#yes i will trade mochi pictures.<3

[yamikawas]

only 1 of the modded dressup games that i wanted worked and im so mad abt it that i uninstalled it anyways.If i beg for asks again is it going to work this time

[waterfallofspace]

The Power Of Suggestion.

The one in which T/oji, G/eto and G/ojo are all hanging out, when G/eto decides to tease G/ojo a little, and they find out something very interesting about their other friend. This is purely indulgent snz nonsense and they will all be sneezing because I say so and because I want to, is my fic, sue me~~ Um so this is absolutely AU, because well… obvious reasons… but just picture the G/eto + G/ojo dynamic exactly as it was (cough lovers cough), but adding T/oji to the mix as he is, just a touch less murderous intent &lt;3.

And SOSOSO much credit to @lycheeehehe for getting me feral over this man and also for the idea that he’s suggestible. (hope you don’t mind the tag <3) PLEASE go check out their headcanon list for him!! I am absolutely using their ideas in this <333 To anyone who bothers to read this nonsense, thank you! And I hope you enjoy~

Characters: G/eto, G/ojo, and T/oji Word Count: 2.2k 

(References to swearing, mild violence implications and smoking, in case anyone doesn't like those!)

~~~~~~~

Getting a day off at Jujutsu Tech is almost unheard of. There’s always some student that needs training, some mission to oversee, or a mission to do yourself. Getting a day off is almost unheard of, but getting some free time is not. Especially when you happen to be the strongest teachers. I mean… who’s gonna stop you? 

This is what leads to Gojo and Geto having a picnic outside in the middle of the day. Geto lets out a sigh, relaxing against the blanket, bathing in the warmth of the spring sun. Next to him Gojo shovels mochi into his face at a rate Geto finds a touch alarming.

“Slow down a bit. Remember, we’re all meant to share those.”

“You’re the one who bought my favourite flavour of mochi! Besides, I brought the alcohol, and you know I don’t like that stuff. Fair trade, isn’t it?”

“Even if I agreed, he doesn’t drink either, so you still have to share.”

“Speaking of which, he’s late. Like always.”

“Cut him some slack. Unlike you, Toji still takes his job seriously.”

“Hey! What is that supposed to mea- Oh, hello there!”

Geto sits up, eyes scanning the field, only seeing Toji’s approach thanks to Gojo’s wave. ‘Despite knowing him for over five years now, I could never get the hang of sensing his presence. I believe he enjoys that fact. It seems to annoy him at times that Gojo catches on so easily.’ Geto offers a laugh, sitting up to meet Gojo’s gaze, sunglasses askew just enough to show the mischief in his eyes. ‘He called out before Toji on purpose, entirely to piss him off.’

“Punctual as ever, Toji.”

“Whenever I arrive I’m on time, long as it’s when I want to get there.” 

“Vague as ever as well. Either way, it’s of no matter, good you got here when you did. Satoru’s nearly finished the mochi.”

“I have not!”

Turning away from Toji and back to Gojo, Geto doesn’t miss the powder hanging off his lips. ‘Talking with his mouth full. Still distasteful, even by his standards.’ Grabbing a seat, Toji lets a sigh out, leaning down onto his back much like Geto was previously doing. He throws a comment at Gojo from his position.

“How many pieces remain?”

“There’s at least- uh… t- two…”

“Is that counting the one in your mouth?”

“Umm….”

“I’ll take that as a yes. I want the other one. Throw in some of that meat and we’ll call it even.”

“You mean a sandwich?” 

“If I wanted a sandwich I would have asked for one. I said meat.”

A smirk forms over Toji’s face, Geto letting out a chuckle as Gojo passes over the mochi, a sulk starting to form. Reaching into the basket, Geto pulls out a few sandwiches, tossing the bread back in as he hands Toji the meat by itself. ‘Who am I to judge what people eat…’

“Thanks. Now, can I take a nap here, or do you wanna spar a bit first? Been a long day.” 

“Can wait till later.”

Gojo offers, waving in a vague gesture before leaning his head down into Geto’s lap. In return Geto lets his hands wander through the white hair, stroking it as Gojo purrs. The sunglasses slowly slip down his nose until Geto pulls them off, setting them aside next to the basket. They stay like that for a minute, light snores starting to pour from Toji, until a smile starts to spread against Gojo’s face.

“What are you-”

“Hey Fushiguro, think fast!”

The cup Gojo tossed lands squarely on Toji’s face, Geto suppressing a laugh at the yelp that escapes from the gruff man. A glare shoots out at Gojo, Toji sitting up with a vicious grin, something dark starting to spread into his eyes. ‘Despite knowing he’s our ally, that look never gets less terrifying.’ 

“You wanna fight, Gojo? I’ve been craving a good ass kicking.” 

“Better run, Satoru. Got a feeling he’s about to beat you to a pulp.” 

“I’m sorry! I take it back!”

“I’ll start with that pretty face of yours.”

“Hey- woah- I need my face! How else am I supposed to get out of situations that go bad?”

“Maybe try not letting them go bad? Or, and here’s a new concept to you, don’t be the reason they go wrong, and maybe you won’t get blamed?” 

His mouth hanging open, Gojo raises an arm to mockingly drape over his face, Geto still finding himself being used as a human shield. ‘Despite the dramatics, we all know Toji couldn’t put a scratch on your face. Not anymore, at least. You have better control over infinity, and he doesn’t have the motivation.’

“You wound me, Toji!” 

“Another handful of meat and I’ll consider the assault forgiven.” 

Reaching down to grab the meat, Gojo’s uncovered eyes meet the warm sun, his face immediately ducking into Geto’s chest. Geto in return sighs, grabbing the sunglasses to prevent further outbursts he’ll have to clean up. Toji sighs, grabbing the meat himself while the others are distracted. 

“ihh’TIShh’kiew-! eh’gnchh’kiew-! hehh- aiYIShhiew-!” 

“Bless. Why did you have to aim that at me?”

“It came on fast. Besides, you’re the one who took off my sunglasses, so really it’s your fault.”

“Oh, is that the game we’re playing?”

“What do you mea-”

“It’s not my fault you’re so sensitive, Satoru.” 

Geto smirks as a cautious look crosses Gojo’s features, his nose twitching already. ‘He’s smart enough to know where I’m going with this. Looks like he’s reacting before I even get started.’ A hand raises to scrub at his face as Gojo casts a desperate look towards Toji, who for his part, seems utterly confused. ‘I guess I’ve never showed him this little party trick. He’s in for quite the show.’

“I mean, even the sun sets you off? What doesn’t get your nose itchy? Look at it now, it’s already twitching again.”

“S- hehh… Suguru… dohhhhn’t…” 

“It looks almost like a bunny, all scrunched up like that. It must be tickling so much.”

“hAH’aIYshhiew-! heH- dtshhh’kiew-!”

“Oh, bless. Even after those, your nose is still trembling. Does it almost feel like the tickle is gently buzzing through your nose, touching every sensitive-”

“ihh’gEShhh’kiew-! huh’tiSHhew-! huhh… hh- aiyshh-keashh-aiiishhh’iew-!”

Glancing over at Toji to catch his reaction to this little episode, Geto’s surprised to find his head ducking into his chest in a tight bob. Meeting his eyes however, there’s no sign of distress, a gruff chuckle spilling from his chest as Gojo’s eyes start to water. ‘Hm. Must have been nothing. Guess I’ll continue the show.’

“Suguruuu~ thihhhs isn’t- heHh-!  fa- ahh… fair!”

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that, what did you say? It’s a bit hard to hear you through those ticklish breaths.” 

