We were looking for a new stretch of cuota (toll road) towards Morela, according to reports just before Irapuato is a new Salamanca-Leon highway. we saw a few signs as we got near then finally one for Morelia, Salamanca and Leon.
Well Leon was in the wrong direction, Morelia was where we would be going and Salamanca was on the way. Then we quickly came upon the exit for the Salamanca-Leon cuota. As we entered the turn into the exit we spotted a second sign back on the highway that read "MORELA SALIDA 200 METERS". Morelia exit 200 meters. ! ! ! ! ! Very rude words. Too late to get back on the highway, we were well into the exit.
As we joined the highway to LEON we noticed a car ahead of us making an illegal left hairpin turn into the southeast bound lane. By the time we realised that he had done the same thing as we had done, thought about doing the same thing (around several workman) it was too late. It appeared that this had been a temporary exit that was in the process of being closed now the new exit was open. Oh well, we'll take the first retorno. Except there wasn't one. Almost to Leon there was a Silao exit which put us heading south east to Silao, guessing still at least 10 Km away.
Eventually we were back in Silao passing the Guanajuato toll road we had come down one hour and 20 minutes and 165 pesos in tolls earlier. Now we really should stop for fuel before Zihuatanejo. We had spotted a good one an hour and a half ago on the first time around so this time we kept watch for it. We fuelled up and by 11:15 we were back to watching for our exit. This time we made the right one. At 11:30 we paid another 130 pesos in tolls. At least this time we were going in the right direction.
Fifteen minutes later we were on another toll road, one we remembered from previous years. Here we took a ticket and would pay at the end.
Thirty five minutes later we paid 419 pesos and very soon after we were crossing Lago Cuitzeo. Morelia wasn't far away.
This bridge/causeway is 5,600 meters in length.
This highway crosses the main North South Mex 15 to/from Mexico City and leads directly into Morelia. We have heard rumours that they are constructing a new Cuota (Toll Highway) from here to Patzcuaro which would avoid Morelia altogether and save an hour or more on the drive. No sign of it from here as yet.
We had also heard that the Periferico around Morelia was much improved. I think that was a little optimistic. It was better than it had been and much work had been done but the right lane in particular was very rough. However the signage to and from the Periferico was much improved so we didn't miss it and find ourselves in the middle of the city which happened two years ago.
Off the ring road and on the highway to Patzcuaro we began looking for somewhere we could pull off for a quick lunch and a short walk around for Tia. An hour after paying the last toll at Quitzeo we found space near a Pemex. 35 minutes later, at 1:55 PM we were rolling again--next stop: Zihuatanejo.
Six tolls (839 pesos) and three hours later we were off the 37D toll road and south bound on the Mex 200 to Zihuatanejo and one more hour to the Pemex in Z to top up with fuel. 103 Litres @ 14.02 pesos per litre. (Roughly $1.10 Canadian)
According to the fuel tank capacity we probably would have made it with out the fuel stop in Silao but we don't like to take chances. Adding the 141 litres we took there meant we used 244 litres since the previous fill. The most we have ever put in at once was 264 litres. And the low fuel light had been on for a while!
The fuel stop took another 20 minutes and 10 minutes after that, at 6:30, we had arrived at El Manglar just in time to get parked before dark.
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