TOPOLOBAMPO (TOE-POE-LOW-BAM-POE)

AS MUCH AS WE WERE EAGERLY LOOKING FORWARD FOR THIS BIG DAY TO ARRIVE WE WERE RUDELY AWAKEN AT 3:00 AM. THE REALITY OF SUCH A WAKEUP IS BRUTAL, BUT BY 3:45 WE WERE IN THE BUFFET HAVING A LITE BREAKFAST BEFORE HEADING TO THE LOUNGE FOR OUR ASSIGNMENTS.

WHEN WE ARRIVED ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WERE WAITING FOR THE EXCURSION STAFF TO SHOW UP WITH THE MULTI COLOR STICKERS THEY PLACE ON EVERYONE TO IDENTIFY EACH OF US BY TOUR. AS THE STAFF WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO RISE TO FORM A LINE. THE STAFF INSTRUCTED US TO REMAIN IN OUR SEATS AND THEY WOULD COME TO US. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET STICKERS FOR BUS #1 AND TRAIN CAR “A”.

GEORGIA AND I SAT ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE LOUNGE, THE SIDE THEY NORMALLY ESCORT YOU TO THE GANGWAY, IN HOPES WE COULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST IN LINE, ON THE BUS AND SUBSEQUENTLY ON THE TRAIN TO OBTAIN THE BEST SEAT POSSIBLE FOR VIEWING. THE PLAN WORKED.

AS SOON THE BUS WAS FULL, IT BROKE RANKS AND WE BEGAN OUR 90 MINUTE JOURNEY TO THE TRAIN STATION IN EL FUENTE. IT WAS MUCH COOLER THAN WE EXPECTED, BOTH ON AND OFF THE BUS, AND MOST US WERE SMART ENOUGH TO WEAR WARM CLOTHES AS WE DOSED OFF TO LA-AL LAND.

I MUST HONESTLY SAY, I WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT TAKING THE PULLOVER PARKAS WE GOT FROM LARRY LATE LAST YEAR. OUR CRUISE WAS TAKING US TO WARM PLACES AND I SAW NO NEED FOR TAKING UP VALUABLE SPACE IN OUR LUGGAGE. FURTHERMORE, WE HADN’T BOOKED THIS TOUR ORIGINALLY FROM HOME BASED. THE SCARY FACT THE TOUR STARTED AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE DECISION...THEN. IT PROVED TO BE BEST THING TO DO.

MEANWHILE, BACK TO THE TRAIN. WE ARRIVED AT THE STATION SLIGHTLY OVER 90 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING THE SHIP. GEORGIA AND I QUICK FOUND THE SEAT BEST FOR US. OUR SEATS WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR, AND THEY HAD A LARGE PICTURE WINDOW. WE WERE HOPING THAT WOULD BE THE MOST SCENIC, AND IT TURNS OUT WE WERE CORRECT.

IT WAS STILL DARK WHEN WE BOARDED THE TRAIN AT 6:30 AND WE WERE NO SOONER SETTLED INTO OUR SEATS THAN THE TRAIN PULLED OUT OF THE STATION BEFORE 7:00. WE HADN’T TRAVELLED MORE THAN 10 MILES WHEN THE SKY TO THE EAST BEGAN TO LIGHTEN AND THE SCATTERED CLOUDS STARTED TO SHOW SIGNS OF A REDISH TINT. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES DAYLIGHT FILLED THE SKY, THE PINK TINT WAS GONE, AND THE SUN WAS ABOVE THE PEAK OF THE MOUNTAIN.

THE TERRAIN FOR THE FIRST 50 MILES WAS FLAT AND BARRON WITH AN OCCASIONAL FARM THROWN IN TO BRAKE THE MONOTONY. THE MOUNTAIN SIDE BEGAN TO COME CLOSER AND THE BARRON LAND STARTED TO TAKE SHAPE. SMALL PEAKS BEGAN TO APPEAR AND THE HILLSIDES WERE FILLED WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF TREES AND CACTUS. POOLS OF WATER IN SHALLOW WATER STREAMS COULD BE SEEN AT TIMES AND OCCASIONALLY RUSHING WATER FLOWED BETWEEN 2 LARGE BOULDERS CAUSING THE DRY CREEK BED TO BECOME A RAGING RIVER.

