La Linda Trip: Aguachile Mine,4 Palms Mine & The Tunnel

[homerboy2u]

You know, this is the kind of trip that needs to be made into a lecture or book to show around. Wish you could come up to visit sleepy Marathon, tell about your fabulous trip at the library meeting here, maybe?
Yes there is a sandy good beach at La Linda on the US side, a good cool green place to sit and think. Also a cut in the back downstream from the bridge, where, according to the local kids, even a Peterbilt and trailer can illegaly come across the river when the water's low.
So many people in the USA would love to see your pictures and hear about your adventure.
Also people in Mexico DF would like to see it...it might change their impression of the border states...
I like it that you mention the history of the ranches and the mining towns, I would like to hear more of that.
Here in Marathon are the big bins by the railroad where the flourite from La Linda was loaded. I have been told that in the old days, a hitch of twelve mules took five days to big one of the ore wagons, fifteen tons, maybe, up here to the railroad. Three days to get back empty.
There were big pens with hundreds of mules and houses for the vaqueros and teamsters.
More history talk please!

Thank you very much for this amazing report.
I hope you know that in a small way, you have become an "ambassador".

 Hello Dos Zetas...and the rest of the bunch. Well i have been given the incredible opportunity to post the beautiful back country , we call LA SIERRA of Coahuila.  The most important matter here is that i strive to let people see that we are not that far away from each other, and in certain communities have  ties that are more closer to folks in the U.S. than in here, Mexico, such as Boquillas del Carmen, San Vicente and Ejido Muzquiz but to me, what matters the most is that i get this rare chance to record some exciting places the Sierras can offer, with the soul intention of sharing it with everybody here.

  There is much more to share and to get to know here, but it takes time to do this and i have the rest of my life to post more trips for you to enjoy. I hope i get to live a long life, for this but it is up to the man up there to decide how long i can do this.

 i would love to go to Marathon and visit with you and friends and exchange experiences and pictures. Marathon, is just like Muzquiz here and i like these sort of towns. They have alot of History and facts to learn.

 Anyhow, i look forward to taking up on your invitation and meet with folks up there.

  I never say this enough, but thanks David L. for letting me steal some of your cyberspace and  posting my pics.

 And i don't consider myself an ambassador..that is a heavy word to carry, but more like a foreign contributor to the Big Bend Chat.

 Homero

[BB BOB]

Homerboy, thanks for the wonderful report and pictures.  I really would like to see the 4 Palms Mine in person but that will probably never happen.  

Do you have the coordinates of El Melon and El Tunel.  I would like to look them up on Google Earth.  

Thanks once again and keep up the good work.

[homerboy2u]

Yes BBBob, i can post those GPS coordnates for you, let me ask for them and will put them up, right away.

 And NO, i disagree with you. That trip is certainly doable, again. Best if we go in the winter time, though.

 Maybe now, we can get more folks to sign up, to my next 4x4 trail?......Just, just double check your bearings on ALL your tires , please :roll:

[presidio]

The most important matter here is that i strive to let people see that we are not that far away from each other, and in certain communities have  ties that are more closer to folks in the U.S. than in here, Mexico, such as Boquillas del Carmen, San Vicente and Ejido Muzquiz .

And i don't consider myself an ambassador..that is a heavy word to carry, but more like a foreign contributor to the Big Bend Chat.

Like most situations affecting international issues, the problems are caused/promoted/fought over by governmental entities and politicians. You don't see much conflict when regular folks interact and have respect for each other.

[homerboy2u]

Do you have the coordinates of El Melon and El Tunel.  I would like to look them up on Google Earth.

 Here they are BBBob....

El Melon: 28.64833 N  102.26448 W

El Tunel: 28.63855 N 102.33832 W (This is where we ate)

  Well, glad to have helped...Saludos Everyone.

Homero

[BB BOB]

Thanks a lot for the coordinates Homer.  I appreciate your efforts to get them.

[gpad53]

I want to go!

Tell me when next time.

retired miner.

[STARLITDARKNESS3]

Homero, muchas gracias for the report.  Never before have I enjoyed forums or chats until I joined BBC, (which was quite recent); but, I have since read some of the reports here and the chat forums and have found a home.  I am very glad you had a wonderful trip and thanks to your story, we did too.  

I have been on the US side of the La Linda bridge and wondered why it was closed.  I had never before seen the 'other side' of El Pico, I'm glad you posted those pics.  Maybe one day, I can see it in person.  

Many thanks to you for sharing and many thanks to everyone for being part of a group that I look forward to sharing stories with.

[homerboy2u]

I want to go!
Tell me when next time.
retired miner.

...hahahaha. Retired folks, make the nicest companions.

Homero, muchas gracias for the report.  Never before have I enjoyed forums or chats until I joined BBC, (which was quite recent); but, I have since read some of the reports here and the chat forums and have found a home.  I am very glad you had a wonderful trip and thanks to your story, we did too.  

I have been on the US side of the La Linda bridge and wondered why it was closed.  I had never before seen the 'other side' of El Pico, I'm glad you posted those pics.  Maybe one day, I can see it in person.  

Many thanks to you for sharing and many thanks to everyone for being part of a group that I look forward to sharing stories with.

