El Camino Real, Álamos and Cattle

29 … Cattle and roads, history and food, lifestyle and occupations, ranches and town.

Cattle drive trough the streets of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.  Photo by Anders Tomlinson

Look both ways before crossing the adventurous streets of Alamos.

Sonoran cattle are known for their flavor. Álamos is surrounded by cattle ranches. This is an important aspect of the region’s economy. Hoof beats, clanging cow bells, and cowboy shouts add to the daily music that is Calle Miquel Hidalgo y Castilla, a busy and important street. This small cattle herd is headed west out of town to somewhere out there where the nearest neighborhood is that distant hill or lonely tree.

El Camino Real leaving Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.

On old El Camino Real, Eufracio Robles Luna is headed northwest out of Alamos.

Yes, this is the famous El Camino Real. If you are from the coast of Southern – Central California you might drive on a portion of El Camino Real today. If you follow these cattle, and just keep on going you could end up in Petaluma, CA.
At this moment, we are just past the Álamos airport. Álamos, Sonora, Mexico is behind us and the future of the Californias is ahead. Onward to San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego and points in between. I spent part of my childhood near the El Camino Real, when it was an undivided two lane road with dirt shoulders, in Encinitas, CA. Today, that segment is six lanes wide with additional bicycles lanes, parking spaces and curbs. As I watched these cattle disappear around the bend I could hear my voice, laughing as a child, exploring undeveloped countryside way back when.

cattle on Mt. alamos, Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.  Photo by Anders Tomlinson

And where do Álamos cattle go when their day's grazing is done?

Cattle go anywhere and everywhere across and through Alamos barrios, fields, deserts, forests, hills, mountains … There are cattle loose on top of Mt. Álamos. They are wandering in Arroyo La Aduana, Arroyo Aqua Escondida and Arroyo La Barranca. They go places no man has been. These peaceful cattle were about 30 minutes out of town on a trail into the Sierra de Álamos. Nearby, a ranch hand was pulling up a bucket of water up from a well. And so it is…

Not that long ago the best way to travel to Alamos was by mule train.

Álamos has a 5,000 foot runway, at 1,300 feet elevation, awaiting your landings and takeoffs. The Álamos City Airport, to the west, is minutes away from downtown. Talk about arriving first class.

Alamos Summer Country Afternoon 1:17

It is a summer afternoon just west of the Álamos, Sonora, Mexico airport. There are a couple of small group of men, sitting in the shade, listening to music in Arroyo La Aduana. Cows, cow herders, sun, clouds coming and going, dogs and T.J. Cook are cast members in this gentle video. The year is 1996.

To the east, the Cuchujaqui River is a nearby Álamos summer getaway.

The Cuchujaqui River is to the east of Álamos, Sonora, Mexico. Three arroyos join together in Álamos and flow to the Cuchujaqui River, on to the El Fuerte River and ultimately the Pacific Ocean. It is a cooling retreat for Álamos folks especially in the hot summer. On this day, Antonio, an Álamos dentist, spear-fished one bass, a couple of catfish and many carp.
A good time was had by all
.

From here to there and back again on a Spring Day

There are different ways to get from here to there in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico : a cat rolling on its back, trucks and vans, horseback, walking with an umbrella or a cane and on and on from there to there and back again.

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©2013 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.



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