[Almost] Instant Karma: Sinforosa

---

Listen to: ¨Long Shadow¨ Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

I´d taken a chance - a rather stupid - one in turning down the road. The sun was low on the horizon and had no idea how the road ahead would be. All I knew was that back at the highway I had seen a sign saying Sinforosa 17 km and had a picture of a tent and another of some people looking through binoculars. Not too interested on Guachochi. I took the turn by some last minute impulse and regreted it almost immediately afterward. I don´t know why I didn´t turn around. I just kept going down a heavily rutted dirt road past dead dogs and run-down homes. ¨
¨well, you´ve sure done it now.¨ I thought to myself. ¨Everyone here sees me, everyone knows where i´m going. this sinforosa place is the only thing down this damn road.¨ I figure´d i¨d be lucky to make it through the night without being robbed, let alone back into town...

When I finally made it to Sinforosa, still unsure what it was (a national park, a resort?) a kindly, soft spoken man emerged from what appeared to be a either a mansion or a hotel. He came out and I asked him if I could camp somewhere, anxious and confused.
Si, his replied calmly and went over to open a nearby gate.
¨Pero, que es Sinforosa?¨ I asked.
¨Es un Devisadero¨ (a canyon) he replied. I paid the 10 peso (less than 1$cdn) entrance fee and was locked into a field with the oxen. I must admit that I was relieved to be in a locked enclosure, though I know now that I was totally safe out there. My host motioned for me to follow the road so I did. I thought I had left canyon country. Not just yet, it seemed.

From my journal shortly afterward.
Once again it was all I could do to breath. How could this place be - why had nobody said anything?
the setting sun blows magenta up at the belly of the sky, spraying colour all the way to the eastern horizon. I felt well bore down into my core and was instantly full, brimming with the notion: I am on the right path. The wind softly caresses my scruffy face - a ghostly affirmation. ¨Yes!¨
(later) Far across and way up high on a narrow mesa, someone´s made a fire. I can see it´s flicker. Tarahumara, no doubt. Who esle could find there way there. these people! Faces like ancient leather. No wonder they were never taken - they were too tough for the missionaries and their swords.
I would fight for this place. I would not die because there could be no death here - there is no time! Any who would stand against would cower and dissappear. You fools! I have the high ground and the terrain shows no mercy...

(later, watching the moon rise to the south east, over the canyon)

beneath and between the wind and crickets is a silence so peaceful...
Thought and affect float around the stone like smoke; no intention, just movement and being.



I had reached the viewpoint just as the sun dipped behind the trees just behind. I wasn´t the only one there at first, but the older couple who from Michoacán in a beat up old ford left just after I arrived. I just sat there. It was like beign the first white person to see see Grand Canyon or Palenque. I had no expectation to be exceeded, I was just blown away. I guess it was good Karma.

In reality, the only reason I was there and not Batopilas or Hidalgo del Parral was because I had stopped earlier that day to help an older truck driver who had a flat tire. Well not exactly. I stopped to take another effing picture and he pulled off just after, blocking me in. I could´ve made it out after he moved, but he obviously needed help so I stuck around. Some of you may know that i´ve got a bit of experience with changing truck tires, but this was something wholly different. He had inner tubes in them! Anyway, I think he was impressed with my savvy (for a gringo) but he did most of the work. I just helped with the labour. Two hours later we went opposite ways. As a result, I was only going to make it to Guachochi before dark and just happened to take the chance...

The Karma might have been a bit over extended, however. The next day my camera bounced out of my pocked (or I dropped it) and I had to backtrack from Guachochi to Sinforosa and back, costing me an hour I could have used to make it further than Mapimi later that day...

---

Photos

A mexican jack
He backed the truck up and the weight was lifted off the rear wheel. well, some of it...

Lesser of two evils
We had to choose, based on the size of existing holes, which was the better option of his two ¨spares¨

Job well done?
I guess i´ll never know if he made it to Creel, but he got a little closer

El Barranca del Cobre
This was just before I didn´t take the road to Batopilas.

My home for the night...
Hut or no, it was a cold one with no sleeping bag. I just layed down in my riding gear, put my head in my helmet for a pillow

One last look
Dead center in the frame theres a shaded area on the second mesa back. Thats where there was a bunch of campfires, spanning hundreds of feet of cliff face.

Comments

[Rob Hesje]

Dood!
Those are some amazing shots you got there. Well done! I imagine that you are just loving this...