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Summer Plans

Started by US 41, June 02, 2015, 01:19:27 PM

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What route should I take when I go to Mazatlan?

85D and 40D (option 1)
0 (0%)
57, COAH 34, 30, 40 libre to El Salto; 45 / 24 to Chihuahua City, MX 16 to Ojinaga (option 2)
4 (100%)

Total Members Voted: 4

US 41

I am planning on going to Canada in July. In August I am hoping on finally doing my dream trip to Mazatlan. I have not set a route yet though. I have not decided where I'm going to drive in Mexico on the way there and on the way back. I have considered taking the 2 lane highways all the way to El Salto as it would save me $170. I figured then I would have enough money to also explore Chihuahua. Anyways here's the Google Maps links. I'll see where you guys want me to go or think I should go. I don't know how to make the links shorter (Sorry).

Option 1
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Laredo-Colombia+Solidarity+International+Bridge,+Laredo,+TX/Mazatl%C3%A1n,+Mexico/Laredo-Colombia+Solidarity+International+Bridge,+Laredo,+TX/@25.5914204,-105.0399709,7z/data=!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x8660fb3fd9b9e505:0xdc75cf4bb7b4b3d8!2m2!1d-99.745345!2d27.699944!1m5!1m1!1s0x869f5341681837c1:0x62a4c4aaf13c72b2!2m2!1d-106.4111425!2d23.2494148!1m5!1m1!1s0x8660fb3fd9b9e505:0xdc75cf4bb7b4b3d8!2m2!1d-99.745345!2d27.699944!3e0

Option 2
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Piedras+Negras,+Mexico/Mazatl%C3%A1n,+Mexico/Ojinaga,+Mexico/@26.5841783,-105.7677047,6z/data=!4m57!4m56!1m25!1m1!1s0x865f8b99d2889193:0x954a33b442b861c2!2m2!1d-100.523056!2d28.7!3m4!1m2!1d-101.4006252!2d27.2279909!3s0x868bb24e8c7f5ecf:0x25eac6c11f31a1c8!3m4!1m2!1d-101.7832567!2d27.0108043!3s0x868beb7695bfcbb1:0xd549e5bc5d8fbf78!3m4!1m2!1d-105.3979719!2d23.7635853!3s0x86996ab7b0dc6afd:0x3017f7d668f43b91!3m4!1m2!1d-105.9528968!2d23.3550587!3s0x8698d28a2867ca35:0xebfbf866ce8be2a3!1m20!1m1!1s0x869f5341681837c1:0x62a4c4aaf13c72b2!2m2!1d-106.4111425!2d23.2494148!3m4!1m2!1d-105.9380652!2d23.371765!3s0x8698d25c755db54f:0xf96e79606021c085!3m4!1m2!1d-105.7122739!2d23.6062363!3s0x869926b806aab7af:0x4951e323f8cac057!3m4!1m2!1d-106.2317661!2d28.2408714!3s0x86ea920c68385fcb:0xf8da272b05e7fe94!1m5!1m1!1s0x86ee8588c2c6b941:0x9c4d1c37da79e841!2m2!1d-104.416389!2d29.564444!2m1!2b1!3e0
Visited States and Provinces:
USA (48)= All of Lower 48
Canada (5)= NB, NS, ON, PEI, QC
Mexico (9)= BCN, BCS, CHIH, COAH, DGO, NL, SON, SIN, TAM


jwolfer

Road trip with 2 kids from Jacksonville to Maryland to visit my brother.. First time driving out of Florida or Georgia in over 10 years

Jbte

Option 1, is your original trip idea, however i think youll miss many beautiful places if you just continue, I would suggest this route for going directly to Mazatlán.

Option 2 sounds like a great experience and lot of desert landscapes to visit... however as security concerns, i'm not sure about some segments in your route as like between Cuatro Ciénegas-Torreón and Parral-Durango, due those roads are lonely and longrun. Currently the Parral-Durango is under construction (the highway is being expanded) so expect bad road conditions in that segment. BTW near Cuatro Cienegas theres a thermal pool similar to one like in Yellowstone (prismatic pool), hope you can visit it... also visit Puente de Ojuela (world tallest bridge in 1800's), abandoned mine and ghost town a must go in your route! located near Torreón.

Personally I would recommend you this option as your way back to the US;
https://goo.gl/maps/eCkwK

In your route back, you can visit many places:
-Historic Downtown of Durango and the old west villa (many US western movies were filmed there), there are trips from Durango downtown to the old west villa.
-El Saltito waterfalls (Durango-Zacatecas highway), just a small oasis in the desert with a waterfall, site of many western films, its just 1 mile from main highway
-Sierra de Organos National Park (20$ pesos fee entrance) , its a national park of rocks similar to Cochise stronghold in Arizona but bigger rocks, another great site of the filming of many US western movies. Just 5 miles from main highway.
-Zacatecas city historic downtown (UNESCO world heritage city), visit the city mine cave (Mina el Edén), visit Pedro Coronel Museum (international artifacts), Guadalupe Museum (reinaceinse pintures of the passion of christ), climb into Bufa mountain and take teleferico (cable car between two mountains)
-La Quemada (ancient ruins in a desert hill, from an unknow old culture similar to aztecs), UNESCO world heridtage site...
-Head north to Saltillo MX54 (4 lanes highway) and take a detour to MX62, to Real de Catorce, a must go of desert ghost towns, its a town located in middle of the mountains up to 10,000 fts high, great views, ancient caves, ancient buildings such churches, and mine, its a safe tourist place, this is where La Mexicana movie (The Mexican) by Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts filmed.
-From Real de Catorce you can just continue your trip to Laredo, TX, however there are some places such national parks, waterfalls in your route, (Sierra Las Cumbres), near Monterrey, its just some massive mountain ranges that you'll see from the highway.

