We were driving by 8:30AM. No need to rush as we would be spending the evening in a Pemex ( gas station ) parking lot.
This looked like a very recent accident.
Overall the roads are better than last year but still some back and forth and sharing the new road with two way traffic.
First town was Vicam where once again we saw a bird seller who had quite a few birds in tiny cages. For my new readers this is illegal. Not much else going on in Vicam this time, it is becoming a sleepy town with very few vendors at all the topes.
We noticed a great deal of water in the ditches along here, likely from the hurricanes and tropical storms.
This is what the old road looks like. I was surprised to see that some of the new cement roads are already breaking down; repair work is already happening.
Topes aka speed bumps are the best places for vendors to sell their wares. This fellow was selling nuts.
Many places along the highway to stop for some nourishment.
Shortly after 10AM I noticed a bunch of buses passing us. They were mostly all different and had a number in the front window. It was the migrant caravan. I had read that they had arrived in Culiacan Tuesday.
We think there were at least 35 – 40 vehicles but possibly 50 as we never noticed the first bunch that passed us.
Every so many buses there was a police vehicle with lights flashing. I was happy to see that they were being driven North. Good for the Mexican government. I read today that “Other members of the caravan have splintered off in different directions to reach other northern cities including Hermosillo, Sonora; Escuinapa, Sinaloa; and Monterrey, Nuevo León.”
I always love to see this large Yaqui statue just before CD Obregon.
Contrary to what I have read the exit to the CD Obregon bypass is very well marked. We saw three signs before the turn off. It is being called the Navojoa Cuota. We did this road April 4th on our way North and it was called the Guaymas Cuota, it all depends on which direction you are traveling.
The actual turnoff.
The bypass is also being called the Libramiento de Ciudad Obregon.
We have not paid any tolls in Sonora due to a protest which we have no idea what it is about. However I once again suggest giving at least a few coins or 20 pesos to support their cause. So when we came to the toll for this bypass we were surprised to see them collecting money. No it was not free today. They charge by the axle so we were charged 301 pesos for four axles ( ejes in Spanish ), two for the RV and two for the car. Last spring we only paid 160 pesos but the project was not complete and we had some detours through some small towns. The bypass is fully operational and I think that it is a fair price to pay to avoid all the chaos and horrible roads in CD Obregon.
A beautiful 25 km drive through the hills. Everything is a very lush green due to all the recent rains.
I loved all the color of these bougainvilleas just before we got off the bypass which took us about 25 minutes to complete.
Some important notes here. If you need fuel get it before you do the bypass as there is no Pemex until Navojoa. Also when you come off the bypass to rejoin Hwy 15 there is no merge at all. Be very cautious here. You come out at KM2013 right by the Virgin on the Hill. From here we drove right through Navojoa by choice. The bypass is too long and not necessary in my opinion.
Of course we slowed and waited for them to cross the road. The male dog waited until the female was safely across.
Just hanging out in the median. Do not drive after dark in Mexico as you never know what you will encounter on the road.
Last year the road just before the Sinaloa border was simply horrific. You can click here for that post. We honestly believe that overall the roads are much much better than last year. Yet there are some very specific spots that are still frightful. It all starts at KM 86 just before the Sinaloa border with a very rough crossover to the new road and then at KM 82 a crossover to the narrow and very slow old road. Still 0verall better than last year but it is bad for a few KMs. You then crossover to the new road again and back to the very old road to shake and rattle for 1/2 km.
The last bit of new road is so new that there are no bridge railings, etc.
A final warning. There is an extremely bad dip as you crossover to the right from the new road onto the Sinaloa road where the road has numerous potholes as you can see above. Go slow on this last crossover. The roads do get somewhat better but until they do, straddle the lanes as best you can.
Once in Sinaloa we start to see the signs of the rains from the hurricanes and the tropical storms.
So much land eroded. So much destruction. You can even see it in the fields. The farmers are out there redoing their fields and re seeding.
The amount of water over the land is surprising. I can’t begin to imagine how it must have been at the time of the storms.
It took us eight hours to drive 318.6 miles today. We took less than a one hour break in bits and pieces through the day. Fortunately our RV is like sitting in a business class seat on an airplane. Love our airbags.
A great spot in a Pemex with free WiFi and a fabulous sunset. Nice and cool @ 74F outside at 8:30PM. We will sleep well tonight but first, time for some dinner. Life is good.
