Visceral Trekker

Half Moon Bay, CA

2007-11-30T18:28:00.001-05:00

My trip seems to be coming to an end. I have been to Laguna Beach, Santa Barbara, Oakland, San Fransisco, and Sausalito....just to name a few. I have to take some time and update the site with the pictures and places I have been.

I am presently in Half Moon Bay, CA, home of Mavericks beach. It is known as the only place in California with 20 foot plus waves and in some cases 40 foot swells. The website is: http://www.maverickssurf.com/Home/.

I went to the beach and it happened to be a calm day. The surf is supposed to pick up tomorrow and hopefully I will get some shots.

Skateboarding Across the U.S., the World???

2007-11-30T18:18:00.001-05:00

Any suggestions for this guy:

Hello Stan,

My name is Rob Thomson, and I am skateboarding around the world (long story). After crossing the Atlantic on a yacht, I am now about to arrive in Florida to begin skateboarding across the US following the US Adventure Cycle Association's Southern Tier route. I noticed your online journal on the US Adventure Cycle Association's website, and I thought I would drop you a line.

My website about my travels is at www.14degrees.org/en. Basically, in July 2006 I left Japan intending to cycle to England and ended up cycling 7,500 miles across Asia and Europe to Switzerland. In Switzerland I sent my bicycle home and skateboarded the remaining 1,000 miles to England. In England I decided to try to get back to New Zealand without using an airplane - overland by skateboard, over water by yacht.

I managed to get on a yacht delivery from the Canary Islands to the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, and I have spent the last month trying to find a boat to crew for passage on up to the US. Finally I have found one, and I am leaving today for the Bahamas. I hope to arrive in Florida (either Ft. Lauderdale or Miami) by the 15th of December at the latest.

I will be heading over to Tampa after I arrive in Florida, as I have friends there. I wonder if you know of any particular bike shops or book stores in Miami/Ft.Lauderdale that carry the US Adventure Cycle Association's Southern Tier route maps? I haven't been able to get a hold of the maps yet, and I hope to get them once I arrive in Florida.

Kind regards,
Rob Thomson

Los Angeles, Valley of Smokes (SMOG)

2007-11-25T16:33:00.000-05:00

At first glance, the top picture appears to be a view of the coast line. Actually, it is a picture looking down into the valley from a suburb of Los Angeles. It is not fog, this is actually a blanket of smog, obscuring the view of thousands of homes below. I'm not trying to put down LA but I can honestly say I can immediately feel the effects of breathing this air. And with the price of real estate, it is hard to believe one would want to subject themselves. It is not always smog as fog is frequent. The earliest recorded history of Los Angeles dates back to 1542. When Juan Cabrillo described the San Fernando Valley as "The Valley of Smokes" The smoke or as we call it today "smog" came from the bonfires of the Tongvas Indians who lived in the area. More than 200 years later in 1781, a group of Spanish settlers founded a pueblo and named it for "Our Lady, Queen of Angels" and thus the city of Los Angeles was born. Fortunately, the winds from the west (Santa Ana's) come in periodically and blow out the smog leaving clear skies. The above pictures are from downtown LA taken November 24 after some brisk Santa Ana's passed through.

Some Lost Photos, Wildlife

2007-11-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

You see so many wonderful things along the way. The hardest to capture is wildlife. I keep my camera in a pouch near my handlebars, but by the time I pull out the camera, the moment has passed. Not to mention, you would really need an SLR to truly capture quality shots. The above pictures are from south of Marathon, TX. The Mule Deer above started running in the same direction I was traveling as did a Jack Rabbit. When they got far enough ahead, they jumped the fence to crossed the road in front. Two of the deer went over the fence, while the baby of the group actually wiggled it's way through the barbed wire fence.

Also entertaining along the way from Texas to California has been the Greater Roadrunner. These birds fun to watch as they dart across the highways. They can run up to 15 mph, preferring short sprints to flying. While looking up the Roadrunner on Wikipedia, I was able to identify another insect I came across, the Tarantual Hawk Wasp. The Tarantula Hawk Wasp can actually kill and drag a tarantula back to it's nest. It's sting is said to be the most painful of any insect known to mankind. Glad I didn't get to find that out.

