We left Lemon Tree RV Inn on Tuesday, December 5th. The first stop was to fill up with gas at the local Valero station as gas is more expensive in Mexico. We paid US$2.19/gallon for gas at Valero where gas in Mexico varied from $12 pesos in Reynosa to just under $17 pesos/litre (over $1 CAD/litre) in Guadalajara.
We crossed as usual at the Anzalduas Bridge, spending time to purchase visas ($1000 pesos for 2) and the TIP (Temporary Import Permit) for our HHR ($459 USD with $400 to be returned upon departing from Mexico). We traveled toll roads around Monterrey and Saltillo and then took the free Highway 54 south towards Zacatecas. We arrived at Pemex 6712 (about 1/2 hour south of Concepcion del Oro) late in the afternoon where we paid $100 pesos to stay overnight in the motel courtyard which has a locked gate at night.
The next day we headed towards Zacatecas. We spotted one of the most unusual signs we have ever seen. The sign said the the speed limit was reduced to 60 kph in the presence of Monarch butterflies. Wow.
Continuing on, we peaked out at over 8000 feet at Zacatecas and traveled on to Aguascalientes. The truck bypass at Aguascalientes is in very rough condition but they are working on it so hopefully it will be better in a few years. It is the worst road we travel on during our journey south!
On November 15th this year, the Macrolibramiento de Guadalajara toll road opened to bypass Guadalajara. We decided to give it a try. Wow, it was great -- a 4 lane highway 110 km long with no speed bumps (topes) or stop lights. The bypass starts east of Guadalajara at the intersection of Hwys 80D and 90D and travels south almost to Lake Chapala, ending west of Guadalajara near Tequila. It cost us $627 pesos for a Class A motorhome towing a car, about 200 pesos more than going thru Guadalajara. Well worth the price as it saved us a lot of time and stress by not having to go near Guadalajara.
We stopped for the night at our usual spot at the Pemex in Magdalena.
On Thursday we drove the new toll road from Jala to Compostela. It didn't save us any time but it does bypass the winding road of 68D coming south from 15D and better yet, the topes and small towns you encounter if you drive the 15 Libre.
Note: Libre roads are free. D roads are toll.
We safely arrived at our destination in Lo de Marcos shortly after 11 am. Now to set up our site for the winter.
891 miles from Mission and 2947 miles from home.
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