“eh’GEchh’iew-! hheHHh-! nnNTShh’kiew-! heh’AIYshhiew-! G- god it tihhhckles…” 

“How bad? Almost like a feather is tracing your nose?” 

“hH’INchhiew-! hahh-! teschhh’kiew-!”

“knt-!” 

“What was that?”

“Nothin’ that I heard.”

Geto’s eyes snap off Gojo, searching for the source of the noise. Toji’s response draws his attention, but there’s no indication across his face that he’s lying. Deciding to focus back on his boyfriend ‘Who’s currently attempting to rub his nose off his face apparently-’ Geto lets out a warm laugh, mischief that would rival Gojo’s flashing through his eyes. 

“Getting in every corner, leaving little puffs of fluff behind as the tickle-”

“heh’IShhiew-! aihhh… heHhh-! guhh… uhhH- kiEShh’diew-! hNNChh’kiew-!”

“hH’knGt-! eh’dnT-!” 

The sound comes again, this time Geto doesn’t miss Toji’s head snapping to his chest with each noise. Once he raises it again, there’s not a trace of any irritation, except a faint hue of pink starting to form around his nose. Geto meets his eyes, watching the tint spread down his cheeks. 

“Are you- sneezing?” 

“And what of it? Happens sometimes, I’m human after all.” 

This catches Gojo’s attention, shifting his focus from his own nose to Toji’s face. His sunglasses tilt down as he seems to analyze the man glaring him down. Geto matches the gaze, catching the way Toji shifts nervously under the stare as his nose starts to scrunch again. 

“You sure that’s all? You seem a bit itchy.”

“Just drop it. I’m fine.”

“Well alright!”

Geto offers a warm smile, letting his eyes close as the crinkles form in his cheeks, before pretending to turn his attention back to Gojo. ‘I have a theory to test… but I have a feeling if I’m too obvious he’ll retaliate. Or, more likely, escalate to violence.’ Meeting eyes, Gojo gives him a nod, quite understanding of the plan.

“Look at how pink your nose is getting, it’s practically quivering. I bet you have to sneeze so bad, don’t you?”

“heH’ITChhhiew-! uhh… hihH-! kieshhhew-! hehHhhH-! heH- hH’geNShh’kiew-! aiyshh’diue-!”

Despite knowing it’s not meant for him, Gojo’s nose remains just as sensitive to suggestion, a fit bursting from him before he can prevent it. Geto’s focus shifts back to Toji, watching as his own nose twitches, a fist raising to crush it as his breath snags. Gojo starts to smirk, lightly pinching his own nose to get a few words out before he sneezes again. 

“It’s just so itchy.” 

“hH’KNgT-! innGDT-! eh’dehNGT-!”

“It’s ahhlmost like the tihhh… tickle… hehHH-! The tickle is just spreaahhhh… spreading throug- heH’IShh’kiew-! Through my n- nose…. hH’tnSHhh’diew-!”

“hH’RRSHHh’oo-! ah’RRUSHH’shoo-! eH’GNZSHhh’aah-!” 

Giggles burst from the duo before they can stop them, Toji shooting them a dark look, one that’s completely undercut by the way his nose twitched. Geto gets a hold of himself first, managing to meet the glare with a smirk of his own. 

“Geto I swear to god-”

“Your nose is twitching, Toji. Does it itch? Is the tickle slowly spreading up from the tip-”

“I hhhhate you- uh’RSHHH’aa-! ahRUSHhzshho-! 

“hh’tiESHh’iew-! hehh… ahhh-! hah’aiiyshhiew-!” 

“Fuck- heH’NNZSHhh’aa-! aiRSHH’ouh-!”

Matching sneezes echo from Gojo as he doubles over into his lap, mirroring Toji’s movements as they both palm at their noses. Just as Geto’s about to start laughing again at the adorable sight, he takes notice of the evil grin Toji’s wearing. ‘This can’t be good…’

“Hey Geto.”

“Hm?”

“Play wicked games, win wicked prizes.”

Before he can ask what that means, Geto’s face pales at the cigarette Toji pulls out and lights in one fluid motion, raising it to his lips. Geto opens his mouth to protest but gets cut off by a waft of smoke Toji blows right at his face. 

“ih’gxxt’choo-! heh’kxxt’chh-! inxxt’chho-! hh’txxt’chh-!”

“You know what? This actually is pretty funny.” 

“tnxxgt’choo-! eh’kshhnt’oo-! eh’keshh’ieuu-!”

Gojo’s practically rolling around with laughter as tears spill freely from his eyes, Toji chiming in with a rough laugh of his own, cigarette hanging from his mouth mockingly. ‘Touche but- knxxgt’chh-! I’m not done in that easily.’ Even his thoughts are interrupted by sneezes. Still, Geto rubs his nose, deciding to use this to his advantage. 

“Y- you’re right… hh’dnNShh’iue-! It just ti… tihhhh… tickles so much… it’s like there’s- knxxgt’choo-! This soft feeling slowly- hnXGT’chh-! Invading my nose, running frroohhhm… from the bridge, all the way down… d- down… eH’dnxgt’choo-! Down to the tip.”

The reaction is just as he planned, Toji’s nose practically red from the abuse it’s suffering, starts to scrunch again, giving him only enough time to wrench to the side as the fit begins again. Gojo doesn’t even bother, his trembling nose being pressed into his hands as he harmonizes with his own outburst. 

“huH’RRZZShhh’oo-! hehh- hh’zzASHHH’oo-! Geto you- hnNZSHh’uuh-!”

“aiyshh’kiew-! huhh... heh- ihhh’tiEShhiew-! knEShh’diew-!” 

“rrRUSHhh’aa-! You’re a dihhhck. hEH’RDJShh’ouh-!” 

“aiyshhiew-! hehh.. I h- have to… huHhh-! hh’keshh’chiew-!” 

Not able to get the cigarette out in time, Toji leans forward with a light cough, blowing smoke right onto the other two. Gojo’s not as allergic as Geto, but having it blown right at him gets his eyes watering up immediately, Geto not even getting a breath before the next series of sneezes overtakes him. 

“eh’gnxsh’ue-! hH’keshh’shuu-! hehknxt’choo-! inxxt’choo-! heh’knxxt’chh-! eh’dnShh’uee-!”

“heH’AIyshh’kiew-! ehh… hiH’eSHh’diew-!”

“Weak, the b- huhh… Both of youuu uhH’RUSHH’aa-! AERSHH’oo-!” 

“Not sounding so invulnerable yourself, Toji. eh’aIYshh’diew-! ehhh-! hah’dieshh’kiew-!”

“Okay, okay, you two. We give, you win Toji. hh’knxt’choo-!” 

“Like usual.”

The sneezes slowly fade out, laughter replacing them as all three find themselves laying down, gazing up at the sky as they wipe the tears from their eyes. Geto can’t help but smile at the scene, three of the strongest people at Jujutsu Tech reduced to a panting mess from a cloud of smoke and some words. 

“I didn’t know you were as sensitive as Satoru.”

“Hey-”

“I’m not. Just a tad suggestible is all.”

“I see.”

“You tell anyone you die, you got that Suguru?” 

In lieu of a response, Geto offers an innocent smile, reaching over and tapping the tip of Gojo’s nose. He gets a whimper in response, Gojo twisting around to bury his nose in the blanket as the sneezes start again. Toji winces at the action, chuckling lightly as Geto lays back down. 

“hehHH-! eiSHh’diew-! Hahh… hah’kESHhh’iew-!”

“Seems he maintains his position as the most sensitive.” 

“Ru- hUH’tIShh’kiew-! Rude.”

