Please visit our Sponsor, CLICK on the Banner above
Day 8 by Jean Akens
with photos from Carmen Hill, Charlie Freeman, Ellie Lincoln and Bob Stuckey
With dawn came the discovery that a few valve stem caps had been taken from the tires of our four-by-fours, parked on the main street overnight. Since Curley's jeep and both camp trailers could not be locked, we felt fortunate that nothing more had disappeared. In fact, we had no problems along this line the entire trip.
 View of Mission Satevo from three miles away. |
Seven of us left at 6:00 a.m. for the 5-mile drive along the recently-built river road to visit Satevo Mission. A majestic crumbling ruin, the imposing structure was built by the Jesuits in the 1640s, at a time when conversion of the Tarahumara to Catholicism was an important factor in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Why such a large church was built in a little-populated region remains somewhat of a mystery; few major cities can boast of so large a place of worship. A priest still visits once a month, to hold services for the few parishioners living in the tiny town and surrounding canyons. The church is kept locked but, upon arrival, children will soon appear with the key. (Tipping is expected.) Satevo Mission is "must see" for travelers who venture to this remote section of Tarahumaraland.
A young boy and his older sister, residents of the village,"hitched" a ride with us to Batopilas. Although Carmen rode with Brad and I, and could communicate with the boy, he was either extremely shy or very nervous. Seated on Carmen's lap, he clutched the dash in both hands, seldom let his eyes stray from Frenchie's jeep ahead (that carried his sister) and only reluctantly answered questions. Apparently a ride with Gringos (or a ride at all?) was not an everyday event for the boy.
Back in Batopilas, the Tribe packed up, visited the local "convenience" store (limited supplies available), and prepared for the return to Creel. The drive back along the river and the ascent of the switchbacks was slow-going and not without minor vehicle problems. We also had encounters with oncoming trucks and a large bus, which necessitated backing up to find a place to pull over.
It was early afternoon before the forested rim was reached by those far in the rear of the faster front-runners. Everyone re-grouped for lunch in an open area amid the pines, then reversed the route of the day before; in other words, it was more up/down, up/down back toward Creel.
Since it was nearly evening before pavement was reached, the group decided to follow a faint two-track leading off the main road to a place we could stop for the night. We made camp in the pines, surrounded by numerous Tarahumara trails. The remains of exceptionally small fires are found every 50-100 feet or so along these trails, as it is common for the Tarahumara, in their lengthy travels from one place to another, to camp beside the narrow trails whenever darkness falls, using the smallest possible fire needed for warmth and/or cooking.
Frenchie's "fables and facts" were told to the gathered group after dinner. But since it had been a long, event-filled day, everyone soon retired with thoughts of the past 24 incredible hours filling their minds.
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
Western Adventures Home Page | 4X4 Driving School | Reservations | Adventure Listing
Mexico Trail Guidebooks, Trail Maps, and Trail Videos
| 4X4
BOOKS
.
com World's Best Selection of 4X4, Jeep, & Offroad Handbooks, Trail Guides, Videos, Maps, GPS and More |
4X4NOW
Feature Page
4X4NOW
Trail Reports | Moab
4WD Trails
4X4NOW
"How-To" | 4X4NOW
Buildups
4X4BOOKS
| MAPNOW
get Garmin at
GPSNOW
- Order by 5pm and have it Tomorrow!
Choosing |
for Laptop/Pocket PC | Basic
| Handheld Mapping | 2-way
Radio | Automotive | Motorcycle
| RV/Truck/Bus | Land & Water
Accessories
eTrex H | Legend
| Vista | Venture
HC | Summit HC | Legend
HCx | Vista HCx
GPS 18
DLX | 60
Mobile 10 | Mobile
10 for smartphones
GPSMAP 60 | 60Cx
| 60CSx | 76S
| 76Cx | 76CSx
| 276C | 376C
| 378 | 478
MapSource City Navigator
North America | US Topo | BlueChart
nüvi
200 | 270
| 350 | 360
| 370 | 650
| 660
| 670 | 680
Quest | Quest 2
Rino 110 | 120
| 130 | 520
| 530 | 520HCx
| 530HCx
StreetPilot 2820 | 7200/7500
| c330
| c340 | c530
| c550 | c580
Astro GPS dog tracking system
zūmo 450 / 550
© 4X4NOW