driving from Merida to Border

driving from Merida to Border

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I have a friend who is driving from Merida to Brownsville, any tips from anyone? I have done it many times but I have never found the Los Indios bridge that everyone seems to think is good and actually would take her to Harlingen which would be wonderful. Thanks a lot to ANYONE who can give my friend some hints. Norma

chinagringo

Apr 19, 2011, 9:25 AM

Post #2 of 35 (12902 views)

Re: [normamc288] driving from Merida to Border

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You may wish to do a search of posts made by: Altahabana.
He is extremely knowledgeable about the highways and cartel conditions towards the Texas end of this proposed drive. If it were me, I wouldn't be making the drive. YMMV
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

normamc288

Apr 19, 2011, 9:43 AM

Post #3 of 35 (12895 views)

Re: [chinagringo] driving from Merida to Border

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Hey Neil, thanks for info and I will pass this on to her. I have done that trip in the past 3 months about 3 times and all is peaceful and quiet, I see more killing up here in US than I did down there, every day in the news every other story is about killings. San Antonio, Corpus, Dallas, Houston, turn on local news, I mean look just not long ago in AZ these persons went to the market and how many killed? Not by a Mexican. I have to say, I think our government wants us to stay up here and spend money rather than spending money in Mexico to help our deficit. Look how much money we are all spending down there. I have given this lady the 180 that I follow up the coast but I have never found the Los Indios Bridge. Everyone seems to think it is better than Matamoros. Thanks for the info, Norma

Apr 19, 2011, 10:24 AM

Post #4 of 35 (12885 views)

Re: [normamc288] driving from Merida to Border

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"I have done that trip in the past 3 months about 3 times and all is peaceful and quiet, I see more killing up here in US than I did down there, every day in the news every other story is about killings. San Antonio, Corpus, Dallas, Houston, turn on local news. . ."

I don't have any current information because no one is travelling the highways of central Tamaulipas. There is media coverage about some things that happened recently south of Reynosa-Matamoros but I guess the OP is not following the news. If this post isn't a troll I doubt there is anything anyone could say that would make an impression. I just hope the OP's friend is a little better informed and pays a little more attention to the news out of Tamaulipas.

(This post was edited by Altahabana on Apr 19, 2011, 10:42 AM)

Reefhound

Apr 19, 2011, 11:00 AM

Post #5 of 35 (12868 views)

Re: [normamc288] driving from Merida to Border

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There is crime in the USA but you generally don't have to worry about criminal roadblocks on the interstate stopping cars and buses and taking people away by the hundreds. You don't see stories where they find 150 bodies in a pit from people taken off buses in a three month period. Maybe that didn't really happen, after all you didn't see it.

Whatever, to get to Los Indios you make a left right after (~100 meters) the interior checkpoint on Mx101, taking the road due north through Valle Hermoso and it takes you straight to the Los Indios bridge. No road changes. Here's the street view.

almalibre

Apr 19, 2011, 12:25 PM

Post #6 of 35 (12833 views)

Re: driving from Merida to Border

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I normally go that route and took it south back in November, but given recent events I will be taking the 57 to Eagle Pass next month.

We'll spend time in Puebla, San Miguel and Queretero.

Rob

chinagringo

Apr 19, 2011, 1:57 PM

Post #7 of 35 (12817 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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Before making firm plans to cross at Eagle Pass, you may wish to read the article which follows concerning the conditions in Piedras Negras:

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

Apr 20, 2011, 4:41 AM

Post #8 of 35 (12755 views)

Re: [chinagringo] driving from Merida to Border

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In Reply To

Before making firm plans to cross at Eagle Pass, you may wish to read the article which follows concerning the conditions in Piedras Negras:

http://www.blogdelnarco.com/...en-piedras.html#more

almalibre

Apr 20, 2011, 8:10 AM

Post #9 of 35 (12726 views)

Re: driving from Merida to Border

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If not Eagle Pass though, where?

(This post was edited by almalibre on Apr 20, 2011, 8:10 AM)

Apr 20, 2011, 11:38 AM

Post #10 of 35 (12692 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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The quote function doesn't always work so my earlier response didn't get posted. What I said was that the problems in the Coahuila borders cities of Acuna and Piedras mostly involve "intra organizational discipline" or are related to extortional activities directed against local residents. That seems to be what was involved in the Blog del Narco story. I don't think overall conditions have changed much in either town and there is not any increased risk as a result of the situation in Tamaulipas. A Safe/secure crossing along the Texas Mexican border is a relative term.

almalibre

Apr 20, 2011, 12:36 PM

Post #11 of 35 (12682 views)

Re: [Altahabana] driving from Merida to Border

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Agreed. I think Piedras is the best option (as compared to Laredo, Reynosa or Matamoros)

chinagringo

Apr 20, 2011, 4:15 PM

Post #12 of 35 (12651 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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More on the situation in Piedras Negras:

http://www.borderlandbeat.com/.../scorched-earth.html
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

ken_in_dfw

Apr 20, 2011, 5:11 PM

Post #13 of 35 (12645 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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In Reply To

If not Eagle Pass though, where?

Ojinaga?

Apr 21, 2011, 4:25 AM

Post #14 of 35 (12583 views)

Re: [ken_in_dfw] driving from Merida to Border

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The potential for problems always exists wherever the cartels are entrenched. Piedras Negras is no exception. All it takes is an unpredictable incident like the alleged defection mentioned in the Borderland Beat story to spark a wave of violence. We are better informed because there is now more factual and analytical coverage of events in my opinion. It brings to light the underlying situation in places that are commonly thought of as relatively secure.

