Mexico trip report: Chihuahua region

Although we read numerous instructions on border crossing formalities, we didn't quite know what to expect. So, we were happily surprised that we didn't have any problems even though the whole process took almost two hours. We bought Mexican auto insurance in Douglas - comprehensive insurance for one year cost $134, but I wonder if it is worth the paper it is written on! At the border, we started by getting our tourist cards and experienced the only glitch in the process - the official (who was otherwise pretty accomodating) would only give me a permit for 30 days. It means that I will have to go through the process again in Mexico City to get it extended. Then we got our "temporary vehicle importation permit", and off we went.

It was getting a bit late by this time, but we wanted to get some miles in so we drove south. The roads we not great up here, but as long as you pay attention it is no problem. Before we left, I got advice from other travellers on The Net and the thing they all said was don't drive at night. Rules are there to be broken, and it had gotten very dark by the time we pulled into the small town of Nuevas Casas Grandes.

We spent the morning looking at the ruins in Casas Grandes. It was an impressive labyrinth of clay walls, with little T-shaped doors that you could crawl through and explore. There was also a huge, impressive museum with Indian historical artifacts. It seemed almost out of place in the rural setting of the surrounding village.

Somewhere outside Casas Grandes, something beautiful happened. For the first (and probably last) time since her birth,

We stayed one night in the somewhat pricey (285ps) but very nice Motel Bosca. The owner of the hotel immediately noticed my kayak on the top of the van. As far as we understood, he wanted me to float the "Rio Siropa" so that he could write about it in the his tourist information materials. It turned out that he was presidente of the towns tourist council. He also insisted that we start some sort of business association where I would get American paddlers down to the area or perhaps set up a guiding operation! We had a look at the river he was talking about - it went through a very pretty canyon with a very promising gradient, but it didn't have quite enough water at this time. It definitely had some potential, however, and it sounded like the water would be best around August.

It was a long, somewhat treacherous drive to get to Rio Siropa. High clearance vehicle is adviced. Next to the river there is an cave with indian ruins called Cueva Grande, which was fun to visit. It seemed like we were the only tourists in a 100 miles radius out here. We camped at a hot springs which was also closeby. We were the only ones around in this very remote place, expect a couple of vaceros (cowboys) who were driving their cows across the river.

The road to the hot springs was probably at the limit of what we can negotiate in our rig - it was packed with big rocks most of the way. On the way back up to the main road, we just punched it and bounched uncontrollably over the rocks and around a couple of hairpin corners, until the road levelled off. Hurray for Daisy, our van - perhaps we should reward her with some fuel additives tonight.

We had lunch at the Pollo Travieso - very scrumptious fried chicken served by a friendly Mexican who had been to Idajo. He explained his frying secrets and philosophized about the similarities between white-water kayaking and wreckless driving. (!) Both, he said, involved emotiones fuertes - strong emotions.

Before we left from a great stay at Madera, we stopped at the Motel to say goodbye to the Turist President. He was sad to see us leave - as far as we could tell we were the only tourists in Madera at the time! - and he was visibly annoyed when he heard that we were going to the Cobber Canyon. It is the main tourist attraction in the region, and he appeared to be somewhat envious, or just plain pissed off, that he didn't get a fair share of the tourist money for his town. It is not because he isn't trying!

Sure enough, as soon as we arrived at Creel, the main town around Los Barancas del Cobre, we saw bunches of other tourists. Guided by the Lonely Planet, we found Casa Margerita which was stuffed with other travellers, mainly backpackers. It was fun to talk to everyone about travel plans and experiences. We realized how cool it is to have our own transportation - everyone else had to pay tens of dollars to go on tours around the area, and they are bound by busses and trains to get around the country.

We invited a nice Dutch couple along in the bus the first day, and we went to the Cascada Cuarare - a waterfall in the canyon. It was a beautiful two mile hike into the falls. A very quiet little indian boy showed us the way into the falls. In both Indonesia and Nepal, I have had little boys guide me into places and ask/beg for big rewards afterwards. This guy asked for nothing. We gave him some chicle (gum) and shared our lunch, but after having showed us the way for miles he simply disappeared quietly into the woods on the way back. The indians, the Tarahumares, are all very pleasant to be around - they

Northern Mexico: Chihuahua region