Durango to Mazatlan Highway

Thanks Aaron.

I think "Tension Bridge" is the term? You're the Civil Engineer!

SR

A couple weeks ago I went poking around the construction site on the KLR. It think if you wanted to, you could now follow construction access roads for almost the entire length of the highway. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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This road construction project is one of the biggest construction sites in the world and it is really intersting to see the hundreds of pieces of heavy equipment and tunnels and bridges in various stages of completion.

Sunday is a good day to go exploring around because the construction is stopped for the day. There are just a few security guards that don't care if you hurt yourself on the construction site or not, just as long as you don't steal any equipment.<?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" oreferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><vath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></vath><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape style="WIDTH: 11.4pt; HEIGHT: 11.4pt" id=pi_26 type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Laugh" o:spid="_x0000_i1025"><v:imagedata o:href="http://d26ya5yqg8yyvs.cloudfront.net/Laughing.gif" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/SRedak/LOCALS~1/Temp/msoclip1/01/clip_image001.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape>
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I only have a couple cell phone photos. Aaron we should go explore the construction site sometime soon and get some good photos.

SR

Yeah, but I'm a bad english speaker LOL

Maybe, and refeer to wikipedia the type is a cable-stayed bridge, than is a little different than Tension bridge...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable-stayed_bridge

Anyway, I need to back to work before I make a big mistake in some bridge-calculation!!!

Sure Stephen, we can visit that construction road... Maybe I can found some engineers friends there.

Yeah, we're in the office... The bridge calculations was a joke, we're making some bidding (licitaciones or concursos) to get more road construction work with SCT and we have to finish all this to thursday.

Sigh. I miss life outside the padded cell.

Jeff

I'll be doing this road in two weeks. In the daytime Can anybody recommend a good hotel in Durango

I stayed there last week with my wife, and they have secure parking as described.

I left my Cowon D2 mp3 player there by mistake, and couldn't remember the name until I saw this post.

Anyone in Durango care to call them and ask them for it. I know I left it there.

Reward

Ok, I blew it,

the hotel name sounded the same, and they have secure bike parking too, but apparently, not the right place.

Hey SR, thanks for the info. I'll send you PM when I'm gettin close and we could meet for a taco

OK,

This is the hotel we stayed in, reasonably priced, and an easy walk to the center.

http://www.durango.net.mx/homeInterno.asp?seccion=guia_comercial_detalles.asp?id=290

Allan,

You're going to be our "Durango Expert" when we hold ALARR IV. We'll be staying there after the rally on our way to Copper Canyon. Are you headed to Copper Canyon also? You could also become our "Copper Canyon Expert"!

No route, no schedule (for the ride to Copper Canyon). We'll probably come up with some sort of plan at the rally.

I'm glad you're planning on attending. It will be good to see you again.

Construction on the New Highway.

It's neat to see the new bridges and tunnels.






This is not the big Baluarte bridge. I havnt made it that far yet but the access roads are fun to explore.




It is always fun to be the first Geologist to see a new rock face. Here you can see an intrusive dyke cutting up through these volcanic ash tuffs. The dyke is then cut by a fualt toward the top of the photo.

I cant wait until they finish the new highway to get some of these trucks off the old highway.




Monday of last week. The cab was in pretty good shape and the driver probably survived if he was wearing his seatbelt?




Thursday of last week. This guy passed me on a double yellow about 10 minutes before this happened. This Father Of The Year he had his whole family in the car on the Espinazo de Diablo and no one was wearing a seatbelt. He'll have some time to think about seat belts while he heals. He had a nasty looking compound fracture on his leg. Thankfully the kids didn't look too badly hurt. You can see from where the front bumper ended up that the car went from forward to reverse in a split second.

That road truly is safer on a motorcycle than in a car. Looks like that dumbass was in the oncoming lane when he struck the truck. Good to see you out riding. Looks like Darwin's theories are proven with some regularity on that great road.

+1. My thoughts as well.

Here's Mark883's recent vid of the Espinazo del Diablo.

Enjoy.
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The ride down to Nayarit is all pavement?

Don't know about you, but I'm good to go for this route the day after Christmas. Will be leaving Dallas Christmas day and can pass through San Angelo on the way down.

Maybe SR can join in on some of the fun.

Bring electric vest. :jose