Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

RickS

Sep 4, 2010, 1:53 PM

Post #1 of 22 (6001 views)

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Devil's Backbone

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Does anyone know the current status of the 'new' cuota from Durango to Mazatlan? Last I heard some (many) of the bridges were constructed but the road was not yet finished.

chinagringo

Sep 7, 2010, 11:34 AM

Post #2 of 22 (5854 views)

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Re: [RickS] Devil's Backbone

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Rick:
If my memory serves me correctly, I believe that I read that completion was not scheduled until 2012. Just ran across the following article, which discusses some "issues" with construction:

http://www.blogdelnarco.com/...nes-contra.html#more
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Moisheh

Sep 7, 2010, 5:11 PM

Post #3 of 22 (5806 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Devil's Backbone

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That link " Blog de Narco" should be banned. It dumps lots of junk into your computer!!

chinagringo

Sep 7, 2010, 6:00 PM

Post #4 of 22 (5799 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Devil's Backbone

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Can you explain? None of my security software seems to have a problem with it.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Altahabana

Sep 8, 2010, 4:31 AM

Post #5 of 22 (5745 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Devil's Backbone

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"Blog de Narco should be banned. It dumps lots of junk into your computer!!"

Or some might say it dumps a huge dose of the reality about narco-violence on the public. Don't click if you don't want to see it.

There was an interesting newspaper article about the Blog del Narco that was posted here last month. Apparently both the cartels and the government feed information, photographs and videos to the blog for their own purposes.

Moisheh

Sep 8, 2010, 5:13 AM

Post #6 of 22 (5742 views)

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Re: [Altahabana] Devil's Backbone

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altahabana: I have no problem with the content. But all the pop ups are annoying. Twice I clicked on this link and within minutes I had to clean my registry and run Maleware. A Spam site. Borerland beat is my favorite for current narco info.

Moisheh

Altahabana

Sep 8, 2010, 5:36 AM

Post #7 of 22 (5736 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Devil's Backbone

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Sorry. Obviously I misinterpreted your remark about dumping junk into the computer. As far as the substance goes, Blog del Narco has much more graphic content generally than Borderland Beat, although BB runs some of the same stories as BdeN. Borderland Beat seems to focus more on editorial comment and analysis of situations.

chicois8

Sep 8, 2010, 7:43 AM

Post #8 of 22 (5714 views)

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Re: [RickS] Devil's Backbone

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It is amazing how fast a thread can be hijacked,
anyway RickS here is a site that sparks posted on April 21/10,
it may help or provide a futher link to answer your question...hope this helps

http://www.highestbridges.com/...itle=Baluarte_Bridge

RickS

Sep 8, 2010, 8:29 AM

Post #9 of 22 (5700 views)

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Re: [chicois8] Devil's Backbone

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Thanks, chicois8, I must have missed that back then. What a bridge!

Rolly

Sep 8, 2010, 8:33 AM

Post #10 of 22 (5699 views)

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Re: [chicois8] Devil's Backbone

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I have looked at those pictures many times, and I am still awestruck.
I hope someone is make a documentary of the construction.

Rolly Pirate

tonyburton

Sep 8, 2010, 12:12 PM

Post #11 of 22 (5668 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Devil's Backbone

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Expect a BBC documentary in due course! They contacted us (Rick Rhoda and myself) a few weeks ago for some additional information to that in our first blog post about the highway and bridge. Yesterday, we added to our blog another short piece abut the possible economic impact of the bridge.

jerezano

Sep 9, 2010, 10:01 AM

Post #12 of 22 (5562 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Devil's Backbone

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Hello all,

According to official government statements it is expected that the Mar to Mar highway will be completed by the end of this year--2010. Apparently the big problem seems to be that spectacular bridge which is now under construction and is expected to be completed sometime around October? Anyway, the federal government is rushing to complete the job by the end of this year. We all know that there are construction problems which could delay the completion. The government knows that too and is doing all things possible to prevent the delay. So, we just wait and see.

My own expectation is that the highway will be completed probably in the first quarter of 2011. Is this just wishful thinking? Perhaps. Meanwhile, because of the economic importance of the highway completion and that the whole idea is to provide an alternative to the Panama Canal and that the government is willing to expend the effort and the money to accomplish that idea, I, personally, can only trust that all effort will be made to complete by the end of 2010.

As ever, jerezano.

(This post was edited by jerezano on Sep 9, 2010, 10:05 AM)

Reefhound

Sep 9, 2010, 10:56 AM

Post #13 of 22 (5544 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Devil's Backbone

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Anyone have the lat/long to locate this bridge on google maps or earth? I don't know how up to date the maps are.

chicois8

Sep 9, 2010, 11:37 AM

Post #14 of 22 (5538 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Devil's Backbone

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Hola jerezano, I was wondering what you ment by Mar to Mar hghway, I thought this was just from Mazatlan to Durango..also you mention this being an alternitive to the Panama Canal? I can think of other places where distances are much shorter...suerte

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Rolly

Sep 9, 2010, 11:49 AM

Post #15 of 22 (5533 views)

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Re: [chicois8] Devil's Backbone

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Mar to Mar = sea to sea. Highway 40 is the only direct route from the Pacific to the Gulf of México.
Actually, 40 does not quite touch the Gulf, but close enough. It also provides connections to El Paso and Laredo.
When that stretch from Max to Dgo is completed, highway 40 will be 4 or more lanes all the way.
Truck traffic through my area (Torreón) is expected to increase greatly.
There has been a lot of highway improvements going on around here in preparation for the new trucking load.