 Next schedule trip: Late Octuber- Middle of November 2007. Sierra del Burro.

[kylecom]

Great pictures!
3 of us made the trip from Acuna-Rancho Santa Maria-Colorado Canyon-Conejo-Boquillas.
Took us 2 days. Definitely take topo maps and extra gas.
The Boquillas residents were surprised to see 3 gringos roll into town in a Bronco.
I don't know if Andy Kurie is still at La Linda, but he knows all the mining history of quatro palmas and agua chili. He worked as a geologist for the mining company for years.
Clemente and his family may not be at cuatro palmas anymore. It's been several years ago.
Thanks alot for the pictures. It certainly is an interesting area.

[SHANEA]

I don't know if Andy Kurie is still at La Linda,

Nope, Andy has moved on.  There is a caretaker there at Heath Canyon, but for all practical purposes it is boarded up.

[homerboy2u]

O.K.   folks...first great news of the day. i know , almost everybody here speaks and reads perfect spanish ,  so i am going to do the next big thing: post a story from todays newspaper::

Autoridades de México y Estados Unidos, se reunirán el martes 27 de noviembre en la ciudad de Alpine, Texas, para tratar el tema de la reapertura del cruce internacional del Mineral de La Linda, que tiene más de 12 años cerrado al paso de cualquier unidad.

El director de Fomento Turístico Municipal Héctor Arocha Gómez, dijo que autoridades de los Estados Unidos han mostrado interés por entablar pláticas con sus homólogos mexicanos y alcanzar acuerdos en beneficio de ambos lados de la frontera.

Dijo que 12 años atrás se tomó la determinación por las autoridades de ambos países de cerrar el paso, debido a la dificultad que se tenía para mantener una buena vigilancia al paso de contrabando y la inseguridad que se vivía en el sitio, pero hoy existen proyectos importantes para el impulso del ecoturismo.

Para esta reunión también fueron convocados los representantes de la Secretaría de Turismo en Coahuila y la Secretaría del Medio Ambiente Recursos Naturales del Estado, para que estos conozcan dichos proyectos que se tienen y apoyen los trabajos que se pretenden hacer.

Luego de la reunión, se programará una visita el puente de La Linda, del que se conoce que su estado físico es favorable para su reapertura, “sabemos que sólo fueron construidos dos muros de un metro de alto para evitar el paso de las unidades y sólo se tendrían que hacer unos estudios sobre la estructura”, detalló.

Explicó que es importante el hecho de que se considere este proyecto y que se enfoque principalmente al impulso del turismo de la región, aprovechando los espacios y áreas que se tienen en este sitio.

Informó que se deberá de pedir el apoyo de las autoridades federales para la vigilancia del lugar, como es el caso del Ejército Mexicano y Aduana.

 Basically what it reads....Mexican and American Authorities will get together on November 27th in Alpine,tx. to retake the issue of the Crossing in La Linda which has been closed for the past 12 years.

  The director of the Municipal Tourist Dept. Hector Arocha Gomez, mentioned that the American Authorities have expressed interest in picking up talks with the Mexican Authorities in finding the  benefits for both sides of the border.

  He said that 12 years ago the decision to close down the bridge was taken by both authorities , because it could not be guaranteed the safety of the place and the flow of contraband the was crossing both ways, but today there are plans for develop some ecotourism projects that will detonate the area.


 To this meeting members of the Coahuila tourism dept. and the States Environmental Dept. were invited so they can be involved in the area plans and support the efforts that are intended to develop.

 After the meeting , a trip to the La Linda bridge will be schedule which its condition is know as satisfactory to reopen, " We know that only two walls had been constructed and it is only a matter of the civil engineers see what else it needs to reopen it."

  He explained that it is important the fact that the project is considered and its main focus is the development of the tourism in the region, taking advantages of the spaces and areas of the place.

  He also informed that there will be a request to the Federal Authorities for  a continous vigilance of the area, such as the case of the Army and Mexican Customs.

 ON A PERSONAL NOTE :

  I look forward to the day when Cinta de Narvaez walks over to the states with her quilts, Victor Valdez gets a chance to sing on the bridge and we get to cross over back and forth with folks here and there.....looks like it is going to be pretty soon

   

   

 

   
   

 

[Al]

Homero, is this really going to happen!?  What class crossing will it be?  I am humbled to be the first to respond.  Sounds like it's a done deal as long as the engineers sign off on it.

Al

[RichardM]

Homero had replied earlier, but I removed his post after my PC popped up a virus warning when I tried to load his linked website.  I deleted the link to his pictures, but it you're really curious about the virus you can go to acuna4x4.com.mx/home/viewtopic.php?t=548

Looks as though Al....here some PICTURES from the latest meeting in Alpine with US and Mexican Authorities. Still no date for next year, but loos as though they couls reopen it in 2008.

  There are plans , when they re open it to take down friends from other 4x4 clubs in other cities to vist the mines and go to the re opening ceremony , it could be a very interesting tour....who wants to tag along?.

  Scroll down to the very end to see them.

[homerboy2u]

O.K...folks. Looks as though they have swept the attic ( no more trojans) by now.....here are the promised PICTURES of the town and bridge meeting.. They are on the very bottom of the page.

 Regards