Road Trip/Mega-Adventure

[donalds]

$3.65 for 93 octane here in nc

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Road Trip, Day Sixteen: So much Adventure! Today, our Ferry landed in Mazatlan. We had a cabin for the voyage, so we were rested and ready to go. When we found our truck safe and set near the stern of the Ferry, Beverly was so happy she kissed the hood. (Hehehe). Breakfast at the Beach, then a hike around the boardwalk. Then we continued our journey over the Sierra Madre Mountains, with an elevation of over 10,000 feet. Again, difficult photography … deep canyons, high guard rails, dimly lit tunnels, and eighteen wheelers chugging and overheating along the side of the highway. We made it to Durango, Mexico, the home of Pancho Villa. Yay!!!

 

[Mr. Alligator]

3.78 Liters to the Gallon - so close to $4 per gallon in Mexico.

For comparison, here in the Nor-Cal PRK, for Regular Unleaded, I pay $4 a gallon (CASH) and $4.35 (CASH) for Premium for ARCO Brand (BP)

Keep the pics & reports coming - show us some food, I'm hungry - LOL!

@fast_dave Mexican Road Food…

 

[1998Exp]

@fast_dave Mexican Road Food…

View attachment 331440

"Excess calories, excess sugars, excess saturated fats" warnings-- hope you didn't eat those!

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Road Trip, Day Eighteen. Durango, Mexico has an awesome historic district … but could never have located a place to stay without the help of a friendly Security Guard who walked four or five blocks with me and pointed out our historic hotel. Then we had help from the Hotel door man that walked back to our truck and rode with us, directing us through one way streets and confusing downtown traffic to the obscure gated parking behind an ancient wall …. Later, we walked around in the square in the evening. People have been very kind to us Gringos.

And this morning we cruised toward Monterrey…

 

[donalds]

@fast_dave Mexican Road Food…

View attachment 331440

I would sample food the whole way
And gain back the hundred pounds I just lost
My next door neighbor is from the very bottom of Mexico
His mom makes me stuff all the time

Example ill make bbq
She made real tacos she even made real shells from scratch mmm


Loving the pictures thanks for sharing

 

[Mr. Alligator]

"Excess calories, excess sugars, excess saturated fats" warnings-- hope you didn't eat those!

The Mexican government apparently requires this type of labeling on food that most people would eat…. Like chocolate bars, potato chips, and even orange juice.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

@donalds Congratulations on losing one hundred pounds. That is not easy. Well done, sir.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Road Trip Day Nineteen:



Some Thoughts from the Road…. (While I remember.)



We have not seen any Americans, except expatriates, on our since our Baja Adventures.



We have not seen any billboards in Mexico. Except for near the border. It was nice to have less billboards.



The police and military checkpoints never harassed us, and machine guns and heavily armored trucks only gave us confidence that we were safe. The police did signal us over a few times… to give us directions.



Driving across the middle of Mexico was like driving across Texas, maybe in the 1950’s…. The road was bouncy, and we travelled at about 50 mph. There were no on and off exits. There were not many places for fuel or drink. There were no places where we thought we could safely eat any food. We brought lots of food and water with us.



Thoughts of breakdown or mechanical issues were spooky… if anything happened that we could not fix ourselves in 95 degree sun, things would obviously get difficult. I did have three boxes of tools, and an extra starter and fuel pump, but there were many unknown unknowns. We used the air conditioner when temperatures exceeded 90, but tried to be sparing with it.



There are 10,000(+) foot mountain ranges on the East and West coasts of Mexico. There is rugged desert across Central Mexico. Mexico is spectacular.



Traffic patterns are very different… in the Baja, drivers use a left turn signal to indicate that you can pass them. When you first enter this Baja World that makes no sense… but in these places there is no possible left turn available, so it works. In the central Desert, there is only a two lane highway with adequate shoulders. To pass someone, you flash your lights, they pull onto the shoulder, and oncoming traffic pulls onto their shoulder, all at about 55 mph. This provides (sort of) room for the passing vehicle to charge down the middle of the highway. A little scary until you get used to it.



The Baja was even more remote, but the highway did weave through spectacular places.



You are on your own out here… we saw an eighteen wheeler off the highway, stuck, and wedged into a ditch. All traffic stopped. Other eighteen wheelers chained up to it, and pulled it back on to the highway. There were not many people around. Everyone kept going.



Beverly’s scariest moment… forcing open a latch on a ladies room door in the Mexican desert and frightening a large sleeping dog. She quickly closed the door. Later, she found the correct bathroom. And we have not met a ferocious dog down here. Maybe it is too hot for that.



My scariest moment… when it suddenly occurred to me that Beverly did not have a Mexican Tourist stamp with her Passport, and that we might not be able to take the Ferry across the Sea of Cortez … our Adventure would be incomplete. Happily, this never became an issue and we did not have to return all the way back up the Baja peninsula.



This is a different Universe. It is bewildering, and awesome. We have seen things that are unbelievable. It has been a fantastic Adventure.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Road Trip… we have crossed back into the USA at Laredo. Back to the land of McDonalds, billboards, fast highways, and certainty. Although we are almost 1,000 miles from home, it feels like we are easy gliding now.

The border crossing has an emotional impact… we would not want to live the tough, difficult Mexican life, but people were so kind to us. We will miss that. I really hope that we treat strangers, travelers, and foreigners that well in the USA.

We run the truck air conditioner in 80 degree weather. We have ice in our drinks. We are spoiled again.

A few last photos from Monterrey, Mexico, are attached.

 

[Josh P]

You mention how well you were treated as a visitor in Mexico. The first time I went to Canada, I was given bad directions to where I had to make a delivery. I remember asking someone for directions and he said follow me. It was several miles in the wrong direction for him. Everyone was so polite to me.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

You mention how well you were treated as a visitor in Mexico. The first time I went to Canada, I was given bad directions to where I had to make a delivery. I remember asking someone for directions and he said follow me. It was several miles in the wrong direction for him. Everyone was so polite to me.

Outstanding.

Glad to hear it.

 

[Mr. Alligator]

Made it back to Tampa, Florida. 6,000 miles and three weeks later, Road Trip/Mega-Adventure is complete, and was awesome fun.

THANKS in very large part to this Forum, which has allowed me to keep the truck running. Thank you @94Eddie , @Josh P , @RangerX, @EB4X , @donalds, and @1998Exp for the thoughts and comments along the way. And thank you to every Moderator and every Member of this Forum, without whose wisdom and help this would definitely not have been possible.

Thanks again, and drive safe.

 

[Rick]

I just stumbled across this. Elephant feet near Tuba City, AZ. Pass it every time we go to Moab.