Wayside_Wisdom Heard Along the Way
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Los Ebanos Ferry Recently we enjoyed a bicycle excursion to one of our favorite places. About an hour west of our park, right on the north bank of the Rio Grande River, there is a small town by the name of Los Ebanos (the Ebony trees). The town is well-known across the Rio Grande Valley because it is the site of the only hand-drawn ferry boat across the river between the U.S. and Mexico.
We paid our $1 toll on the U.S. side and waited until three cars were loaded. Then we walked our bicycles aboard. The little loading planks were then pulled up and four or five strong men began rhythmically pulling on the large guide rope. Slowly we made our way across the river and landed on the other side in about two minutes. Loading planks were let down on the other end of the little ferry to allow the passengers – cars, pedestrians, and bicycles – to exit. We rode up the south bank to the top where there is a small Mexican customs booth. We waved as we rode by because as U.S. visitors we don’t have to stop. Just beyond the customs house there is a line of small yellow taxis waiting for passengers to take to the near-by village. This time we won’t need them because we have our own two-wheeled transportation. The little Mexican town of Gustavo Diaz Ordaz is about 1 ½ miles from the ferry dock. The road there is hard-surfaced but narrow, and many of the cars that travel this way go very fast. Fortunately, the terrain is flat, open cultivated fields so the visibility is very good. Within fifteen or twenty minutes, we pedal up a small rise, carefully steer our way around several speed bumps and keep a wary eye on several neighborhood dogs that loudly greet our arrival. We have reached the outskirts of Ciudad Diaz Ordaz, home to about 10,000 people. Almost immediately we come to a small open plaza. Grass, flowers, trees and park benches surround a large elevated gazebo for public music concerts. Nearby is a statue of a beloved former Mexican President, Benito Juarez. After a short rest, we carefully ride down a near-by street headed toward the main street of town. This street is hard-surfaced, but many are not and potholes are frequent. Traffic is fairly heavy and we have to watch carefully for on-coming cars at intersections and vehicles backing out of parking places along the edges of the street. It’s a little too early for lunch so we take a leisurely tour around town. Everywhere people wave, smile at us and greet us, "Hola!" (Hello) or "Buenos Dias" (Good day). Some folks even try greeting us in English. The shops down main street are small but appear to be doing a brisk business. Beauty and barber shops, pharmacies, clothing stores, shoe shops, grocery stores, gas stations, snack shops, bakeries, primary schools and small factories line both sides of the street. Street vendors along the way sell barbacoa (barbeque), raspas (shaved fruit-flavored ice), and cold drinks. Before long we head for our favorite restaurant, La Villarta, which specializes in seafood. The menu includes fish soup, fish filet, and shrimp fixed in at least six different ways. The main dish is served with french fries, rice and green salad on the side. We carefully avoid the varieties of hot sauces in the center of the table! There is dessert available, of course, but by the time we have finished the main course we are much too full for anything else! We climb back on our bikes and head out of town along the road to the ferry. The wind has picked up and now is blowing in our faces, slowing us down and making us pedal harder. We reach the ferry dock in about half an hour, wait our turn and board for the return trip. Again we pay $1 per bicycle, this time to the on-board toll-taker. Within minutes we reach the U.S. side of the Rio Grande River, disembark from our unique little craft and climb the hill toward the small customs station on the top. This time we must stop, show our passports and declare anything that we are bringing back into the U.S. from Mexico. The customs official laughs when we tell him that the only thing we are bringing back from Mexico is a delicious seafood meal now digesting in our stomachs! He waves us through customs and we head for our trucks. The time has come to travel back home. Our day of biking beyond the border has been such fun but, like all good things, it has come to an end. mshr Oct. 24, 2009 |
The
river is narrow – less than 100 feet wide – and about
15 feet deep at that point. The ferry boat is small and simple: a
flat deck long enough to hold three cars or pick-up trucks plus bicycles
and pedestrians. Along the up-river side runs a stout rope which is
attached to a sturdy ebony tree on each bank. The boat is loosely secured
to that rope to keep it from floating downstream if the current is strong.