3-3-05

I got up early but not before the trucks. Here is a log truck parked across the street this morning. Nice load of pine logs.

There is a lot of truck traffic on this road. I made a quick cup of tea and had a couple of baked goodies I got at my last store stop. I never know what I am going to get when I try new things, so far everything is great except for the stuff that is layered like croissants. They are just so dang flaky I have to eat them out side or they fill my lap with flakes. It is always a mystery what is going  to be inside.

My map is a worthless piece of shit but I did finally make it to Anganqueo where I was supposed to find information on how to get to the butterfly place. I looked all over but is was still early morning and  I couldn’t find anything. I finally found a Policia pickup truck with Monarch butterflys on the side. I pointed to them and said ‘donde esta?’ which is my way of saying where the hell are they? I gathered about five Policia around me and after much discussion amongst themselves it was decided that two of them would go with me and show me the way. They were two very young guys and one of them tried his best to get me to understand, but to no avail. Well, I cramed both of them on my bed in lil red and away we went. After about three miles of twisting and turning we came to a big intersection where they motioned me to stop. The deal was that this was the road to the “Mariposa” which means butterfly in Spanish. They got out and I guess were going to hitch hike back. they were so nice I pulled out a couple  of 20 Peso notes and tried to give em to them. They said NO, no but I just stuffed them in one of his pockets. These guys don’t make any money and I have an idea that these two were new or just recruits as they didn’t have a pistol in their holsters. That would be pretty embarrassing not to have a pistol but have the  holster. They saved me hours of being lost and it was well worth it for all  of us.

It wasn’t just as  easy as following the road but after learning the Mariposa word I was able to ask directions when ever I was in doubt and  finally made it to the site.

I had to pay a fee of 2.50 and I was assigned a guide to walk in. One Mexican kid wanted me to ride a horse but he was too late and I went with the foot guide. Off we went down the trail.

As you can see we were in a forest of fir trees. The trail was good in most areas but it did have a few bad spots. I kept asking the guide how far? He would say three kilometers. After at least two miles I asked again, same answer, three kilometers. I don’t know how old this guy was but maybe fifty or so. He was a good walker for sure with those short legs and little boots with a plastic sole. I had a hard time keeping up as the trail goes down and then up over and over. I kept thinking  we are going around in circles, but just three more kilometers.

This was a nice overlook from the trail. There are fires burning everywhere and  I guess that is why the air is so smoggy.

We finally came to an area where there was a Monarch and then three of them and soon there were hundreds of them in the air and on the trees.

I think I made it here at just the right time. They were coming out of hibernation and sunning themselves, sort of like I am when I wake up from a nap. A few of them had fallen to the ground still groggy from their nap.

They were hungry too after such a long nap. They were hitting on a lot of the flowers that were in bloom up there.

These were on the ground and I think the guide said that they were drinking dew or something from the grass.

As we got very near we came upon this sign.

The air became filled with butterflys. It was magic for sure. I cant explain the feeling of being surrounded by thousands of these beautiful wings.

Maybe you can see the dark blobs hanging from the trees. These are the Monarchs that haven’t woken up yet. They don’t have the golden color because their wings are folded up and the dark side show.

they filled the air and covered the trees that were in the sun. I think they may have been drinking sap from some of the buds as well.

this was fairly far away but you can see lots of the clusters of them. This is a little draw on the north east side of the mountain. They seemed to be only hibernating in this one little area of maybe a little over an acre. Why they are here in this little spot and not anywhere else is hard to imagine.

We sat on the ground and just watched for maybe a half an hour. The air was just filled and maybe those with good ears probably could hear them. Not a one landed on me or was I brushed by one.

The climb back out was more of a strain on my knee than it  wanted, but I made it out in good shape. Once when we were stopped to rest I checked my pulse and it was clicking along at a good clip. I asked to check the guides pulse and I could hardly feel it. he was in good shape from doing this on a daily basis and was acclimatized as well. I paced myself as I didn’t want to be drug out feet first after a heart attack. The guides name is Roger in English and  I cant  even begain to spell it in Spanish. The little bastard is just as tough as another Roger I know.
 

On the way back the horse guys wanted me to ride back on the horse, but I made it that far and I was determined to pay the price for the privilege to see such a sight.

their horses are small and outfitted with those Mexican saddles. They lead the horses with the tourists on them but I did see one guy riding with the reins. Their horses are all rather thin and by the looks of their shit on the trail they must get almost nothing to eat but straw. They pastures are eaten down to about a quarter inch back at camp. When we got back there were lots of horses waiting for riders.

When I signed in the book I was surprised to see only Mexican people had signed in. but after the ordeal of  trying to find the dang place, maybe it isn’t so strange. They could really do with some good signing and maybe a few handout maps. One of the little towns I went through not far away had a stage set up and they were or had already had a festival for the Monarchs. I think this must be the perfect time as any earlier and they would all be asleep and later they will be gone.

Down at the main headquarters I had no idea how much I was supposed to tip the guide. We must have been gone at least three or four hours so I pulled out a hundred peso note and Rogers eyes lit up. I may have paid him too much but it was worth it and I am sure he can use it. As we were walking past some shacks he said that that was his casa or house. I think that there must be quite a few men and  women that are guides up here. their shacks are all in a line and we went by the washing facilities and bathrooms on the way.
 

I took this fairly far away as I don’t want to be taking photos of their houses up close.
After looking at the trees up close I think that there are pine, fir and cedar trees up here as well as Madrone which is one of my favorites.

Some yellow flowers for my flower friends.

I took the oprotunity to take a nap not far from the headquarters and then hit the road for the north country. That isn’t as easy as it sounds. Remember the MAP? Well  it is just as worthless getting out of there as it  was getting there. I am finally just taking roads that look like  they might head in the direction I am wanting to go. Did I happen to mention the Mexican signs, or rather lack of signs. They will give an arrow with a town name but I rarely ever find that name on my map. I think I have zig zaged some but I think I am further north than I was. this is going to be a good test of my navigation skills.

It is still early spring up here and the fields are rarely worked yet. This is a pile of corn stocks that is common in may fields. Im not sure if they are going to chop this for feed or what. It looks like it has had the ears harvested but don’t know for sure. I am seeing little fields and I would guess that that means that they are small farmers rather than the big corporate farms I saw earlier. In the hills they plant on some of the steepest land you can imagine. They must use mules to plow them as a tractor would roll down.

I took  this photo of the mixed evergreen forest up high. The light was just right for the reflection off the trees.

I came down off the high country but still I think it is fairly high. I am starting to see some sheep as well as burrow, horses and cows all tethered along the road. some horses and burrows are fre ranging it. I guess one thing that  bothers me here as it has in Montana is that there are very few birds. It seems like we had many more birds around in MT than in the last few years. it could be the west Nile virus. I don’t know what the deal is  but there are very few birds down here other than vultures and pelicans.