"Wake up and smell the Nescafe"--(Caballo Blanco Part 3)

Jay & Caballo in Batopilas

Perhaps it's the fact that I did come down with the flu last week and I'm STILL not over it... but I can't seem to motivate to finish my Caballo story (part 1, part 2). ... I've been cooped up with sick people for 10 days now. I need sun and healing.  Please. Sun & healing.

However, I can't let it go completely, so here's the mediocre wrap up:

• We descend to Batopilas and never find the goat herder. 50+ miles in 3 days, complete!
• We hang out there for 2 or 3 days because the bus out of town only comes a couple times a week.Yummy food, relaxation, Tecate, Nescafe (the stuff is everywhere in mountains of Mexico. Caballo's phrase, "Wake up and smell the Nescafe..." You have to load it with cream and sugar and think of it as a different drink altogether.)  
• Batopilas is super interesting--an old mining town from the 17th century. Oldest hydroplant in north america? I think so. Incredibly remote.
• Finally we decide to hitchhike out. We catch a ride on the scariest road ever in the back of a bread truck. I think we took turns riding up front because I don't remember being in a windowless vehicle-- it's a 5+ hour trip.

This quick video of motorcycles driving down to Batopilas will give you the idea (yikes!):

• Spend a night in Creel at a hostel. The next day, I have to ask for money to get Odin on the train to get back to my town in the south...some kind tourists offer. Jay & Caballo already headed north to Chihuahua.

• I get THE WORST food poisoning within 20 minutes of eating chile rellenos at the train stop in Divisadero. OUCH. Sick for 5 days. I mean seriously sick. I probably still have parasites.

And so concludes my brush with the legendary Caballo Blanco. I feel honored to have tagged along on the best hike of my life with this inspiring, unique, kind man. May he rest in peace.

now please: SUN and HEALING!