jeremias
Nomad
Posts: 218
Registered: 12-11-2009
Location: Huntington Beach, El Sauzal, BCN
Member Is Offline
Mood: Muy Tranquilo
|
|
Driving down through the mainland
Not exactly a "Baja" question per se, but I'm planning on possibly driving to Zihautenejo with a local friend soon. He's was in the Mexican Military,
so I'm not concerned much with the drive down, but the catch is that he is going to stay longer, so I'd end up driving back to Ensenada myself.
Driving the mainland by myself through Michoacan sounds just a liiiiitle bit sketchy to me, and is more than likely a deal breaker, but wondered what
everybody's thoughts on the drive might be. 
|
|
|
Bajafun777
Super Nomad
Posts: 1103
Registered: 9-13-2006
Location: Rosarito & California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Enjoying Life with Wife In Mexico, Easy on The Easy
|
|
Get online and go to ontheroadin.com to get a map that has arrows with the roadways all the way down and back. The map will tell you where the Premex
stations are coming up on your trip, places to see, places to eat and yes where Walmarts are too!!
My wife loves the maps on this site as great information for your trip and no getting upset because of missed turns. This map goes km by km so you can
not get lost you know where you all the way all the time. Each city it has information about the city and what makes its economy run, special places
and people that were important to Mexican history also noted if from the town your entering. Check it out and the toll roads going down and back the
only way to travel. Safe, Green Angles on these toll roads, enough military, oh yea the map tells you where the military checks are, agriculitural
checks are, Federal Police radar sections are, where the topes are and how many, dang we really like the maps from this site. Take Care &
Travel Safe ------ " No Hurry, No Worry, Just FUN!!" bajafun777
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
i have a gringo friend with a mexican family in colima near pascuales. he drives it 2 times a year. take the toll road.
|
|
|
Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
Member Is Offline
|
|
Be prepared to get tolled to death. Not unlike the Jersey pike. 
|
|
|
toneart
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4901
Registered: 7-23-2006
Member Is Offline
Mood: Skeptical
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by jeremias
Not exactly a "Baja" question per se, but I'm planning on possibly driving to Zihautenejo with a local friend soon. He's was in the Mexican Military,
so I'm not concerned much with the drive down, but the catch is that he is going to stay longer, so I'd end up driving back to Ensenada myself.
Driving the mainland by myself through Michoacan sounds just a liiiiitle bit sketchy to me, and is more than likely a deal breaker, but wondered what
everybody's thoughts on the drive might be. |
How are you going to get "back to Ensenada" by yourself if you are driving in the mainland, by ferry?
Bajablanca and her husband Les are having a ball driving all around the mainland. See their posts.
As to the aspect of driving through areas that are "sketchy", that is really a personal choice. Yes, the danger element is real, but you are not
likely to encounter any. Driving alone or with one other person does not make any difference if your time has come.
The decision is yours alone to make, depending on your reasonable precautions and your capacity for emotionally handling risk.
|
|
|
bill erhardt
Super Nomad
Posts: 1376
Registered: 4-2-2005
Location: Loreto, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
jeremias......I drove alone back to Florida a couple of years ago to pick up a boat and traveled across the Mexican mainland. I didn't go south as
far as Michoacan, but did drive south down the Pacific coast to Puerto Vallarta after crossing the ferry from Santa Rosalia to Guaymas. After
checking out possible accommodations for a fishing trip in the PV area I traveled on to Guadalajara, Monterey and into the States at Brownsville,
Texas. As somebody else mentioned, there were a lot of tolls. Also, the signage on the roads is not as good as in the US. But, all in all, the trip
through Mexico was much more interesting, and enjoyable, than on across the southern tier of the US and back on US 10. Go for it......
|
|
|
chippy
Super Nomad
Posts: 1775
Registered: 2-2-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
I live down here (mainland Mex) and drive that coast a few times a year. I would be more concened driving from TJ to Ensenada than the Michoacan
coast. Just donŽt drive at night and youŽll be fine. There are only a few places to overnight on that coast San Juan de Alima, La Ticla and Caleta de
Campos. Its one of the most beautifull coastlines in all of Mexico. Saludos c
ps There is no toll road on the Michoacan coast.
[Edited on 3-4-2011 by chippy]
[Edited on 3-4-2011 by chippy]
|
|
|
Bugman
Nomad
Posts: 143
Registered: 9-20-2006
Location: Escondido
Member Is Offline
|
|
It has been a few years since I did that drive but the toll roads were no problem (but frequent tolls as mentioned) and when I did it there were good
toll roads almost all the way to Tepic. After that the toll roads were kind of spotty. Those tolls add up though so prepare to fork over some $$.
There were only a couple spots that I recall where it was a bit confusing but really no big deal and I would not hesitate to do it again.
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
i'd rather take the tollroad for 1000 miles and pay WHATEVER they ask.
the free road sucks!
if you want another opinion......
THE FREE ROAD SUCKS! think tj to ensenada, times 100....
|
|
|
Bajatripper
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3152
Registered: 3-20-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
We drove down that coast on our way to Cancun two summers ago and had no problems. As someone said above, there are no toll roads down that coast, and
the road is quite curvy, but was in excellent shape. And it is a spectacularly beautiful drive. Unlike some areas of Mexico, where the free road can
be challenging because of all of the slow truck traffic one must negotiate, there was very little traffic on the Michoacan Coast. I'm with Toneart,
when your time comes, it won't matter if you are with an ex-Mexican military person or not. In fact, the presence of a military man could get you
killed in some parts of Mexico. Just don't do any nighttime driving and you should be OK.
|
|
|
bent-rim
Nomad
Posts: 294
Registered: 7-31-2007
Location: Marin County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living la vida mota
|
|
I think you need a car permit to drive in certain sections of the mainland and it has to be turned in when you cross the border. A friend of mine
found the 24/7 office closed in Tiajuana where he was supposed to in the permit. He tried to resolve the situation NOB with no luck. He ended up
selling the bike because it wouldn't be allowed into Mexico again.
|
|
|
BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13242
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
hi Jeremias, we just did that very same drive and here are my thoguhts:
1. only take toll roads or add about 2 hours to the drive on a non toll, plus add zillions of speed bumps and mucho but I mean mucho traffic, whereas
on the toll road, there is almost no traffic at all. My notes show about 700 pesos in tolls.
2. not a good idea to travel in a super clean super new attention calling vehicle. Make it dirty and older but safe.
3. the road is very very slow going (about 25 mph) as part of the drive in though very mountainous terrain - very narrow - winds around and around.
4. stop in a mountain town called TUITO and have a meal with Felipe and Esperanza - they just opened the place a year ago in April. He was so
attentive and the food was really good.
5. not many hotels ... not many restaurants ....
6. www.marvelousmainlandmexico.blogspot.com for more details. we just returned 2 days ago. Have a great trip and maybe take a 3rd person so you are
not alone on the return !!
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
