Thursday, June 27, 2024

An Extraordinary Copper Canyon Experience at a Tarahumara (Rarámuri) Farm

 And An Unexpected Hike Off the Mountain!

A Gracious Tarahumara Couple at Their Farm

Our Copper Canyon Adventure tour included some unplanned adventures that created special memories for Jon and me that will remain with us forever. We stayed two nights at the wonderful Rancho Cabañas San Isidro Lodge near Urique, Chihuahua. Our guide was one of the ranch owners, a man very knowledgeable about Tarahumara life and culture.

Rancho Cabañas San Isidro Lodge Main Building

For two days, he drove us into the canyon, up and down steep dirt roads, to see many fascinating things. One of the most interesting was a Tarahumara farm in a remote area. We learned firsthand from the Tarahumara couple and our guides what pinole and tesgüino are, how they are made, and their cultural significance.

View of the Mountains and Pine Forest From the Farm

The Tarahumara are also known as Rarámuri, an indigenous people who live in the Copper Canyon in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. In their language, rarámuri means foot runners or those who run fast. Some families live in caves on the steep canyon walls, and many live on farms near springs, growing food for themselves. In the past, they hunted animals, running after them for long distances until their prey collapsed. The foot runners are known today for their ultramarathon champions, running in traditional clothing and sandals. See the Ultra Caballo Blanco Facebook page for more information and videos about today’s Tarahumara runners and the ultramarathons in the Copper Canyon.

Tarahumara Woman Stirring Corn Kernels Toasting Over Fire

When we arrived at the farm, high in the mountains surrounding the Copper Canyon, this Tarahumara woman was ready in her colorful traditional dress and head scarf. She was already roasting corn kernels over a small fire and eager to continue her demonstration of preparing pinole, a staple in their diet high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other nutrients.

She Demonstrated Constantly Stirring the Roasting Corn 

My Turn to Stir the Roasting Corn—It Looked Easy But…

I tried stirring the corn over the fire, but some burned—I must not have stirred consistently and thoroughly. The woman casually picked the blackened kernels out of the hot pot with her fingers before continuing to stir until we heard corn popping. It was time for the next step.

Grinding the Roasted Maize (Corn) with a Metate
A Video of Her Strong Hands Grinding the Maize
View Video Above: Interesting Raramuri Technique of 
Separating The Dry Shell from the Ground Corn Kernels

The pinole was ready when she had ground the corn to a fine powder. We all tasted it to learn about this significant Tarahumara staple. As a powder, it was very dry, fairly tasteless, and hard to swallow. I mixed it with water and tried drinking it, but that wasn’t much better. After adding a sweetener, it was okay, but I think it’s an acquired taste. 

Endurance runners rely on pinole for energy, mixing the powder with fruit or other food before races. They eat pinole powder dry or sometimes sweetened with raw Mexican sugar or mixed with water during races as a power food. 

Dry Pinole and Mixing It In A Drink

Jon Sampling Tesgüino, a Sacred Corn Beer

We were tasting tesgüino and looking around the farm when Michael Miller ran in to see what was happening. Michael and his wife, Kimberly, are marathon runners and organize the annual Caballo Blanco Ultramarathons in the Copper Canyon. They are knowledgeable about the Tarahumara culture, and Michael told me how these indigenous people make tesgüino.

Michael Sampling Tesgüino in Front of Bamboo Stalks

Michael said, “They geminate the corn (yes, blue here) and then hand grind it on a metate. They cook/boil it; it then sits to ferment for a couple of days before it develops some alcohol content (maybe 2-3%), and by the fifth and last day of still, it’s stronger (around 6-7% alcohol).”

Germinating Corn and A Cup of Tesgüino

Rarámuri people celebrate holidays with many hours of dancing and drinking tesgüino, often the day and night before a race. They consider this drink sacred and part of the ceremonies.

Rarámuri Grow Their Own Corn and Fruit on the Farm

Surprise Ending to the Day

Jon and I generously tipped each of our hosts after they finished the demonstration and farm tour. They smiled shyly and thanked us.

Then, there was a surprising turn of events! Our tour guide said his truck tires got stuck in the soft soil when he turned it around. He told us to start walking down the mountain, and he would have another ranch truck pick us up. Jon and I had worn flip-flops, as we weren't expecting any hikes on this tour!

Walking Over Rocks Down the Mountain in Flip-Flops!
Still Walking Through the Pine Forest as the Sun Set
Yeah! A Ranch Truck Arrived at Dusk!

What a memorable day! Luckily, we'd had a snack of pinole and tesgüino to fuel us on this hike. But we were hungry when we arrived back at the ranch house for dinner—boy, home-cooking tasted wonderful that night

I invite you to read some of our early adventures in my eBook, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2. Download it FREE with KindleUnlimited.