THE TRAIN NORMALLY TRAVELS BETWEEN EL FUENTE AND LOS MOCHIS IN THE NORTH, APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES. NUMEROUS TUNNELS AND BRIDGES WERE CONSTRUCTED ALONG THIS COMPLEX LANDSCAPE TO FULFILL THIS DREAM TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE CANYON. THE CANYON IS SITUATED ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN THE 2 CITIES. OUR CHARTERED TRAIN TOOK US ACROSS ROUGHLY 20 OF THE 37 BRIDGES AND 40 OF THE 82 TUNNELS IN ROUTE TO THE CANYON.

THE TRAIN RIDE IS BETWEEN 5 AND 6 HOURS...ONE WAY. SIXTY MINUTES INTO THE JOURNEY YOU CAN SENSE THE ENGINE BEGINNING TO EXCERT MORE THRUST AS IT STARTS TO CLIMB HIGHER INTO THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. THE VALLEYS GET A LITTLE DEEPER, THE PEAKS A LITTLE HIGHER AND THE WATER IN THE CREEKS FLOWS FASTER AND IS LESS SHALLOW. THE HILLSIDES ARE STILL LUSH WITH GREEN VEGETATION AND NEW VARIETIES OF FLOWERS BECOME EVIDENT.

MARTIN, OUR TOUR GUIDE, CONTINUALLY KEEPS US ABREAST OF WHAT WE SEE AND OF THE HISTORY OF THE AREA. THE FIRST BRIDGE CROSSING WAS OVER 1600 FEET AND HIGH ABOUT THE VALLEY. IT IS THE LONGEST OF ALL THE BRIDGES IN THE SYSTEM. OUR FIRST TUNNEL WAS OVER A MILE LONG WITH A LONG SEVERE CURVE TO THE RIGHT.

ABOUT 90 MINUTES FROM OUR DESTINATION OUR TRAIN SLOWED TO A STOP IN AN AREA WHERE THE TERRAIN WARRANTED 3 TRACKS. TWO OF THE TRACKS WERE SIDE RAILS OR AREAS DESIGNATED FOR TRAINS TO PULL TO THE SIDE TO PERMIT TRAINS TO PASS IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. WITH THE TRAIN STOPPED MANY OF US WALKED TO THE SPACE BETWEEN THE CARS WHERE WE COULD TAKE PICTURES WITHOUT BEING HAMPERED BY THE WINDOWS.

IT WAS HERE THAT MARTIN EXPLAINED WHAT WAS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE. WE HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 4800 FEET. IN ORDER TO GET TO THE NEXT PLATEAU THE TRAIN WOULD GO THROUGH A SERIES OF SWITCHBACKS, 3 IN TOTAL, TO RISE TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITHOUT TRYING TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN AT A 15 DEGREE INCLINE ALL AT ONCE.

WE BEGAN SLOWLY AND ENTERED A TUNNEL, AGAIN ABOUT A MILE IN LENGTH, WITH A VERY SHARPE TURN TO THE LEFT.WE EMERGED THE TUNNEL AND SLOWLY PROCEEDED ALONG A NARROW LEDGE INTO A SHORT TUNNEL AND BEGAN A LONG GRADUAL TURN TO THE RIGHT. PASSING THROUGH 2 MORE TUNNELS WE AGAIN BEGAN TURNING TO THE LEFT.

AS WE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, BELOW US WE COULD VIEW OUR STARTING POINT FOR THIS TRIPLE SWITCHBACK, AT LEAST 1000 FEET BELOW. THE VIEW WAS OVERWHELMING AND WITH THE TASK COMPLETED WE WERE WELL ON OUR WAY TO CLIMBING THE REST OF THE MOUNTAIN AT A NEW AND HIGHER LEVEL.

