Lost Photo Op Of The Year

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

You've seen my photos that I take from the air. I love the mountain shots and wonder how to get there and go where most people if no one has ever physically gone. The question being, "what's really down there?".

On my flight from Monterrey to Hermosillo last Thursday at 15:15 in the afternoon proved to be a real eye opener. I have been traveling for work since I was 19 years old. At least two weeks a month on average. I have seen many interesting and strange things and events. I have been in near-crash landings, fits of exteme turbulence, fire in the cabin and even a burned out generator. But I have never, to my knowledge, seen or experienced a near miss. Until now!

I had the camera in my lap as I had been taking photos along the route. All of a sudden I saw a private jet pass by my window at about 300 feet out and 100 feet up. As far as I am aware, that is way to close for comfort. The jet was white with orange and yellow stripes and when you can see the silhouettes of heads in the windows, I think you are too close. As the jet passed by, I froze and could hear my head tell me, "take a picture, take a picture". It just didn't happen. I am so disappointed with myself.

Anyway, here is what I did see on the trip. As small as our planet is, it is the only one I'll ever know and I think it is really a great piece of work.

Here are some pictures as we arrived during sunset into Los Mochis.

Los Mochis Airport

From the airport I took a taxi to downtown Los Mochis. I stayed at the recently remodeled Santa Anita Hotel. It is very nice and I enjoyed my three nights there. I had the opportunity to get out during the afternoons, went to the gym nearby in the mornings, and on Saturday I had the chance to get to the beach in Topolabampo.

Los Mochis was founded by Benjamin Franklin Johnston who was an American, along with a group of socialists looking for utopia. A sugar cane processing plant was established and still exists and operates today over 100 years later. The city has some interesting characteristics which make it a great place to live. One of them is the city plan which is still be used today. All of the city is built the grid system, the steets are all concrete, and city planning codes are still in use.

The Chepe train from Chihuahua makes it final stop here in Los Mochis and there happened to be a group of Americans at the hotel who had spent the night and were heading back on the train. So this can be a great place to catch the train if you are at the beach with your rv.

The beach is 20 minutes from downtown and is one of the cleanest areas I have seen in Mexico. I'll post my report on the beach and the great food tomorrow.