Mexico Route Planning Advise Needed

If I remember correctly, the OJ office closes at about 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. 9pm the other days.

Kenny

Excellent, thanx for that good info. Yup, planning to head to Gauda.

I'm actually thinking right now after riding from Durango to Mazatlan, head down the coast to Sayulita, then east to Tequila and Guada, back to the coast near Manzanillo and then down the coast to Zihuatanejo, then inland to Teotihuacan (going around Mex City), then up to San Luis Potosi and Monterrey. How does that sound?[/quote]

That's alot of riding but, if you can do it, it's a great ride. Take time to smell the tequila & fratenize with the locals.
Wish I was coming with you.
TL

It's about 320 miles form OF to Creel, and another 85 to Batopilas.
The roads to Creel as mostly fast with ne need to use the cuota/toll road, and you can flat boogie. The slow spots will be thru Cheewahwah and Kquahtaymuk, otherwise you're making good time. 5 hrs would be a fast time, with 7 hrs being a normal ride, but still staying on the bike. That 85 miles to Bahtopeelahs ain't fast. Figure 3 hrs as fast. Most people will want to take tons of pics and not rush, spending maybe 6-7 hrs.

Watch for drunks driving up out of the canyon when you do the run. People have been hit.

I just read your added reports, and thoroughly enjoyed them. nice photos, too. I get tired of the motorcycle advertisement type pics. Those colonial towns have such great architectural detail. I took a walking tour thru Alamos and saw some wonderful buildings. They are putting the powerlines underground to clean up the skyline.

Thanks again for taking me back to Mexico.

I don't know what these guys are talking about, Chihuahua is really simple.

You'll be coming on the Chihuahua-Aldama road, hitting the (relatively) new bypass that puts you on Periferico Lombardo Toledano as you hit the urban area. Turn right there and go half a mile to Teofilio Borunda (aka el canal - signs probably read Chihuahua centro) and turn left. Folow Borunda to where it ends at Politecnico Nacional, make a right. Follow that to the Periferico de la Juventud, make a left on that (it's a large by pass, with an overpass at that intersection, so under the highway and left). Follow it until it merges with Terrazas (it's sort of a Y intersection, you'll be on the left branch of the Y) you want to go right on Terrazas, and that puts you on Hwy 16 to Cuauhtemoc.

There are shorter routes through the city, but they require way too many turns to be able to follow if you are not familiar with the city. This should be straight forward enough for you to follow with abbreviated directions in your map pocket.

So when are you planning on going through Chihuahua? (sorry, it's probably posted somewhere here, but I didn't see it scanning this thread... )

Gustavo

Hey Gustavo, thanx for those detailed directions. I'm planning to ride through Chihuahua this coming Monday, crossing the border in the morning.

And that's the SIMPLE way. :huh

Your honor, I rest my case.

Be safe Jay, and above all have a blast!

Oh, one more thing...have huevos con chorizo for breakfast at Carolinas in Batopilas for me.

(actually I think this is the little place accross the plaza from Carolinas...but it'll work)

mmmm, I love chorizo

The bike is all packed and ready. Going for a test ride this evening with everything on it.

Anyone recommend a place to stay in Sayulita or Zihuatanejo?

There are a lot of options in Z. One of the cheapest is Las Tres Marias, Calle La Noria #4 (it's just across the pedestrian bridge near the Capitania at the mouth of the fishing boat harbor, tel 755.554.2191.
Sayulita has gotten very pricey but there was at least one reasonably priced place the last time I was there. I think it was Bungalows Las Gaviotas and is a simple, family-run place about a block from the beach. Dan

I really like this place:



But you have to rent the whole house.

OK, it's not practical for you, even if it is pretty reasonably priced for Sayulita. That is, all the hotels I've seen in "town" were pretty spendy (even before you consider that they were rather basic). The cheap accommodations are on or near the beach, you'll find some bungalows and a few cheaper hotels. Certainly not the best deals in Mexico.

Gustavo

Great thanx for that. I think I'll do that when I come back with a family...

Yup, I think I'll just find something cheap by the beach.

Since I didn't really have the info of the top of my head (I've never stayed at a hotel in Sayulita because I went there with my family, so the house made a lot more sense), I decided to look it up on the LP (do you have a copy?).

They recommend El Camaron Camping (camp sites $4/per or huts $25), Hotel Diamante (singles $35) and Bungalows Las Gaviotas ($25/$50) as the more economical places in town (of those they recommended, one of the biggest places on the beach is Papa's Palapas, they no longer recommend it, not sure why).

Check out:
http://www.sayulitalife.com/motels.htm

http://www.sayulita.com/lodging.html


Gustavo

Just a few kms north of Sayulita is the small town of San Francisco, locally called San Pancho, that is like what Sayulita was before it was "discovered." It had some inexpensive places to stay.
If you want a great bfast in Sayulita, try Rollie's Restaurant. You won't be hungry for the rest of the day. Rollie and his wife Jeanne fell in love with Sayulita, moved there and opened the rest. He was still doing the cooking last time I was there. Dan

What Dan said, but with the caveat that if I was a single, young(er? ) guy, I'd stay in Sayulita, it's more, errr, interesting.

OTOH, San Pancho has one of the nicest (and most deserted) beaches I saw in that area, so if you just want to relax and not be bothered by anybody, San Pancho is the place to go. Despite being smaller, it also had a better grocery store, with much better food selection.

If you want to try different food in Sayulita, check out if Café Caminito is still open (right across from the south side of the plaza), it serves home made Argentinean food. I spent a few long nights chatting (I was well fed too :dg ) with the owner and his friends that dropped by.


Gustavo

Yup, I read about that. I'll see what I'm in mood for when I get there... quite beach or friendly touristy town...

Thanx for that info Gustavo. I'm printing this whole thread and taking it with me.

T-14 hours to departure

I've been charged up to $40 when crossing with my GS,but never had a hold put on my card.Then again,I use Visa.