Spring Break and the Sierra Madre
by: Ryan Windley
As I walked up the jet way, I could feel the dry, desert air in my
lungs. As I approached the baggage claim, I could hear the sounds of
mariachi music. I wasn’t able to discern if it was being played
over the PA system or if it were a real live band.
After reaching the bottom, and rounding a pillar, I was pleased to
find a four-piece mariachi band playing near the baggage claim. I thought
to myself, “Hey, how did they know I was coming?” Officially,
my spring break vacation had begun only five minutes earlier by landing
at the El Paso airport; and I was already being enveloped in the warm
embrace of Mexican culture. It was a sign of great things to come.
I stood, waiting contently, for my bags to show up on the carousel,
listening to the beautiful lyrics of a Spanish love song. Even though,
I couldn’t understand the language, amore has a way of making
its presence known.
Grabbing my bags, I walked out the door into the warm desert sun. The
sun felt warm on my skin, a far cry from the colder, northern clime
I had vacated only a few hours earlier. The SUV and driver were waiting
at the curb just as planned.
My driver was John Hatch owner of Gavilan Tours (www.gavilantours.com).
John was not only to be my driver, but also my tour guide for the next
four days. I jumped into the suburban and my spring break adventure
really took off! As it turns out, John’s grandfather guided Aldo
Leopold into the Gavilan River basin; which inspired Leopold’s
essay The Song of the Gavilan (Leopold is considered by many to be the
father of modern ecology).
It is Colonia Juarez is a three-hour drive from El Paso. Chili pepper
and cotton fields turn into blurry streaks as we cruise down the narrow
Mexican highways into the interior of Chihuahua. Many storms over the
past couple months brought much needed rain. The ancient volcanic cones
and hills are green and lush. Wildflowers in brilliant yellows and reds
dot the landscape. Once in a while we will drive through a sparsely
populated village and then head back into the wide-open desert.
After what only seems like an hour and a half, we arrive in the city
of Casas Grandes. So named because of the large ruins left by the Paquime
Indians, the original inabitors of these parts over 1,000 years ago.
We drive straight through the city. On the south end of town the highway
makes a hard right curve and then heads west into the foothills of the
Sierra Madre.
The suburban traverses a curvy, road through ten miles of foothills.
Orchards appear on both sides of the road. Thousands of acres of peach
trees have bloomed making the landscape appear as a sea of pink. We
crest a hill; drive through a ravine, and round a bend into the quaint
community of Colonia Juarez.
The next day is filled with getting a feel for the modern history of
the community. John asks me if I would like to accompany him on a community
tour he conducts for a Tucson-based tour company. I said, “That
sounds like fun.” A large tour bus stopped in front of John’s
house at 9:30 a.m. I climb on board and take a seat next to the driver.
The tour guide introduces John and for the next two hours John keeps
the tour bus enthralled with stories of rugged pioneers, bloodthirsty
Indians, and armies of Mexican revolutionaries who during the past 100
years have shared this area of Mexico.
The first white settlers were Mormons who settled the area in 1885.
Many original brick homes still dot the town. The Mormons at one time
had ten settlements or colonies, thru ought the Northern parts of Chihuahua
and neighboring state, Sonora. On day three of my adventure, John is
going to take me into the peaks of the Sierra Madres to visit some of
the original colonies and nearby Indian ruins.
On day two, John takes me to Mata Ortiz. Mata Ortiz is a town known
worldwide, for its unique styles of pottery. Along the way, John points
out Indian ruins along the side of the road. I purchase several pots
to take back home because the pots make unique gifts for family and
friends.
Day three began at 9:00 am leaving for a full day in the Sierra Madres.
During the day I had the opportunity to climb to three different Indian
cliff dwellings. One of the cliff dwellings is knows as the olla cave.
It contains a large (12 feet tall, 6 feet in diameter), onion-shaped
storage bin. I saw unique rock formations such as pillars and arches
which, I found as amazing as those found in Bryce Canyon and Arches
National Parks (Just on a smaller scale and number).
Between sites, John holds me spellbound with stories of marauding Indians,
expatriated American train robbers, and man-eating grizzly bears. We
don’t arrive back to Colonia Juarez until after 6:00 pm.
Day four finds me lamenting the fact that I have to go home. John drives
me back to the airport. As I wait for my plane to board, I find myself
wondering how soon it will be until I can make it back to this enchanting
place. No matter how soon, it won’t be soon enough.
About The Author: Ryan Windley was so spellbound by
Colonia Juarez and the Sierra Madre, he has started an Ezine and corresponding
website dedicated to raising awareness and tourism of this unique and
diverse area. You can subscribe to the Ezine by sending an email to
editor@lascolonias.us with “Subscribe” written in the subject
line.
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