My pictures of the roadrunner and wasp just weren't good enough, the photos shown are from Wikipedia with the links below, I have also included a link for the mule deer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadrunner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mule_deer

Bad day enroute to the Hostel in Point Loma

2007-11-20T14:40:00.001-05:00

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Marriott hotel, at least until 6:30am. I got up at 6am and went to the rooftop to take some photos. When I got back to the room, I felt very ill and began to vomit. At $250 a night, there was no way I could stay another night at the hotel. Knowing I had to ride 12 miles to the hostel, I tried to sleep it off and requested a late checkout. It was to no avail. I left the hotel for the hostel. It took me 4 hours and had to vomit several times along the way. In addition, I started having problems on the other end, which I will not go into detail. By the time I reached the hostel, I did not have the energy to unpack. I cleaned up a bit and went right to bed. I was sick for 3 days but finally recovered. I kept to myself and thankfully, no one in the hostel got sick. When I left, I decided to clean out my camel back. As you can see it was green with mold or some other nasty growth....no wonder I got sick.

Hostel Internationals hostel in Point Loma has excellent accommodations which I highly recommend. Their staff is the best in the business and I would definitely return. I met numerous people leading to yet another wonderful experience. There is a very long walkway along the beach where cyclist, roller blades, skateboarders and joggers alike enjoy the fresh sea air and view of the Pacific Ocean.

Pictured above is Olvido Garcia Jaen of Spain. She prepared a seafood Paella which was enjoyed by several of the guests. She is working on her English and getting better everyday. She is in the midst of a 3 month trip, half in the U.S. and half in Mexico.

The pianist is Chris Cavanaugh, 18, from Denver, Colorado. It seems he loves to travel, meet people, experience and learn. He has played the piano since the age of 6 but has no formal training. He entertained all the guests with his talent, he sings and plays the guitar as well. He took advantage of every opportunity to learn a few new words in the native languages of the guests which included Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, and Germany. Best of luck to this talented individual.

Welcome to San Diego

2007-11-20T14:09:00.000-05:00

I stayed in Temecula, CA with a good friend, Richard Olson, who had moved here from Florida. His friend Dave (pictured above) was attending a corporate conference at the Marriott in downtown San Diego. One of the scheduled attendees was a no show and they had an extra room at the hotel. They graciously offered me the room at no charge which I eagerly accepted over the hostel. It is a beautiful hotel in the Gaslamp district of town. "Altitude" is the rooftop restaurant on the 22nd floor overlooking the San Diego Padres stadium. You can watch the games from there, but you probably want to get there early to get what could be the best seat in town. It is truly a beautiful city and apparently well planned. I arrived on Friday afternoon and traffic was still very light. Their highway system is so effective, they say you are never more than 20 minutes from anywhere you need to go in the city.

In the background of the stadium is the famous Coronado Bridge - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Diego-Coronado_Bridge. It has been featured in several movies and television programs. It is also the 3rd deadliest suicide bridge in the US, with over 200 suicides between 1972 and 2000. Unfortunately, the bridge is strictly for motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists are not allowed. It is 200 ft high with clearance for the two San Diego based Nimitz class aircraft carriers to pass underneath.

One thing I love about San Diego is all the healthy activities throughout the area. The skateboard park above is beneath an overpass in the middle of the city. It seems that every road has bike lanes on both sides of the road and the drivers are very courteous.

Q&A

2007-11-19T13:57:00.000-05:00

Hi stan.. thank you for your reply.. you are an encouragement to and for me I'm 50, overweight, high blood pressure, just lost my job, 2 shoulder surgeries and my work term. my position and unemplymt. won't pay-saids that it is medical and not because of economy....your story is an adventure mentally for me to follow up.. I hope that I can do what you do one day...... keep safe and keep exercising my friend..Peter

stan@visceralcycling.com wrote:

That is a bunch of questions:

