Copper Canyon

Our drive this trip from Creel took us into Divisidero, past rock outcroppings among the pine trees; crossing the ferrocarril, the track that rises and carries the trains, laden with cargo into the Sierra Madre Mountains. The human cargo is most often separated between the first and second class trains that make the daily trip. First class is clean, up-to-date and equipped with luxurious accommodations: a restaurant and bar car with large, panoramic windows that overlook the breathtaking scenery. The gringoes favor this train and jockey for a favorable place in line as it chugs into El Fuerte. A comfortable seat on the correct side of the train takes on critical importance to these passengers as the train nears the station! The pace up to the canyon is deliberately slow and the stops few. We were part of that human cargo up to Creel two years ago. Tarahumara women stand by the tracks and offer their exquisite, hand-woven baskets for sale at the few stations where stops are made. Negotiations and purchases are quick as passengers move on and off the train. There is a twenty minute "teaser" stop at Divisidero when the human cargo races off the train to hurredly snap pictures of the amazing grandeur of the Copper Canyon before they snatch up shawls, baskets, jewelry and tasty local food (that, hopefully will not cause problems for their tender tummies) and leave in their wake the pesos these local folks desperately need to survive. The demanding blast of the train horn is not to be ignored by the frustrated passengers, and motivated us to return by our own vehicle this year. It was a luxury to assume a more leisurely pace from Creel up to the viewpoint. We happened to arrive in the afternoon, just as the train was preparing to depart from the station.Verbal descriptions just don't capture the splendor of the view but the uploaded pictures will hopefully take you to the canyon rim with us. Larry and I independently reconnected with the young Tarahumara woman from whom I bought several shawls two years ago. Larry will deny this, but HE is QUITE the SHOPPER! Between the two of us, I think we made her day.