Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

jfriesen1

Sep 17, 2008, 9:10 PM

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Route from Laredo to Ciudad Victoria

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I'm motorcycling from Toronto, Canada to tour Mexico starting Sept 26th. I'll pass through San Antonio TX then go south to Laredo. I have the Roji Atlas but it is not detailed enough to help me in the area near Monterrey. I guess I'll take 85D to the Monterrey bypass, then veer left around Monterrey, but after that it is unclear. Somehow I need to get onto the #85 Cuota (?) south of Monterrey and proceed through LInares. I see dotted lines for the lower part of the bypass -- which means?? Also does the toll road end at Linares?
My destination (not final) is Guadalajara and I'm quite okay taking 3 days to get there. I'm planning a mix of cuota, mountain roads, libre, etc. and so my route will be from Victoria: #110 south-west to #80, then west to #57, then south on #57 continuing past SLP to #110, and west to Dolores Hidalgo, then south through SMA to #45D going west to Irapuato, then south on #90 (Cuota to Abasolo??) down to La Piedad Cabadas and south to Cuota 15D. Then west through La Barca and on to Chapala. Are there any serious drawbacks to this route?
Would like to get any information possible on this route and the questions about the Monterrey bypass.
I've been an avid reader of the posts on this message board for more than a year, preparing for this trip. From Guadalajara it will be a 2000 mile, 20 day loop to San Cristobal and back to Chapala.
Cheers and thanks,
John Friesen

jerezano

Sep 18, 2008, 7:34 AM

Post #2 of 5 (1994 views)

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Re: [jfriesen1] Route from Laredo to Ciudad Victoria

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Hello,

Look at my earlier post to a way to connect from Monterrey to Highway 85 south. You could always take a chance on whether the periferico has been extended or not (those dashed red lines showing future construction). There will have to be a connection of some type at the end even if it is just brecha, but that looks to be less than 10KM).

At Cd. Victoria look for signage to the Via Corta to SLP. A magnificient highway that cuts through the Sierra Madre Oriental. Also search the posts here for Via Corta and you will find my detailed posting of that route a year ago. Cd. Victoria to SLP is less than 3-1/2 hours if I remember it right. South of SLP I can't help you. At Cd. Victoria when I talk about the Mexico-Tampico highway, that is highway 85.

jerezano

(This post was edited by jerezano on Sep 18, 2008, 7:45 AM)

esperanza

Sep 18, 2008, 7:58 AM

Post #3 of 5 (1988 views)

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Re: [jfriesen1] Route from Laredo to Ciudad Victoria

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One hint that will help you travel through Mexico is this: you won't find anyone who can give you directions using highway numbers. People here, foreigners included, normally travel using next-city markers.

In other words, you might ask someone, "Voy bien para la salida a San Luis Potosí?" (Am I on the right road to get to the road for San Luis Potosí?") rather than "Where will I find Highway 85?" If you ask the first question, you might get a correct answer. If you ask the second question, 99.9% of the time you'll get a blank look.

Whether you're traveling a cuota or a libre, junctions will have signage for the next city.

Have a great trip, it sounds like fun!

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

RickS

Sep 18, 2008, 10:33 AM

Post #4 of 5 (1975 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Route from Laredo to Ciudad Victoria

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"If you ask the second question, 99.9% of the time you'll get a blank look."

And frankly, Esperanza, one will get worse than the blank look..... one will often get an answer that has no basis in reality. It's happened to me too many times to count.

I understand that, and this is surely a generalization and may even be an urban myth, the Mexican National does not want to disappoint... wants to please. So rather than say something like, 'Senior, I don't know and can't help you the that question', you get an answer that may have no resemblance to being correct. "Just go down here (pointing) to the second road, take a left (pointing again) and you'll get to the road to xxxxxxx". In fact, you later figure out that that was exactly the opposite way to go to the road you were looking for!

My solution is three-fold.... ask for as much help/directions as you can prior to going (like the OP has done here), leave a lot of time in your schedule to get lost a couple of times and, most importantly, accept that this is just the way it is and don't get all boiled up when things are not as easy for you as they would be if you were driving in a familiar place.... chill, in other words.

(This post was edited by RickS on Sep 18, 2008, 4:06 PM)

jfriesen1

Sep 18, 2008, 3:18 PM

Post #5 of 5 (1958 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Route from Laredo to Ciudad Victoria

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Hi,
Thanks for the help - good tips and much appreciated.
John