NOW AT ROUGHLY 5800 FEET THE REMAINDER OF THE 2000 FEET WOULD BE LESS OF A STRAIN FOR THE ENGINE. WE STOPPED AT THE RAIL YARD THAT DOUBLED AS A TRAIN STATION APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES FROM THE RIM. WE HAD BEEN ADVISED MEMBERS OF THE TARAHUMARA INDIAN TRIBE WOULD BE WAITING FOR US. ALONG WITH BUYING SOME OF THEIR HAND MADE ITEMS, ALL OF THE LEFTOVER FOOD FROM THE BOX BREAKFAST WE RECEIVED WOULD BE GIVEN TO THEM. HOWEVER, AND UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF POOR COMMUNICATION THE MEMBERS WERE NOT ON LOCATION.

THE ENGINE CREW WAS SWITCH AND WE WERE OFF TO THE RIM.

AS WE APPROACHED THE AREA FOR DISEMBARKING THERE WERE MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE WAITING. SOME WERE IN FRONT OF THEIR DISPLAYS OTHERS WERE WEAVING BASKETS. THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE IS, BY FAR, LESS AGGRESSIVE IN THEIR SALESMANSHIP THAN ANY GROUP WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED, HOWEVER WAIT UNTIL WE GET TO CHINA.

ON OUR WAY TO THE AWAITING BUS WE PASSED WOMEN AND CHILDREN SITTING AROUND GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. OCCASIONALLY MAKING EYE CONTACT THEY WERE SOMEWHAT BACKWARD AND SHY.

WITH ALL THE TRAVELERS ABOARD THE 4 WAITING SCHOOL BUSES, WE STARTED OUR TREK UP THE BUMPY DIRT ROAD TO THE HOTEL’S RESTAURANT. MOST OF US MADE POTTY STOPS AND FOUND OUR WAY TO THE DINING HALL. IT WAS A MASSIVE ROOM WITH CEILING TO FLOOR PICTURE WINDOWS OVERLOOKING A PORTION OF THE CANYON. ENJOYING THE VIEW WOULD HAVE TO COME SECOND, AND ALTHOUGH NOT STARVING TO DEATH, WE HAD NOT EATEN SINCE 3:30 THIS MORNING, 9 HOURS AGO. (I DIDN’T COUNT THE BOX BREAKFAST BECAUSE GEORGIA AND I ONLY DRANK THE JUICE AND REALLY DIDN’T EAT ANY OF THE SWEET ROLL.)

THE MEAL WAS EXCELLENT. RICE, BLACK BEANS, VEGGIES, CHICKEN ,FISH AND HOME MADE AUTHENTIC MEXICAN QUESADILLAS. THE BEVERAGE WAS MADE FROM THE HIBISCUS FLOWERS.IT WAS VERY UNUSUAL AND QUITE TASTEY.

AFTER LUNCH MOST OF US WALKED OUT ON THE VERANDA TO SNAP PICTURES AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. IN COMPARISON WITH THE GRAND CANYON WE CAN SAY THAT IT DOESN’T HAVE THE COLORS BUT IT CERTAINLY HAS ITS BEAUTY. WE WERE AT THE 7800 FOOT LEVEL OF THE CANYON.

COPPER CANYON IS MADE UP OF A SERIES OF 7 CANYONS, THE HIGHEST ELEVATION IS 8500 FEET AND IS FURTHER INLAND. WE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ANY OTHER AREA.

AFTER LUNCH WE WERE ENTERTAINED BY MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE WITH DANCE, CRUDE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND EXHIBITIONS OF GAMES, SPORTS TYPE, PRACTICED BY THE TRIBE. AGAIN VERY INTERESTING AND EDUCATIONAL.

MARTIN, THE GUIDE, MADE 3 SIDE TRIPS AVAILABLE FOR ALL THOSE WISHING TO JOIN IN ON THE ACTIVITIES. HE WAS LEADING A WALK ALONG THE RIM. ALTHOUGH THE WALK WAS ONLY 1/2 TO 3/4 MILE IN LENGTH ON A SLITE ELEVATION IT WAS TRYING. REMEMBER THE AIR IS SOMEWHAT THINNER AT 7800 FEET.

