Hike From Valle de Juarez to El Tigre

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We headed out on foot this morning for a famous landmark, Sierra del Tigre.  It is located up the mountains from Valle de Juarez exactly 10.5 km.  It was quite a climb although we did take the cobble stone road because most of the mountain is small farms and ranches.  We started off with vigor and vinegar.  As we continued to climb you could feel the altitude affecting your breathing.  The good thing is we have been working on our cardio-vascular muscles by do inclined treadmill activity.  What is that?  We do thirty minutes on the treadmill starting at 5 on the scale and increasing the speed to 4 miles per hour and the incline changes every four minutes to the next level, or 5 to 11.  We are now at 6 to 12 and it really gets the heart pumping to 140 beats per minute.   That is daily.  Then on Friday we do an actual stress test simulation to where you are at an incline of 14 and running at the end for three minutes.  I was impressed with our climb today.

Back to the trek to El Tigre.  The mountains are beautiful.  Only five cars passed us in the 2.5 hours it took us to go up to the top.  There were many stops for pictures but it was worth it.  We passed small ranches where everyone was friendly and gave us a wave and a howdy-do.  

Fossils in the rocks used to make the road.

I've mentioned before how the farmers produce milk, set it by the side of road, and Liconsa, a government program, comes by to pick it up and registers the milk and the producer is paid 6.90 pesos per liter.  A pretty good business. 

As you know, we have the OXXO convenience stores.  This is at km 5 on the way up.  This is a take-off on the name.  A truly good rest stop for bathrooms, food, water and snacks.  They have developed a truly good business.

We never really took a break of more than a picture or a drink of water.   When we arrived at the top we found El Tigre.  Unfortunately, for those that live there, it is not a tourist attraction.  The open safari wagons from Mazamitla just drive right through and never stop.   It would do a great deal for the very small community on top of the mountain.  We stopped and had the tacos I had prepared in the morning and walked to a small farmhouse that offered meals.  We ordered two coffees and chatted with the owners for a spell.  They too are disappointed with the lack of tourism.  They complained about the large groups of 4 X 4s and RZRs that pass through destroying the canyons and streams with their vehicles.  The owner had worked in Santa Maria, California for many years during the planting season.

Juan’s knees starting to hurt.  We had planned on walking up and hitching a ride down but only five vehicles passed us on the way up.  The owner who offered us a coffee said that eventually, someone would pass by.  One of the tour safari wagons drove by but refused to pick up us up even for pay.  We decided to started walking and all of a sudden a tuk-tuk passed with a woman and a couple of costales of grain for her cows.  We waved and he said he would be back to pick us up.  A fun ride down.

We met the group from the rv park at the entrance to the road we had gone up and they were at the famous Pemex at the entrance to Valle de Juarez having tacos.  Okay, what the heck.  We had a quesadilla.   Nap time came and went and before we knew it, chairs gathered on the lawn for happy hours and a few good jokes.   As Croft always says, “life is good”.  We sure miss Croft and Norma here.