“Gross, Satoru.” 

“Th- thanksfor- iHH’keSHh’diew-! Thanks for your concern T- tehH’eSHhh’iew-! Toji.” 

“Geto, you better make sure he washes that before you put it back.”

“hAHhh… eh’geSHhhh’kiew-! enchshhh’iew-!”

Laughter descends over the three friends once more as Gojo leans into Geto, his arm casually draping across Toji’s chest. Normally this type of overly clingy affection was not stood for, but after the events of today, Toji lets it slide. The three of them close their eyes, bathing in the sun’s gentle embrace once more. For a moment, just a moment, they’re not the strongest, sorcerers, killers, or anything. 

They’re just three friends sharing a blanket on a warm spring day. 

[elitheaceofalltrades]

Making Milk Mochi!

Welcome to Saturday's Odds & Ends!

Today I want to show you my attempts (yes plural necessary) of making Milk Mochi! I followed this video by popular youtuber Nino's Home.

It was only 3 ingredients, Glutinous Rice Flour, Milk and Sugar. I already had milk and sugar at home so I just had to pop out for a small bag of GRF from my local asian store. It was pretty cheap so definitely an affordable recipe.

My first attempt, I did not cook the mochi long enough and you could tell. It tasted very doughy/floury and it didn't stretch well. My best friend said it tasted like an uncooked sweet dumpling so that tells you everything. Even by look you can tell it looks a little dry so yeah 😕

My second attempt went a lot better. I kept it longer on the stove to make sure it was fully cooked. I think last time I was worried about overcooking it but now I know better. I'm pretty sure it turned out correctly this time. It was soft, pillowy, chewy with a LOT of stretch. So that was good😁!

I will say, either I'm incompetent or Nino VASTLY underestimated how much flour you need on your hands to shape it. I took a picture of how stretchy it was but decided that with the way the picture looked, putting it on the internet might not be a good idea, especially tumblr. I will say, as fun as the texture is, it didn't really have much of a taste. It had a really light sweetness and while I know that a lot of asians don't tend to like sweeet stuff, I am not asian and I do like sweet stuff. It was fun to eat but not nice enough to eat plain on it's own. Still a flex that I can say I made Mochi from scratch💪

~Eli

Ace of All Trades, Pro at None😆

[copias-thrall]

DIY

(Part: 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8)

It’s been a trying day. The staffing agency had gotten you another contract, and the firm wanted to meet with you in person for some reason. Usually you’re just traded around with firms already familiar with you, and you can’t recall the last time you needed to be respectable. You tend to dye your hair when your mood changes, so the fading pink had needed to be taken care of.

“What do you care about their opinion?” Mary had said.

“This would be a little more money,” you’d shrugged. “I could get the good coffee and that mochi you like.”

“I can feed myself,” Mary had snapped.

“Then why don’t you?” you’d retorted.

He’d made a sour face at you when you’d said that.

In the end, Mary had suggested going black, and the two of you had had hair-dye day where you’d introduced Mary to the wonder of Vaseline to keep the dye off his skin.

“Look at you, making me all respectable,” he’d quipped as you’d slathered him up.

“Yes, heaven forbid you lose your coveted street cred because your ears and hairline aren’t mottled with black half the time.”

While most of the dye had ended up in your hair, a few errant blotches ended up staining the tiles and shower curtain (and, ok—the hand print on your upper arm when Mary forgot himself). Mary had called you a spoilsport when you’d refused to fuck in the shower (“What? It’s cool with all the black dye running down our bodies. Come on!”). But in the end you were rather happy with how the fresh dye made your pixie bob look sleek and polished. 

Mary had scrutinized you in the mirror.

“I don’t like it. Makes you look like you’re trying too hard to be normal.”

You’d made a face at him. “Well, we can’t all work at Mickey’s and dress like Oscar the Grouch kicked us out of bed for eating crackers.”

Mary’d lightly bitten your neck. “I’m taking that as a compliment.” He’d then run his fingers through the shorter hair at the back of your head. “You’d look pretty hot with an undercut.”

“I know,” you’d said as you’d winked at him.

He’d snorted. “Modest too.”

You’d shrugged. “Getting an undercut was one of my many tiny actions of rebellion. As long as I kept my hair down, no one was the wiser.”

“They never caught you?” 

You’d sighed. “They did. Bitch of thing too—a picture of the school pep rally in the monthly newsletter for parents happened to catch me in the background.”

“Shit. What happened?”

“After all the screaming about boundaries and disrespect? TThey’d shaved my whole head.”

Mary’d stilled behind you.

“They … what?”

You’d leaned into the mirror, primping your hair unnecessarily.

“Buzzed all my hair off. Said I should never do things by half measures.”

Mary’d given you a look in the mirror, so you’d just smiled brightly at him.

“It’s just hair, Mary. Beside, all my schoolmates thought I was edgy as fuck.”

He’d turned you to face him.

“I really fucking hate your parents.”

You’d just patted him on the cheek. “Why waste the energy.”

“It’s just …” he’d leaned against the washer/drier as you began to clean up. “I had to be like, 15? And I came home from a friend’s house with badly bleached hair and a safety pin through my navel. My mum was in the kitchen, and I told her I wanted to be called Viscount Doom from now on. You know what she said?” 

(It was a rhetorical question.)

“She said, ‘That’s nice, dear—now take out the trash’.” He’d chuckled. “I was always her son first, you know?”

You’d slid a hand under his shirt to stick your thumb in his unadorned belly button.

“Did she make you take the safety pin out.”

Mary’d grinned at you. “Ah, well. The fucker got infected. Angry red blotches with pus and shit. I had to come clean to mum, and she bundled me off to urgent care. Whoops.”

You’d traced your thumb along his belly button, feeling now the obvious bump of scar tissue.

“So you were always fucking crusty.”

“Yeah, maybe,” he’d said as he’d crowded into you and dragged your hand down to his crotch.

The actual "chat” (they’d purposefully pussyfooted around calling it an interview) had gone fine; a girl about your age—probably an intern—had read a bunch of inane questions off a piece of paper in a monotone before a harried-looking woman came in and asked you questions surely your resume could have answered.

The firm itself, however, was a 30min walk from the bus, and about 90 more minutes including a bus transfer away from your apartment. You’d gotten up at 5am so you could leave by 6 so you weren’t late for your 9am appointment (“Jesus. Who schedules interviews for the crack of dawn?” “Sadists, that’s who.”). So, of course, you’d gotten there an hour early and—with no coffee shop in sight—you’d sat on a concrete wall across the street that bordered a parking lot. 

Like a creep.

You’d then been asked to wait for another hour because “an earlier meeting was running late.” The receptionist had at least taken pity on you and brought you a steaming cup of Dunks and a chocolate doughnut.

It was noon by the time you made it out of there—which meant that there was no way you were making the 12:25pm bus. Which meant you didn’t make the 1:33pm transfer, and you had to cool your jets in a fast casual restaurant for 45min. The next bus had never shown. When you finally made it onto the transfer bus, you’d dozed off and had woken up several stops past your destination; you’d opted to just walk back to your apartment instead of waiting the questionable amount of time for the next bus in the opposite direction. 

By the time you finally get back to your place, you’re limping from the blisters your cheap dress shoes had given you, and it’s nearly 4pm. When you enter your apartment, you’re surprised to see Mary on your couch, guitar in hand and scribbling down notes. At the clink of you dropping your keys into the skull ashtray that had just appeared one day, he looks up.

“What are you doing here?” you ask, sounding much more harsh than you intended as you kick off your shoes.

“Well, hello to you too. I couldn’t hear myself think at my place.” He gives you a minute shrug.

