n Mexico?This stretch of highway crosses the narrow isthmus of Mexico where the winds between the Atlantic (or rather the Gulf of Mexico) and the Pacific blow almost continuously. Broadside winds at 50 km/h are common. There are a number of wind generators in the area; we suspect the first of many more to come.
Half an hour later we were stopped by the police who were stopping all traffic both ways for, as we later found out, an international bicycle race across the Chiapas in the south of Mexico from one end of the Guatemala border to the other. Fortunately we were very close to a Pemex and were able to pull into their parking lot where we could let the dogs out onto a bit of grass. The riders didn't appear for about half an hour! We later realised that this was the only bit of the highway that had shoulders wide enough to park all the traffic they stopped!!
The Mexicans are so patient with this sort of thing up (up to a point). There was lots of cheering for every team and each individual that went by. The Canadian team was apparently near the front though we didn't see them go by. Art visited with a van full of people, some of whom had relatives in Canada; some in Vancouver and a cousin in Nova Scotia. When asked where in Nova Scotia she replied that she couldn't remember the name of the town for sure, maybe Newfoundland! Art tried not to smile too much.
Several times during a gap in the riders vehicles, usually from the back of the pack, would pull out onto the highway to carry on up the road! The officials would wave and yell and eventually get them off the road again though not always before the next group of cyclists came through. During one such episode the State Police arrived and forced a bus driver to drive off the road down onto a very rough patch of rough bush. The bus met a semi crawling along the gravel who had been sent off the highway by city cop down the road! They managed to get past one another and clear of the road just as the next group came by. We don't know how the bus made out--the terrain was pretty bad, we wouldn't have wanted to take our rig into it. It was probably that or a trip to jail!!!! The police officers were pretty irate; there was a lot of yelling and gesturing going on.
When the last cyclist eventually passed by, the race officials and the police just left! No one made any attempt at traffic control to get things moving in an orderly fashion. We were fortunate that Art had moved up a few minutes earlier and had let a taxi and small truck get in front of us. When they reached the road there was just enough room for us to sneak up on their right and when the taxi and truck (now side by side with us a third on the inside) started to pull into the highway they left enough room for us to get our nose out so we were able to follow them out. It only took us a couple of minutes to get rolling but there was a mess behind us as everyone tried to pull into the road ahead of traffic coming up from behind! Time was now 11:30. We had been delayed about an hour and a quarter.The bus that the police sent off the road passed us about half an hour later.
This was on the main East West highway across Chiapas. Can you imagine the authorities in Canada or the USA closing a major highway for more than an hour each at many locations across the country?!
By 2:30 we were surprisingly well along on our route but again (still?) there was a serious lack of road signs and we almost ended up on a new un-mapped toll road to Oaxaca and/or back to the Gulf Coast!n (The double dashed red line on the map) Art managed to make 
a very sudden stop and pulled off hard to the right shoulder and when the traffic cleared made a very tight left turn across the lane and was just able to make the exit ramp that put us back on the right road. 20 minutes later we pulled into a Pemex to park for lunch and a break. We had also missed our turn off near Ventosa(top right of map) to the libre for Tehuantepec where we had planned to stop for the night. The guide book said that the campground couldn't be accessed from the Toll road, so since it was relatively early, we decided to carry on to the coast planning to stop at the first Pemex around 5PM . I gets dark at 6 here and there is almost no twilight.
By 3:PM we were on our way, and soon north bound on the Mex 200! This is the Pacific highway which runs from the Guatemalan border all the way to north of Puerto Vallarta. We were almost at our winter home!
As the kilometers wound by there seemed to be a dearth of Pemex's so watching the kilometer markers and the clock we pushed on. At 6:00 we pulled into Tongolunda Trailer Park in Bahia Huatulco. Art stopped the rig to look over the parking options and Gillian took the dogs out. Art found a site that would do without dragging past too many tree branches and was soon parked. Jacks down, slides out, engine off, 6:10 and it was dark.
Distance driven: 365 Km. Driving time: 6 1/2 hours.
We had checked out this park before when we came down by car 3 years ago, when we flew to Argentina, but Art didn't remember it at all until we were actually there! We stayed two nights, travelling around the area for a bit and had a good visit with some new found friends. They live in the Yukon and live full time in a Class C motorhome. Yes, even in the Yukon in the winter. They say they use a LOT of propane! When Margaret introduced herself Art said "Oh I can remember that, I have a sister named Margaret. I don't suppose your husband's name is Frank?" "No", replied the husband, "my name is Bill"! At which we both broke up laughing--Art also has a brother Bill!
