Copper Canyon Rally
March 2004

James & Anita Fickey

The groups assembled at Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, New Mexico to obtain all documents needed for crossing the border.  We then left for Pistoleros Restaurant in Nuevo Casas Grande, where Jaime, the Manager, welcomed us with plenty of food and liquid refreshments.  He had arranged a pottery demonstration and dances by local school children.  The next day was spent touring the Paquime Ruins and the famous potters at Juan Mata Ortiz.

We then drove to Chihuahua to Parador del Fresno RV Park, where we were greeted by Salvador, the owner, who had a big tent set up for our gatherings.  We had a City Tour, followed by dinner in a local restaurant, with entertainment by folkloric dancers, who are in training for the Ballet Folklorico in Mexico City.  One evening we had our traditional Margarita Party, with mariachi music, potluck heavy hors d’ouevres, and a piñata.

For our trip to the Copper Canyon, we boarded buses at 5:00 a.m. for a drive from the RV Park to the train station in Chihuahua.  We had two meals on the train, a tour of the canyon rim, Tarahumara dancers, racers and basket weaving demonstrations, with ample opportunity for the ladies to buy many, many baskets.  Our tour guide, Pedro Palma, had arranged a superb trip.  Read Pedro’s article on the Copper Canyon and the Tarahumara Indians elsewhere on this website. 

There was a Margarita Party and an excellent dinner provided by our hotel, the Mansion Tarahumara Hotel on the canyon rim.  The next morning, there were horseback and walking tours.  We left by bus in the afternoon for the ride back to our rigs at the RV Park.

We had our Annual Meeting and Rally Dinner the last evening that both groups were together.  The Charity Committee reported at the Annual Meeting that $4,000, a vanload of school supplies and hygiene items, and a pick-up load of clothing were donated by the chapter and our members.  $1,000 of this went to CARE.

As the small groups departed for their trips back home or further down into Mexico, coordinated by sign-up sheets in the tent, there were many hugs all around.

Click on this link for a list of Attendees for the March 2004 - Copper Canyon Rally .