You don’t know why this irritates you.

“Well maybe think about giving me the same courtesy,” you snap as you limp toward your bedroom. “I need to lie down.”

You don’t even get changed, just untuck your pussy-bow blouse and unzip your pencil skirt before flopping down onto your bed.

“Interview not go well?” asks Mary’s from your doorframe

You wave your hand. “The interview was fine, but it was a fucking trial and a half getting there and back. Thank god I won’t be onsite.”

“Yeah. I was kind of wondering where you were.”

You just snort and start to wrestle off your nude hose, but then Mary’s kneeling there and rolling them down you. You hiss when he gets to your feet.

“Fuck, your feet are wrecked.”

“Remind me to bring flip flops or something next time.”

“K.”

He tosses your pantyhose at your laundry basket (they only half make it in), then he leans down to kiss the instep on each foot.

“Do you want me to eat you out?” he asks as his hands travel up the inside of your legs.

You lean up to look at him. “Yeah, actually. Would you?”

Mary grins at you. “Ok, baby doll.”

You lie back down as Mary begins to kiss and nip up your legs. You help him to get your panties off and to push up your skirt—then he’s diving into your folds, his tongue enthusiastically lapping at your clit. Unfortunately, you’re just too exhausted to really get into it, and Mary notices your lack of engagement. His head pops up.

“Fingers?”

“Fingers,” you agree.

He wipes off his chin with the back of his hand before climbing onto your bed. You shimmy out of your skirt before he’s rolling you onto your side. He positions himself behind you, his hand sliding down your stomach until it reaches your lips. You arch back into him at the feeling of his finger slip sliding across your sensitive clit.

“Oh yeah, Mare …”

He doesn’t tease you, just keeps up a steady motion, changing it up to avoid touch numbness. Despite your lethargy, you pant and squirm against him as your blood pools and your orgasm slowly builds. He’s been giving your neck little nips and sucks, but as you get close to blowing, Mary leans over to engage you in a wet, sloppy kiss. It ratchets your arousal, and you suck his tongue into your mouth, saliva leaking out the other side, as you begin to press back against his hand. He quickens his finger, and you cry out at the burst of pleasure. Your orgasm swells and breaks soon after, and you moan and thrash a little as Mary works you through the waves.

When you sag, sated, he gives your ear a lick, then removes his hand.

“Mmm,” is all you manage as you roll onto your stomach.

“Yeah, I know. C’mon, let’s get you out of that top.”

“No,” you say into the bed.

“Yes,” he says as he starts to tug up the hem. “You’ll thank me later.”

You just grunt at him.

He manages to get the material up to your armpits before you’re obliged to move by lifting your arms—and even then all you do is hold out your arms.

“You’re a pain in my fucking ass.”

“Mmphb.”

Through minimal effort on your part, Mary finally removes both your top and your bra before rolling you this way and that to get you under the covers. You’re asleep before he even leaves the room.

You sleep, nude, sprawled out and face mashed into your pillow. It isn’t until much later when you wake. It’s almost certainly because Mary is on all fours over you, mashing his face into your neck. You must move in some tiny way, because he stills.

“Mare,” you mumble groggily into the pillow.

“Shh,” he breaths. “Don’t. Just …” His mouth moves to your ear. “Can I?” he whispers. “I was so good earlier.”

“Mhm,” you agree sleepily.

“Stay still then,” he growls as he shifts about. “Don’t. Move.”

You feel the head of his cock enter you, and you clench and moan. Mary’s other hand is quick on your head, smashing your face further into the pillow.

“Shut up,” he hisses, then his hand is gone.

He takes the tip out, then slides it back in. 

Then out. 

Then in.

He teases himself like that a few more times—making pleased rumbles—before finally sliding all the way home. You bite the pillow in an effort not to twitch or make noise. The bed jostles when his balled hands land on either side of you, supporting himself up. He takes a handful of slow, smooth pumps in and out of you, making little Mmm noises. It’s a nice feeling that you relax into—silently. 

He speeds up a little … and then a lot … until he’s pounding into you with such force that there's an audible slap! slap! slap! as he makes contact with your skin and your one arm is jostled slightly off the bed. Mary moans, and changes up to long, hard strokes that hit your sweet spot deliciously; you know your breaths are labored at the strain of staying motionless and quiet, but luckily, any sound you’re making is being drowned out by Mary’s grunts every time the bowl of his pelvis smacks into the meat of your ass. 

You’re pretty slick from your arousal, and Mary easily pumps in and out of you. You can feel your heartbeat in your pussy—and your frustration with not being able to touch yourself increases. Mary suddenly grabs the fat on your back hard enough you almost cry out. He lowers himself down onto his forearms and starts to fuck into you with quicker, deeper thrusts that are no longer quite hitting your G-spot—much to your chagrin. He’s not quite laying on your back, but he’s close enough that you can hear the rasping air through his nose and the Uhn noises he’s making—his breath hot and moist on the nape of your neck.

You expect him to finish like that, so you’re surprised when he heaves himself up to a kneeling position. His hands grip your hips hard, and then he’s yanking you back onto his dick as he buries himself deep into you. 

And again. 

And again. 

When he accidentally hits your cervix, you do let out a little mewl, but he doesn’t seem to notice—cock still deep in you and his hands still clamped on your sides. After a moment, you finally feel the tension drain out of him, and he releases his grip, flopping down on the bed beside you. Sluggishly you begin to move your limbs, but Mary gathers you up to him with a soft C’mere. He presses his sweat-cool body against your back and kisses your neck once before he’s maneuvering your vibrator (oh, hello) between your legs.

You reach your hand down to help position it to your liking, mashing into it once … twice … thrice, and then you’re moaning and twitching—the nails of your free hand digging into Mary’s thigh—before the intensity has you finally shying away from the toy lest you make a mess.

Mary clicks the vibe off before letting it go, and you twist around until you’re facing him. You grip his hair in your hands and kiss him deeply, smashing your slickness into him as your cunt still gives an errant spasm or two. He grabs your ass and pulls you into him.

“Yeah, mash that wet pussy into me—I want to smell you on me all night.”

“You’re disgusting.”

“You fucking love it.”

“I should pee on you.”

“Do you think I’ve never been pe—”

You shove a pillow in his face. “OH MY GOD—do not finish that sentence.”

His hand shoots out and presses on your bladder. You shriek and push him away from you, and he subsequently falls off the bed with an undignified noise. He looks up at you like a disgruntled cat, so you just cackle and sprint out of the bedroom. You can hear him start after you, but he’s not quick enough, and you manage to lock the bathroom door behind you before he can catch you.

You’re too tired to cook, and you’re wondering if you can count on getting that contract enough to order takeout when Mary surprises you; he takes out a beat up looking Tupperware from your fridge. Something reddish-brown sloshes in it.

“It’s my kitchen-sink goulash.” He beams.

You put a smile on your face.

“Aww, Mare. What’s … in it?” you ask as you squint at the contents.

He pokes you in the ribs. 

“Just fucking try it.”

You reheat it in a big pot, and it looks edible enough—elbow macaronis, ground meat, tomato sauce, green … things. Once you’re settled at your rusty cafe table with the hot food, you dig in and you have to admit that it’s actually not bad. Mary has a smug look on his face as you tuck in.

“Shut up,” you say.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your thoughts are loud.”

He just giggles at you.

“So what is in it?”

“Uh,” says Mary as he chews. “Frozen hamburger patties, spaghetti sauce, noodles, and some okra from the Latin grocer near me.”

You make a thoughtful noise.

