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cookj5

Sep 6, 2011, 3:08 PM

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Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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What is the driving distance and time between the Lake Chapala area and the small colonial town of Mascota on Highway 70 in the mountains on the way to Puerto Vallarta?

chinagringo

Sep 6, 2011, 3:17 PM

Post #2 of 7 (942 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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According to:
http://aplicaciones4.sct.gob.mx/...action=cmdEscogeRuta

You are looking at 216km and estimated time of 2 hours 56 minutes.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

tashby

Sep 6, 2011, 7:55 PM

Post #3 of 7 (919 views)

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Re: [cookj5] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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It takes longer than that unless you're in a Jetta with Jalisco plates.

RickS

Sep 7, 2011, 5:46 PM

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Re: [cookj5] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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I'm with tashby on this one!

A lot of this depends on how much construction is still going on and how much traffic one encounters as this route is totally 2-lane and it goes through some agricultural areas.

If the construction is complete north of Jocotopec to the cuota, that will help. Then if the construction between the cuota to west of Villa Corona is complete that too will help. The road between Cocula (or just west of there)and Ameca is narrow and rock and roll (unless it too is now under construction as one can only hope!) and goes right through the town of San Martin de Hidalgo which is normally bumper to bumper. Last time through it I hit tiangas day and would have made better time if I had gotten out and walked!

Once reaching Ameca the going (west) is somewhat faster unless one travels in sugarcane harvest time and gets held up some by large trucks hauling raw cane. The last 100 km will probably be OK and one can really let the Jetta loose. ;>)

(This post was edited by RickS on Sep 9, 2011, 11:00 AM)

chinagringo

Sep 7, 2011, 6:09 PM

Post #5 of 7 (853 views)

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Re: [RickS] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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Rick:

Having driven from Ajijic to Sayula exactly a week ago today, I can tell you that the construction around Jocotopec isn't complete. As a matter of fact, I rigged up a "dash cam" and recorded the entire one hour and forty-five minute drive to Sayula. Here is a condensed version of that trip:

https://picasaweb.google.com/...#5649027198578517650
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

RickS

Sep 7, 2011, 6:35 PM

Post #6 of 7 (847 views)

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Re: [chinagringo] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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Wow, Neil, one hour and forty-five minutes of video. What the hell were you recording it on (preposition alert)?

Nice to see the green country-side of summer.

P.S. I see that you too enlist the help of taxi drivers and guys on motor-bikes to help you find your way through the maze of unknown towns. Who says a guy won't stop to ask directions!?!

chinagringo

Sep 7, 2011, 6:48 PM

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Re: [RickS] Driving distance and time between Lake Chapala & Mascota

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I was using a FLIP mini video cam that has 8gb of storage and can record two hours. We had rigged up one of those flex mini tripods to a GPS mount that sat on the dash of our Toyota Yaris rental car.

Actually it was me that was asking direction but rather Mrs HoundDog aka Vichil, who had suggested the trip to visit a furniture manufacturer in Sayula. She had made the trip before but could not remember exactly how she got there. Since she has a total and amazing grasp of Espanol, stopping and asking direction was easy! The guy on the motorbike turned out to be the owner of the furniture factory! How lucky can you be? However, I stayed with the "guy thing" and saved to location to my GPS for future reference!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM