We were told not to take the suspended foot bridge across the river because of “bad pine”, which I assumed was rotten boards. Broken English and my own poor Spanish determined to stay on the road that follows the river. Well after walking a about 2.5 miles of 100 degree dry heat along a horse road next to the river, we saw the walking bridge. A really cool narrow long suspension bridge swaying gently above the river.
We heeded the advice kept following what “we thought” was the road. It went under the bridge and began to rise along the canyon walls. After about 40 minutes of switch backs and getting further from the river…we got the feeling we missed something, and we were no longer where we should be. I vaguely recalled a drawing in the sand from Tito when he said don’t take the bridge, but follow the river….drawing a line to the right of the bridge. We went left.
So we turned around, having added a mile or two of hot walking in the sun, and got back close to the bridge. This time we saw an older Tarahumara woman walking as pleasant as could be across the old suspension bridge. At the same time as we back-tracked to the bridge, we saw two 4-wheel drive trucks drive into the river and cross the shallow water on the rocks just to the right of the bridge. This must have been what Tito meant…don’t use the bridge, but walk “through” the river to the other side! Welll, we looked up and thought if that lady can cross the bridge we can! J We watched and then walked under and could see boards that had been replaced…and figured Tito had old news…we walked back the trail to the part that leads out to the bridge, and crossed un-eventfully, even casually and excitedly swaying over the river.
We reached the other side, re-found the horse road trail and walked another parched, scorched earth miles getting precariously close to the end of or planned water usage. We were told there was a small store where we could buy Cokes or water in Guadalupe.
As we cooked along the road, we started to rise again and pass a few small village huts, or adobe houses. A few small children came out asking for “foto? Foto?” and for a peso or two we took their pics, giggled with them and let them escort us along the trail until they figured we were done passing pesos. It was getting long…too long, and too hot and we did not see the markings of town.
We decided rest a minute and take a few more small swigs of water. And then agreed we do another switch back or two so we could see more ahead of us. The cool river behind us was really looking to good to pass up and a swim was calling to us. It was at the last rise in the road, where a snarling typical Mexico dog came barking along his fence line, but this gate was open. He stood barking and baring teeth, which has been pretty atypical of the loud but generally friendly mongrels we meet everywhere. We held our ground a little, and he inched at us barking, snarling, and salivating.
We decided the river and a cool swim was waaaay more interesting than the hot dusty town of Guadalupe anyway and turned around. We walked back, passed the happy kids again, shared our binoculars with them much to their amusement, and then walked out in to the middle of the gorgeous rocky Urique River. We found a pebbly outcropping that formed at a bend making a nice deep pool of clear blue-green mountain water, stripped down to undies and plunged into the cool refreshing river!
3 more stops along the hot trail back was the only way were able to survive the dwindling water supply and heat. It was very nice, gorgeous canyon walls and wonderful swimming. We met a couple from England that was just completing a 3 day back country hike with pack mules and a guide and they were coming from the outfitter we had originally planned to do. They looked exhausted, and we were glad we did not pay extra to have someone march us three days through the canyon inferno.
We met Tito back in town in the afternoon at the appointed time, had a couple of cold beers in Urique, walked the small 2 street village and rode back up the canyon. We drove inside the truck with Tito until the sun got low enough where a lot of the walls were shaded, and then had him stop the car, strap us back on top “safari” style and we laughed the last hour and half home back up onto of the world enjoying the tremendous views of the receding canyons.
That night was spent resting around the fire with margarita’s again, another huge homemade dinner of tortillas, fresh grilled fish, beans, salad and Mexican rice…..good living!
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