MexConnect.com Forums: General: Traveling Mexico: Heads up: travel through Monterrey: Page 2

Re: [Altahabana] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Altahabana, would you be so kind as to provide detailed northbound directions to reach the Piedras Negras-Eagle Pass crossing coming from Saltillo? We will need to turn in our car permit and FMTs.

Thanks alot!

Mar 12, 2010, 8:47 AM

Post #27 of 59 (4677 views)

Re: [jackiem] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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I would also appreciate any info on returning to the U.S. through Matamoros or Los Indios. If you have been through those crossings and cannot remember exact details, can you tell me if it was well marked and obvious or not? My current itinerary should have us returning around 3pm on a Sunday.

Mar 12, 2010, 10:59 AM

Post #28 of 59 (4649 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Decisions, decisions, After reading some more past topics and descriptions, I'm now thinking maybe Los Indios / Cd Victoria / SLP is a better option. Most seem to report almost same driving time as the Laredo / Monterrey route and it's shorter.

wynco

Mar 12, 2010, 12:49 PM

Post #29 of 59 (4628 views)

Re: [ken_in_dfw] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Hi there I have been reading all the quotes and replies regarding this topic and NOW I am nervous/. We are planning to leaved Tues to drive up though Matahuala, Monterey and on to Laredo to cross back in USA.

Knowing there is safety in numbers, has anyone thought of an organised drive up of several cars so we can look after each other and have more confidence in the trip. I know that I for one would bring my time forward or delay if we can do as the truckers and CONVOY. Wynco

donemry

Mar 13, 2010, 9:49 AM

Post #30 of 59 (4550 views)

Re: [ken_in_dfw] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Here is the followup to the post by the resident of SLP.

http://www.expatforum.com/...matamoros-south.html

I also read the other links in the original post and cannot find any specific incidents that have affected snowbird travelers on the SLP-Laredo cuotas.

I do have an interest as we will be traveling that way next month on our way home.

ken_in_dfw

Mar 13, 2010, 10:21 AM

Post #31 of 59 (4544 views)

Re: [donemry] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Here is one story from an expat in San Miguel - it happened further back than I remembered it - last summer. But the general trend of corruption among the police in Monterrey has continued since then.

donemry

Mar 13, 2010, 2:12 PM

Post #32 of 59 (4503 views)

Re: [ken_in_dfw] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Ok Ken, if you insist, I will accept that you made a point. I, however, chose not to place a high value on that point.

ken_in_dfw

Mar 13, 2010, 2:44 PM

Post #33 of 59 (4494 views)

Re: [donemry] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Everyone has their own level of risk with which they're willing to live, Don. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer to be informed and then to make my choices accordingly. That doesn't mean I won't take some chances - I will. It just means I want to know what I'm getting into.

RickS

Mar 15, 2010, 2:59 PM

Post #34 of 59 (4397 views)

Re: [jackiem] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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I'm not Altahabana but just made that northbound trip a couple of weeks ago coming from Saltillo and used some of Altahabana's advice .....

Take 2-lane Hiway 57 toll road out of Saltillo/Ramos Arizpe heading for Monclova. It actually says it is a couta but one never comes across any tollbooths! The road is excellent. At Monclova do NOT take the bypass/libramento but go straight through town on 57/Blvd. Pape. No turns. No problem. No Mordida.

Drive 120km north of Monclova to Nueva Rosita and take the cuota (can't miss the signage) from there towards Allende, probably about 50km and $100 pesos. The cuota will end/join the libre just south of Allende and in less than a mile? you will come to a big Military Checkpoint. There will be signs to 'veer right' to 'turn in you car permit' right at the Checkpoint. As you go 'around' the Checkpoint (we're talking feet not kilometers!) to the other side of it you will see the 'Kilometer 26' buildings to your left/west just across highway 57. In the parking lot will be a white shack where you will drive-up and give the attendant your permit papers and he/she will give you a receipt and scrape your sticker off the windshield. Then go inside the gray building there to Immigration and turn in your FM-T and get your Passport stamped. Get back on Hiway 57 north and continue about 40-50 km to Piedras Negras.

