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Well, we really hit pay dirt this time. A couple years ago, or so, I read Pedro Navaja's RR about Parras de la Fuente and it really put the hook in me to see the town, tour the winery and especially check out the old hacienda where one of my favorite westerns was filmed. Last night we met some locals who worked as extras, some had bit parts, and they gave me the owner's contact info. I couldn't get him by phone so we hired a taxi for the day and went in search of the hacienda. My Google Maps research paid off and we found the place. The owner came out to greet us then proceeded to give the Grand Tour of the place. Trice and I were like the 6th and 7th gringos to visit the hacienda in the last 5-6 years. Had a great time and now need to watch the movie again. More pix later
Sam Peckinpah Anyone remember him? The original Straw Dogs? Had to sneak into the movies to see his flicks, they were always an R rating. If you don't know him, check out the Monty Python sketch of "If Sam Peckinpah Directed A British Tea Party". Classic. When the Python gang spoof you, you have been doing something damn good to earn it. This is a very interesting little ride you guys have going!
"Gen. Mapache's headquarters, where the climatic shootout takes place between the Wild Bunch and Mapache's soldiers, was actually an abandoned winery outside the town of Parras in Coahuila, Mexico. The shootout that opened the film, which was when the Wild Bunch was ambushed by bounty hunters while robbing the railroad office in the Texas town of Starbuck, was actually shot on the Main Street of downtown Parras." The man who owns the site still grows grapes on the property The well-filmed arches (the exterior tall ones) support an aquaduct, and are easily climbed for a great view. We have the GPS coordinates for the location, but are hesitant to post them (and the owner's name) out of respect for his privacy. I do suppose I would give them to someone but there is fun in tracking the place down. You would think more residents of Parras would know but this isn't the case. A big GS could handle the roads out there but it would be tough during or after a heavy rain. There are two arroyo crossings that are fine in dry weather but showed definite signs of being a challenge if not impassable after rain.
Hey Schiz, here's a little look at what's shaping up for this week. That's an "onda del este" and it will roll across the Yucatan, into the Gulf and be soaking the Veracruz/Tabasco/Chiapas/Oaxaca areas. Don't be afraid to get a long range weather report while in the Mex DF area and sit for a day or two if necessary. Sunday is looking not bad, maybe Friday, but Saturday looks like a pretty good rainfall accumulation.
I brought a fistful of puros just for this possibility. But if it looks like riding is out for the weekend I'll spend it in Mexico City instead. Let me know.
Funny, we approached several people about the hacienda and one old man replied, "Sam Peckinpah!" All he said. Nobody, and I mean nobody, could tell us where the hacienda was. I used the internet to find it and with our driver's help we drove straight to it. The PAN candidate for mayor had given me the owner's name and number so when he walked out to us I could greet him by name, shake hands, all that. He was a very generous host and shared several interesting anecdotes from the days of filming. Best move was when I climbed up onto the viaducto and walked its length taking pictures.
its not a bad place.. you can enjoy a lot ... Only thing is you should always get hold of a local well experienced guy as a guide.. Then no issue..
The first caudillo of the Mexican Revolution was not a peasant or a worker. He was the wealthy heir of one of the five richest families in Mexico: the Maderos. In the state of Coahuila, Francisco Maderos grandfather Evaristo, the founder of the dynasty, created the Compañía Industrial de Parras, originally involved in vineyards, cotton growing, and textile production but soon to become the center of a business empire: mining concessions; cotton mills in Coahuila, Nuevo León, the Gulf, Sonora, and Yucatán; cattle ranches; the Bank of Nuevo León; coal companies; rubber plantations; foundries. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the sun never set on the Madero dominions. Excerpt From: Krauze, Enrique. Mexico. HarperCollins. iBooks.
Really. Shouts out Tacky Old Gringo Tourist. When I started to ride in Mexico circa 1839 or so it was considered highly disrespectful for an adult to wear shorts outside of the beach area. Things have lightened up over the last decade or so but as recently as the 80's or 90's there were stories of folks being threatened with arrest in the District Federal for wearing shorts in public. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
?? Considering that Mexico only spans three time zones, unless Madero was active in Asia and Europe, I'd say the sun did set on his Empire.
There are no fashion police in Mexico. There is a fashion army, though. Nobody really cares what anyone wears outside of some of the stuffy areas like DF or a crowd of lawyers in Culiacan or some place. Times have changed. However, Euros in Speedos trying their best to hide the grapes or gifted and endowed Canadians like myself who look like they have a platano macho in their drawers must use discretion at all times. I honestly don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse. The only time I have seen clothing cause a problem was with a visiting moto-journalist with a penchant for buying camo pants in odd colors on eBay because they are cheap and cheerful and wear well while covering many miles in less than ideal conditions. He also rides a KLR. Fairly well, mind you. He was stopped by the Mexican marines a few blocks from my house because his camo pattern du jour happened to be exactly like that of the Mexican marines (the off blue/purple color and pattern). The fact that he also had a head sock thing covering part of his face and long hair hanging out the back of his helmet, piqued the interest of the patrol. After having almost p'd my pants laughing, I was able to translate for the patrol and tell him that he was being stopped for a fashion accident. Which goes to prove, you don't have to be too far from home for odd stuff to happen. At least in the tropics, anyways. I know a local guy who wears shorts to the tata bars (do not confuse them with the tapa bars) because he says he enjoys the lap dances more that way. Did I mention it is warm here and I have been outside without a hat?
Hilarious! Tata bars? That must be where the Asian Indian nationals get together and discuss autos back in their homeland. Can't be a tit club because I remember when Team Tacky Old Gringo (a/k/a Schizz and Trice) criticized Yours Truly for discussin' gents clubs and drinkin' and other such manly things. Of course, that was before Schizz's rumored unfortunate experience at the Red Dragon in Mazatlan ... I am probably just old fashioned. I wear shorts in the USA but never in Mexico but around here when you hit a border town the only time that you will see an adult wearing shorts it's a hip hop kid with baggy shorts that extend below his knees. Years ago there was a story - I suspect that I read it here somewhere - of a rider getting questioned because he wore military-styled boots as riding boots. That was somewhere in Baja - no big deal. I remember a bunch of young ladies wearing some pretty revealing Lycra cycling clothing in the beach resort area outside Tampico and I remember thinking that if they had gone down to the Centro they would have really stood out. That area was full of Canadians and French-speaking folks (at the time I assumed Euros but now that you bring this up I wonder if they were Canadians). Anyway, a beautiful area with plenty of resorts and in 3-4 days of hanging out I only ran into 2 others from the USA. One has to laugh at this stuff. The next time that I go riding I'll have to invite Larry the Cable Guy to join me. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Chillin' at the Hotel Gobernador in Durango after a great ride with a great Amigo. As promised, another pic of La Hacienda Cienega del Carmen. So, quiz time. Who can tell us why a hacienda miles from any body of water has the image of a ship's anchor on the façade?