THE EFFORT AND TIME WAS WELL WORTH ALL THE ENERGY EXPENDED. THE VIEWS WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE, IT WAS A CLEAR DAY AND YOU REALLY COULDN’T HAVE ASK FOR MORE. MARTIN HAD TAKEN A GROUP TO THE RIM YESTERDAY, FROM ANOTHER CRUISE LINE, AND HE SAID YOU COULDN’T SEE A THING. HOW BLESSED ARE WE?

BY 2:30 WE WERE BACK ON THE BUSES TRAVELING DOWN THE BUMPY, DIRTY ROAD TO THE TRAIN. AT 3:00 THE TRAIN BEGAN HEADING SOUTHWEST TO EL FUENTE. THE BROCHURE ESTIMATED THE TRIP TO BE OVER AROUND 7:00 BUT SIMPLE MATHEMATICS TOLD YOU IT WASN’T GOING TO HAPPEN. THE SHIP WAS SCHEDULE TO LEAVE AT 11:00. MY FEELING WAS THAT WE WOULD BE RUNNING FOR THE SHIP AGAIN.

EVEN IF THE TRAIN COULD MAKE THE RETURN TRIP IN 5 HOURS, IT WOULD STILL BE CLOSE TO 10:00 BEFORE WE WOULD BE ON TH SHIP. WE MADE FAIRLY GOOD TIME FOR THE FIRST 90 MINUTES. IT WAS STILL DAYLIGHT AND SEEING THE SWITCHBACK AREA FROM UP TOP, LOOKING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, WAS EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR. I KNOW WHAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE AND IT STILL SEEMED AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT.

THINGS STARTED TO DIGRESS AFTER LEAVING THE SWITCHBACK. A FREIGHT TRAIN WAS IN FRONT OF US ALL THE WAY BACK AND EVEN THOUGH THE FREIGHTER IS SUPPOSE TO PULL OVER AT THE FIRST SIDE RAIL TO LET US CONTINUE UNIMPEDED,IT DIDN’T HAPPEN. WE WOULD STOP EVERY 20 MINUTES AND WAIT 5 TO 8 MINUTES. I GUESS THE THOUGHT WAS THE FREIGHTER WOULD GET FAR ENOUGH IN FRONT WE WOULDN’T CATCH UP TO IT AGAIN...WRONG.

WE ROLLED INTO THE EL FUENTE STATION AT 8:50 AND WE WERE LOADED ONTO OUR BUSES, POSTHASTE. IT WAS AS DARK OUTSIDE THE BUS AS IT WAS INSIDE. VERY FEW PEOPLE STAYED AWAKE. THIS PORTION OF THE TRIP WENT WITHOUT A HITCH BUT WE STLL DIDN’T ARRIVE AT THE SHIP UNTIL 10:40.

ALTHOUGH TIRED GEORGIA AND I FOUND OUR WAY TO THE INTERNET CAFE TO SEND INFORMATION ABOUT THE BLOG. WE REVIEWED ALL OUR EMAILS AND DECIDED TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE BUFFET. BECAUSE OF OUR LENGTHY TOUR THE SHIP HAD PLANNED TO KEEP THE BUFFET OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. OUR DECISION TO NOT GO TO OUR CABIN FIRST PROVED TO BE A GOOD ONE.

WE BOTH GOT SOME VEGGIES, SOME SALAD AND SAT DOWN TO EAT. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THE HEAD WAITER ASK IF ANY OF THE PATRONS NEEDED ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE BUFFET. GETTING THE ANSWER HE DESIRED, THAT WOULD BE NO, HE QUICKLY CLOSED THE LINE AND HAD THE STAFF REMOVE THE FOOD.

EXHAUSTED, DISAPPOINTED AND BROKENHEARTED WE FINISHED OUR FOOD AND SADLY, AND SLOWLY, RETURNED TO OUR CABIN. AS TIRED AS WE WERE WE STILL DIDN’T GET TO SLEEP UNTIL 1:30, NEARLY 22 HOURS AGO.

OUR PLAN WAS TO SLEEP UNTIL...WHATEVER THAT IS. BUT AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT OUR EYES OPENED WIDE AT 8:00.