-finances-where do you stash your loot how much cash or travelers check did you bring in amounts, Variable, usually 50-100 dollars depending on where I am and availability of funds aren't you scare of muggings or stealing when you're sleeping ? NO credit cards are not well accepted anywhere in small towns correct me Usually there is an ATM if I'm wrong, what about your job ? Quit my job what cause you to do this besides health and timeoff, was it a md's final say so ? Did not go to a doctor, I have always exercised and knew I could get up to speed quickly, had injuries to hands and backside that I had to adapt to. where do you charge your cell phone or lap top ? No battery in laptop, have to have outlet. Most RV parks, state parks have outlets, some parks had WI-FI, had an extra battery for the phone. Also could charge devices at restaurants carry any weapons along the way for protections from animals or bad people ? No weapons, suggest having mace, but I trusted my wits camera was it digital and you down load so often, Digital camera with extra rechargeable batteries and 2GB card hold 1000 hi-res photos. how did you map this trip out ? Some through Adventure Cycling maps, some on my own. what about extra spokes, pumps, tires, and tubes ? Carried extra spokes and tubes tools repair kit, etc. did you purposely choose a new bike for this route ? Picked a heavy duty bike that had 36 spokes per wheel, Armadillo tires (on same ones) with 80# of pressure, held up well, never needed anything but tubes. how did you decide what town to go and stay ? Pot Luck what was your diet like daily..Anything I wanted it wasn't just powder drinks and pills ? Usually drank 50% gatorade 50% water, bananas and salt tablets on hot summer days. where did you sleep nitely on the road ? See the web site what were your thoughts along the trips ? Just take everything in radio ? MP3 player but only used when safe (not good on 2 lane highways with no shoulder, need to hear behind you) how did you decide what to bring as in clothing or choices of equiptments such as panniers ? Researched and got the biggest I could get. More than I really needed but filled them nonetheless. More gear, more weight, means more exercise, especially uphill. are you flying back to Fl now soon ? Unknown how did you locate the hostels geographically ? Search online, also had PDA phone with me used Superpages.com, NOTE: Verizon has little service in Louisiana and Texas, recommend Cingular. did you have enought insurance coverage ? No insurance coverage, I know, not too smart.

Agua Caliente, AZ - Dairy Farms in the Desert?

2007-11-06T20:19:00.000-05:00

Surprisingly, there were some large dairy farms found in the desert in areas so dry that grass does not grow. The dairy's grow much of there own feed and can get alfalfa from local farms. They have wells and dig trenches to irrigate the crops. There is a city called Agua Caliente for the hot springs it USED to have. The spring is now dry due to wells required for farming.

I stopped at a dairy near Dateland, AZ. Dateland is a tiny oasis which is supported by a crop of dates and a small forest of date palm trees. You will see the signs along Interstate 8 promoting their world famous Date Milkshake. I didn't try the shake but the dates are tasty.

I met Jesse at the Hedinga Dairy. Jesse has been a dairy farmer his entire life. The dairy has 3000 cows producing 25,000 gallons of milk. The cows are fed 75% grain (corn, malva, soy beans), and 25% hay (alfalfa). He can milk 46 cows at a time and I think each cow gets milked twice a day. It takes about 10 minutes per milking. If my math is correct, that's an average of 2 gallons per cow each milking.

If you didn't notice the fans, they are the type that spray a mist of water. The fans go on when the temperature hits 100 degrees to keep the cows cool.

I was told that all of this milk (4 trucks a day) is shipped to Wisconsin to make cheese. Seems like a long way to go to get milk.

Imperial Sand Dunes - Boys (and Girls) and Their Toys

2007-11-06T19:59:00.000-05:00

They began to arrive in droves in everything from pickup trucks pulling trailers with quads, buggies and motorcycles to the million dollar RV enclosed trailer combos with high performance $150,000 sand rails. They arrived throughout the night filling every available flat spot in the area. There were people from every level of income and occupation all there for one purpose - DUNING.

KS sells whips (flag poles), flags, and lights to help make duning safer making it easier to see when vehicles may be blocked by a ridge of sand. Since these guys also play at night, the safe duners have lights at the top of their whips, although not required legally. As you can imagine with these numbers and with the radical machines in operation, accidents happen. The first death was that evening with someone on a quad breaking their neck. You should not assume this is much more dangerous than anything else. With 200,000 people accidents happen.

A high performance sand rail is pictured above. I had the pleasure of riding in one that could run 160mph on the sand. It was the most intense ride I have ever been on. To give you some idea, the rail had 537 horsepower and weighed only 1200 pounds. They are also called long travels due to the travel permitted by the high performance shocks and suspension systems.

In addition to the typical toys, there were high performance golf carts, Yamaha Rhinos, and even remote control sand rails.

I highly recommend going to the photo album under Imperial Dunes - click here.

Imperial Sand Dunes, CA

2007-11-06T19:28:00.000-05:00

Well I made it to California, unfortunately, San Diego was on fire. I had experienced the fires in Florida when I left in May and knew the smoke could travel far. I figured I would have to find a place to wait it out and my first stop was the Imperial Sand Dunes, approx. 170 miles west of San Diego.

