Wednesday, February 10
The power went off last night at 9:15 p.m. We had certainly expected the generator to shut down at 10, so what's 45 minutes. This morning, we arose with no power. There was hot water, however, so we showered by natural light and gathered in the dining hall for breakfast at 8. Our host and son explain that they've been having trouble with the power. They plan to spend today fixing things. For the moment, we are truly off the grid -- even the very local one.
Breakfasted, we pile into the Jeep and head to the Parque Nacional through a bright and sunny morning. It rained again last night, and that translates to snow at 1800m. As we wind further up the paved road, we encounter first a dusting of snow, then 1 inch, then 2 inches, then 3 inches, then more and more. One vehicle has braved the new snow before us, and we travel its tracks. It seems to take a very long time to reach the park entrance, supposedly at km 78 from Mexico 1.
At last we arrive at the park gates. There is no place to turn around, and the tracks before us continue on. So, we follow. At last we arrive at park headquarters. A hefty pickup is parked here, and we park behind it, near a whimsical snowman. We talk to the workmen, Rollo and Frederico, exchanging news and Spanish and English words. Rollo tells us the Spanish word for snowshoes. We promptly forget it. D tries to describe his snow blower; Rollo names it a cleaning machine in Spanish.
The Observatory, Rollo tells us, is still snowed in. The snow is at least 3 feet deep. A truckload of men arrived this morning to shovel snow. But no one else is allowed on the road. I guess we'll have to visit another time if we want to see it.;
We linger for a while. Then B turns the car, bit by bit, so we can head back down the road. We proceed slowly, enjoying the scenery. The snow is very wet and heavy, weighing the tree branches and piling up on the Spanish bayonets. Quite a bit has melted since we wended our way up the road.
We stop for a picture opportunity overlooking Rancho Meling. Note the precipitous driveway. You can also pick out the runway, which is not at all level. We also stop at the site of the Johnson mine, that, a century and more ago, was the source of the gold that allowed Johnson and Meling to buy the rancho. No trace of it is left; clearly the site was a source of road-building materials when the road to the parque and the Observatory was built in the early 1970s.
We are back at the rancho for lunch, which features a curious sort of pizza -- layers of tortillas with pizza sauce and sausage -- accompanied by refritos and salad. The owner and son are still working on the power. As the after noon progresses, they get one circuit fixed. We'll have bright lights in the dining hall tonight. Then they set out to work on the power to an adjoining building. The power goes on and off all afternoon. D goes to take a nap, and the three of us sit in the hall. The staff kindly keeps our fire going, and sets out coffee and hot water for tea later in the afternoon. They are very gracious.
The sun comes and goes, and the wind continues thin and cold. We take a stroll to visit the pigs, bunnies, sheep, chickens, duck and the siingle turkey, but don't stay out long.
Above the dining hall door, a varnished wooden sign, with letters burned in deep, quotes some sage: "God does not deduct from man's allotted span the days spent in fishing." Below this, it reads: "He takes the same benevolent view of calories consumed at Meling."
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