Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Yesterday we're invited by my friend Tony Mercuro to join him and our friend Bill, a Physics proffessor for a trip to the mountains. Knowing how MP loves to travel and look at birds and me suffering from a seriously overworked knee we jumped on the chance. Our destination is Lake El Salto where Tony wants to shop for a some bass fishing and overnight accomodations. We get on the pay road and go through the Mexican security, 5 federals with machine guns having you slow down just enough to sense if you're nervous. We turn off for the Lake and this pic will give you an idea of the terrain and the mountains.

We stopped at El SAlto lodge and one of the first treasures we encountered was this boat. For me it was reminiscent of my first boat that I kinda borrowed from Woody, the Edmund Fitzminnow. This boat I have to assume was in the bone yard but just about anythings possible around here. The next treasure were these wonderful ' Royal Limons' that were ripe and growing. Now I don't know exactly what a Royal Lime is but its gotta be the biggest lemon you've ever seen...like a Royal Bull Elk eh? Being a northerner my whole life I'm always amazed at the sight of fruit growing....I mean it just hangs from the tree...and its everywhere.

Then we go for lunch to what I think is a pretty famous fishing lodge called Billy Chapmans Anglers Inn. Unbelieveable service here, in fact the staff has shirts that say exactky that and they're right. For 250 pesos each we had chicken lunch with a real treat, fresh veggies. All the pacifico you can drink and quacomole that was to die for. This and the conversation of Tony, Bill and John the lodges P.R. director made for a great hour or so. We laughed a bunch. This other pic is of the lake from the lodge. Although it rained here the other day it is the dry season and the lake is low while water is drawn out for irrigation. We also came across this Bouganvilla plant or tree. Its the biggest any of us had seen and had to have its picture taken. So thats MP and Tony adding to this treasure.

But the biggest treasure of the day was finding out about the Tropic of Cancer. Its located about 15 miles north of us and I guess must be a big deal because the goverment has this sign and a round monument with a line it to actually direct you along the tropic. Tony and Bill tell me the 2 Tropics, Cancer to the north and Capricorn to the south are the limits of the rotation of the earth. The earth rotates on its axis of course but it also 'wobbles' a little so the two tropics are the extent of that. So, on solstice day, June 21st the sun is directly over me and MP in this picture exactly at noon. Every year, no matter what...wow

What a day....and we get home just in time for a nice little Toro bite on the beach. We've had some great fish adventures so I'll report on that in a day or two.