The Cactus Trip Diaries

Greetings from the only Hotel according to Alain – La Quinta Espanol in Metztitlan, for two nights. Last year no wifi, this year …. fingers crossed. The trip down the Barranca de Metztitlan was very dramatic. I set up my dashcam and while I was irritated by the continuous wobbly connection, it seems that I have gained 209 MOV files some of which look very good.

Nice clumps of Mams, some Feros and some caudiciforms – Fouquieria fasciculatus I believe, but wifi not strong enough to send images to Eunice to confirm.

I was fine until around midday, when I hit another brickwall – remember Baja 2013, Angie? – weak as a piece of string.Dinner (rib eye) in 15 minutes if I’m strong enough to chew it.

Ian’s missive reports:
‘Today we drove the Barranca from West to East. Much less nerve wracking when one knows what is ahead and daylight isn’t running out as it was last year! An amazing road with cut backs and stunning scenery. We even added a new plant with clumps of Mammillaria gracilis on the way down to complement at least 3 other Mammillarias including M compressa, Coryphantha clavata, red flowering Ferocactus, large Astrophytum ornatum and Gymnocactus horripilus. Down near the river there were large M. compressa, Ferocactus glaucescens, Echinocactus (platyacanthus) and clumps of Dolicothele longimamma.

Dropping down into the farmed valleys we started seeing Cephalocereus senilis but they will be a target for tomorrow. ….(over dinner) Margaritas got lost in translation so Alain, Chris and Paul ended up with a salad type dish but following incredulity, the liquid beverage
duly arrived.’