13 December 2008
We took a different route this time. Spent the night in Matehuala at Las Palmas, our usual spot which felt very comfortable and familiar. But today we headed northeast and crossed the mountains with a very steep descent. It was beautiful, with narrow canyons and gorges, but about 15 miles from the bottom, we began to smell something burning: the brakes were protesting the hairpin curves (curvas peligrosas again!). So we pulled over onto a turn-out to give the brakes a rest. They were very hot. Beautiful spot though.
While we walked the dogs at the turn-out, random rocks fell now and then from the cliff face above us. We had seen signs that warned us of derrumbes. From the landscape, we took that to mean big rocks falling on our heads. Anyway, after resting the car, ourselves, and the dogs, we proceeded very carefully, Bob using low gear instead of the brakes whenever possible. No problems after that, and we were soon on the eastern side of the mountains. The rest of the way we had few issues: missing the turn in Allende, getting stuck in a long line waiting to cross at Reynosa, then totally missing the directions to La Quinta here in Harlingen. But now we're all fed and about to tuck ourselves in for the night. We're figuring two more days to Fairhope but less strenuous. The dogs have been wonderful. Bob not too bad, either.
2 comments:
Alright, Mom! Posting from the road! Pretty cool. :) Glad you made it back to the states without breaking down.
Or careening down a mountain without brakes.
You know, I found this article recently that I'd cut out of a magazine years ago and have held onto all this time. It's about a couple who (after many years of visiting and researching Mexico) buy an English bookstore in a small town (can't remember the name off the top of my head), quit their jobs in America and move to Mexico permanently to run this bookstore. Their commute is a few minute walk down the beach, they go home at siesta to read and relax before going to back to the shop in the evening. It just sounded beautiful. My only experience so far with Mexico was brief and remarkably unpleasant, but I maybe I should look into it again.
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