San Carlos to Los Mochis -Smart Gas Truck Stop

 We left San Carlos then stopped at first gas station on old 15 to fuel up. We left there at 10:00 and pulled into Smart Gas in Los Mochis about 15 to 4. We filled up with fuel before pulling into Pension to park for the night. We park right up in front of the fence. Around 240 miles. All toll booths are open and collecting tolls. About 540 pesos for RV and car.

Back on 15D the road was pretty good concrete.

Passed lots of fires burning along side of the road. 

Coming up to Estacion Oroz around KM67. Slow way down there are four nasty topes there. Usually vendors or “donation takers” are standing along the edges of highway or in the middle of highway. 

The topes kind of blend in with the road. Careful. 

 Then you come to Vicam. Lots and lots of topes, vendors and “donation takers.” Some of them have TOPE signs right next to them. When you see the sign it is sometimes to late to slow down. 

Lots of stuff for sale along the highway, mostly on the northbound side.

Leaving Vicam I guess they were slowing the truckers way down, long line of northbound trucks waiting to go through town. No roadblocks on southbound side.

More decent highway – enjoy it it goes away.

Approaching the Obregon bypass just beyond the big Indian. Plenty of signs.

The ramp goes off to the right – a big curve to get on the bypass.

Bypass is good road. If you get behind a truck be patient most will work with you to be able to pass them. Pay attention when it is time to get off bypass. Make sure go straight, you don’t want to end up in Obregon!

Heading to Navojoa the road is mostly good. Watch out for cattle and goats grazing along the road.  No idea why the topes or people standing in road. No one even looked at us. 

Also some construction along this area. Very short detours. 

Navojoa – 

Watch the topes as you near town. We drove right straight through the town. All but two of the traffic lights were red. Only two were green when we got to them. It is kind of a joke, no matter how fast or slow you go or how much or little the traffic you cannot get through town without most of the signals being red. 

There are two  sets of two topes around KM 96 -94. They are hard to see and nasty.  Last year we hit the first one hard. This year we were watching for them. Good road until about ½ mile from Sinaloa state line. Suddenly good road turns to dirt with some asphalt on it. 

Agriculture check point – just waved us through. 

Last year right next to check point there is a little shack/building and we were stopped and had to show papers for the car. This year no one there, just drove through. Never know. 

The roads in Sinaloa can be kind of okay, not so good and horrible. Very little okay. Again, more fires. 

Parked in Smart Gas just south of Los Mochis. And that was that day, Tuesday. 

We had a very good dinner in the Elba cafe in the front. Uneventful evening. Could pick up their WiFi a little bit for a short time. 

Next blog will be from Los Mochis to Mazatlan - where we are now. Just got Internet today, Will continue to try catching up.