jerezano
Jan 25, 2008, 7:06 AM
Post #2 of 3
(1233 views)
Shortcut
|
Re: [SteveInPVR] San Luis Potosi - Puerto Vallarta
|
Can't Post | Private Reply
|
Hello StevelnPVR
If you want to avoid steep mountain grades you have only one route, that I know of, from Laredo to San Luis Potosí, SMA, Guanajuato and then to Puerto Vallarta. Fortunately that route will also avoid many cuotas on the Autopistas.
Rather than crossing at Laredo,continue East on 83 to Los Indios Free Trade International Bridge one exit south of Harlingen Texas (the exit to Los Indios is labeled Paso Real Highway with a small Free Trade Bridge sign which you might miss; if you enter San Benito you have gone too far), head to Cd. Victoria (all flat), take the Ruta Corta from Cd. Victoria to SLP (there will be some 40 to 50 km of bad road just before the Ruta Corta ends and joins the Ramón Arizpe-SLP main trucking highway south of Matehuala). All good road and no steep grades.
From SLP south to SMA the normal route with no steep grades but some cuota. Same to Guanajuato, and same to Guadalajara. Then Guadalajara the cuota to Puerto Vallarta. Unfortunately you will enounter from Compostela in Nayarit to Puerto Vallarta along the coast highway the drop from Compostela to the coast which is mountainous driving with some steep downgrades. However this is not a long stretch. To avoid those grades you could go from Gualdalajara to Colima and Manzanillo and then north along the coast highway (a tiresome, two lane but in good condition typical coastal highway with many curves) to Puerto Vallarta. This option would add many miles and an extra day to your trip. Another option, perhaps the most enjoyable, would be go from Guadalajara to Tepic on the cuota, then from Tepic to San Blas, and then from San Blas along the coast to Puerto Vallarta. This way you would miss the steep drop from Compostela to the coast but would have more miles of two lane coastal highway. This option is one taken by many people with RV's or towing boats. It woud not add the additonal day that the Colima route would require.
Of course if you cross at Laredo head to Monterrey, take the periferico south to Cd. Victoria instead of up the Saltillo Canyon and the horrendous grades(all up) in the Los Chorros Canyon but no braking problem either. Also no grades on the way to Cd. Victoria. All flat.
Have a good trip.
Adiós. jerezano
(This post was edited by jerezano on Jan 25, 2008, 7:13 AM)
|
Forums Index
Search Posts
Who's Online
Log In or Sign Up