October 9, 2014

Dangerous Mexico part 1

It was 10 at night in the border town of Agua Prieta and I had just handed my car keys to some guy and his buddy. Nothing to do but trust the universe at this point. I did ask his name with the vague thought if I never saw him again at least I might have a clue for an investigator. He said it was Guadalupe Lucero and to trust him all would be fine, but I promptly forgot the Lucero. The "sub-journey" that had begun 4 hours earlier had been a little stressful.

My friend and I were on our way back to the ranch after a week in the Casas Grandes, Chihuahua area. We had left town around 4 and moseyed up to Janos, stopping for Queso Mennonito. At Janos we made the left hand turn onto Highway 2 and headed west across the flat plains towards the upper end of the Sierra Occidental and the San Luis Pass where the road crosses from Chihuahua to Sonora. It is a short but steep and curvy climb and can be as thrilling as any roller-coaster with the many large trucks and lack of any shoulder. It also seems to be edging into some kind of a travel nemesis of mine, as I broke down there about 10 years ago as well. That time was with two vans full of 13 Germans and all our luggage.

I only hit one bump or pothole pretty bad, but it didn't seem to affect the steering or anything other than to jolt us old gals a bit. This is the worst I have seen the road since the first trip some 19 years ago. It was bad then, but has been in pretty good shape in all of the subsequent trips.

As is our habit, we pulled off to the little rest area at the summit with its strange picnic table, bbq grill, and shrine. The air was extremely humid from the remnants of a tropical storm that had dumped large amounts of rain from Phoenix to down past Casas Grandes and all in between. That made the mandatory sunset photos a little dull but it is still an exhilarating spot to look at the trucks going up and down that 1000 foot drop to the plain of El Valle below. There were some businessmen also taking photos and back up the hill we noticed a military vehicle and a small group of soldiers half lurking in the bushes. We didn't plan to stay long as the view was hazy and we were looking forward to possibly making it to AP before dark. And of course our favorite spot to eat there, Ristorante Herradura. Plus I did need to get the car back across the border before midnight. You get charged a $400 deposit now and you can't be late!



Would you buy cheese from this place? If you tasted it you would!




Honey too!




Hazy view into Sonora from the San Luis Pass at the border between Chihuahua and Sonora.




Fellow travelers stopping for cigars and photos.




Big truck coming through the cut.




Military guys hanging out in the bushes.

April 23, 2014

hey Loungers, can I ask (yet another) favor?

I posted the link earlier but I don't think anybody saw it ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1018&pid=608194 )

Could a few of you sign the guestbook? http://www.legacy.com/EnhancedObit/EnhancedObit.aspx?PersonId=170713443

Thanks in advance

April 18, 2014

Wait Wut has created PERFECTION

April 8, 2014

Mamakitty, 1999 - 4/7/2014

February 11, 2014

Picacho Peak (Pic heavy)

http://azstateparks.com/Parks/PIPE/index.html



I picked up MFM's ashes on Saturday and decided to drive out to Picacho to have a look around. Took a few pix. (light wasn't the best, sorry)






check out the saguaros way up there on the rock edge




old memorial for the Civil War "battle"







nice spot for a picnic/bbq/reunion







a young saguaro that might make a living "marker"










and finally, a now-defunct business nearby (there is an adult store across the way as well ) with the perfect signage
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