Maz to the border

We actually did get away from Mazatlan at a good hour, hitting the road at 7:00 AM! We did have a long day ahead of us! As soon as the dogs were walked and the rig ready we were rolling--waiting for nothing except a cup of coffee for Gillian to keep the navigator awake!

Due to the construction and traffic pattern changes going on in Mazatlan we retraced our inbound path via the north beaches to the cuota. At the first toll booth we pulled off to the side to feed the dogs and ourselves, a 45 minute stop.

On the road again at 8:15 we rolled through the toll booths (this was going to be an expensive toll day) we arrived at La Pilarica, a Pemex and truck stop in Los Mochis, roughly half way to Maz.

Refueled here, walked the dogs and Art had a very short lie down and we were rolling an hour later, at 1:45PM. During our stop Gillian had filled a travel mug with coffee to help keep Art awake on the drive.

Along the way on essentially straight flat good roads Art set the cruise control to various speeds and watched the effect of speed and fuel use. This was easy to do using our VMSps to monitor fuel use over the past 10 miles. At 80 Km/h (50 mph) we used 11.7 mpg (US gallons of course) Bringing the speed up closer to the speed limit our fuel use deteriorated to 10.4 mpg at 100 Km/h (61 mph). The speed limit for much of the route was 110 Km/h but we pretty well limited our speed to 100.

The tolls for the second half of the trip were slightly less than the first but still not cheap. Toll for the day totaled 1,538 pesos, about $125.00.

We beat sundown by very little if any, arriving at the Totonaka RV Park in San Carlos at 7:00 PM

We set up the satellite system, Gillian cooked dinner, we had a drink and Art went to bed as soon as he was fed! It had been a very long day!

We had called our friends Joe and Christine (whom we had first met in Zihuatanejo some five years ago) and arranged to meet them next morning for breakfast at the Marina Restaurant.

They arrived about 10:AM and we set off in their car for a very nice breakfast--Three of us opted for their Tortilla Espagnola (Spanish Omelet) in effect a fritata. Very nice. Gillian and I had to ask three times for our orange juice (fresh squeezed from fresh, sweet oranges) which when they finally arrived the waiter apologised profusely and said that there would be no charge for the juice. So we left him a good tip instead!






Joe and Christine then took us to a different marina, near where the former El Mariador RV park was located, to show us Joe's new boat--so we went off for a few hours fishing. No keepers, but Art caught two barracuda and Gillian and Christine hooked one each. All were released. We had been hoping for some dorado but. . . . .

They dropped us off back at the RV park so we could rescue the dogs from the rig and Art could take a nap and rest up after such a stressful day.

In the early evening we drove to their house for another visit and dinner, another wonderful time. Sad to be leaving tomorrow.

On the way back Art pulled into a Pemex to fill up the car and while there decided to check the oil, as we hadn't checked it for some time. The oil was fine, and he closed the hood. Or at least partially! The hinge on the driver's side bent instead of retracting! Close inspection showed that it had partially cracked, allowing the thin part left to bend!

Nothing to be done tonight, so much for an early start in the morning.

At least we had time for a good breakfast! A little after 8:00 AM Art went looking for a welder or autobody shop. No body shops in San Carlos, but he did locate a welder who would open at 9:00. Thinking about it Art felt that a body shop would be a better bet so he drove the 10 or 15 kilometers into Guymas. Asking at a Pemex, he discovered that one of the attendants had a brother who had a body shop!

A phone call was made, the man showed up very quickly and said that it was an easy repair: Remove the wipers, the plastic trim then the hinge. Weld and reinforce the break, paint and replace. More time than we really wanted to spend.

Art asked him if we could get the front latch to hold would it be safe to drive at highway speeds with the bent hinge and he assured me it would be. First the bodyman went over to the garbage barrel and returned with an empty oil container. He dribble a few drops in the front latch (which was a bit stiff) and a bit more on the broken hinge, Then we slowly closed the hood while Art pulled the front of the hood to the left and down, the bodyman pushed down on the hood above the hinge. With a click and a thump the hood was closed. Art was told "Don't open it!"

Art gave him 200 pesos for his time and expertise and returned to the RV and we were hooked up and on the way at 10:15. Who said you can't get things done in a hurry in Mexico?!

Before we left we realised that we had spent a significant portion of our pesos--barely enough for fuel, let alone another emergency or our return in the fall. We also hadn't taken a picture of AbqL the Traveling Rock in San Carlos so Gillian set out take care of those small chores while Art was running around San Carlos and Guymas trying to get the car fixed.

The mountains, or more properly hills or rock formations in the photo are known locally as "Las Tetas de Cabra" We'll let you look up the translation yourselves. These rock formations are the first sign that we are nearing San Carlos. El Mirador, the campground that we used to stay in here was located just on the other side. They hid the morning sun.

Looking back at the log book we found that a few years ago going this route we had left San Carlos at 8:45 (delayed by a black water hose incident if I remember correctly) and had arrived in Ajo Arizona at 7:00 PM. We had taken an hour and twenty minute fuel and Lunch break at a stop called Benjamin Hill-which we always refer to as "Benny Hill". Also that year the road from Santa Ana to Sonoyta was being rebuilt, the first half, as far as Caborca, was to be a toll road.

Hoping to minimise fuel and lunch stops, and knowing from the internet that the toll road was finished, we thought we'd make up most if not all of the lost time.

We had an unplanned 15 minute delay about 1:30 at a check point where the military check the rig inside and out for drugs, guns, etc. The soldier outside with Art asked if we had any books in English and Spanish, or if we had a small flashlight to give him. No on both accounts. Inside, the soldier asked Gillian for a beer. When she said "Not when you are working" he replied that he would drink it inside! Again, a no!

A short time later we stopped for a quick lunch at "Benny Hill" and were on the road at 2:08:PM.
Two years ago we had left our lunch stop at 1:40. We had knocked off an hour. So far so good.

Turning on to highway 2 at Santa Ana we found the new toll road to be in excellent condition and made good time--keeping to the speed limit for two reasons--fuel use and we didn't want a ticket at this time! We arrived at the vehicle import and immigration post at Km226 where we handed in our "tourist cards" and canceled 6 month car permit. The motorhome (along with trailers and boats) are allowed a 10 year permit so there was nothing to do there. Checking the log book, we were 5 minutes behind.

Since we were close now the the US Border we decided to take on some more Mexican diesel. At 9.09 pesos (77 cents)per liter it was likely to be a better deal than in the USA where we had heard it ran about $4.00 per US gallon, roughly a dollar a gallon more. In Sonoyta, the Mexican side of the border, we filled up--228 liters for 2072 pesos. Distance driven since last fill: 944 kilometers. From Los Mochis to here, 9.7 mpg (US gallon) and 11.7 to the Imperial gallon. The tank holds 90 US gallons (340 liters) so we have a pretty good range!

At the US Border there were no problems at all--The agent asked us a few questions; On your way back to Canada? Are you both Canadian Citizens? Where in Canada are you from? How long were you in Mexico? Do you have much in food stuffs? Fridge pretty much empty? Fruit? Veg? meat? Very friendly yet efficient.

He asked us it wait a few minutes as they wanted to do a training session with the search dog only on the outside of the vehicles. As the dog and handler approached Trekker and Tia sounded off of course to the amusement of the agent. The when they were right beside the open driver's window the handler gave the dog the "Find it" command and off went Trekker, nose to the floor, looking for what might have been dropped! We was quite put out that there was no treat of food to be found!