Hola!!
Several people on cave-tex helped me so I wanted to post a trip report on my
adventure to Bustamante Mex this past weekend. My name is Roy Lewis (my
friends call me Puppy) I live near Galveston and I am new to caving, just a few
trips through most of the Texas show caves (as a tourist), and a few small wild
caves in NM along with a few trips in Airman?s as far as Sherwood forest along
with my oldest son Ian (13). I have only had the chance to go to one Houston
Grotto meeting due to my schedule but I will definitely be making more room in
the future. The adventure getting to the cave is half the story so if you want
to get to the cave skip down about a page, or just delete now if it?s all old
news to ya.
I wanted to go to Grutas de Palmito in Bustamante Mex after seeing info on a
project that TSA did on Presidents day. I met another caver that lived in San
Leon MX on the texascaving.com forum and I decided Labor day weekend I would
make my first drive ever across the border. I gathered quite a bit of info
from the TSA site on the presidents day project regarding vehicle and tourist
permits etc, and a few cavers helped me out with waypoints to get me from the
border to Bustamonte along with numerous tips (Which were VERY helpful!! ) The
way point I loved the most was labeled as BEER. :)
So how hard could Mexico possibly be knowing only a few words in Spanish? Since
I was meeting someone in Bustamonte, I thought no problemo. After a little
confusion at the Columbian crossing by entering the wrong building I was
finally directed to the correct building that I had already passed. In tow
were my kids Ian and Bryce (9,13) and my wife Gaylynn. Bryce was quite
startled when the customs officer smiled and gave him tikle to his ribs and
tossed his hair about. His first exposure to a new culture, ahhhh. We got our
tourista cards and then the vehicle permit without any hassle, but I was
surprised none of the Mexican agents were bi-lingual, oh well we figured it all
out with hand gestures. So I smiled said gracias, adios and went on our way.
About 3 miles later we met the Mexican Military. An officer looked into my
wife?s window to look into the back seat giving Gaylynn a good view down the
barrel of an M-16. And I had to show my vehicle permit papers. Then off we go.
We discovered that road work involving big holes in the road are not blocked
off with barricades but rather just indicated with a small pile of rocks. Once
past Anuhac we saw a huge cemetery that we cruised through and were totally
amazed as to the size and detail of the marble surrounding the graves.
Moving on, past lampuzo? we got hungry so we stopped at a roadside stand with
one table, and a grill full of chicken, and goat. So (in sign language again
and my knowledge of polo and carne (the carne got a laugh)) I managed to order
2 plates with a half a chicken on each and a side of goat ribs I think along
with a stack of tortillas and two big cups of really good beans. We shreaded
the meat, wrapped it up in the tortillas and ate our first mex meal. A few
sodas and a refill on the beans and we made it out of there for about 80 pesos
($8). On to Bustamonte.
Driving into the mountains was gorgeous for someone like me that has lived in
Houston too long. Upon arriving at the Agua de canyon I just handed the guy a
100 peso bill unknowing of how much he had asked for and he brought me back 10,
as it turns out, entry was 30 pesos per person So I guess the 9 year old was
free.
We set up 1 tent down near the end past the last spring, not quite knowing if
we could camp there or if we wanted to due to noise and then went swimming. We
ran into two Americans that now live in Monterey and it was nice to talk
English and ask some questions. They suggested we move to a quieter place
which we did later down to what we believe was campground #3, we were the only
campers, we had great shade, next to the spring and a restroom. And butterflies
everywhere!! And all this for just $3 a person I liked this.
That night we ate at Hotel Ancira and my friend from San Leon was suppose to
find me but he never did. The owners son knew English so ordering dinner was
easy and the food was good. The next morning Nico still had not found us and
apperantly had looked near the spring at the end. So I was expecting to have to
hike up to the cave. :( So I shedde the jeans and switched to shorts and
repacked the backpacks for more water which was tough since the helmets take up
so much space.
Upon arriving at the parking lot beneath the trail Nico shows up with an Austin
caver and geologist named Gordon, which also has a 4x4 truck . (big smiles
here). We loaded into Gordon?s truck and headed to the cave after paying 20
pesos per person to get through the gate. The 2.5 miles up to the cave would
be pretty tough if not impossible with my 2 wheel drive f-150, so the fact we
drove a maxima instead of the truck was a moot point.
I headed up to the cave with the kids and Gaylynn with Nico and Gordon behind
us about 10 minutes while they got their stuff together. I said Hola and
introduced myself to Rojgellio(sp) but he started talking to me in spanish so I
had to quickly say no comprehende. He tried talking slower but to no avail on
my part. After minutes of silence I probably confused things more by saying
that senorita Emelie from Texas said hola. He smiled and said si and that was
the last of our conversation but I felt that if I could communicate we could
have talked for hours. Soon after wards Nico arrived and learned that Rojgellio
was trying to ask me if I knew about a group of 8 students that was expected on
a clean up project or something. (The students showed up about 30 minutes
later actually.)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Upon entering the cave I was dumbfounded!! I stopped as soon as I realized the
magnitude of the first room and just attempted to take it all in. It litterally
took my BREATH AWAY! The size, the formations, and all that went though my mind
for the next few minutes was that this was only the FIRST room. After about 30
minutes of roaming around Nico and Gordon led us to the next section for the
climb down the rock slide. Gaylynn was still doing well since the room was soo
large but the climb down was tough on her. The kids just scampered down like
bugs. We heard the students come over the top and they beat my wife and I down
the rock slide easily. I was like, Gaylynn you let little girls pass you up,
she told me my life was at risk with further comments like that. :)
We continued on to where you have to stoop through a narrow opening to get to
another large room before Gaylynn said that was far enough. Nico and Gordon
had already gone ahead in their treck to the red room and beyond while we
enjoyed the Alter and surrounding formations. And of course the sheer size of
all of this.
We slowly began our ascent up the rock slide taking our time. Once back in the
1st room I got to take some pics and really enjoy what was around me by taking
a much closer look.
About an hour later Nico and Gordon came out and with mucho gracias to Rojellio
we headed on our way.
Through Monday we spent plenty of time in the spring, cruising around the town
square, we ate a few other places then the hotel and my son discovered that
when they say hamburger they mean it! Yep they actually put ham on it. And I
loved the goat cheese enchiladas we got next to the square along with the ice
cream and the butterflies and the nice people and my kids seeing that life
isn?t all about playstation and mcdonald?s. I definitely will be back and
hopefully I can help out to make the cave even nicer for those going behind me.
Thank you to those that helped me on my adventure into caving on the grand
scale.
Puppy
AKA Roy Lewis
)?(
And here are my Bustamante cave pics:
http://tinyurl.com/cdaj4
