We actually arrived in Phoenix on 23rd March but stayed with friends in Scottsdale until mid April. Then we started the journey down into Mexico. We originally thought we had to leave a deposit at the border (to ensure we did not sell the vehicle in Mexico) but that turned out to be duff internet information. However that had led us to crossing at Douglas rather than the closer crossing south of Phoenix.
The roads in Mexico are not really any worse than those in the US although two lane roads tend to predominate and the main roads are toll roads for large sections. These are mostly unavoidable since there are no alternate routes. It seems odd that in some cases you can bypass the toll booths by taking side roads but in the main it isn't worth it.
They do advise not to travel at night. We originally (power of American suggestion) thought this was because of bandits but the primary reason is the lack of paved shoulders on the roads. The road lanes are narrower than we are used to and it is very easy to go over the edge especially when a big truck is coming the other way. The road shoulder can
often drop as much as six inches (and sometimes much much more!). Even on non-mountain roads falling off could turn you over.
Moral: DON'T drive at night. There are additional hazards from livestock and
rocks. Basically it isn't worth it.
We have spent almost all the journey so far on Mex 15 which is the mainland west
coast north-south route. Much of it is a four lane toll road (our budget for tolls is
about the same as for fuel (which is currently 7.72 pesos/litre - about 40p)!
The only problems are the speed humps and vibradores (heightened rumble strips
high enough to wreck your suspension at over 5mph). These occur every time you
pass a place where people might be ie at every bus stop! It really does bring
the speed average down to about 40mph on the main roads and 25mph on the smaller
roads.
We have done about 900 miles in April (by road) and another 400 by rail up
into Copper Canyon. That's actually in about two weeks of travelling so things
are on track.
We had a bad blow when we arrived and discovered that the camper needed a
major brake overhaul which cost us $2500 (about £1600) but this is the first
major work we have had done in the last 50,000 miles so we can't really complain.
We also swapped out 4 D rated tyres for E rated which are what should be on a
vehicle of this weight but are not always so easily available. We now have four almost
new spares which we can use this year in Mexico and next year in Alaska where
tyres may be rather harder to come by and the danger of tyre damage greater.
Total journey this year is projected at 4000 miles over two months of actual
travelling of which at this point we have done one quarter. |