(This post was edited by Altahabana on Apr 21, 2011, 5:30 AM)

Brian

Apr 21, 2011, 7:10 AM

Post #15 of 35 (12559 views)

Re: [Altahabana] driving from Merida to Border

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I think that the information has always been out there (maybe not in English). What has changed is peoples' willingness to acknowledge the facts as painful as they may be. It wasnt long ago that people who wrote here on MexConnect were attacked and their motives challenged.

Apr 29, 2011, 9:13 PM

Post #16 of 35 (12236 views)

Re: [Brian] driving from Merida to Border

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I would suggest making a rest stop in Catemaco for a few months before proceeding to the border.
Visit Catemaco News

May 3, 2011, 8:49 AM

Post #17 of 35 (12081 views)

Re: [dongringo_catemaco] driving from Merida to Border

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13 Interesting perspective from Gancho, one of Mexico's better bloggers in English
"here were as low as 31 murders in confrontations between criminal groups in Tamaulipas last month, which is a very low number for that region; is it possible that the territory has now been effectively divided between the Gulf and the Zetas?"
http://ganchoblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/deadliest-month-of-sexenio.html
Visit Catemaco News

Reefhound

May 3, 2011, 9:26 AM

Post #18 of 35 (12069 views)

Re: [dongringo_catemaco] driving from Merida to Border

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First of all, there were 216 murders there last month. Gancho is assuming that the 185 discovered bodies were being counted as part of that and substracted them to get 31. But if the number killed last month is low, I think it's more likely due to the temporary flood of feds and army in the region in response to all those bodies rather than any resolution between the cartels. If memory serves me, I think there was a big drop in violence in Juarez when the military was first sent there. Then the cartels adjusted and violence ballooned even higher than before. So let's see what happens in Tamps over the next six months before proclaiming any easing of the violence.

esperanza

May 3, 2011, 9:50 AM

Post #19 of 35 (12058 views)

Re: [Reefhound] driving from Merida to Border

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The number of assassinations in Mexico during the month of April hit a new record: more than 1400 for the 30-day period. This was announced several days ago by Milenio.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

May 4, 2011, 5:25 AM

Post #20 of 35 (11973 views)

Re: [dongringo_catemaco] driving from Merida to Border

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I suspect the blogger Gancho is not writing with any particular insight if he is suggesting that some type of accord has been reached between the Gulf cartel and the Zetas. The suggestion would be laughable if the actual situation wasn't so horrifically real. Within the last ten days there have been pitched battles between the groups including the firebombing of buildings and businesses in Miguel Aleman and Tampico. The extent of the conflict can't be measured solely by body counts which are of questionable (on the low side) accuracy in any event.

May 4, 2011, 6:58 AM

Post #21 of 35 (11955 views)

Re: [Altahabana] driving from Merida to Border

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Yeah and thousands and thousands of sweaty people headed for the beaches of Tamaulipas during semana santa. What will they think of next? Taking a joyride to Tampico?
http://www.elmanana.com.mx/notas.asp?id=231290
Visit Catemaco News

lichen

May 13, 2011, 8:49 AM

Post #22 of 35 (11658 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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Looking for some thoughts on the drive we are about to do, from Bacalar to Texas. Normally we would go through Tamaulipas but as on our way down around Christmas, we will not take that route..
We were hoping to visit Xilitla en route and then take the cuota from San Luis Potosi all the way up to Nuevo Laredo, traveling fast, during the day, and as inconspicuously as possible.
Couple of questions...
1. Coming into Veracruz from points east, would the best way to get to Xilitla be via Pachuca or Tuxpan or Tampico?
2. How is the security on the roads in Veracruz lately? How's the security in the Huasteca?
Thanks for any thoughts...

May 14, 2011, 3:28 AM

Post #23 of 35 (11564 views)

Re: [lichen] driving from Merida to Border

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The best route is the toll road from near Villahermosa to the junction with the toll road to Mexico City and its connector to Pachuca. The toll roads in Veracruz and beyond are in good shape.
Visit Catemaco News

(This post was edited by dongringo_catemaco on May 14, 2011, 3:41 AM)

MexDog

May 14, 2011, 1:20 PM

Post #24 of 35 (11499 views)

Re: [almalibre] driving from Merida to Border

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Thank you all ahead for any feedback you can give me on the following:

I'm preparing for the drive North from Guanjuato, through Laredo next week. I've come south through Columbia Bridge (Piedras Negras) crossing before, but found myself on lonely roads south of the border, a situation which I'd like to avoid repeating.

My current thinking is that I'd be best to stick to the main route north 85 through Laredo in order to have as much "company" as possible. I'm also thinking of overnighting in a drive-in highway motel part way there, say in Matehuala or Saltillo, in order to be assured of making the border early the following day.

Another factor influencing my decision is that the number of travel lanes at the World Trade Bridge (not sure if that's #1 or #2) has recently been doubled, and supposedly the wait times are greatly reduced. This is also pushing me toward Laredo rather than using the Columbia Bridge.

Any advice will be welcome. I can alter my schedule (driving May 23/24) by a day or two to caravan if anyone else is headed that way!

Thanks!

chicois8

May 14, 2011, 1:55 PM

Post #25 of 35 (11490 views)