“I wouldn’t have guessed okra. I knew it wasn’t green beans, but.”

“I swear that store is the only reason none of us have scurvy.”

Afterwards he packs up his guitar.

“I gotta be getting back to my place.” He licks your nose, and you sputter. He grins. “But thanks for the sex.”

“Yeah, well …” you say as you rub at your nose, “thanks for the Goulash.”

He looks at you for a moment before slipping a hand into your robe to rest on a love handle.

“I didn’t come by just to hear myself think, you know.”

You roll your eyes, but step into his space.

“I kinda got that, Mare.”

You tap your lips, and he leans down to kiss you.

⬅️Previous | Next ➡️

[downtowndaegu]

Get to Know Us: Moon’s BTS Edition

Hello Starlights! The admins and I wanted to post this “BTS questions/ Get to know us” thing that Kay found somewhere, so you get to know us better and know who is behind this blog! Each one of the admins will (probably) post one^^ I’m going to it today:D It’s quite long and since I don’t want to spam everyone, it will be under the ‘keep reading’ bar^^ 

How and when did you get into BTS? I got into BTS at the start of 2016 and discovered them thanks to a friend who introduced me to Exo/K-pop in general and I saw them in the recommended section of an Exo Video:) (Thanks for dragging me down this wormhole, G(:(:(: )

Did you make new friends thanks to BTS?

Yes! First of all, I made amazing friends in the three other admins, I wouldn’t trade them for anything<3 I also talked to some other people regularly, but I don’t think we could be considered real friends.

Has Bangtan influenced your life in any other way? 

The boys helped me an enormous amount with my depression and anxiety, I don't want to know where I would be without them. Top 10 Songs?

Uhh, that’s a difficult question! Tomorrow, First Love, Baepsae, Butterfly, 2nd Grade, Hold me tight, Lost, Lie, Forever Young and Ddaeng^^ Favorite album?

As hard as the choice is, It has to be Wings|You never walk alone. The member's individual songs really touched me because it revealed parts/emotions that we haven’t seen before.

Favorite lyrics?

No doubt, it’s tomorrow or First Love. I don’t even wanna reveal how many times I cried because of them since I relate too much. 

School trilogy, HYYH era or WINGS?

If it’s about the album then WINGS, but if it’s about the era in general then it’s HYYH for me^.^

Which Cypher part do you like best?

Cypher Part 3: Killer

Your favorite AGUST D and RM track?

For AGUST D it’s either ‘Tony Montana’ or ‘the Last’ and for RM it’s ‘Always’ :D

Your favorite cover of BTS? (Doesn’t matter if it’s one of Jungkook, Taehyung, Jin, etc.):

Honestly? Any of JK covers. The songs he chooses to cover are just beautiful and most of them fit into the music type I listen to if I don’t listen to K-Pop^^

Is there any BTS song that has a special meaning for you?

Like I mentioned, both Tommorrow and First Love are incredibly important for me. Tomorrow helps me when my struggle with anxiety and depression gets tough and First Love perfectly described something in my Life, except that for music, it was equestrianism/ working with horses. Otherwise everything is exactly the same.

Your favorite live performance?

The Melon Award BS&T and Fire Performance is my favorite so far^^ 

Your bias?

These two cuties!

At first, I was an extremely loyal Yoongi stan, but I have been struggling for almost 6 months now to choose between Yoongi and Jimin:/ But since another admin biases Yoongi, I’m gonna go with Jimin if I had to choose between these two^^ 

 Your favorite ships/interactions?

Recently I’ve been a sucker for TaeGi and Jikook, but I also love Yoonmin and Namjin. And Hoseok is such an angel that I just ship him with whoever would make him the happiest. Now, I personally don’t think these ships are real and only friendship until the bands confirms them, so they are more like bromance for me^^

Favorite fansite(s)?

I don’t visit fansites often tbh :,) But I read most of the news and rumors on soompi, if that counts!

What is your favorite hair color for each member?

In general combining all the members, my favorite has to be the hyyh era, but individually:

Jin: I really like black hair!

Jiminie: ... I can’ decide! So far there hasn’t been a color that I didn’t like (*cough* except for the blonde highlights/strands in Fake Love *cough*), so I can’t choose a favorite >.<

Tae: I really liked the DNA m/v hair color (the light silver/grey/really light brown (i’m super blind so I'm not too sure don't judge me))) or any lighter color while having soft curls:) But also any color in combination with a headband tbh

Kookie: With JK I like medium/ light brown (YNWA era) but I like any shade brown or black on him 

Hobi: The shade of brown in the run mv/ hyyh era!

Yoongi: My favorite has to be the mint color! But the blonde hairstyle in the Agust D m/v’s were just ruuuude *o*

Namjoon: Either the purple/grape (I'm sorry) color or the honey hair color!

Whose fashion style do you like the most?

I really like Jimin’s fashion style, not because he is my bias but because it’s similar to what I usually wear:)

Which member matches with your personality the most?

If it’s most similar then I would say Jimin, but about best fitting together it would be Taehyung^^

Who do you think would be your best friend in BTS?

I think it would be Jungkook:)

Which member caught your attention first?

If I’m honest, at first I really liked Tae, but after a week or two Yoongi was the one who got my attention!

Name the feature you like the most about each member!

Yoongi’s cute Gummy smile; The way Jungkooks eyes crinkle when he laughs; How Hoseok always looks so welcoming and friendly when he smiles; Tae’s unique double and mono-lid eyes; How caring Jin is, regardless if the people are members or not (the elevator prank for example); What an amazing Leader Namjoon is; How shy Jimin still is sometimes, because he is absolutely adorable in those moments

Your favorite photo of each member?

I don’t really have favorite pictures, but I love any picture, regardless of photoshoot or derp pic ^^ (Except for the whitewashed ones! Whoever whitewashed them, ur moms a hoe) But I also really love this picture/edit:

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Jin?

How caring this angel is and how much I love his jokes!

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Yoongi?

How admirable his passion for music is<3

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Namjoon?

Honestly? His seaweed dance XD (Lara is going to kill me when she sees this) But in seriousness: How glad I am that he is the leader^^

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Hoseok?

How he always lightens the room when he enters a room, our little ray of sunshine:)

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Jimin?

Squishy Mochi<3

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Taehyung?

How naive (not in a bad way) and puppy-like he is

What immediately comes to your mind when you think of Jungkook?

Memes (I’m so not sorry)

Rank the dance line in terms of favorite dancing style!

Jimin - Hoseok - Jungkook. Every single member is amazing at dancing, but the reason I placed Junkook last isn’t because of how he dances, but because of his emotions during dancing. He is amazing, don’t get me wrong, but I think in Jungkooks case it’s more talent than passion. While watching Jimin and Hoseok dancing you can feel how every single fiber of them is filled with passion, but I don’t get that emotion while watching Jungkook. And the reason I placed Jimin first is that I like his Style just a tiny bit better than Hoseoks, but that’s just preference^^

Rank the vocal line in terms of favorite singing style!

Jimin - Jungkook - V - Jin. I really like the uniqueness of Jimins voice, which is why I placed him there. And I always adored Jungkooks voice, especially in his English covers. With V and Jin I had some serious struggle, but I think I prefer Tae’s dark voice a tiiiiny bit more (/ω＼)

Rank the rap line in terms of favorite rap style!

Yoongi - Hoseok - Rap Monster. I could listen to Yoongi rapping 24/7 (*^.^*)  I placed Hoseok middle because I have a lot of fun listening to him, he just has so much energy in his voice, which I find rather unique^^ And I also love RM rapping, especially because his voice fits both calmer rapping as well as spitting fire! I can’t really decide so the order may not be that accurate

Who’d win in a dance battle? Jin or Namjoon?

