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Pimienta

Oct 24, 2010, 10:40 AM

Post #1 of 4 (3131 views)

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Traveling to New Mexico

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We are driving to New Mexico and we would like to know a good hotel one days drive from Lakeside. We were considering Torreon, but have heard negative reports about that area. Any recommendations? And, can we make it to New Mexico by the second day, and if not, ideas for a hotel on the second night?

Planning on crossing at Santa Teresa. Any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks

Karen in El Chante

chinagringo

Oct 24, 2010, 11:12 AM

Post #2 of 4 (3125 views)

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Re: [Pimienta] Traveling to New Mexico

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Karen:

We have done that route many times in both directions.

Torreon used to be an overnight stopping point going in either direction. We have tried probably a half dozen hotels in Torreon and Gomez Palacio and were never really happy with any for various reasons (price, location, availability of close proximity restaurants, etc.). We have made Torreon a one day drive from Albuquerque but at about 800 miles, it is one long day! Heading north, you can be out of Mexico by 4 or 5PM providing you leave quite early, drive at a rapid pace and don't get lost going through Chihuahua. Our recent trip habits have changed to a sequence that we feel more comfortable with. We overnight in Zacatecas and Chihuahua going in both directions. Zacatecas to Chihuahua is just over 500 miles and the same goes for Chihuahua to Albuquerque. In either direction, the distance between Zacatecas and Guadalajara makes for an easy drive that doesn't require an early morning departure to avoid driving in the dark. We also have a couple of hotels that provide us with the comfort zone that we desire.

All that said, one still needs to be very aware of what is going on along that route since the potential problems are not simply confined to Juarez that you will be avoiding anyway.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

chinagringo

Nov 2, 2010, 7:27 AM

Post #3 of 4 (2960 views)

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Re: [Pimienta] Traveling to New Mexico

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When traveling this route, there is the town of Jimenez located north of Torreon. I have seen it suggested that one might consider using this town as a stopover point as there are a couple of seemingly newer hotels located along the highway. We have never done so given the time of day we typically go through this town. I have read of a few isolated incidents happening here but it appears that matters may be heating up:

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/...s-it-quits-amid.html
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Pimienta

Nov 5, 2010, 6:44 PM

Post #4 of 4 (2831 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Traveling to New Mexico

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Thank you, Neil. We are now in New Mexico. We took two long days to drive, hauling a trailer. Twelve hours the first day, fourteen hours the second day. We overnighted in Durango. It was a beautiful drive. A few checkpoints along the way. No problems at all. We crossed at Santa Teresa. Very professional, very polite at the border. I highly recommend this crossing point. It wasn't busy in the late afternoon when we crossed.

Karen