As you enter Piedras you will continue into 'town' until you see an intersection that will be plainly marked as the route to the International Border. Take it (Libramento Sur?) to the right, following the signage for several km's and this will take you right to the border crossing. Part of this route is actually a cuota but only a few pesos.

At the border there will be several lanes of US Customs. Pick one. I somehow always pick the slowest one! Once you clear that you are in Eagle Pass.

(This post was edited by RickS on Mar 15, 2010, 3:04 PM)

Mar 16, 2010, 2:33 PM

Post #35 of 59 (4315 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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To follow up, I wavered between Piedras Negras and Los Indios all the way to the end, literally to the split in Houston where I needed to take US-59 or I-10. We went Piedras Negras, and while any trip that ends safely is a good trip, I will try the other way next time. Going Piedras Negras adds 100 miles and 2 hours over the Laredo/Monterrey route. Worst part is all the ridiculously long traffic lights in Monclova which is no big deal in the grand scheme of things but a hassle considering the other route is completely traffic light free. We had a 45 minute wait in Allende as Banjercito cashiers make a 60 second process of taking your money and giving you your change take 10 minutes, and there was a long line. Maybe lots of others were also diverting from NL/Monterrey and the checkpoint was unprepared? Also, they were not changing money at this station. Fortunately we had about fifteen hundred pesos from last trip as the cuota only accept national money.

Worst part was getting a red light and the guy telling us we had a big problem because we had too much stuff and it is not allowed to bring used clothes into Mexico. He wanted us to leave the bags there or go back to Houston. We weren't even as loaded to the hilt as usual. We refused to bend and just said never gonna happen, call your jefe. Back and forth for an hour til he got tired of us and said pasa. One thing I learned a long time ago is when you hear that word, shut up and go immediately. Bottom line, we got into Celaya at 9pm when we usually arrive around 3pm.

Like I said, when the worst thing that happens is you lose a few hours, it was a good trip.

txs

Mar 25, 2010, 9:37 AM

Post #36 of 59 (4130 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Any updates on traveling through Reynosa? I was supposed to leave last weekend, but we put off the trip because my friend's family who lives in McAllen and San Luis Potosi, make the drive to Reynosa every few weeks, advised we wait, increased problems even in SLP - cousin had his truck confiscated yesterday in SLP. We heard the cuota through Monterey was worse. Wondering if anyone has been to or from Reynosa this week.

Mar 25, 2010, 12:18 PM

Post #37 of 59 (4100 views)

Re: [txs] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Hi txs

With all due respect, you don't want historical information....you need current information. You should go to twitter.com. In the search box, type "#Reynosafollow" without the quotes. There is the info you want. Try it now but, more importantly, at the time of your trip. I can't emphasize enough how much better twitter is than newspaper accounts or well meaning posts here about trips in the recent past. Things are too dynamic to depend upon them alone.

Brian

(This post was edited by Brian on Mar 25, 2010, 12:20 PM)

Mar 25, 2010, 12:40 PM

Post #38 of 59 (4093 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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I checked that out and all the results are in Spanish. I thought that I could read Spanish well enough to understand things but he seems to be using shorthand text speak. What does this mean:

AUCHHH 1 DUERM 1 RATITO Y KON LA NOVEDAD K C FUGARON NO + 40 REOS

Mar 25, 2010, 1:15 PM

Post #39 of 59 (4085 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Don't try to be too litteral with twitter. Folks use abbreviations and slang to conform to the 140 character limit. KON probably is short for que onda. Anyway the news is that, while the guard was inattentive (asleep?), 40 inmates have just broken out of the jail in Matamoros. That's a pretty good heads up. Don't pickup any hitchhikers!