If it’s spontaneous I think Jin would win, but If It was planned Namjoon would win^^ 

Jungkook’s thighs, abs, arms or veins?

Thighs!

Holly, Jjangu, Soonshim, Micky or Rapmon?

Soonshim, I love her soo much! She is so adorable, I can’t even describe it!

American Hustle Life, Rookie King, Bangtan Gayo or RUN BTS?

RUN BTS^-^

What variety show do you want BTS to be featured in?

I don’t really watch variety shows, so I would have to pick whatever ones make BTS happy^^ 

What accessory would you bring for a fan sign and for which member?

This question made me speechless tbh. I really don’t know.... I once saw rings which had ‘always’ on the inside which was raised so it would imprint on the finger after wearing it for some time, maybe one for each member so the ‘always’ is directed to BTS itself...

Have you ever been to a fansign or concert of BTS?

Sadly, no >.<

Have you ever sent a fan letter?

No, I’m too shy and I’m really bad at writing letters (unless they’re allowed to be suuuper long, I love writing long letters <3)

Did you ever join a fansite’s birthday project?

Like I mentioned I’m not really active on fansites, so I never joined one or missed them, but I plan to join projects in the future!

Are you a member of the fancafe?

Yes, but I’m not really sure how to use it (/ω＼) 

Do you talk openly about BTS in front of friends and family?

Yes! I managed to get my mom to like BTS and K-Pop in general (she knows the names/members of BTS and NCT and we listen to it regularly because I have control over what music runs in the car^-^). One of my best friends is a Kpopper as well, so we talk about it, but I don’t shy away from talking about it to other friends:D

If you were given the chance to say one sentence to all of them, what would you tell them?

I am so proud of how far you have come, you really do deserve everything and more.

If money, distance and the like weren’t a problem, what kind of gift would you give them to their birthday?

Buy them some sort of Cruise trip or any other holiday because my poor babies need to rest.

What subunit would you look the most forward to?

Yoongi and Jimin rap subunit. Not because they are my biases, but DAMN, did you guys see that Tony Montana stage?! I need more!

Do you prefer Hip-Hop BTS or the more Pop-ish BTS?

Hip-Hop^^

Do you watch their appearances on shows live or do you wait for subs?

I usually listen to the live appearance in the background (I love the Korean language) and then watch the video when the subs are out!

What kind of concept would you like to see in the future?

A really creepy themed concept, like the game ‘Alice: Madness Returns’ or Tim Burton for example. I’m not sure why, but I would love to see something like this!

Your thoughts on BigHit?

BigHit is one of the better Entertainments in my opinion. Yes, the boys are exhausted but compared to other Entertainments where the Idols are in living hell *cough* SM *cough*, they treat them fairly well. Only thing I would love to see are more Breaks for the boys^^

Oops, this got longer than expected! XDI hope you liked this post, I’m guessing the other admins will do it in the future as well^^

~Admin Moon<3

[trvlbug]

The Copper Canyon – Mexico Road Trip Recap

The Road Trip Plan

Road trip theme: Copper Canyon, Mexico!

A friend of mine mentioned wanting to visit Mexico’s Copper Canyon. I’d heard about this place ever since I was a kid, though I didn’t know much about it. Looking at a few pictures convinced me – YES! Let’s go!

(It’s so hard to convince me to take a road trip!)

Copper Canyon vistas stretch as far as you can see

We’d traveled together before, including a little while in Baja, so I knew she wasn’t somebody who would be scared off by a bad road or a Mexican checkpoint.

When to do a Copper Canyon road trip? If you want to see both the top and bottom of the canyon, then spring and fall are your best times. There’s a 6,000 foot elevation difference, which means big temperature variations. In the summer, the bottom is unbearable, while in the winter, you could see snow at the top. In October, I was wearing a fleece at the top, and shorts at the bottom.

Aside from visiting the Copper Canyon, Paquime, and Mata Ortiz (spots we knew we wanted to see), there wasn’t much of a plan. We were just going to play it by ear, and go wherever we wanted each day.

The Road Trip Reality

The Copper Canyon Caper

14 days (for me, less for friends)

2 US states (Arizona, New Mexico) 1 Mexican state (Chihuahua)

1,299 miles

Average 93 miles/day

NOTE: Side trips by bus and train, too, not counted in the mileage

Side trips without Zennie. Usually, Zennie and I are a team, and we travel around together. On this trip, I ended up leaving her parked in Creel for a few days while I went off by bus (to Batopilas at the bottom of the canyon), and by train (the famous El Chepe train down to El Fuerte and back). I’m not used to this multi-modal travel anymore, and it was delightful!

Zennie waits patiently at the campground in Creel

Road conditions. I wrote a bit about roads in Mexico before, on my Sonora Sojourn road trip. Let’s just say they can vary widely, and it’s hard to know beforehand what to expect. For this trip, we stuck to all paved roads, and here’s what I found: .

50% = Good roads. Mostly smooth, wide with shoulders, and Zennie could do her top speed (55 mph on the flats). We had just one short section of toll road.

45% = Moderate. Narrow, with potholes, rough patches, and topes (the serious Mexican speed bumps). These roads are slower and take more concentration to avoid hazards.

5% = Horrible. On these sections, you can’t dodge the bumps and potholes, because they’re everywhere. All you can do is go super slow (10 mph in places), and live with the bumps.

All in all, it wasn’t hard driving, Zennie handled it all OK, and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

Planning a Mexico road trip? Be aware that driving times are going to be longer than you might expect. It’s also more mentally demanding than zipping along on the Interstate, so I really prefer shorter driving days.

Group travel? A third person joined us for the trip, so there were 3 of us traveling in 2 vehicles at first. Having friends along can be really fun, when you’re sitting around over drinks in the evening. It can also be pretty stressful, like when our group got separated on the road. I was worried sick! . After a week, the two of them had to head back to Tucson, leaving me back in my normal solo exploring mode for the rest of the road trip. I was sad that they didn’t have a chance to do all the fun stuff I got to do. On the other hand, to be totally honest, I do find it a whole lot easier traveling by myself!

Copper Canyon Road Trip – The Route

Zennie 2017 – Mexico Copper Canyon road trip

A couple of notes on the route map:

I’ve included the legs here that were done by bus and train, as well as the driving segments.

I didn’t include the fact that one person went all the way to the city of Chihuahua when she got separated from the group! Thank heavens she made it to Creel and met us there, because I was really concerned, and had no way to contact her or know where she was.

Moral of the story? * Don’t pass the vehicle you’re supposed to be following. * A cell phone that works in the country where you’re traveling is a safety precaution, not a luxury. * Before I caravan with anyone again, I will make sure we’re agreed on these two points!

Copper Canyon Road Trip – Top 3 Highlights

Copper Canyon, Barrancas del Cobre. What can I say? This was the purpose of the trip, and I was not disappointed! It’s an amazing place! . There are actually 5 canyons here, 4 of which are deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. They all come together in this area, which means there’s a huge expanse of steep, twisted canyons and cliffs. It’s incredibly scenic, and more than you can really take in, when you stand on the rim looking at it. It seems to go on forever.

Looking down from the rim of the Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon)

Of course there are spectacular hiking options, and a lot of spots with cultural and historic interest, too. The canyons were big for silver mining centuries ago, and you’ll see relics from that period. Also, these forbidding canyons are the homeland of the Tarahumara people, known for their amazing running ability.

