Newspaper Clippings: GUS ARRIOLA'S SECRET'S OUT ...

In 1960, Gus Arriola did something no one expected: He visited Mexico -- for the first time! 

Arriola's fictional San Juan del Monte was completely a creation of his imagination, originally fueled by the stories his father told of having grown up on a hacienda in Sonora, and later bolstered by an eager appreciation of Mexican folk art, music and culture. But, until 1960, Arriola and his family had never been substantially south of the border. 

Western Airlines sponsored the trip, "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to increased understanding and appreciation of Mexico’s culture, its traditions and its people.” 

The promotional benefits of the trip still didn't earn Arriola a pass on producing his normal workload during the trip, requiring what he called "a Herculean effort" of six deadline-driven months to prepare a surplus of strips.

Arriola shared his experiences in Mexico in brief, running in several newspapers. The primary anecdote of the adventure involved finding a cab driver who resembled Gordo: