SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO

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

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Day 4 by Jean Akens
with photos from Carmen Hill, Charlie Freeman, Ellie Lincoln and Bob Stuckey

This morning we headed for Buenaventura, where the author, as navigator for Frenchie, missed an important turn and the group again became scattered. The "scenic route" took several of us on narrow, cobblestone streets past crumbling adobe, rock and wood structures, many long abandoned. Re-grouped and on the right road, travel continued to Gomez Farias, where we turned to Madera San Jose, passed Laguna Babicora lake, and again crossed the Divide. The group then headed south toward Ciudad Guerrero and La junta - and into a hellish rain and hail storm. (This was not the rainy season?)

A good road left La junta and headed west toward the Parque Nacional Cascada de Basaseachic (Basaseachic Falls National Park). The scenery across the mountainous terrain was magnificent, with first glimpses of the vast canyon system of the central Sierra Madres. The road, although paved for part of its length, was winding, twisting and, after it narrowed and became dirt, was unfortunately shared by large, fast-moving logging trucks (one of which literally ran Frenchie off the road). Charlie, when asked to describe the road, termed it "charming."

Several more small towns were passed, where villagers again watched our gear-laden parade of four-by-fours. We began to wonder if people heard our approach and then came out - or whether they stood by the road all day waiting for something entertaining to happen.

Camp at Basaseachic Falls was reached in late afternoon. Above the rocky channel of the Rio de Basaseachic, the primitive campground nestles amid tall pines, at an elevation of 6,500 feet. The only amenity is a rustic outhouse - sans door - perched over the rocky rim above the river. (You look through the hole of the one-seater to the rocks below.) The camp also came with a few mongrel dogs begging for food and attention, and a local resident, "Alejandro," who arrived at "Happy Hour" to beg for alcohol.

Nicknamed "Alehandout" by Charlie, the local became somewhat of a pest during the two nights and day spent at the park. Short, skinny, and of indeterminate age, with a "vote for..." government election bumper sticker patching a hole on the rear of his worn and baggy pants, Alejandro would appear in camp, where he held meaningless conversations with himself. Then he would wander off or settle beneath a nearby tree for a short nap. It was soon determined that Alejandro was under the influence of more than just alcohol. This was of special concern to Ann and I, for we had picked separate secluded camp sites. But Alejandro proved to be harmless and the group eventually learned to deny his requests for stimulants and ignore him; he was accepted as part of the local color.

Thunder, lightning, and a deluge of rain and hailstones hit us soon after we went to bed. Tents were again drenched - inside and out - forcing some of us to accept the hospitality of Frenchie and his dry trailer in lieu of soaked tents and sleeping bags. Everyone finally re-settled, the remainder of the night was relatively quiet - except for Frenchie's snoring!

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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