Mainland Mexico June/July 2006

[LexusAllTerrain]

Do you want to do Alamos to Creel?

That would be very interesting!

[LexusAllTerrain]

Or you can go and do this around San Carlos are/ Guaymas!

[LexusAllTerrain]

I found more pictures in this Guaymas/ San Carlos area

[articulate]

I've had a little progress. Thanks for all the input.

We're leaving on June 24, and will be back in U.S. July 12.

Has anyone been to Cuauhtemoc, near Chihuahua? I'm interested in visiting the Mennonite community there. I would also enjoy seeing Paquimé in addition to some "back road" opportunites.

!Salud!

Mark

[LexusAllTerrain]

I have passed by Cuahutemoc small town not a whole lot to see, however there are some small areas on the outside going to Yecora hwy were you could explore the Mennonite's they are very friendly and you could stop by their homes and buy some of their great products like cheese
I will try to post some pictures if I can find them. Great looking homes

[Hltoppr]

The toll roads down the West coast are pretty boring, but good for making time. If you'd like to see some better stuff, head down on the smaller, inland roads. Additionally, if you stay at altitude, it may be a bit cooler!

-H-

[LexusAllTerrain]

Cuauhtemoc is the first major town on the highway from Chihuahua City toward the Copper Canyon and the spot where the toll roads end. We saw lots of differing information, but the population appears to be between 50,000 and 100,000 people. The town has a similar look to a midwestern U.S. farming town. You'll begin to see more Tarahumara Indians here and a large group of Mennonites also live in the area. The Mennonitas arrived in the area in the 1920s from the U.S. They still run farms and related agricultural businesses around Cuauhtemoc. Most of them speak both German and Spanish, but little English.

Just west of Cuauhtemoc you'll find a road heading north toward Gomez Frias and Obregon. Go north about 20 km on this road and you'll pass several Mennonite camps before reaching Camp 6 off to the left. Take the road about one mile to the camp and you'll find a cheese factory where you can sample and purchase Mennonite cheese.You will have a great time exploring!
I can not fine some of the picture I have, sorry!

[articulate]

I used to be a shoot-from-the-hip traveller, but I've located myself this book to help with the camping:


This should be a big help if we are ever uncomfortable with remote camping in a certain area.

10 days and counting for the launch off.

Bought a poncho and sandals, I threw away my shoes
Brought a toothbrush and a razor I probably won't use
I hit the track, turned my back on the headline news...

If everything goes well, I will not wear a shirt for for two weeks straight.

Mark

[DesertRose]

I've had a little progress. Thanks for all the input.

We're leaving on June 24, and will be back in U.S. July 12.

Has anyone been to Cuauhtemoc, near Chihuahua? I'm interested in visiting the Mennonite community there. I would also enjoy seeing Paquimé in addition to some "back road" opportunites.

!Salud!

Mark

For a short time I ran some trips for Betchart Expeditions to Copper Canyon, and one of our stops on the way back out of Creel on the way to Ciudad Chihuahua was the Mennonite community.

Unfortunately, the information I can offer is not altogether great: I found it a poor experience, largely because we were small groups (up to about 10 people) that stopped there for lunch. Betchart paid the community elders committee, and they organized a lunch for us. It was Soooooooooooooo weird. They set up a long table for us in a tool shed, and then about 4 women and 5 girls proceeded to serve us lunch - without saying a word! They did it by rote, and were not at all friendly - it was so canned. They're a very closed, somber society. My clients were very uncomfortable, especially after the extremely open, friendly experiences of the Mexicans we'd met in the canyon country.

If you "freelance" it - it might be better. Since they were doing it for money for us, it was not good.

I would guess that with your open and friendly manner, you would get somewhere, especially with the men, who were a bit more gregarious.

They make good cheese, though!

Cuauhtemoc looked like a lot more fun. It's the apple capital of Chihuahua, and very busy. I wish we could have hung out there more.

Which way are you coming out? Any thoughts of going through the plains of Janos - largest prairie dog town in North America, and the last herd of buffalo thought to be related to the original NA plains buffs.

I envy your trip!! Some of my best trips were there, especially scouting without all the whiny clients

[DesertRose]

If everything goes well, I will not wear a shirt for for two weeks straight.

Mark

Well if THAT doesn't get the Mennonite women to lighten up, I don't know what would!