Checkpoint Made Me a Little Nervous

Hey hi everyone! :-) Hope all is well. Life in Hermosillo is going really good. Highlights of the week are that we had 71 at our Memorial. Last year there were 20 so that is a pretty significant increase. Bible studies are going good, so that makes me pretty happy too. The other awesome thing is that I found an EXCELLENT recreation area. I really like the beach for exercise, but the mountains for walking and hiking are much more my thing...especially with Harvey and Pearl. Well, about two weeks ago I was sitting at a table on the sidewalk at a local Caffenio having a morning coffee when a couple dressed in mountain biking clothes with their bikes came over to talk to me. They were telling me that the mountains here are laced with trails that they ride on daily. However, I forgot to ask them where the trailhead is. So earlier this week Harvey and Pearl and I went out "Sunday driving" and I decided to look for the trailhead area. It turned out it was just across from the other university. There were tons of trucks with bikes parked there and people out flying kites, and people on ATVs, so I parked the truck and took off up one of the trails. Absolutely WONDERFUL trails! We have been back three times this week now, and I have to say that this morning my calf muscles and ankles are a little sore. And once we really got walking I realized how much I missed hiking. Very peaceful and good exercise. Anyway, this morning, Saturday, since I don't have a Bible study until 10am I thought we should get up at 6:30a and get over there for a morning walk. As we were coming down the hill though I rounded a bend and saw two federal police trucks blocking the trail, with the officers out on the ground with their guns out. All I could think was "oh great...do I go the other direction...I don't know another way off this mountain...or do we sit in the bushes until they go.." Anyway they were whistling for me to come forward so I felt I had no choice, especially since there seemed to be only one route between me and my truck and they were in the middle of it. I called out that I spoke minimal Spanish so their expectations wouldn't be too high. They checked us over and then noticed that I was carrying a baton on my hip. They wanted to know why, so I explained in my terrible Spanish that if any MUCHO GRANDE WILD PERROS attacked us on the trails I could bonk them on the head. They didn't know the word WILD or BONK but understood when I gave them my best demonstration with my arms and mouth of something big with flailing claws, and gnashing teeth. I don't have much pride so I think my demonstration of it supposingly attacking us was pretty good, and then my demonstration of me disabling it was well understood because they smiled as if they understood. They wanted to look at it closely so I handed it over and then when they realized it was also a stun gun they absolutely thought it was the coolest thing and had to try it, so there were lots of smiles and laughs as they watched the blue streaks come off the end. I was relieved though when they handed it back. In the end they told me they were searching for the owner of a certain truck on the mountain, but when I told them mine was parked at the OXO they waved good-bye. ...Turned out good but I think the next time if something like that happens again I will hide the baton before approaching. Tonight we are having a congregation get together so that should be tons of fun again - lots of guitar playing and singing again I hope. Will tell ya all about it. :-)

Love to everyone,
d :-)