SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO

A Copper Canyon/Sierra Madre Adventure
With the Fukarwe Touring Tribe International

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Day 14 by Jean Akens
with photos from Carmen Hill, Charlie Freeman, Ellie Lincoln and Bob Stuckey

After breakfast at Rosa's Cantina in San Carlos, we returned to highway 15 and headed north. Bypassing bustling Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, we continued our fast run for the border, with only short rest stops and minor vehicle-problem delays. Our final stop before Nogales was made in order to polish off a watermelon that Brad had purchased in Alamos. Much laughter and reminiscing accompanied the eating of juicy watermelon.

Brad's truck began sputtering again as we neared the border. As long as it was moving fast on the highway, it wasn't behaving too badly, but it did not like slow-crawling town speeds. Engine dead, the tired truck literally had to roll up to the inspection station at the border.

Several crowded lanes were open at the crossing and the Fukarwes used three. Those behind Frenchie crossed without hassle (he had taken the one with a woman border guard, flashed her a big smile, briefly told her where the group had been - and he and those behind him were waved through). Brad and I were not so fortunate. Maybe we were too honest about what fruit, etc. we still had in our possession. While the U.S. guard looked through the ice chest and removed what he did not want entering the country (fruit and meat), the Mexican guard - with nothing better to do - made me step outside while he searched the cab, looked under, around, and behind the seat, and even went through my purse!

At least the truck started up o.k. after the inspection, and we were soon back with the group. All the vehicles were mighty happy to be fed good ol' American unleaded gas at Nogales, where some made phone calls to home. Ann called a friend and sang, "I had the time of my life," over the phone. Her song expressed a feeling shared by all the Fukarwes who had banded together for this first "Touring Tribe International Run."

It was after 4:30 p.m. when we reached Tucson, and time for final good-bys before we each went our separate ways. An emotional and difficult moment after two weeks of sharing such adventure, it was made easier by our need for haste. Brad wanted to try and get his truck fixed, Curley was determined to make it home to north of Prescott, and the rest desired to put some miles behind them, in order to reach southern California the next day.

The parting was sudden, almost anticlimactic, as everyone quickly dispersed. It was only later that Frenchie, with a slight catch in his voice, commented that:

"I knew it was a Fukarwe run when we had to say Goodby."

SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO

Fourteen Daily Episodes

Introduction | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
Day 8 | Day 9 | Day 10 | Day 11 | Day 12 | Day 13 | Day 14

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