#LasquetiJack

[jacks-tracks]

La Reforma:

Way back in the hills , deep in a valley , lies La Reforma, a very small town beside a winding river. Accessible by a rough dirt road that snakes across the cattle stripped hills, this is where the gringos don,t go. Oh they used too, when the road to the waterfalls was intact, and the cabinas there were functional, but neglect and rain have ruined the road, and the stand alone solar system failed for lack of maintenance leaving the cabinas unusable. Too bad, because the waterfall at 100 feet vertical was a wonderful sight, and the rushing stream tumbled over big boulders out of the box canyon into calm swimmable pools. The cabinas were run by volunteers from La Reforma in a bid to bring in tourist dollars, but the food was poor and the road was too bad.

My friends Jimmy(Tortuga) and Tracy were planning to take their motorcycle in to some new cabinas at La Reforma, so i took public transit(sic) to join them. Given many contradictory directions, I found the old bus station uptown and the San Pedro caminettas(collective taxis).Frequent and cheap(26 pesos) . While Puerto has expanded up into the hills, the road remains the same gully twisting paved cow trail.The steep foothill terrain has discouraged development. An optomist had marked out lots(10mby20m) on a 45 degree slope, soon to slide away. Dozen of beehives a re placed off road to catch the last of the rainy season flowering trees. 1 half hour to the crucero, where the collectivos to La Reforma wait. Well i waited in shade on a plank bench, no collectivo. A stream of tuk tuks ferried people from the village nearby to San Pedro, but approached said it was 1 hour to La Reforma, no go.A totally overloaded truck disgorged a vast load of fruit and vegetables into the stand at the corner, and in turn smaller trucks came to pack the food off for distribution to tiendas. Cabbages bigger than basketballs were tossed , leaves flapping ,into the shed, only to be shot putted in to the buyers vehicles moments later. Crates of oranges, hands of bananas, heaps of canteloupe,, piles of potatoes. I was just about to call Jimmy, when they pulled up on their motorcycle with Gaeten on his spiffy 200 alongside. They sat in the shade pulling on beers and just as they were leaving along came a collectivo truck. Not that that meant departure, we had to wait for more passengers to make the trip pay. Only got one more guy but picked up a chica en route and a peon with a Husky chain saw with a 3 foot bar(?). Biggest tree in sight was 1 foot thick. All the hills have been logged, leaving scrub, vines and cow ploughed hillsides. The corn planted in the clearcuts only grows well for a couple of years until the soil is depleted and washed away. Nice cemnt paved road for 2 K then eroded dirt track. Mud dust, dirt, very steep switchbacks with tiny streams rolling down across the dirt at intervals. Terrific (terrifying) views across the valleys to the far mountains, I was admiring the eye level tree tops until I looked down and saw that the tree were 100 feet tall, rising vertical beside the track. too steep to pull out and thus saved. the hill swere green patched with corn , mostly harvested, and jungle vines coated the roadside shrubbery. Despite this abundance of greenery, this is the edge of desert, and cactus poke out of the scrub everywhere. The driver was calm(old) and safe, but he had to carefully navigate the washouts and roadslips dropping 100's of feet vertically into the hillsides. 30 K top speed, often a low gear crawl.

La Reforma after a 1 hour bumpy ride and dropped right at the gate(40P) of Mario Lopez who has built 3 cabinas for rent at the end of the road right beside the river where the stream gushes out of a jumble of big boulders. Here i found my biker buddys, swilling beer and relaxing. The place is run by Marios family, who live in the roadside houses and cook for guests. Pati 954 123 9805. Yes there is WiFi. Cabinas are 400 pesos and food is ok. Very green and shady, dirt paths, friendly but little English. My Spanish is acceptable, and if I rehearse I can ask for most things and make simple conversation. Usually i can pick the verbs out of the replies and guess at the context.

Cabinas, here called Cabanas, are new, brick built,clean, tiled, and have cold water bathrooms and comfy beds. Secure, quiet, restful. The chicken shacks of yesterday have given way to cement and tile, the dogs a re friendly, and the people ,like most rural Mexicans, are curious and friendly if given respect. La Reforma has an elementary school, a high school, basketball court, police station and an ambulance.Pretty good for a town of 1500 spread out along the river valley.No mercado, tiny tiendas with junk food and that's all. Bring food for the cooks, fruit and treats to share .Gramma makes great rice and tortillas, and everyone hangs out in the open air kitchen area. Food is cooked on a comal , wood fired, thought there is a gas stove. Electricity, artesian water(I drank it with no ill effects), caged chickens(no rooster) a quiet discouraged parrot and a puppy. The only sound is the rumble of the river where it tumbles over 10 foot rocks into a deep swimmable pool then froths across gravel and boulders ,perhaps 20 meters wide and up to 1 meter deep downstream to the town. Odd lily like flowers sway in the shallows, white with long narrow petals, safe from goats. The poolis where the local kids walk to for afternoon swimming and fun. They are shy but friendly if spoken to. the cabinas are the only accomodation in town so gringos are a novelty.

Jimmy, as chef , cooked chicken in Panko and cornflakes, cruchy coating, tasty chicken. The chicken came a bit late out of the freezer so dinner was abit late. Next night he cooked Dorado from our fishing trip, delicious! All shared with the family, who were happy to eat so well. Breakfast were cooked by sandra the waitress, maid and friend Huevos Rancheros using the onion and green pepper I brought to share. Surprisingly the slad fixins I packed were still good and Jimmy and Tracy ate sprouts for the first time. For lunch I had boiled eggs I,d brought and grapefruit off the tree(bit dry and tangy, but good). Jimmy says the kitchen food usually tough chicken in mole sauce. Glad we brought supplys.

Rivers talk at night. this one had a voice for every rapid ripple and a bass chorus from the falls.The tone and volume is never the same. Unlike the pulsing heartbeat of beach waves, the river chats and chuckles. Other than the river it was quiet , pitch black at night and felt safe and peaceful Really feels like a different world from urban Puerto. Friendly family, safe place, nice cabinas, great cold swimming hole , an affordable getaway. My total bill for 2 nights, 400pesos per night for the cabina, breakfast 100P and miscellaneous, total900 Pesos. I,ll go again....