Postcard from Alamos- March 1, 2015

Mary and I are off again, once again in Mexico, with Toby and the van. We left Prescott February 21, and expect to arrive home on the 24th.  Our planned route is Tucson, San Carlos, Alamos, Yecora, Basaseachic, Madera, Casas Grandes, Banamichi, Caborca, Gonzaga Bay, San Felipe, home. 

So far, so wonderful.  This comes to you from Alamos, where we have been since Thursday.  We leave Monday, heading up into the Sierra Madre Occidental just as a storm blows in.  Per Weather Underground, we'll get plenty of rain (maybe even snow!) no matter we find ourselves.  So more lodging, less camping, and we'll be wearing all those just-in-case warm things.

In Tucson, we had a fun weekend visit with Hal and Liz Kingslein, friends from our recent trip to Vietnam. Monday we crossed the border at Nogales. After acquiring visas and a vehicle importation permit at Kilometer 21, we headed south to San Carlos, and set up "camp" in the carport of Bill and Katie Kluchko's casita.

Highlights of San Carlos were the views,  Napule canyon, the Estero El Soldado, and the great food and conversation served up by our hosts.

Thursday morning we drove through Ciudad Obregon and Navajoa (home of the Martin factory that made Mary's backpacker guitar!) to Alamos, an old town in the foothills of the Sierra Madre.  From the 1700's through the early 1900's, the Alamos area was one of the richest silver mining districts in the world, and was for some time, the capital of Sonora.  After the mining ended, the town shrank, and the old colonial mansions fell into disrepair.  These lovely old buildings are now mostly restored and owned by wealthy Americans.

We are staying in a little casita at a place called El Pedregal.  Our hosts David and Jennifer McKay lead birding trips all over Mexico. If you're interested, check out Solipaso on the web.

In Alamos, we have enjoyed relaxing at El Pedregal, walking the cobblestone streets, morning birding outings (one guided), taking in the weekly Home & Garden Tour, and driving back roads with skimpy directions. This morning's search was for the sewage ponds (agua negra), generally a great place to spot birds. 

When the ponds weren't where they should  have been, all the ranch families hurrying to mass understood my questions. I didn't catch the finer nuances of their very helpful answers. I got clues like arroyo, huerta,  and finca, but didn't put them together right.  Kind of like the Sunday puzzle.  After three conversations, and three turnarounds, we found the ponds.  This always happens when I'm a bit lost  in Mexico, and is for me, one of the enjoyable and memorable parts of most trips.

That's it for now.  Although we've had great WiFi so far, I'm guessing we won't have it again until next week, when we reach La Posada del Rio in Banamichi.  Until then, we'll be in the Sierra Madre, on both the Sonora and Chihuahua sides, watching for birds and topas, swerving around potholes, and trying to stay dry.

Love, Toni

Photos (if you've been following us on Facebook, you've already seen most of these):
Liz, Mary, Hal, Tina, Stacey

Napule Canyon
Roseate Spoonbills
Katie and Mary
Toby
Bill and his boys
White Ibis
Casita at El Pedregal
Rufous-bellied Chachalacas
Female Elegant Trogan
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
18th century Alamos church
Streak-backed Oriole
Looking for agua negra
Amapa