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Terry, Jon, and Bella in Yelapa, Mexico

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

𝟮 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗲’𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘅𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝟲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝘁𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀

Jon Loves His Samsung Galaxy Watch6❢

Jon's Favorite Watch Face is Displayed, But It's Changeable

We’ve used (and loved) Fitbit Exercise Trackers, beginning when our daughter, Michelle, gave me my first Fitbit Tracker over ten years ago.
My First Fitbit Tracker Clipped on my Pants Waistband

Since then, Jon and I have regularly upgraded to the Fitbit Smartwatches, from Charge 2 to Charge 4. The features, including Fitness Monitoring, Sleep Monitoring, and Stress Management, are excellent for keeping us on track for healthy living. 

My First Fitbit Charge 2 was Great!

Recently, I realized that Fitbits lack two features that have become critical in our lives. I had to find a replacement health tracker when Jon’s Parkinson’s disease and our lifestyle called for two crucial health monitors.

1. Fall Detection Alerts:

It started when Jon insisted on repairing our motorhome skylight and roof. His balance is poor due to Parkinson's disease, so falls are more likely. Climbing ladders is just asking for trouble. 

Jon Devised a Harness and Rope Safety Mechanism

Jon uses a harness and rope safety mechanism when he climbs ladders. But I was still nervous about falls. (Read 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀! 𝗘𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲)

I decided Jon needed a wearable device to send me an emergency fall detection alert if he fell. After researching options, I found no Fitbit model with a Fall Alert function, so I decided on the Samsung Galaxy Watch6. 

Jon Setting Up His New Watch6 Country

As Guatemala Because Mexico is Not an Option

Jon specified the Emergency Call function to dial my cell phone rather than an ambulance. The watch automatically calls me if he falls. He can also send me an SOS call by pushing the Home button five times. The SOS function causes the watch to emit an emergency alarm so bystanders can hear it, dial my cell phone, and text me.

Jon's Watch6 Calling Me
While It Emits a Siren for 10 Seconds

The Fall Alert relieves much of my worry. I learned one lesson recently when Jon had a hard fall—hard enough that it cracked the Premium Tempered Glass screen protector on his Watch6. I was with him and saw that he went down hard, but I did not receive an Emergency Alert call.

We realized later that we were in the wilderness, without cell service, so the Watch6 could not call. The two guides with us had walkie-talkies in case of emergency, and fortunately, Jon was not hurt enough for them to call for help.

2. Irregular Heart Rhythm Monitoring

Galaxy Watch6 ECG App (In the Background)
Performs Analyses of Heartbeats

Jon was recently diagnosed with first-degree atrioventricular (AV) block. AV block causes irregular heartbeats and is not uncommon in Parkinson’s disease. First-degree AV block is rarely symptomatic but can progress to the degree where a pacemaker is needed.

I like that the Galaxy Watch6 will automatically detect Jon’s irregular heart rhythms and notify him before it becomes an issue. It then alerts him to perform the ECG function using the Watch6. With that information, he’ll be able to notify his doctor if needed and get proper tests done to detect any issues worth questioning.

However, according to Samsung, this new ECG feature requires a Samsung Galaxy device. The phone also needs Android OS 9.0 Pie or higher to run the Samsung Health Monitor App ECG. My Samsung phone, which is only a year and a half old, has a lower operating system, and Jon’s phone is even older than that. 

Costco Mexico Has a Limited Time Online
Offer On Samsung Galaxy Phones!

Jon, always an excellent online shopper, found that Costco Mexico has a fantastic online special deal on the Galaxy A34 (for a limited time). He ordered it immediately!

The next day, my Fitbit strap broke off and was not repairable. I use it in my pocket, which still measures my steps, but that’s not good enough! So, Jon ordered a Watch6 and a Galaxy A34 phone for me, too. I can’t wait for mine to arrive!

My Fitbit Band Broke Off--That's All That's Left!
Soon, I'll Have a Samsung Watch6 Smartwatch
Like Jon's But in Platinum with a Blue Band!

The Samsung Galaxy Watch6 has all of the health monitoring features that Fitbits have and much more. After Jon has used his Watch6 for three months, I can recommend it. I'm interested to see what new features the Watch7 will have, but I didn't want to spend the extra money on it now. Samsung keeps the Watch6 updated very well!

Thank you for reading my blog article. If you have any comments, you can leave them below, and I will reply. 

Please see my Healthy Living in Mexico 5-ebook series (available in all Amazon markets) to learn more about our experiences as travelers and residents in this country. My contemporary fiction novels, In Sickness and In Health 3-book series, give an insight into living in Mexico with Parkinson's disease and other medical conditions. Thank you for reading my books! Please leave reviews or ratings on Amazon so others can find them.