Copper Canyon in green? I was surprised by how green everything was here! I’d expected more brown, like the Grand Canyon. It’s due to the season. If you come here between late Sept and early Nov, you’ll probably see a lot of green since this is just after the rainy season. The first frost is usually around mid-Nov, and the green at the canyon top disappears after that.

Paquime archaeological site. I’ve been wanting to go to Paquime ever since I read the fascinating book House of Rain by Craig Childs. . This is a World Heritage Site, and a major archaeological center, uncovering the ruins of an ancient city. Centuries ago, Paquime was the largest settlement in the region, and a trading center for goods from distant places. People here built multi-story buildings, and had a sophisticated irrigation system that brought water from high in the surrounding mountains, and ran it directly into buildings in town.

The mysterious ruins of Paquime…

House of Rain ties Paquime into the story of the Anasazi, and the author traces their journey over centuries. His theory is that Paquime was the end of their story. Other theories are that this is where the Aztec people came from, or that the people here were ancestors of the Tarahumaras.

Nobody knows the whole truth, and perhaps we never will. All I can say is that it’s fascinating!

El Chepe, The Copper Canyon train. When people talk about touring the Copper Canyon, they are often talking about taking this famous train. It’s an engineering marvel, with 86 tunnels and 39 bridges, and it passes through some beautiful scenery as it climbs from the coast to the mountains.

The famous Copper Canyon train, known as “El Chepe”

The train runs all the way from Los Mochis to Chihuahua, but the spectacular portion of the trip is between El Fuerte at the bottom, and Creel at the top. That stretch took about 7.5 hours, and the schedule is such that you can’t take it back and forth on the same day — you need to spend at least one night.

I nearly didn’t take the train trip, but changed my mind and spent the extra couple of days doing this. I’m certainly glad I did, because it was a highlight of the trip!

Copper Canyon Road Trip – Top Lowlight

Car trouble! Zennie started dying on me!

Fortunately, the problem turned out to be about the only thing I could fix by myself on the side of the road!

The engine first died in the parking lot at Paquime. If you’re going to break down, this is a great location! A little investigation showed that the battery wires had come disconnected, because the battery slid out of position.

So, I hauled the battery back into position, secured the strap holding it in place, and reconnected the wires, tightening everything down as securely as I could. I figured this was a one-time problem, and we were good to go.

—> You can guess what happened, right?

By the road again… Not so good to be by the road again…

Driving up the steep, narrow, twisting mountain road toward Creel, I noticed Zennie acting funny. It was like the engine skipped a beat now and then, and it was making me worried!

As soon as I could find a place to safely pull off the road, I did. Sure enough, the battery was out of position again, and this time had broken off the wires I’d secured so tightly. There was just one teeny bit of copper still making a connection. But I knew how to fix this, so soon we were back on the road.

For the rest of the trip, I’d stop every hour or two (depending on road conditions), check the battery, and shift / tighten things as necessary. It was an annoyance, for sure, but I made it the rest of the trip without a problem.

Copper Canyon Road Trip – Key Places

Nuevo Casas Grandes. This is where we spent the first night in Mexico. The town’s main attraction for tourists is that it’s close to the Paquime ruins, and the famous pottery town of Mata Ortiz. Another plus? There’s a good restaurant here that lets you free camp in their secure yard if you buy dinner.

Food, margaritas, and a place to park, at the end of a long drive

Creel. This is the main town at the top of the Copper Canyon, and it’s a good place to base yourself for some exploring. There’s an RV park, plenty of hotel choices, lots of restaurants, and tour operators everywhere. You can get tours to waterfalls, Tarahumara villages, and even see cave dwellings that are still in use. Creel is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos (magic towns), and I’m hoping to visit as many of these as I can!

Hiking in the Valley of the Monks, near Creel

Batopilas. From Creel, there’s a winding road (now paved) that takes you down to Batopilas, one of the tiny towns at the bottom of the canyon. This was a wealthy town back in silver mining days, and you’ll see historic buildings from those days. You can do some hiking here, and it’s also another of the Pueblos Magicos. It was balmy and tropical down here, while up in Creel, the leaves were changing.

The road down to Batopilas, at the bottom of the canyon

Cartel activity. Some of the remote canyon areas are being used for growing marijuana or opium poppies. If you wandered into one of these sections, you could be in trouble. Either stick to well-used tourist trails, or hire a local hiking guide who knows where to go and not go. I wouldn’t let the current situation scare me off, but it makes sense to play it safe, and not venture off on your own.

El Fuerte. The train doesn’t take you down into the bottom of the canyon. Instead, it descends towards the coast. You lose a lot of altitude going down, but end up in the flatlands, not the canyon. El Fuerte is the town at the lower end of the scenic train ride, and it’s another of the Pueblos Magicos. It’s an attractive town, with a pretty town square.

The streets of El Fuerte are quiet in the pre-dawn morning light

Areponapuchi. Creel is not on the canyon rim, so it doesn’t provide those exceptional views into the depths. For those, the tiny town of Areponapuchi (Arepo for short) is perfect. I got off the train here to do some hiking and spend the night. There’s a nice hike along the rim, and it’s just one jaw-dropping view after another! From here, I caught a bus back to Creel, where Zennie was patiently waiting.

The tiny train station at Areponapuchi (Posada Barrancas)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PHOTO CREDITS: Deanna Keahey

The post The Copper Canyon – Mexico Road Trip Recap appeared first on Uphill Zen.

Related posts:

Sonora Sojourn – Mexico road trip recap

Summer Chill-Out – US road trip recap

Journey – Travels with Zennie | Road trip adventures

from The Copper Canyon – Mexico Road Trip Recap

[trvlbug]

The Copper Canyon - Mexico Road Trip Recap

The Road Trip Plan

Road trip theme: Copper Canyon, Mexico!

A friend of mine mentioned wanting to visit Mexico's Copper Canyon. I'd heard about this place ever since I was a kid, though I didn't know much about it. Looking at a few pictures convinced me - YES! Let's go!

(It's so hard to convince me to take a road trip!)

Copper Canyon vistas stretch as far as you can see

We'd traveled together before, including a little while in Baja, so I knew she wasn't somebody who would be scared off by a bad road or a Mexican checkpoint.

When to do a Copper Canyon road trip? If you want to see both the top and bottom of the canyon, then spring and fall are your best times. There's a 6,000 foot elevation difference, which means big temperature variations. In the summer, the bottom is unbearable, while in the winter, you could see snow at the top. In October, I was wearing a fleece at the top, and shorts at the bottom.

Aside from visiting the Copper Canyon, Paquime, and Mata Ortiz (spots we knew we wanted to see), there wasn't much of a plan. We were just going to play it by ear, and go wherever we wanted each day.

The Road Trip Reality

The Copper Canyon Caper

14 days (for me, less for friends)

2 US states (Arizona, New Mexico) 1 Mexican state (Chihuahua)

1,299 miles

Average 93 miles/day

NOTE: Side trips by bus and train, too, not counted in the mileage

Side trips without Zennie. Usually, Zennie and I are a team, and we travel around together. On this trip, I ended up leaving her parked in Creel for a few days while I went off by bus (to Batopilas at the bottom of the canyon), and by train (the famous El Chepe train down to El Fuerte and back). I'm not used to this multi-modal travel anymore, and it was delightful!

Zennie waits patiently at the campground in Creel

Road conditions. I wrote a bit about roads in Mexico before, on my Sonora Sojourn road trip. Let's just say they can vary widely, and it's hard to know beforehand what to expect. For this trip, we stuck to all paved roads, and here's what I found: .