Any questions send me PM

ronaldlee11

My plans include making pictures of road signs along many interstates in the Appalachian Mountains. I-64 between Lexington and Ashland, Kentucky, I-77 Charleston West Virginia to Mount Airy North Carolina are some of the most scenic routes with the most signs.

US 41

Quote from: Jbte on June 08, 2015, 08:24:19 PM
Option 1, is your original trip idea, however i think youll miss many beautiful places if you just continue, I would suggest this route for going directly to Mazatlán.

Option 2 sounds like a great experience and lot of desert landscapes to visit... however as security concerns, i'm not sure about some segments in your route as like between Cuatro Ciénegas-Torreón and Parral-Durango, due those roads are lonely and longrun. Currently the Parral-Durango is under construction (the highway is being expanded) so expect bad road conditions in that segment. BTW near Cuatro Cienegas theres a thermal pool similar to one like in Yellowstone (prismatic pool), hope you can visit it... also visit Puente de Ojuela (world tallest bridge in 1800's), abandoned mine and ghost town a must go in your route! located near Torreón.

Personally I would recommend you this option as your way back to the US;
https://goo.gl/maps/eCkwK

In your route back, you can visit many places:
-Historic Downtown of Durango and the old west villa (many US western movies were filmed there), there are trips from Durango downtown to the old west villa.
-El Saltito waterfalls (Durango-Zacatecas highway), just a small oasis in the desert with a waterfall, site of many western films, its just 1 mile from main highway
-Sierra de Organos National Park (20$ pesos fee entrance) , its a national park of rocks similar to Cochise stronghold in Arizona but bigger rocks, another great site of the filming of many US western movies. Just 5 miles from main highway.
-Zacatecas city historic downtown (UNESCO world heritage city), visit the city mine cave (Mina el Edén), visit Pedro Coronel Museum (international artifacts), Guadalupe Museum (reinaceinse pintures of the passion of christ), climb into Bufa mountain and take teleferico (cable car between two mountains)
-La Quemada (ancient ruins in a desert hill, from an unknow old culture similar to aztecs), UNESCO world heridtage site...
-Head north to Saltillo MX54 (4 lanes highway) and take a detour to MX62, to Real de Catorce, a must go of desert ghost towns, its a town located in middle of the mountains up to 10,000 fts high, great views, ancient caves, ancient buildings such churches, and mine, its a safe tourist place, this is where La Mexicana movie (The Mexican) by Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts filmed.
-From Real de Catorce you can just continue your trip to Laredo, TX, however there are some places such national parks, waterfalls in your route, (Sierra Las Cumbres), near Monterrey, its just some massive mountain ranges that you'll see from the highway.

Any questions send me PM

I will definitely consider this when I go to Mazatlan. I am considering taking a smaller trip to Mexico in late July or early August. I leave for Canada for a 2 week trip on the 5th of July. I will learn a lot about my car and how well it does on long trips. I'm pretty sure I will have no problems. If I don't have car problems I would like to drive from Ojinaga to Ciudad Chihuahua and back on MX 16. You may be wondering why I don't just continue on to Mazatlan. I was talking to kphoger and he said I may be getting into more of Mexico than I can chew. Well I feel as if I will find out if that is true by taking this route. I want to be clear though I do still do plan on going to Mazatlan. I want to go really bad, but I think this trip is more doable for this year. Even from Chihuahua it is still another 10 hour drive to Mazatlan, so that would be adding 20 hours of driving to the trip (basically I don't have enough time to go farther this year). I really want to thank you for all the advice you have given me this year on driving in Mexico. I feel pretty comfortable about going. I pretty much no what exactly to expect. Everything from police and military checkpoints, topes, staying in the shoulder and using my left turn signal to direct traffic around me, and that the gas station attendant will pump the gas for you.

On a side note I hope Mexico doesn't lose that (full service stations) now that they are going to let foreign companies open up gas stations. It is annoying having to wait in line in the gas station on the guy in front of you to get the right type cigarettes and lottery tickets (I don't know if Mexico has lottery tickets or not)  :)
Visited States and Provinces:
USA (48)= All of Lower 48
Canada (5)= NB, NS, ON, PEI, QC
Mexico (9)= BCN, BCS, CHIH, COAH, DGO, NL, SON, SIN, TAM

US 41

#5
For anyone that is interested. This Sunday I'm leaving for Canada. My trip will include crossing the Mackinac Bridge, entering Canada at Sault Ste. Marie, driving on ON 401 in Toronto, leaving Canada at Niagara Falls, going to Washington D.C. and then heading back home. Definitely a long trip. As usual I plan on taking US 40 between I-68 and Washington, PA, to shunpike the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I always shunpike when I can). Definitely looking forward to the trip. I'm going to try to go to Mexico this year too, but only between Ojinaga and Cd. Chihuahua. Next year I'm going to Mazatlan with some buddies of mine.

EDIT: Looks like Option 2 is a winner. I'll let everyone know how it goes when I go. If I do go to Cd. Chihuahua this year I will probably shortcut it on the way back from Mazatlan next year and take CHIH 67 to Ojinaga rather than go through Cd. Chihuahua, so I can explore some new territory.
Visited States and Provinces:
USA (48)= All of Lower 48
Canada (5)= NB, NS, ON, PEI, QC
Mexico (9)= BCN, BCS, CHIH, COAH, DGO, NL, SON, SIN, TAM



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