satevó is about 4 miles south of Batopilas, also along the river. There is a large domed mission church there known as the "Lost Cathedral". Noone knows when it was constructed or by whom, but it is guessed around 17th century by the Jesuits as they are still active in the area.


We ended up camping here (only about 100 meters from the church) as we met many of the 200 townspeople. This place is very tranquil, we saw none of the behavior here that we saw in Batopilas. Several families befriended us as they had never seen anyone camp here before and were quite intrigued with us and our gear...like the Coleman lantern and the hammock. This town is bound to change soon as currently there is no electricity, however, the lines have been run and its only a matter of time before lights and TV makes its way here. For now its lovely to have the darkness, with the only lights from the moon, or rarely a candle. People here are simple and delight in simple things...kids play with sticks, they sing, they play finger games....after it gets dark, you hear the families TALKING.....the stories are being passed down...I wonder how much of this will be lost when electricity comes and people start watching TV....

Batopilas

Batopilas is an old gold and silver mining town with some 19th century architecture. The town is long and narrow as it follows the Rio Batopilas for about 3 miles. With a population of 5000 in its heyday, now it has about 1500 people, consisting of Mexican, Tarahumara, and Mestizos. At its peak (~1890) the mines were the wealthiest in the world paying around US$1 million in dividends per year. The hydroelectric facility was installed making this one of the first places to have electricity in North America. It was in use until 2 years ago. The original aquaduct still provides the local water supply. It was hot during the day, high 90's and cool at night, so for me the weather was perfect and the river water above the town was really nice to swim in. There was a dark side to the town that I will mention, afterall the purpose of this blog is to inform my family and friends about my travels. This is harvest season here.....marijuana harvest.....the Tarahumara Indians have been forced to grow marijuana on their lands by the Narcotraficantes....soooo....there was new money in town...(none of which the Tarahumaras got) which meant lots of brand new pickup trucks....cocaine and alcohol use was rampant. The first night we spent outside of town at a hacienda and heard gunshots (pistols and semi-automatics). Though as tourists we were really not in much danger, it was not a particularly pleasant place to be. We decided to move on down the road.

Road down to Batopilas

We decided to drive down (about 6000 feet down!) to the bottom of Canyon Batopilas to the town of the same name. The 84 mile journey takes about 5 or 6 hours. All of it is winding, the first half is paved, the last half is narrower and gravel with blind curves and steep unguarded drops. This is not a road for squeemish drivers. However the scenery is exotic. One passes through several ecosystems. At the rim is pine and cedar, then cottonwood, to oak to mesquite to finally the Rio Batopilas where there are mango, papaya,orange,banana and avocados growing (among other things which I will mention later).

Copper Canyon Trip

I have always wanted to go to Copper Canyon,which I have heard is 4 times bigger than the Grand Canyon! The opportunity arose so why the heck not! Its only another 12 hours from Big Bend.....so off to Mexico again...good thing I brought my passport.



We entered at Presidio/Ojinaga where you get your 180 day visa for $28 and the car permit for $32 US. No insurance required in Mexico. After having a bit of car trouble in the town of Aldama, outside of Chihuahua, and spending the night because the alternator went out and there were no lights to drive by we finally arrived in the lumber village of Creel. Creel is known as the jumping off point for adventures into the Copper Canyon. We stayed at the travelers hotel "Margarita's Casa de Huespedes". Nice comfortable rooms for 300 pesos ($30) including family style dinner and breakfast for two. A great way to meet other travelers from all over the world as you sit and have dinner together! Creel was windy and cold at 2330 meters altitude (7644 feet). Most people arrive here by the infamous train (which I end up taking on my way out later).

How the mountains were formed

This is a nice explanation of how Goat Mountain in Big Bend National Park was formed showing the silica rich lava layered on top of the pyroclastic flow deposits on top of older volcanic rock....erosion and time have given us these beautiful results!

Santa Elena Canyon

Santa Elena Canyon as seen approaching from the north....the walls are about 1500 feet tall at this point...the Rio Grande is between them...Mexico to the left and U.S. to the right....
This photo taken from inside the mouth of the canyon looking out....the Rio Grande (Rio Bravo as the Mexicans call it)...is running good now because of all the rain....

More cool hikes with friends

This is my first photo stitch photo with my camera...its a compilation of 4 photos.

Hiked to Ernst Tinaja with friends......beautiful natural pools in a canyon in Big Bend National Park. Am leaving today for exploration/camping in the Copper Canyon (4 times bigger than the Grand Canyon in the states) in northern Mexico in the midst of the Tarahumara Indians.....not sure how much contact I will have with the outside world but will try to post.......love yall.....cyn

Cave and Rock Art

Me and 3 friends hiked up this canyon to check out a grand cave (though hidden from view of any road and not on any map purposely I am sure) that had some fantastic pictographs. It was a fairly steep hike with lots of loose soft rock.
The pictographs are amazing and some are very abstract.....one can imagine all kinds of different things??...

Well worth the effort!!

Road Trip along Rio Grande

The road from Lajitas to Presidio runs along the Rio Grande....and has one of the steepest grades in Texas...15 degrees.....nice vistas and picturesque moments along the way.