Traveling North
Trip Start
Jan 02, 2010
1
15
17
Trip End
Mar 17, 2010
Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
After leaving Cuernavaca we encountered our steepest hill climb yet. Poor old Matilda crept along and blew a lot of smoke but she made it. We used several of the very good toll roads and were able to bypass the worst of the traffic in Toluca but it was still horrible. We have 3 Garmin and 1 Magellin GPS system with us and they can't even find their way through the big cities so if you come to Mexico don't waste your money on their Mexican maps for a GPS. You are better off following the signs. We have heard that there are some accurate GPS systems available in Mexico but haven't found any information on them yet. We traveled all day but only averaged 20 miles per hour.
Bert knew of a hotel with a large field adjacent where we could dry camp for a couple of days up by Ocampo and the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Climbing to an altitude of 11,000 feet, we reached the Sanctuary early in the morning while the clouds still lingered close to the ground. Our hike in to see the butterflies took us through a gauntlet of Indian vendors on either side of the long set of steps leading to the area where the butterflies congregate. It was warmer by the time we reached the top and the sky was filled with fluttering golden wings and heavy clusters of butterflies still clung to tree branches. We had to watch our step to avoid squashing them as they covered the ground and coated the steps we climbed. The Monarchs were mating so most of them were actually a connected pair. Our Indian guide showed us the tiny black dots near the tail of the males so we could tell which were males and which were females.
On the way back down the trail we all bought more things than we should have but the handcrafted items were beautiful and the prices so very, very low. We took a look at the surrounding poverty of the village and didn't even try to bargain for lower prices, though I know we could have. Mexico’s tourist trade has been hit hard by the deceptive American isolationist policy and it’s those who are on the bottom of Mexico’s population base that suffer the most. We see no reason to fear traveling through Mexico; nor do the hundreds of other RV travelers we’ve met. They are still mostly from Canada and Europe but we are seeing a few more from the States.
Patzquaro, here we come
Written by Betty Stafford
March 7, 2010
Today is Sunday on a mountain traveling day. The evenings are very cool and the mornings are great to get an early start before it heats up. Our wheels were rolling by 8:10. The traffic is thin at this time on Sundays, which we have got to really appreciate. By 9:45 we are well on our way through a commercial flower growing, green house area. Long stemmed roses and young seedlings lined the open walls of plastic. Gladiola fields were in bloom plus yellow blossoms of melon plants crawled along small acreages of land. They were spring planting the seedlings for market gardening.
The two-lane blacktop highway was smooth but no place to let your mind wander. There were no shoulders and many roller coaster dips and dives with steep drop offs. A constant reminder of death, memorials dotted the whole stretch. I counted 15 in as many miles and gave up. Mexican drivers take so many chances and sometimes their luck just runs out.
By 9:10, we started climbing and a forest landscape overtook the terrain. There was a rust colored deciduous tree (maybe in the oak family) that gave a hue of fall among the pines plus the contrast of spring flowering trees and bushes. The photo group all got out for a stretch and shot some photos.
On our voyage upward, we passed several Indian ladies with plastic bags of laundry, all huddled over a bubbling stream scrubbing their laundry.
A couple of miles and a few more curves in the highway, the men had a pickup truck stopped and were loading 10 gallon plastic containers from the spring as it fell from a small waterfall. We of course had to maneuver the big rigs around their loading area on the narrow highway. Our elevation at this time was 6,825 feet and Richard’s Matilda was really working hard but never let him down.
We passed through one town that had a huge prison. This being Sunday, it appeared to be visiting day. Cars lined the sides of the highway as far as the eye could see. Many families, some carrying goodies, were hustling to visit their loved ones behind those walls.
Further down the mountain the forest was replaced with prickly pear cactus and Joshua trees. The Stone fences we had viewed for miles in the ruins area reappeared. There were also tiny fields of harvested corn that had their husked stalked piles like large tee pees to dry.
On highway 15, at Morelia, there was a huge rally forming of all ages. The busses were of every color imaginable so they must have traveled from many sources. Masses of people were rushing to one area. It reminded me of a major sports event in a big city.
We had a long wait at the entrance of Patzcuaro while Bert and Lloyd took Richards jeep on a scouting mission to trace down an R.V. park for us to bunk in. That was a good break for lunch and a relaxing rest. Eventually the boys returned and lead us on to Patzcuaro and up the remotest bumpy, mud, stony road to a pleasant resting place with hook ups and level ground. Later we realized they had a wonderful restaurant, so the day was full of surprises and another just a few hours away.
Johnny has figured since we left Canada, we have driven 9,700 miles and still have a piece to go.
While in Patzquaro we camped at the Rancho La Mesa campground, a beautiful site with a broad view of Lake Patzquaro and some of its Islands. The campground is full of Canadian travelers all of whom laugh at the Americans and their fear of travel in Mexico.It was fun renting a boat and crossing Lake Patzcuaro to Janitzo Island with its many colorful shops. We hiked straight up the steep terrain as we browsed the shops until we reached the top and its enormous statue of a local hero. Then we all climbed to the top of that statue. Some of us had pretty achy legs the next day as we drove over to Santa Clara to visit the copper shops. It's sad to see how badly they are struggling with the lack of tourists because their copper work is beautiful.
We finished our stay in Patzquaro with dinner in the campground restaurant. Our host, J. Alberto Farias Bucio, arranged for a Mariachi Band to entertain us while eating; the best mariachi band any of us have ever heard but you’ll have to wait until the next blog to see the photos of them.
It’s been a long and wonderful Odyssey but our thoughts are turning to home. The RV’s are getting washed today and we’ll leave tomorrow for Guadalajara. Then it will be pretty much a push for Tucson.
Comments
Wonderful, fabulous!!
nice pics betty thanks for sending them, i think jack has more freckles on his hand now with all that sun!