It was an incredible site like I had never seen before. Flowing mountains of sand as far as the eye could see. This was definitely something to check out. When I arrived, the winds were blowing about 35 mph from the north, this was down significantly from the day before. It was a barren but yet beautiful place known as Buttercup. I parked my bike and hike up to the top of the largest visible dune. To get to the top, I had to navigate through a maze of "witches eyes" (deep pits) and "razorbacks" (steep slopes). It was well worth the effort.

As I came off the dune, I ran into Kevin who operates KS Sport Sand Flags. He was one of only four campsites/RVs in the area. He educated me on the area and as to what was about to transpire. The area is used as a playground for ATVs, Quads, Motorcyclist, Dune Buggies, and the ultimate dune machines - Sand Rails (long travelers). This was to be the kick off weekend with 250,000 people descending to the various dunes in the area. He suggested I stick around and provided a place for me to pitch my tent with the wind blocked by RVs.

Kevin, his partner Shelley, and employee Eric began prepping their vending platform to kick off the season. We had a camp fire and they invited me to eat with them. That evening, the first of many to get stuck in the dunes requested Kevin's assistance. David, Steve and Albert buried their jeep in a witches eye. Fortunately for them, KS has a heavy duty truck to help out those in need. I got my first ride in the dunes on their jeep, thanks guys.

BRRRRRR!!!!

2007-10-19T16:21:00.001-04:00

I am now in Gila Bend, but have yet to see a Gila Monster. I camped alongside Interstate 8, last night in a ditch to try and stay out of the wind. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of a mountain range near Stanfield, AZ, and when the sun went down, it got rather cold. Thanks to Randy Wiggins, whom I met in Vail, AZ, he had given me an Army grade wool blanket which made it just bearable.

I was up before light and couldn't wait for the sun to come up. I rode 29 miles to Gila Bend and now have less than 300 miles to San Diego. The next city of any size is 100 miles away, Yuma, AZ. It should get much warmer as I progress southwesterly and the elevation drops. Although I'm pretty sure it was around 90 degrees yesterday before the evening temperature drop.

Kangaroo Saguaro, but not much grass in west Arizona

2007-10-19T15:52:00.000-04:00

Not even the cemetaries have grass in southwestern Arizona, but there are millions of Saguaro Cactuses. When I was in Vail, AZ, about a hundred miles back, I was next to the Saguaro National Park. The Giant Saguaro can grow to 50 feet in height and weight 6 tons or more (that's 12,000 pounds). This lends credence to a story I was told about a couple of drunken fools who were using shotguns on a giant Saguaro. After too many shots at it's base, the cactus fell and killed them both.

The cactus's create many bizarre shapes, but the one above was the strangest of them all, I call it the Kangaroo Saguaro. It was near Stanfield, AZ. You can find more information on Saguaro's at http://www.nps.gov/sagu/naturescience/how-saguaros-grow.htm.

The home above was along Interstate 8 and was loaded with palm trees. Hadn't seen a palm tree in several weeks, so I took a picture.

St. David, AZ

2007-10-17T19:03:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of staying at a ranch in St. David, AZ for several days. St. David is about 20 miles from Tombstone, AZ (OK Corral, Doc Holiday, and the Earps). During my stay there was horseback riding, site seeing, hiking, and cooking. Pictured above are Cindy, Sydney, Myself and Katie. Katie was watching the ranch and taking care of the horses and Peeps (a pet swallow) while her sister was on vacation in Sedona, AZ.

I managed to get on a horse but did not manage to make it for long. It had been 27 years since I had been on a horse. The women appeared to be excellent horsewomen, at times riding bareback and without a bit. We went down to Tombstone and saw the reenactment of the conflict leading to the showdown at the OK Corral. It was an excellent adventure with the complete town decorated like the wild west days and attire to match. I recommend it to the whole family.

Katie's sister Kris returned with Dennis, her husband of 27 years. The picture above is of the start of Trail 279 to the Cochise Stronghold. This hike is 2-1/2 miles up a mountain and back down the other side. It was a fairly arduous but beautiful hike. We all made it to the top, although I thought I might have to carry Katie. Kris made it with energy to spare. Kris was diagnosed with cervical cancer 8 months ago and had lost all energy making it difficult even to feed the horses. She has since elected an alternative homeopathic method of treatment which is meeting with success. The tumor has reduced in size and she obviously has a lot of energy. The major components of the treatment are a vegetarian organic diet of raw foods, juices (35# of carrots a week), no meat and some medicinal teas (Dr. Lorraine Day). Her husband has also followed the diet with her (way to go Dennis). I wish her success in her battle and expect her to make a full recovery. If you want more info on the treatment, click the Contact link to send me a message.

