Los Mochis to San Carlos

Started this yesterday evening. Posting this morning. Well we made it another 242 miles closer to home. Left Los Mochis at 8 and got to San Carlos a little after 1:00. Total tolls 1265 pesos - going south it was 993 pesos. Every toll booth was more expensive. Too bad the roads weren't better. Today is a go no where day. 

The sunrise yesterday morning at the Smart Gas truck stop. 

Us parked in an almost empty truck lot. We always park right up front next to the guard and the fence. 

On the road, the first toll booth. Long lines to get through almost all of them. Most of them had vendors selling all kinds of things. 

Here is the first picture of THE DEAD BUG. He barely showed up on the window so I'd forget he was there. But the camera loved him and would focus on what was left of him and the rest of the picture would be out of focus. So please forgive. After the 244 peso toll just north of Los Mochis the road went to heck. 

The first check point of the day.  (This is not permanent check point - see the rope tope.)

When we got over the rope tope we thought that was it. Nope. We were stopped by the FGR   - Fiscalia General de la Republica. They look for illegal migrants and investigate and prosecute federal crimes. - Two men in their camo uniforms and big guns came in to inspect. Their English was pretty good. They were very concerned about the area above our slide in bed. Why was there so much space between the top of the slide and the ceiling. Had to explain how it slides out. A little bit of thumping with fists on the ceiling. Then they thanked us and left. Very polite non threatening. Just had never heard of them before. Had to look up who they were. 

Another check point. Just asked where we came from and we where going. Waved on. 

Leaving Sinaloa into Sonora. Right here barely any asphalt on either side of the border. Mostly pot holes. 

Coming up to the agricultural check point just inside of Sonora. Lot of dust in air.

Much to our surprise this whole area has been paved. Used to be nothing but BIG pot holes. 

Just asked if we had fruit. Said no and then waved through. As I said the Whole area has been paved. 

Right out to the highway. No more rig rocking holes to go through. 

A truck full of rocking chairs. 

Finally got a kind of good picture of this. We were stopped at the light, of course, and no on coming traffic. Very pretty. 

We actually managed to catch two of the lights going through Navojoa while they were green. Amazing. 

Got on the Obregon bypass. More traffic than usual on it. There were two men with two wheel barrels working here. No transportation to take them any where. So hope someone remembered to pick them up. AN INTERESTING NOTE - THE TOLL FOR THE RV AND THE CAR WAS - GET THIS - 512 PESOS! Almost dropped my teeth when we gave her a 500 peso note and she asked for 12 more pesos. Like I said all tolls have gone up. 

When we got of the bypass and to the big sculpture of the Indian we ran into a road block. Several Nationals had a couple of the lanes blocked by a pick up truck and a rope across the only lane not blocked. Of course you have to stop. Bill told them in Spanish to lower the rope. Surprised looks. Again he said lower the rope. They were lowering the rope when Bill ended up giving them 20 pesos. They were polite but...

Entering Vicam. Here another road block, again another 20 pesos. They will move the barrel without you paying them if you insist. 

Traffic slow going through do to the horrid road and all the topes. Another group standing in the middle of the road at the end of town. Refused to pay this group. 

Glad we were going the other way. Big traffic back up going south. 

Just beyond Vicam there is another small town that has four topes to watch out for. Around km 58 just about a mile past the Pemex on the left.

The roads in Sonora are good, except for the few exceptions of at the border and going through Vicam and the topes scattered here and there. 

IF you are going to San Carlos or the big gas station just north of the toll booth. Take care, there is a new turn off to get to the station and the south bound lanes. (Actually it is the turn off we took last year and ended up in the city dump.) So of course we didn't take it this year. Well we should have. Suddenly we were going over the gas station and eventually had to find a returno to get back headed south to go to San Carlos.) There is signage (it too was there in the spring) but it is a little confusing. 

So we are in Totanaka until tomorrow morning when we will cross the border. The longest driving day. Almost 300 miles. And of course more topes and toll booths. 

We are not unhooking the car so will have a quiet day here in the campground.