Quite a nice day again when we woke this morning, about four hours to Patzcuaro. Since we are already at a Pemex it made sense to fuel up before we left and were on the road at 9:45.
Since we were on the wrong side of a divided highway we had no option but to head north for a bit. There was a returno in the left lane but it was pretty tight and there was a lot of southbound traffic we would have to find a hole in so we trusted ourselves to Mr Garmin and followed the GPS directions to exit to a small town. This led to a roundabout which took us under the highway then a left had us heading south past our last night's stop.
Our route took us through the city watching carefully for signs for the 45D to Salamanca. The GPS and the signs were in agreement once again, we reached the toll booth at 10:45, maybe an hour to our turn south on the 43D to Morelia.
Right on time we left the 45D and paid another toll. Five minutes later on the 43D another toll booth. No payment here, you take a card and pay when you exit. There was a little shop here so we stopped for a pee break for the dogs and Art bought a coffee to keep him awake on the nice straight (mostly) highway.
Then we got behind a group of work trucks, rolling along at some 60 Km/H. They were well over giving an indication that we could pass but we though we'd wait until there was no more oncoming traffic!
We paid the toll ticket (375 pesos) then were soon on the "new" bridge across Laguna Cuitzeo. The first time we crossed this lake many years ago, before the toll road was built, we had to drive though the old village of Cuitzeo which was not fun! The tightest corners on the narrowest of streets. Would have been impassible with our current rig.
This floating bridge is 6 kilometers long. We just missed getting the sign in the photo.
Soon we were approaching the city of Morelia, the highway much improved over the years. We recognised most but not all of it. Morelia has a periferico (ring road) that we were supposed to take, starting at the green pointer, top right, and 11 or 12 kilometers counter clockwise around to the blue pointer.
The GPS seemed to be on track, indicating a left turn several kilometers ahead. Since the right lane was full of vehicles and buses leaving and joining the highway we kept to the second of the three lanes Then we realised that we were in the second of four lanes and noted a sign in passing indicating that Trafico Pesado (heavy vehicles) had to turn right and we were not in the right lane. Then the traffic light ahead turned red the right lane was packed full... we had no option. Mr Garmin still said that our right turn was 2. something kilometers ahead. We were at the green pointer above.
Light turned green so we carried straight on hoping that no Transitos (Traffic Police) would notice us! Our right turn came up, we made the turn, traffic was quite heavy but not too bad. The Garmin then indicated a left turn coming up (red pointer):
Several more kilometer in traffic as seen above and below we finally found ourselves joining a familiar street, the road leading to Patzcuaro. (Blue pointer on the map.) Almost exactly where the perferico exit would have put us.
Whew!
At 2:00 PM we arrived at El Pozo RV Park on the edge of town. There was a wedding party having their photo shoot here when we arrived and we later realised that the reception and party was going on across the street. As Mexican parties go, the music wasn't too loud, at least in comparison the the trains that passed the front gate regularly!
One more day to go!
Odometer: 100340
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