MexConnect.com Forums: General: Traveling Mexico: Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula: Page 2

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robt65

Jun 30, 2010, 8:20 PM

Post #26 of 33 (6383 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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"While it may not have immunity from crime, I have not heard it mentioned in any of the seemingly daily stories of spectacular violence this year."

Hate to burst your bubble Reefhound, as one poster says it best . . . . "read on McDuff!" The many photos say a great deal! Those aren't trinkets for sale at the local street vendors cart and the guys in the bed of the pickup aren't tour guides.
http://www.blogdelnarco.com/...San+Luis+Potos%C3%AD+

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 30, 2010, 8:23 PM)

norteño

Jun 30, 2010, 8:51 PM

Post #27 of 33 (6374 views)

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Re: [robt65] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Hours after the shootout referred to in the above link there was an engagement in Ríoverde, SLP in which, according to the army, one soldier and two gunmen died. Bloggers, however, are insistent that eleven or more people died.

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/690831.html

It was confirmed that after the incident in Cd. Valles, which began as a confrontation between cartel members, the executed bodies of four men and a woman were found:

http://www.e-consulta.com/...17877&Itemid=114

Reefhound

Jun 30, 2010, 8:53 PM

Post #28 of 33 (6374 views)

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Re: [robt65] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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You do realize that San Luis Potosi is a very large state whose capital is also called San Luis Potosi? We are talking about the city SLP. Your reference and it's colorful photos are from an incident in Ciudad Valles which is a small city in the far eastern part of the state SLP, about a 3 hour drive on Mx70 from the city SLP.

Reefhound

Jun 30, 2010, 8:57 PM

Post #29 of 33 (6370 views)

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Re: [norteño] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Well now, Rio Verde brings us just under two hours from the city SLP and is particularly disturbing to me as I usually spend a few days every March there diving Media Luna.

robt65

Jul 1, 2010, 4:10 AM

Post #30 of 33 (6350 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Hello Reefhound

Yes, Reedhound . . .. . . . . I know exactly where it is as I have driven through and I mean through Rio Verde so many times I can't count them. I love to stop there and go to center town and have my meal before continuing on. Also the best damn oranges in Mexico as far as I personally have yet tasted. Our home is in Galindo in Queretaro and my in-laws home is in Altamira. Every trip I make between the two, I always stop in Rio Verde to get gas and eat. Then I hit the cuota road and on to SLP where I get more gas and further on to Queretaro. My in-laws are from the mountain town of Xilitla, where I have several prosethic patients and stay at a little hotel near to Edward James's architectural miracle. My wife went to school most of her life in C.D. Valles, Yep . . . . . . you bet Reefhound, SLP is indeed a big State and of course C.D. SLP is a big city. Often stop there on the way through at the Home Depot to get whatever for the house repairs. Yep . . . . . .covered quite a bit of both the state and C.D. SLP. For some outfits like the cartels they also don't think that two hours drive is such a long way away.

I am only quoting a famous and most eloquently speaking Alabama boy from some en fraccionamiento residencial campestre in a gringo FM3 / FM2 infested section of Mexico.who said and I quote . . . . . "I have not heard it mentioned in any of the seemingly daily stories of spectacular violence this year." So now you have heard it mentioned. If you dig a little deeper and read on Mc Duff, you will see where indeed several have been causalities of the cartel right in downtown C.D. SLP.

Still I like the area and will continue to make my stops there. One just has to keep themselves informed correctly and not blindly go into places they shouldn't ought to be for their own safety. Know and I mean learn and know your surroundings. So sit back Oh my gifted Lord of the gab from Alabama, have a mud pie and a little Louisiana iced tea and chill!

Robt65.

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jul 1, 2010, 4:26 AM)

robt65

Jul 1, 2010, 4:22 AM

Post #31 of 33 (6347 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Ah . . . my Gifted Crimson Bama Boy,

Next time you go to this area of SLP (the state) drive up into the mountains near Ciudad Valles and stop at Xilitla and stay at a little hotel (the new and closest one near to Edward James's architectural miracle. It is an absolutely beautiful hotel with a small indoor and out door cafe where you can have a real home made meal. Just tell them Dr. Candy sent you. One should not miss this real piece of history stay over the weekend and share in the festivities of the mountain people. It's a great little town with some wonderful restaurants. Drive around the mountain roads inside the town and then take the shortcut to SLP down the back side of the mountain. Check your brakes and tires first though!

Robt65

Reefhound

Jul 1, 2010, 7:59 AM

Post #32 of 33 (6322 views)

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Re: [robt65] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Rob, if we are to consider a place plagued by violence because there was a violent incident within a 2 hour drive of it, that's pretty much all of Mexico. I read your reference and must have missed the mention of casualties in Cd SLP but I did say that the place has no immunity. My point was certainly not that one could drop their guard and consider SLP a safe haven where cartels were non-existent and violence impossible. The cartels are surely there as it's directly on 57 which is a primary route north. My point is that - relatively - Cd SLP is probably about as safe a place to go as anywhere in Mexico.

I'm not even particularly concerned about Rio Verde or Cd Valles or Cd Mante where there have been occasional but rare incidents. It doesn't seem to be a chronic problem there. Sometimes I even wonder if the cartels go around the country creating incidents just to create a perception that they are everywhere and spread the military/police zone of deployment.

Ironically, the only place in Mexico I've actually seen a road sign warning motorists of banditos is in Rio Verde heading out of town towards Cd Valles. So going from Rio Verde to Queretaro, you take the cuota to 57 and drop down rather than going west on Mx70? I've been both ways and the cuota is an easier drive but it adds a lot of miles. I would definitely go that way at night but I find it much quicker to go Mx70.

Xilitla sounds enchanting but I'm a diver so it's Rio Verde, Tamisopo, and Cd Mante for me. Unless I can discover a new watering hole...

Bama boy? Me thinks you have me confused with another hound.

robt65

Jul 1, 2010, 9:37 AM

Post #33 of 33 (6304 views)

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Re: [Reefhound] Seeking road-trip advice from TX to Tapachula

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Reefhound,

Hello and good day to you sir. I owe you an apology. I do indeed have you confused with the other hound.

I hope that you will forgive my erroneous transgression. Sometimes this old man gets up to early and should never start replying until at least after my morning caffeine! I was trying to bait the old goat!

AS it turns out and well it should have . . .. . I only baited myself . . . . Bama Boy is probably nodding off in his hammock somewhere and will have a good laugh when he wakes up and clears his head! Just wait until the old goat sees that admission!

I agree with you about C.D.. SLP being RELTIVELY as safe place as our Galindo and that is for all reasons pretty safe. I do disagree with you about C. D. Valles and Rio Verde for sure. Mante is another story, some but few movements there.

I guess pulling the trailer so many times I rather take the cuota and I guess it has become habit. Don't like the costs but I do like the straight and boring road. The cleanest restrooms and WITH SEATS AND YES EVEN PAPER at the toll station. DON'T BUY ANY THING AT THE LITTLE SHOP THERE THOUGH, IT IS A BIG RIP OFF. Prices are very high for all items in that shop.

Reefhound, I must further try and encourage you to go to Xilitla, believe me . . . . go and try it and I think you will like it. Right on the Frank James Hotel area and within a short 50 foot walking distance is a 100 foot plus mountain waterfall, that must have over the years carved out a rather large (I would think) cavity to explore underwater and you might find some interesting "stuff". I would also think that water to be somewhat cold though, so you might want to bring your wetsuit! It really is a spectacular site to visit.

Robt65

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