The Lower Sierra, Choix, Sinaloa.

Choix is truly the gateway to the northern Sinaloan sierra, its the last post before the big mountains and a place of tough traditions and people.

Founded in 1605 by the Jesuit priest Cristóbal Villalta, in recent years, thanks to Huites Lake its becoming a tourist destination,

You can go to several old mines, the House of culture and its small but interesting museum where you can find archeology, local art and old pictures relevant to the town.
You can also go to the thermal springs at Chuchaca and Apuche. And of course, Presa Luis Donaldo Colosio. Better known as Lake Huites.

There you can find giant bass, an amazing array of birds and views that can be hard to describe.

The long way home.

For me, work is most of the time a fun and rewarding activity, but when it involves a 17 hour drive, 14 hours a day in a back to back week, it can get a little. Mmmm, how can I put it? Just too much.

Anyway, I`m back to my postings and happy at home.

I spend the week at Jaral del Progreso Guanajuato, a little town that happens to be the center of Barley production in Mexico. However not all was work last week, I did manage to squeeze a nice afternoon in San Miguel de Allende, "THE" colonial town in Mexico. I often forget how many little towns are clumped together in central Mexico, but my trusty GPS got me there rather easily. Its a very different kind of town, with so much history and a lot of tourist grooming. I got to walk around and had lunch in a very good restaurant, ´nuff talking, some photos and links for you.


The main plaza at San Miguel de Allende

What´s a town without singing frogs

The Catedral behind a 60s rock revival concert, i just get a kick out of globalization.

We found Mama Mia´s restaurant, Good food and ...

Good music goes hand in hand

Steampunk dream Harley ???

Some links to check out ...

San Miguel de Allende guide

Mama Mias Restaurant

We are bilingual now!!!

Please give a try at

El Coppero Canyon Gate

Copper Canyon Gate twin brother, from now on I will be publishing in Spanish and English, hope you like it.

PS Any Germans or French speaking Canadians that care to help ?????

Saludos from sunny Mexico.

Is the area a Birding paradise?

My only relationship with birds used to be the dove and duck hunting trips with my dad when I was young, however it always interested me the droves of tourist that came to the area to watch birds.

So I have tried to get some info on the Birding adventures in the region.

There are several outfitters who offer tours and guide services for this activity, most are on the El Fuerte area and some in the high sierra, there is even a group who does tours at the local Parque Sinaloa.

Russet-crowned Motmots, Black-throated Magpie Jays, Flame-colored Tanagers, Mexican Parrotlets, several kinds of Hummingbirds and Trogons… Most of the names don´t ring a bell, but i will try to identify them by the spanish name.

Later I will put links to some of the outfitters. Its this something that you guys like?

Saludos


Later Note ...

I came across a fantastic resource at Cornell.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Plus a Looong list (130+) of Birds spotted at the area, courtesy of Nature Trek

Excel archive @ Nature Trek

The Lower Sierra, El Fuerte de Montesclaros, Sinaloa.

On the lower Sierra, besides a big strong river in 1563, El Fuerte de Montesclaros was founded by the spanish conquistador Francisco de Ibarra, The original Sierra Madre explorer.

Several years later in 1610, a Fort was built to ward off the Fierce Zuaque and Tehueco native americans. During that time, El Fuerte served as the gateway to the vast frontiers of the northern native-held territories of Sonora, Arizona and California.

For three centuries it was the most important commercial and agricultural center of the vast northwestern region of Mexico. El Fuerte was a chief trading post for silver miners and gold seekers from the Urique and Batopilas mines in the nearby mountains.
In 1824, El Fuerte became the capital of Sonora y Sinaloa (reaching up into Arizona). It remained so for several years until the dissolution of this state.


Jumping forward to modern times, El Fuerte has become a very nice Colonial town, famous for its kind people, old constructions, rich history, great fishing, excelent bird watching, and all surrendered by the mighty Fuerte River.



Here are some interesting photos and videos...
A river view from the new Fort and Museum.


The local Plazuela.


An example of the nice hotels in town.


The local Danza del Venado, a tradition. Courtesy of Jorge Corrales

Las Barrancas comparison.

Ever wonder how deep are the canyons?. Me too!!, so lets find out.

Formed by five major river systems, these barrancas (canyons) are four times larger than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado.
The system have 9 rivers, and all have carved deep canyons on the sierras.

Here is how they stack up against the 1,425 meters of the most famous of them all, The Grand Canyon.

Canyon Depth Comparison

Urique-Copper - 1,879 meters, Sinforosa Canyon - 1,830 meters, Batopilas Canyon - 1,800 meters, Candameña Canyon - 1,750 meters, Mayo Canyon - 1,680 meters, Huapoca Canyon - 1,620 meters, Chinipas Canyon - 1,600 meters, Septentrion Canyon - 1,600 meters, Oteros Canyon - 1,520 meters.

No wonder it took a hundred years to make the railroad !!!.

My many new friends ...

A while back we started this blog on the recommendation of a very nice person, fellow traveler and friend, George from vagabonders-supreme fame, he even accepted to be our host at El Rio (Our family weekend getaway), during this time publishing the blog, we have had the good fortune to be on contact with a lot of people from all over the world who are, were or will be traveling on our region.

This past days a couple of internet friends arrived to Los Mochis from an adventurous trip of the sierras and stayed at El Rio, is so nice to be able to meet people, hear different points of view and reassure ourselves that there are still sensible and outdoor oriented people all over.



Thanks George, Robert, Laura, Sky and Bobbi for the inspiration.




Los Fuentes Ruiz.

Check Robert and Laura @ TravelJournals of rmalone
And of course, George at his world FAMOSO site The adventures of Tioga and George

One photo to rule them all !!!

A nice snapshot near Creel on September 2007 during La Ruta de la Indepenencia..

A biodiversity study of the canyons.

Yesterday I started looking for info on Raramuri dialects with the idea of having a couple of words that we could use on our travels, i found a web page of an association of research centers and universities that i think you will like. I like the way it gives insight on the vast ecosystem and its actual state. Must read.

The Mexico-North Research Network.

THE PROJECT ON DIVERSITY IN THE SIERRA TARAHUMARA, STATUS REPORT — MARCH 2003

A quick weekend trip ...

Las Copas again, I just love this little trip, it was my son first route driving his own car and with his good old friends. I am happy to inform you that the guy can wheel!!!, he sure made alot of the 50 or so HP of his car. We stayed the night and had some great Carne Asada, remembered stories from our earlier rutas and just had a good time. .

Mundo and his mighty Suzuki Samurai


I wonder how some people prefer to stay inside with this view so close to Los Mochis. ????



Hanging out after a nice drive.



Saludos from Los Mochis.

The most dramatic train ride in the western hemisphere

Thats how El Chepe has been called by Readers Digest, it might just be true, Riding across 39 bridges and through 87 tunnels its really a technological marvel, couple that with Albert Owen story and you are in for a nice tale.

The concept of the railroad was officially recognized in 1880, when the president of Mexico, General Manuel González, granted a rail concession to Albert Kinsey Owen of the Utopia Socialist Colony of New Harmony, Indiana, USA, who was seeking to develop a socialist colony. Financial difficulties due to the cost of building a railroad through rugged terrain delayed the project, and the ChP was completed in 1961.
In 1998, the private rail franchise Ferromex took over the railroad from the Mexican government, which had operated all railroads since 1940.



Check the Wiki Or @ mexicoscoppercanyon.com Or @ Trainweb.org

Saludos