Thanks again for the wonderful experiences and hospitality.

117 miles in one day (no kidding)

2007-10-09T21:02:00.000-04:00

I probably went farther than I should have, but once I had gone 100 miles, there was no place to camp or stay until Willcox, AZ. The weeds were high and no flat spots to set up a tent. Not to mention the rattlesnake population. When I arrived in Willcox, it was dark and I travelled down a narrow road (snake alley) for 4 miles. There was so much movement by snakes and critters, everything started to look like a snake. I actually saw only one.

I stopped at a Rix's bar and grill which had an open door to the street. They let me bring my bike inside and I found that you could cook your own dinner. I grilled up a 6 oz. sirloin, with salad, beans, and Texas toast.

The bartenders name is Diana, she is pictured with her cousin Ernesto. Ernesto suffers from squamous cell cancer and has lost one eye and part of his face to the disease. The cancer has spread to his nose and the other side of his face as well. But he still has hope. I played him in a game of pool, he is a great shot but I got lucky when he scratched on the eight.

San Simone, AZ - 75 miles and Still Going

2007-10-09T20:46:00.000-04:00

My first city in AZ was San Simone. There was a small store there with a myriad of wares including tires and some really big jeans. But what struck me was the phone booth, I hadn't seen one of them in years.

The owner says San Simone is a farming community but fuel prices have prevented them from farming and profiting. About the only thing they can grow somewhat profitably is hay. They used to grow peppers and cotton, but fueling the pumps for the water is too expensive. I asked about windmills and even solar, but he said they don't produce enough water.

I had travelled 75 miles to this point and decided to shoot for the 100 mile mark.

Pay Attention, and Arizona (one more state to go)

2007-10-09T20:39:00.000-04:00

They weren't just kidding about the crosswinds. This is the one time I was glad I have my bike loaded down. The crosswinds in conjunction with the semis created hurricane force winds which I am certain could have lifted lighter bikes and riders off the road.

Always on the look out for the Wide Load lead trucks. The sometimes honk there horns to warn of wide loads behind. I have seen loads extend completely across the shoulder. I have pulled completely off the road several times.

Welcome to Arizona, with the wind at my back and a record day, still going like the energizer bunny. The truckers tell me that the winds blow west only about 10 percent of the time during this season. Taking full advantage. One trucker who normally gets 7.1 miles to the gallon with a 2007 tractor said he was only getting 5 to 6 mpg against the wind, while one going the other way was getting 10 mpg. I had travelled 61 miles when I hit the Arizona border and wasn't about to stop.

Lordsburg, NM and Fraggle Rock

2007-10-09T20:20:00.001-04:00

For those of you who wondered where "Fraggle Rock" was, it is located about 6 miles west of Lordsburg, NM near the Arizona border.

Lordsburg, NM, the cheapest gas I have seen so far. I loaded up a couple gallons on my bike to sell for a profit in California.

Dust storms would appear frequently and move across the roads, they weren't too difficult to dodge, but there can be zero visibility during the driest and windiest parts of the year.

My accomodations for the evening, Deming, NM

2007-10-09T20:06:00.000-04:00

I stayed at a rest stop in New Mexico, two nights ago, 20 miles west of Deming, NM, off I-10. Travelers are actually permitted to stay at rest stops up to 24 hours. I pitched my tent in one of the covered picnic areas. As soon as it got dark, I noticed that the temperature was dropping rapidly. As I certainly did not plan to be on this trip in October, I had not packed proper attire for 40 degree temperatures. I got very little sleep and got up at 5:00am. It was too cold to travel so I elected to work on my computer in the bathroom where it was considerably warmer. I waited for the sun to come up and hit the road.

I took the picture of my tent in the morning and noticed a gentleman on the right edge of the photo who had slept on the ground in a sleeping bag. He didn't sleep in his car because he couldn't stretch out. There are signs everywhere warning of rattlesnakes and scorpions. I guess he is just a tougher man than I. His sleeping bag did look comfortable though.

My first sign on my way to Lordsburg, NM was for the Continental Divide. Looking at the elevation helps explain why it was so cold.

Juarez, Mexico

2007-10-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

The Rio Grande River and fences separate El Paso, Texas from Juarez, Mexico. El Paso has about 700,000 residents, while Juarez has over a million. The pictures above are of the cars waiting to get across from Mexico to the U.S. (there is no wait the other way).

