Day 9: Climbing & Pinal de Amoles, the pinnacle town of our journey

6:30am

"Proteina para tu todo familia!" said the giant tin of sardines. We were trying a new breakfast option this morning. As a family of only two, however, we sure got our protein. We ate almost the entire thing. I took the dregs down to the street and emptied them out for some lucky dogs. We sliced raw garlic and topped it on the fishes, which we ate on crispy corn tostadas. Delicious, if this is your type of situation. 

The stream sang outside our room. Staying in the non-town of Puente de Dios meant we had a wonderfully quiet night, lulled by water music; I had slept better than I had in days. This water, cradled deep in the low recesses of these mountains. Up top, where we'd started on this stupid terrible road, it was dry and dusty and crispy, but you drop drop drop and here is an oasis of water and big lush trees. 

But because this was a non-town, it didn't deserve a paved road. We would need to haul ourselves back up the steep dirt and stone track down which we had clanked the previous day. This is not a nice condition for any bicycle short of a full-suspension mountain bike. There were basically rock formations IN the road. "This road is stupid", observed Ellie simply. 

We walked quite a bit of it, otherwise you blow your knees as you spin feebly over rock hunks and teeter variously. You push your bike out in front of you and lean into it and heave along. Looking for any momentary slightly smoother path in the road. Maybe where the car tires usually wear will be smoother. Or not.  

Looking behind us as we push ourselves up the "stupid road" 

But the morning was still and peaceful and with walking a bike I could gaze out at the mountains we were nestled deep within. The birds singing were delicious. The sounds from inside the stream valley were amplified by the mountains. We could hear dogs barking and a rooster crowing from deep down below, echoing sharply up to us. A turkey gobbled. I even heard someone spit, awocch-pit-oooo, from a house jutting out on a curve. 

The going was slow. "Oh Bump-a-Lump" said Ellie. I was working on practicing patience. "Let's name some things we're grateful for", she suggested. "I'm grateful that I slept well", "I'm grateful that neither of us have amoebas", "that we've found a type of bread that we actually like", "that it's not too hot right now." This game got us all the way to the top actually. 

8:30am 

Having made it onto the incomprehensibly luscious smoothness of the main road we were now faced with the bit on the map that we have been pointing out to each other for days. "Is that a large intestine?!" "How is that a road?" "Are we crazy?!" The road was basically if you took a wall and painted a couple stacks of "Z"s on it and then rode up them. Zigging back and forth, moving upwards. Each switchback afforded a view of the same little town below, yet growing more and more distant. 

... that bit on the map...

But the going was good, given the cool air and the shade provided by the mountains. We were heading to the pinnacle of our trip, the highest town that we would stay in, Pinal De Amoles. 

Plowing fields with oxen, with mountain, and that little tufty tree at the top that caught my eye.

Elevation makes for slow-going but feeds my soul so fully. 

10am

We'd stopped at a hardware/cement/snack shop (!) for a grateful rest break. "I feel super powerful right now", I said to Ellie, "after all that water and fruit juice and yogurt and bread and coffee."  Let's climb this mountain!! 

Coming around the curves, grinding up the steep bits, gazing at all the trees, I was getting prickles from the realization that I was doing what I had set out to do. Climb all the way up to this town. We rode 5,000 feet of elevation that day. 

Our arrival! I just love how towns in Mexico have these big colorful letters celebrating themselves. And all the visitors come in smiling groups and pose with the letters. So sweet. 

Refueling with these "bombas" (translation: pumps?), these puffed bread things that are stuffed with beans, cheede, lettuce, and cream. I am pleased I can eat vegetarian at most places. 

Wedging ourselves happily into the "balcony" window of our old colonial style hotel in Pinal De Amoles. 

When avocados are 4 pesos each you eat as much homemade guacamole as you want. I love "cooking" with my pocket knife while traveling.

Sitting at sunset and taking in Pinal De Amoles.