(This post was edited by Brian on Mar 25, 2010, 1:21 PM)

Mar 25, 2010, 1:22 PM

Post #40 of 59 (4080 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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I'm not trying to be literal, i'm just trying to understand it. I struggle to understand proper Spanish. I have no chance with slang and shorthand. If I can't understand it, it's not a viable source of information for me.

Mar 25, 2010, 1:30 PM

Post #41 of 59 (4074 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Ok, I understand but don't give up because of the slang. Twitter also has other benefits. You will notice links to other websites for instance. If you click them, they will open up in your web browser and you can use Google translator. Also, frequently observers will take videos of the events and upload them on their cellphones. These links will open with YouTube. Lot's of those photos of shot up vehicles that were picked up by the news agencies came from citizen twitter postings. You are not alone. Twitter has just announced that it is going to automatically translate "tweets" to the default language preferred by individual users. They won't be pretty but should make the messages somewhat understandable.

La Isla

Mar 25, 2010, 1:39 PM

Post #42 of 59 (4069 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Quote

I've never needed to use Google translator (though it might give me a giggle if I did (-: ), but I wonder what it would make of things like

AUCHHH 1 DUERM 1 RATITO Y KON LA NOVEDAD K C FUGARON NO + 40 REOS (more giggles, I'm sure!).

Altahabana

Mar 25, 2010, 3:36 PM

Post #43 of 59 (4037 views)

Re: [La Isla] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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I suspect few ex-pats travel this route to get to the border but there was a gunbattle in the streets of Cerralvo, N.L. between the marines and (presumably) the Zetas around mid-day. Cerralvo is on Hwy 54 about half way between Mier, Tamualipas and Monterrey.

http://www.milenio.com/node/409318

see saw sallie

Mar 26, 2010, 5:49 PM

Post #44 of 59 (3945 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Very valuable Brian. Let us know if there are other twitter accounts to follow in regards to Mexico.

chinagringo

Mar 26, 2010, 6:26 PM

Post #45 of 59 (3935 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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We recently established a business relationship with a Monterrey based architect for the sourcing of products to export to the U.S. In between business related emails, I asked for his evaluation of the situation in and around Monterrey. Out of respect for his privacy, I will not repeat exactly what his evaluation was of the situation in Monterrey but suffice to say, he and his family have been adversely affected and he is quite desperate about where it is headed from here!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

ken_in_dfw

Mar 26, 2010, 7:17 PM

Post #46 of 59 (3925 views)

Re: [see saw sallie] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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Here is a site that aggregates posts from Twitter accounts, as well as regular news sites. As I linked it, it's set for Nuevo Laredo. But once on the site, you could type in Reynosa, Monterrey, Cd. Juarez or any other city and get the same type of feed.

Altahabana

Mar 26, 2010, 7:41 PM

Post #47 of 59 (3915 views)

Re: [ken_in_dfw] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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We hear rumors constantly in Nuevo Laredo, but there are far more documented--verifiable incidents in Reynosa, Monterrey and points in between than in Nuevo Laredo. In my opinion as a resident, not much in going on here.

Mar 27, 2010, 5:23 AM

Post #48 of 59 (3872 views)

Re: [Altahabana] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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The US consul in Nuevo Laredo recently was grilled by the English language television station. He was accused of not being as forthcoming as his counterparts in other areas near the border:

http://www.pro8news.com/.../local/89082357.html

(This post was edited by Rolly on Mar 27, 2010, 7:01 AM)

Altahabana

Mar 27, 2010, 5:49 AM

Post #49 of 59 (3869 views)

Re: [Brian] Heads up: travel through Monterrey

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There was quite a bit of hysteria in Nuevo Laredo in late February and early March, much of it fueled by unverified rumours about events which did not happen (e.g. a shootout on Coloso, a battle leaving 50 dead out near the Lake). The only verified event took place in Anahuac, N.L. over three weeks ago. There are less rumours floating around now and as I said things seem pretty quiet. The verified events are taking place in, around and between Reynosa and Monterrey.

donemry

Mar 27, 2010, 10:05 AM

Post #50 of 59 (3822 views)