While waiting at the check point, you can have someone wax your car, serve you lunch, shop, or simply have someone play some musica.

For the artists out there

2007-10-09T19:40:00.001-04:00

I kinda like this shot. If there are any artist interested in painting this, I would love to have a print. I have more photos on request. This shot was take near Akula Flats, NM. Sorry, not sure on the species.

Las Cruces and Akela Flats

2007-10-07T12:53:00.000-04:00

I came across Tanner and Evie at New Mexico State University. They were hanging out drinking an ice cold Corona. Tanner is 22 and pursuing a degree in Anthropology. Evie is 27 (doesn't look it) and has recently switched from Mechanical Engineering to Fine Arts. Thanks for the Corona and conversation.

One of my recent stops in New Mexico. It is kind of a souvenir store and gas station. You can find them every 20 miles off of I-10. It was an interesting evening with lots of field mice, owls, people meeting in the middle of the night, and one family who let 3 children out scurrying through the garbage for aluminum cans.

I don't normally do politics....but

2007-10-07T12:46:00.000-04:00

Border Patrol vehicles are stationed along the border for what seems to be every 300 yards. Despite this, I witnessed illegals coming through the fences, ducking into the bushes and crawling through drain pipes.

So what good is a wall or fence along the border of New Mexico or Arizona going to be?

I don't expect it would be any more effective than the Great Wall of China in preventing a present day invasion. We would, however, be able to employ a full time work force for fence repairs as there are hundreds of repairs in the fencing between Juarez and El Paso.

El Paso and the Gardner Hotel and Hostel

2007-10-07T12:33:00.000-04:00

I stayed at the Gardner Hotel and Hostel in El Paso. It's not your typical hostel as all the rooms are private with shared baths at the ends of the hallways. At $34.00 including tax, it ain't cheap either. But it has some history to it including a working 1922 elevator.

On my way out the door, I was packing up my bike and started talking to a gentleman??? on the bench. Just as he inquired about my trip, two people grabbed him and four FBI vehicles pulled up to assist in his arrest. Ofcourse, the FBI would not comment on the case, but the hotel clerk indicated he may have been a sex offender.

So How Did I End up in Pennsylvania!!

2007-10-03T12:27:00.001-04:00

My Dad's 70th birthday was October 1st. I surprised him and my sisters family by flying out of El Paso to Harrisburg on Sunday. I didn't let anyone know and showed up at their doorstep in Shippensburg, PA. Everyone was completely surprised, especially Dad. I called him on the phone to ask him if my package arrived. I said I sent it FedEx with Sunday delivery. He came out the front door to look for the package, and there I was.

Had a wonderful dinner at the Italian Village, pictured above. It was great seeing everyone as I had not been to visit my sister for about a year and a half. The kids seem to have grown by leaps and bounds and I attended one of their soccer games. My last evening, I made some Indian curry. Sorry about the hot pepper Alex.

Got Goat? - Cabrito

2007-09-19T13:56:00.000-04:00

While doing my laundry, I visited with some locals in Marathon at the Fina Gas Station. They were cooking Cabrito or roast goat in the barbeque and invited me to try some. Ernesto owns the gas station and has a carport next to it complete with a picnic table, chairs and a barbeque.

Goats are purchased live for about $35 each. The best tasting goats are the lean ones weighing about 30 pounds which will yield about 17 pounds of edibles. At the Fina, they were only cooking various parts of the goat which included 2 goat heads, liver, kidneys, and ribs. To compliment the meal, there was plenty of ice cold beer, flour tortillas, salt and chile pequenos (really hot small peppers). I tried everything including brain, cheeks, and eyes. The only thing discarded was the black part of the eye as it does not have good flavor. You dig into the socket to get the rest of the eye, place it on a tortilla with a chile pequeno and a dash of salt. Be sure to have the beer ready for when you hit the chile.

The Cabrito festival is this weekend in Marathon with prizes for the best Cabrito as well as other entrees. I have heard that the dogs are going to have a field day dragging the remains of goat carcasses, hoofs and the like throughout the town. You can even cook the hoofs till they break open, scrape out the inside to be added to your favorite Menudo recipe. Menudo is a spicy soup usually made with tripe and organ meats. In pre-revolutionary Mexico, the Hacienda owners would get the meat from the livestock and give whatever remained to the impoverished poor. Nothing went to waste. Today, Menudo is usually served as a weekend specialty at restaurants and is touted to cure hangovers.