Saturday morning we set off for a leisurely trip to Puerto Escondido, 120 Km, 2 1/2 hours . This is not a high speed highway! Puerto Escondido is undergoing major road works through town. South of the river, the centre of the highway is ripped up for the most part, traffic struggling along very rough dirt on each side. It appears that they are in the process of double laning the highway. At the moment it is a mess!.
In town itself, the main street (not the highway just mentioned) is being refurbished as well; new road surface, new sidewalks and all the stores are being spruced up. Looks promising. We also stocked up on a few groceries as there is a supermarket not far from the campground.
While relaxing at the campground a lady came over and said "I thought I recognised the dogs". We had met her El Manglar in Zihuatanejo last year! She had been travelling with her niece and their departure was delayed when the neice fell ill. It was later diagnosed as Dengue Fever for which there is no cure. She was hospitalised for several days when her temperature rose very high and the doctor didn't like the results of her blood tests. We were pleased to hear that her neice made a complete recovery and she was now treating anouther neice to a trip to Mexico. We noted that a young Mexican lad was hovering around and being very attentive!
We were off and running early (yes, really) next morning, pulling out onto the highway at 6:30 where we took a couple of minutes to hook up the tow car and were on our way by full daylight. We stopped for fuel and breakfast at 8:30, taking about 40 minutes for the break. We were on our way to Acapulco on what we remembered from 3 years ago as a long trip in the car due to truck traffic and very twisty roads. This is why the early start, we didnt want to run into Acapulco evening traffic or darkness.
By 2:30 we were approaching Acapulco, always a traffic nightmare, and so decided to take the toll road towards Cuernavaca and Mexico City. We had come down this toll road from Cuernavaca 5 years ago and knew that there was a cut off back to the Mex 200 on the north side of Acaculco not too far up. At the toll both we confirmed with the attendant that the exit was in 14 KM. His estimate was right on!! The toll was 146 pesos, about $14.00 Canadian. We made the exit and the signage to the " libre" that took us another 30 Kilomerers to the Mex 200 north of Acapulco was for once adequate and accurate! We hit the 200 and turned south again for a short distance and easily found our turn to Pie de la Cuesta and our campground, the Acapulco Trailer Park, about 20 Km north of Acapulco proper.
We were parked and set up by 3:30, well ahead of our estimate, but were glad of the early start as we would not have wanted to do this trip in the dark!. We had time to visit the neighbours, have a swim in the pool, let Trekker run on the beach--he was in Doggy Heaven! We later took a stroll down the strip, found a restaurant overlooking the ocean and had our fill of fillet of fish in garlic and butter! Today's run was 450 kilometers, about 8 1/2 hours driving time. More than we really like to do, but we were nearly there and by being to the north of the city we wouldnt have to face the morning Acapulco traffic.
Next morning as we were getting ready to go we heard the long drawn out cry "boliiioooooos". Looking out the front of the motorhome we could see a woman with a basket balanced on her head and as there was no bread for Art's breakfast toast, he grabbed some change and went to the street, finding her a little distance up the sidewalk. He bought 4 fresh bolios (a Portuguese bun, a sort of elongated bread roll) and at the last minute added a cinnamon bun! (Which he generously shared with Gillian.
We were on the road to Zihuat shortly after 9:00. About an hour and a half later we were astounded to see a toll road signed for Zihuatanejo! The sign also indicated "Trafico Pesado Obligatorio" (Heavy Traffic Obligatory). We are considered heavy traffic--anything with dual wheels or pulling a trailer-- so off we went. We were at that instant happy to pay the toll of only 43 pesos, about $4.00 Canadian. But! 3 Kilometers later the toll road ended. It was just a bypass for the town of Tecpan! Has to be the most expensive toll road per kilometer!
Just south of Zihuatanejo, at the airport turnoff, we pulled into a Pemex where we un-hooked the car and fuelled both vehicles. Art and the dogs carried on in the motorhome and Gillian in the Tracker and by 1:30 we were parked in our spot at El Manglar. A quick run for the dogs and then down to the restaurant for lunch. It was nice that Memo, the restaurant owner, Rosa, the chef and Edmundo, the RV Park owner, were there to greet us by name and with big smiles.
We're "home" for the winter! Surprisingly, though we had a reservation for the 1st of December, (today) we never counted back to work out a travel schedule. We'd just say once in a while "we better move along if we want to be there somewhere around the first"!
We now have to get the camera repaired and over the next few days set up the site properly for a longer stay; Barbecue, Chairs, Lounge, Tables, Car-port, Starchoice satellite dish etc. etc. etc. It will probably take us a week, but whats the rush? Art remembers his mother piling 6 kids into a 2 door '53 Chevy, along with a coleman stove, bedding, clothes, towels, food, dishes and a 9x12 canvas tent for a week in Parksville! (Dad's vacation was to stay home alone to read and work in garden!)
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