This is one of the wonderful stories Micah originally wrote on his site caballoblanco.com.
By Micah True
It was a sunny winter day in the Batopilas canyon of the Copper Canyon region of Mexico. The man called 'Caballo Blanco' was running back from the Tarahumara village of Munerachi, where he had looped into from a mountain trail and was now running trails along the river on his way back to his home in the deep canyon town of Batopilas. He passed an ancient Tarahumara indian walking along the trail. The two foot travelers acknowledged each other with the tarahumara greeting 'kuira'[hello].
Caballo Blanco had finished his 24 odd miles on the trail, had taken a shower, walked to 'Clarita's' for lunch, visited with friends all day, and was now sitting on the porch of his friend Mario's tienda[store] when the ancient old Indian whom he had passed in the morning, was entering the town of Batopilas, some 12 miles from where Caballo Blanco had encountered the old timer hours before. Caballo Blanco asked Mario to get him something to eat and drink, quickly!
Upon the old mans passing the tienda, Caballo Blanco handed the ancient Tarahumara elder a bottle of Coke and some really sweet cookies, along with mouthing the word 'korima'[gift]! This kind of junk food was not what the running man would have given had he had his druthers, but the old man responded with a big toothless grin and happily accepted the sweet treats. Mario, who speaks fluent Tarahumara, conversed with the old indian awhile, speaking very slowly, forming each word carefully, as the old indian was deaf and could read lips.
The 'gringo' called Caballo Blanco was moved. This old Tarahumara indian was nearly 100 years old, and he was still walking the trails all day to get to where he was going. Nobody ever told him that he could not do this! Nobody ever told him that he was supposed to be in an old folks home, or hospital. This old Tarahumara would walk until he died, and there was something profoundly beautiful about this.
What are our limitations? Are these limitations dictated by our culture? Quien sabe. To me, this old Tarahumara indian is a hero, an inspiration, a free man.
Run Free, Micah True [Caballo Blanco] La Sierra Madre--Mexico