50% = Good roads. Mostly smooth, wide with shoulders, and Zennie could do her top speed (55 mph on the flats). We had just one short section of toll road.

45% = Moderate. Narrow, with potholes, rough patches, and topes (the serious Mexican speed bumps). These roads are slower and take more concentration to avoid hazards.

5% = Horrible. On these sections, you can't dodge the bumps and potholes, because they're everywhere. All you can do is go super slow (10 mph in places), and live with the bumps.

All in all, it wasn't hard driving, Zennie handled it all OK, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Planning a Mexico road trip? Be aware that driving times are going to be longer than you might expect. It's also more mentally demanding than zipping along on the Interstate, so I really prefer shorter driving days.

Group travel? A third person joined us for the trip, so there were 3 of us traveling in 2 vehicles at first. Having friends along can be really fun, when you're sitting around over drinks in the evening. It can also be pretty stressful, like when our group got separated on the road. I was worried sick! . The two of them had to head back to Tucson early, leaving me back in my normal solo exploring mode for the rest of the road trip. I was sad that they didn't have a chance to do all the fun stuff I got to do. On the other hand, to be totally honest, I do find it a whole lot easier traveling by myself!

Copper Canyon Road Trip - The Route

Zennie 2017 - Mexico Copper Canyon road trip

A couple of notes on the route map:

I've included the legs here that were done by bus and train, as well as the driving segments.

I didn't include the fact that one person went all the way to the city of Chihuahua when she got separated from the group! Thank heavens she made it to Creel and met us there, because I was really concerned, and had no way to contact her or know where she was.

Moral of the story? * Don't pass the vehicle you're supposed to be following. * A cell phone that works in the country where you're traveling is a safety precaution, not just a luxury.

Copper Canyon Road Trip - Top 3 Highlights

Copper Canyon, Barrancas del Cobre. What can I say? This was the purpose of the trip, and I was not disappointed! It's an amazing place! . There are actually 5 canyons here, 4 of which are deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona. They all come together in this area, which means there's a huge expanse of steep, twisted canyons and cliffs. It's incredibly scenic, and more than you can really take in, when you stand on the rim looking at it. It seems to go on forever.

Looking down from the rim of the Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon)

Of course there are spectacular hiking options, and a lot of spots with cultural and historic interest, too. The canyons were big for silver mining centuries ago, and you'll see relics from that period. Also, these forbidding canyons are the homeland of the Tarahumara people, known for their amazing running ability.

Copper Canyon in green? I was surprised by how green everything was here! I'd expected more brown, like the Grand Canyon. It's due to the season. If you come here between late Sept and early Nov, you'll probably see a lot of green since this is just after the rainy season. The first frost is usually around mid-Nov, and the green at the canyon top disappears after that.

Paquime archaeological site. I've been wanting to go to Paquime ever since I read the fascinating book "House of Rain" by Craig Childs. . This is a World Heritage Site, and a major archaeological center, uncovering the ruins of an ancient city. Centuries ago, Paquime was the largest settlement in the region, and a trading center for goods from distant places. People here built multi-story buildings, and had a sophisticated irrigation system that brought water from high in the surrounding mountains, and ran it directly into buildings in town.

The mysterious ruins of Paquime...

House of Rain ties Paquime into the story of the Anasazi, and the author traces their journey over centuries. His theory is that Paquime was the end of their story. Other theories are that this is where the Aztec people came from, or that the people here were ancestors of the Tarahumaras.

Nobody knows the whole truth, and perhaps we never will. All I can say is that it's fascinating!

El Chepe, The Copper Canyon train. When people talk about touring the Copper Canyon, they are often talking about taking this famous train. It's an engineering marvel, with 86 tunnels and 39 bridges, and it passes through some beautiful scenery as it climbs from the coast to the mountains.

The famous Copper Canyon train, known as "El Chepe"

The train runs all the way from Los Mochis to Chihuahua, but the spectacular portion of the trip is between El Fuerte at the bottom, and Creel at the top. That stretch took about 7.5 hours, and the schedule is such that you can't take it back and forth on the same day -- you need to spend at least one night.

I nearly didn't take the train trip, but changed my mind and spent the extra couple of days doing this. I'm certainly glad I did, because it was a highlight of the trip!

Copper Canyon Road Trip - Top Lowlight

Car trouble! Zennie started dying on me!

Fortunately, the problem turned out to be about the only thing I could fix by myself on the side of the road!

The engine first died in the parking lot at Paquime. If you're going to break down, this is a great location! A little investigation showed that the battery wires had come disconnected, because the battery slid over out of position.

So, I hauled the battery back into position, secured the strap holding it in place, and reconnected the wires, tightening everything down as securely as I could. I figured this was a one-time problem, and we were good to go.

---> You can guess what happened, right?

By the road again... Not so good to be by the road again...

Driving up the steep, narrow, twisting mountain road toward Creel, I noticed Zennie acting funny. It was like the engine skipped a beat now and then, and it was making me worried!

As soon as I could find a place to safely pull off the road, I did. Sure enough, it was a connection problem. This time, the battery wires had actually broken off, and there was just the teeniest little copper strand still in place.

So, I stripped a new section of wire, and repeated everything I did before, and soon we were back on the road.

After this, the entire rest of the trip, I'd stop after every hour or two (depending on road conditions), check the battery, and shift / tighten things as necessary. It was an annoyance, for sure, but I made it the rest of the trip without a problem.

Copper Canyon Road Trip - Key Places

Nuevo Casas Grandes. This is where we spent the first night in Mexico. The town's main attraction for tourists is that it's close to the Paquime ruins, and the famous pottery town of Mata Ortiz, too. Another plus? There's a good restaurant here that lets you free camp in their secure yard if you buy dinner.

Food, margaritas, and a place to park, at the end of a long drive

Creel. This is the main town at the top of the Copper Canyon, and it's a good place to base yourself for some exploring. There's an RV park, plenty of hotel choices, lots of restaurants, and tour operators everywhere. This is one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos (magic towns), and I'm hoping to visit as many of these as I can!

Hiking in the Valley of the Monks, near Creel

Batopilas. From Creel, there's a winding road (now paved) that takes you down to Batopilas, one of the tiny towns at the bottom of the canyon. This was a wealthy town back in silver mining days, and you'll see historic buildings from those days. You can do some hiking here, and it's also another of the Pueblos Magicos. It was tropical down here, while up in Creel, the leaves were changing.

The road down to Batopilas, at the bottom of the canyon

Cartel activity. Some of the remote canyon areas are being used for growing marijuana or opium poppies. If you wandered into one of these sections, you could be in trouble. Either stick to well-used tourist trails, or hire a local hiking guide who knows where to go and not go. I wouldn't let the current situation scare me off, but it makes sense to play it safe, and not venture off on your own.

El Fuerte. The train doesn't take you down into the bottom of the canyon. Instead, it descends towards the coast. You lose a lot of altitude going down, but end up in the flatlands, not the canyon. El Fuerte is the town at the lower end of the scenic train ride, and it's another of the Pueblos Magicos I mentioned. It's an attractive town, with a pretty town square.

The streets of El Fuerte are quiet in the pre-dawn morning light

Areponapuchi. You can get off the train at this tiny town (Arepo for short). If you want to get amazing views from the canyon rim, that's impossible from Creel, so try Arepo, which positions you for exceptional vistas. There's a nice hike along the rim, and it's just one jaw-dropping view after another! From here, I caught a bus back to Creel, where Zennie was patiently waiting.

The tiny train station at Areponapuchi (Posada Barrancas)

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PHOTO CREDITS: Deanna Keahey

The post The Copper Canyon - Mexico Road Trip Recap appeared first on Uphill Zen.

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