About 153 km outside of Hermosillo, Mexico I nearly killed Charlie and I. We were trying to get to the beach from El Paso Texas and decided to drive through the night. I managed to get a couple hours of sleep while Charlie drove and woke up just before the sun rose. We were on the number 16 ¨highway¨ from Chihuahua, winding our way through the mountains. We hit a military road block just after one of the most gorgeous sunrises I have ever seen (granted I haven´t seen many). Shortly there after Charlie asked me to take over so he could rest. I was tired but felt good to drive and took over. I was driving like normal... quite possibly a little fast for the road but I felt comfortable as Charlie slept in the back. The jungle that surrounded us was beautiful and in my moment of brilliance decided to take a picture with the camera that was sitting beside me. A couple of pictures later and I was putting the camera down as we went around a corner... everything happend so fast.
I hit the gravel on the side of the road and the car slid on to a mound of dird skirting the edge of the road and consequently the lip of the gorge. My mind reeled... I was thinking that maybe we´d have to pull the car off the edge or get a tow and then the car began to tip. I believe this is when I let out my first blood curdling ¨NO!¨ we started to slide on our right side into a bunch of small trees which sent us into a chute upside down. My screams came from the depths of my body and woke Charlie as we hurdled down the hill. With every breath came a new scream... I thought I was going to kill us. ´We flipped atleast two maybe three times, once in a roll and twice in a head over heels tumble down a steep dirt hill. We hit the bottom and the ¨fight or flight¨ instinct took over.
I yelled to Charlie to find out that he too was ok and alive and breathing and concious and alive and oh my god we need to get out of here. The adrenaline rushed, I was a mess emotionally. We both managed to climb free of the carnage and I gave him the biggest hug of my life as he tried to calm me down. We hurried up the hill in bare feet to get away from a car that might explode at any time... considering cars do that sometimes. The seriousness of the crash only hit us once we started to climb the hill. We had fallen nearly 30 meters over a distance of only 10. We grappled with vines and trees to get up the muddy slope to the road where we could flag down help.
We flagged down help and told them to call the policia when the came into cell phone range. It was a long time before anything happend. We started to get nervous again and flagged down another car. This time I decided to go into town with some people. I yelled to Charlie and he agreed that it was a good idea.
In the car I sucked down a cigarette and contemplated the situation. I wasn´t nervous until the police stopped us. I couldn´t understand the conversation and what worried me was that they paid no attention to me. It seemed as though the policia estata investigarados knew the man that picked me up. I thought I would go with the police... but they told me to get back in the truck and go to the hospital. I couldn´t say otherwise so I did. At this point my mind reeled... I didn´t know if I was being stolen or our things were being stolen or if they were good guys or bad guys. They kept on telling me not to worry with a grin on their faces which worried me more. We came to a small town and went by the doctor who was away on vacation and then met up with another Police officer. These officers had guns but no badges. No name tags... just guns.
I was worried again as the police only took notice of the people driving and they spoke a lot. I could pick up very little from the hand gestures. Eventually I managed to tell them that I wanted to call home. My worries were lessened when I contacted home and they got me some water. A few breaths and I started to calm myself.
The police still worried me due to their lack of professionalism. It seemed like they wanted our car instead of our wellbeing. Shortly after this, Charlie arrived in a pickup with three working men. The police had told them to take us to the hospital. As we schemed in the back we decided to get the men to turn around and take us back to the car to get our belongings. Some good spanish work and a bunch of hand gestures later we were turned around and heading back to the site. Along the way some Policia Federal pulled us over and took us into their car to show them the site.
Back at the 153km marker we piled our things into the remenants of the van so that they could be hoisted out of the gorge with the van. The cable on the giant tow truck was not long enough so they had to use chains to reach the van. They managed to get it out and we piled the rest of our shit into the smashed up house on wheels.
We gave the men who helped us some stuff including tools and gas and 1000 peso´s for their help. Bernardo, the owner of the truck has since been a huge help to us. Maybe only to get our van, since he is a mechanic... but maybe also because he is a ¨real¨ person.
The federal police were amazing to us and we were fed at a local festival and then taken to Hermosillo to talk with the insurance person. The coverage would not pay us anything for the van but it would cover a hospital bill. So we took the ride to the hospital and got cleaned up. Charlie´s ribs were very sore so he got an x-ray and a few IV´s and then was looked at by a speciallist.
This is all a short version of what went on but it´s an outline.
Since that day we have been staying in a hotel and been eating street food the whole time... TACO´S. With help from Bernardo we retrieved our things and had a home cooked meal and a party with his family and neighbours. We paid for the tow and signed away the car. All we need to do is get home in one piece.
Our plan is to catch a bus to Las Vegas and then fly home soon.
The trip ended in an odd fashion... but we are alive and well which is a miracle. When you see the photo´s you´ll agree.
I´ll reserve my feelings and thoughts on the accident until a later date. There are so many of them and they need some time to find some context and order.
Love you all.
Thomas Sloss
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