Rolly Pirate

(This post was edited by Rolly on Sep 9, 2010, 11:52 AM)

RickS

Sep 9, 2010, 1:31 PM

Post #16 of 22 (5512 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Devil's Backbone

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...the federal government is rushing to complete the job....

I think that, as I approached one end of that new bridge when completed, I'd want to know that nobody rushed any part of its construction! I just saying......

(This post was edited by RickS on Sep 9, 2010, 1:33 PM)

Reefhound

Sep 9, 2010, 1:45 PM

Post #17 of 22 (5506 views)

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Re: [RickS] Devil's Backbone

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Especially with how many bridges have collapsed in the PV area in the last few weeks.

jerezano

Sep 9, 2010, 2:28 PM

Post #18 of 22 (5496 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Devil's Backbone

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Hello all,

Rolly has it right. It is called the Mar to Mar highway by the government. It will run from Mazatlan to an as yet non-specified port on the Gulf of Mexico. That port will probably be Tampico because there is at present no sea port on the Gulf south of Brownsville until Tampico. There is no port at Matamoros nor can one be built.

It is a specific intention and expressed in several government publications that the idea is to offload ships in Mazatlan, load the cargo onto trucks, and send them across to, as Rolly puts it. Laredo, Brownsville and other entry ports into the USA and to some as yet not specified sea port on the Gulf for transhipment to Europe. Clearly Mexico does not want to use the sea port at Brownsville for transhipment to Europe but wants to use a Mexican sea port. For the present that seems to be Tampico.

Remember the idea from years back to do the same across the Tejuantepec? peninsula (that narrow part of South Mexico) by rail? Was it Acapulco to Veracruz? That idea was revived as I remember during the Fox regime. Nothing happened. Probably because of the construction expense making it non-competitive with the Panama Canal. And my memory is confused on this age-old idea.

But here the idea is that yes, truck transport from sea-to-sea is considered viable in competition to the Panama Canal by the peel off of merchandise along the way to entry points into the USA.

One other thing. The Panama Canal is now under reconstruction and expansion. Unavoidably traffic will be limited at times. So now appears to be a good time for the Mexican government to act. If a pattern of reshipment can be established before the Panama Canal reconstruction should be terminated, and that pattern happens to be at about the same economic level as shipment through the Panama Canal, that pattern will be hard to break. Can we really expect the Panama Canal to reduce charges once the reconstruction is completed? No. More traffic, yes, but that Asia-Europe traffic is also increasing by leaps and bounds. Is there a possibility that the expanded Canal will be overloaded? Yes. A lot of unanswered questions here but the Mexican government has decided to take the gamble.

As ever, jerezano.

RickS

Sep 9, 2010, 2:45 PM

Post #19 of 22 (5484 views)

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Re: [tonyburton] Devil's Backbone

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In all my 15 or so years of visiting Mexico, Durango (State or City) has never been mentioned as a place where (much of) any interest has been shown. Seemingly "no" US or Canadian citizens bother to settle there. I once asked on this forum if anyone had any input as to Durango City as a place to visit or live and even Rolly, who lives not far north of there, said he had never been there.

Now I'm wondering, with the advent of a fast cuota route to the coast/Mazatlan, if it (Durango City or surrounds) might be a place that some folks might begin to look at with more interest. If that couta gets finished by early 2011 as some suspect it might, maybe I'll just go look for myself! In the mean time if anyone has any comments/thoughts about the City, please let us hear from you.

Reefhound

Sep 9, 2010, 2:46 PM

Post #20 of 22 (5483 views)

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Re: [jerezano] Devil's Backbone

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If the idea is to create a land bridge alternative to the canal, it would seem the more logical location would be between Veracruz to Puerto Escondido. It's a fraction of the distance to drive and in a more stable part of the country.

As a shipper, I think I would put a lot more faith in a land bridge from LA to Jacksonville with the superior I-10 interstate and multitude of alternative routes.

The problem with land bridges is having to pass through customs at each end. They are also terribly inefficient.

Rolly

Sep 9, 2010, 9:57 PM

Post #21 of 22 (5425 views)

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Re: [RickS] Devil's Backbone

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Actually, Rick, Durango has been on my must visit list ever since I came here. I just never got around to it, and now my poor old body is not up to the trip. I guess I am what might be called a semi-invalid. I like to describe it as being OK from the ears up and a mess from the ears down. And my ears barely work (which seriously interferes with learning Spanish). Same with my eyes. I no longer drive because of my eyesight. Walking is a serious challenge due to a shot sense on balance.

All this has made my computer my traveling machine.

I have no complaints. I continue to find new ways to keep engaged and mentally alert.

Rolly Pirate

careyeroslib

Sep 10, 2010, 5:01 AM

Post #22 of 22 (5397 views)

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Re: [chicois8] Devil's Backbone

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Thank you Chicois and Tony Burton for this exacting info.

On our first driving trip to Mexico in 2001, we went down the old Highway from Chihuahua to Durango, then stayed overnight at the Gobernador (a lovely old hotel in Durango) and proceeded to the coast via the Devil's Backbone. It was quite spectacular. We've never gone via Durango again because it's farther for us, but this is certainly a reason to do so in the future. Thanks again!