Day 42: Day off in Batopilas

We all decided to take a day off in Batopilas. We wanted to explore the town a bit more and could use the rest as well as get caught up on things like doing laundry and working on the bike.

I really like the feel of this small town and Juanita is a super nice old lady. Every morning all the town folks are outside sweeping up the streets/sidewalks and making it neat and tidy. I like that they take pride in their town.

Mex_05Oct13_003 — Our hotel viewed from the river bank

Mex_05Oct13_004 — The central plaza. It’s still early so not many people out yet. In the afternoon, this place is busy.

Mex_05Oct13_006 — Doing laundry, the old school way

Mex_05Oct13_007 — Hotel Juanita lives up to the sign out front. There were hummingbirds buzzing around the court yard all day.

Mex_05Oct13_011 — A bunch of locals(?) over at Juanitas watching the football (soccer) game.. Juanita refered to them as ‘ellos borrachos’ 😆

We took a tour of the silver mine historic center. The guide speaks fairly good english and we learned a lot about Batopilas and the silver mining in the area.

It was nice to have a day off and just hang out around the hotel and explore the town a bit. We would need the rest because we had another day of off road dual-sport riding ahead of us as we worked our way out of Copper Canyon.

Cartel/Narco activity in Mexico/Copper Canyon/Batopilas:

I wasn’t sure I was going to post this bit since I don’t want it to negatively skew anyones view on Mexico. Everyone’s heard of the drug war in Mexico and all the Cartel/Narco activity.. Well, Copper Canyon and Batopilas especially is the heart of where a bunch of cartels operate from. The mountains and canyons provide them safe haven from the federales and they operate with impunity here. You can easily see green patches up on the mountains far from the road where they are likely growing weed. The Mexican Military doesn’t come here and the local cops have some sort of agreement with the cartel to not intervene.

While in Batopilas, we regularly saw cartel members driving around in the back of brand new 2013 Ford F150 Platinum trucks with 4-5 guys in the back carrying machine guns.. it’s blatantly apparent and I think they want it that way, as if a show of force. All the cartel members carry radios on their waist and I’m fairly sure they knew where we were at all times. With that said, we never once felt threatened or worried for our safety. The cartel doesn’t care about gringos on motorbikes riding the mountain roads so long as you don’t screw with their business. An American or Canadian gone missing or dead in the area would be additional national attention that they don’t want, so they really just ignore us. Don’t ask questions, don’t take pictures of them, etc.. just pretend they don’t exist and you’ll have a great time in the area.

So yeah, Cooper Canyon and Batopilas are must ride places. Do not skip this area. Just don’t be stupid and you’ll have a great time.

Jeff says:

October 8, 2013 at 06:41

Leaving from Tucson tomorrow for Copper Canyon,, how is the weather? Which route are you taking back out? I will be on a 1200 GS and have been in canyon twice before but never took the route to Alamos or El Fuerte.. Wh was your contact in Creel to ask about riding alone from Urique to El Fuerte

Moto-Mikey says:

October 8, 2013 at 07:24

The weather is perfect in the Sierra Madre mountains. Lows in the upper 40s and highs in the mid 70s. Batopilas is hotter since it’s at the bottom of the canyon; high around 90 and low around 75. We took a dirt road out that is about 4km north of Bato and goes through Yoqivo to Guachochi. We just asked a bunch of locals about the road to Bato (thus the widely varied info). I was told that ‘3 Amigos’ (a tour operator) in Creel has really good info on the area and roads. We didn’t talk to them but heard they are informative. I think this is their site: http://www.amigos3.com

1. Jeff says:
  
  October 8, 2013 at 07:41
  
  Thanks,,, which way are you going out? to Guachochi east ? Or Alamos or El Fuerte west toward Pacific?
  
  1. Moto-Mikey says:
    
    October 8, 2013 at 13:50
    
    Batopilas to Guachochi to Durango
    
    1. Jeff says:
      
      October 8, 2013 at 14:59
      
      Durango is sweet, try and stay in centro, I rode the devils backbone a couple times and want to ride the new quota to Mazatlan.. Are you going to ride the coast? I rode all the way down through Central America ,sailed the gap and left moto parked in Cali Columbia, to finish this Jan to Patagonia. So I will riding along with you, be safe, looks like your doing all the right things…
    2. Moto-Mikey says:
      
      October 8, 2013 at 16:30
      
      I’m in Zacatecas now and was in Durango yesterday. Gonna head to Guanajunto in the next day or 2 and then a few other small cities/towns before heading down to the coast near Ziahuatanejo. Going to ride along the ocean to Puerto Escondido and then up to Oaxaca.. from there who knows?

Janet says:

October 8, 2013 at 07:13

So impressed with your imput on this beautiful little town. Enjoy and be safe. I love you…..

chabon says:

October 8, 2013 at 18:23

Really enjoy the report. Your gear list is very good information also. Will be making third trip to canyon (in two years) next month. Besides the cartels there are vigilante civilian patrols or community police (fuerzas autodefensas) that look as intimidating as the cartels and carry radios and AK’s. Hard to tell apart. You are being monitored by several groups just to see that you don’t get into trouble. Ever notice how everyone knows your coming into town before you get there?

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