October 9

Yesterday we hung out in Madera the whole day. The original plan was to drive on to Creel without a day spent in Madera. But it is a 6 hour drive to Creel after my parents had phoned around to find a place to stay there, we would have arrived in Creel after dark—and everyone says not to drive after dark. Besides, there was a big bicycle race going on so it wouldn’t have been save to drive (too many bicycles) and there were no hotel rooms available. So we decided to stay another night and leave the next day.

The owner of the hotel we were staying in suggested we stay at his campground, a twenty minute drive out of town beside a lake. In fact, he even drove us there to show us and to give us a tour around his town, which he was obviously proud of. We decided to camp there, it was quiet and peaceful.

However, there were still several hours of daylight to fill. We decided that we would drive out to see some ruins: Cuarenta Casas (a cliff dwelling known as 40 Houses). The plan was to do the two hour hike and then go back to our campsite. We didn’t know that the park closes at 5:00 and you need to be out of the canyon before that. It was 3:30 and the guards/rangers wouldn’t let us go down into the canyon. We were somewhat upset, but them Momma started talking to one of the rangers (in Spanish). He said that it was a worthwhile hike, and if it made a difference, we could start at nine instead of ten the next morning, the official opening time. He also said that there was campsite right outside the gate where we could camp.

Well we drove around for several minutes trying to find the campsite, there was no place for us to stay, but there were houses with goats. Since we couldn’t find the campsite ourselves, we asked the people at one of the houses. They said they would go ask the owner if it was okay and then unlock the gate. Another ten minutes passed while we waited for the verdict. Meanwhile the light was fading. Then everyone came back, and us silly tourists were handed off to the campsite people, who showed us where to go and set up our tent. And that is exactly what we did. The camping area was a big grassy field in the pine forest. It was on land owned by the Ejido – a communal area that individual members of the community can farm or use. They were obviously very proud to be part of the Ejido and the land.

Our sleep was interrupted in the morning by a lovely soft sound on the plastic of our fly-less tent. Any guesses? To be fair, there where no clouds when we went to bed, and it almost never rains here. Just our luck to be camping. So of course our tent, sleeping bags and therma-rests were soaked. Right now we have the wettest stuff draped over the chairs in our car in the hopes that they will dry.

After it stopped raining we got out of the tent and broke camp. Our supposedly 9:00 start was actually at 9:30. This canyon where the cliff dwellings are was very different than the others. For one thing, the canyon was completely treed, and not stunted ones either. They were big, tall, glorious pines. The canyon was treed because we were at a higher elevation, so it was colder, and it was wetter, there was even flowing water in the bottom.

There were more than three cliff dwellings; our guide, Martin Martinez, said that each cave had ruins in them. It was a whole city. The biggest cliff dwelling was more in an alcove than a cave. All the lower stories’ wall’s were still standing, through the doors we could see that there were three rooms leading to the back of the cave. We could see the walls and rock darkened by soot, and see the ash in the rooms. None of the walls had been rebuilt, though some had been had supports added. In some places the second story was still standing. Cuarenta Casas was occupied around the same time as Casas Grandes. Our guide said that when he started working there, 20 years ago, most of the second story was still standing. It isn’t standing because of vandals. Imagine people who would destroy an 800 year old archeological site. Those walls were the originals! Now they are gone—for good. Not only were people breaking pieces of wall off, but some people wrote their names in the adobe. Need I say more?!

On the way back up the canyon wall Martin found a dead rattlesnake. He said that it hadn’t been dead for very long (no smell) and that he would carry it back and eat it. Georgie was eyeing the rattle so he broke it off and gave it to him. We asked how the rattle rattles and Martin told us that the different sections knock against each other, there isn’t anything inside the rattle. The head was gone, we asked why. Martin said it was because even though the snake was dead, it’s reflexes could still make it bite when you picked it up. The snake had been killed because they are dangerous with so many tourists around. The poor snakes!

Martin needed to skin the snake so we stopped by the river. He gripped the skin by where the head used to be, and tugged. The skin came off the snake pulling the guts with it, I guess they are attached. When the skin was off and inside-out, Martin pulled off the intestines and stuck them in a bag. Apparently they are really oily and are good for ear infection and skin cream. Then he threw the skin away. What was left of the snake was a long and white, with a slice in it’s middle where the guts came out.

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We have this one fly in our car that has been here for several days. It just sits on the roof and stares at the scenery. Sometimes The Fly flies around the car and lands on us, we shake it off, and it goes back to the roof. I think it must be bored because the view isn’t that great hanging upside down on the ceiling. I hope The Fly didn’t have a family wherever we picked it up who are now missing it! I also hope wherever we drop it off won’t be a bad climate for The Fly.

Now we are only 30km from Creel. It is still treed outside and the temperature is quite cool. The road is wet, it looks like it rained. Tonight we will put the fly on the tent.