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November 30, 2015
Day 8 - San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico to Tucson, AZ (Mon 11/30/15)
Starting Odometer: 35,064
Ending Odometer: 35,411
Miles Driven Today: 347
Miles Driven This Trip: 1,791
This is a map of where I drove today.
I'm riding north, towards Nogales and I see another american on a motorcycle.
"I don't see a lot of Americans down here."
He tells me there's a large expatriate community down in San Carlos. He's riding a Kawasaki, heading north, towards Tucson. Same as me. Says his name is Mac. So we ride together.
"I will stop at the last Pemex station to fill up. The gas is more expensive down here, but my motorcycle runs better on this gas. It doesn't have all that tree-hugger nonsense they add in the United States."
So at some point, we stop for gas and stock up with Jumex and I buy a praline from the counter. Delicious.
The nice thing is that Mac has a plan for crossing the border, which is nice.
So when we get to the border crossing, we go for the crossing outside of town, not the main crossing. We wait in line for about 30 minutes, catching up.
He's telling me where the cheap hotels are in Tucson. To exit on Congress and double back for a Motel 6, etc.
The thing about being in Mexico is that I don't know what the road signs mean. I'd forgotten about this. Or I thought I knew what they meant. I didn't. I knew what about 1/2 of the signs meant.
"How did you get from Rocky Point to Kino Bay?"
I tell him the route I took.
"Then you crossed one of the most dangerous stretches of Mexico. That's all controlled by the drug traffickers. They had a war out there at Rocky Point a few years ago. They were shooting at the Federales and everything."
What did they do at Rocky Point?
"Well, the federales sort of encircled them, and kept the tourists pinned in so they were safe. And they had to make runs to bring in food to them. But I think right now, they have some new bosses in the cartels. And they're trying to figure everything out. IT's settled down a lot now."
"Sort of like a detente?" I clarify.
"Yes. Exactly."
"Now," Mac continues, "The road you and I are about to take - from Nogales to Tucson - is the main route for smuggling drugs into North America. Once we get across the border, there will be a secondary checkpoint about 30 miles up the highway."
"Yes...I saw something similar just north of Lukeville.." I offer.
"Yes. The same."
"Every year, there are 600 unsolved murders on this stretch of road."
As we slowly roll closer to the border, it occurs to me that I'll need my passport.
I guess I'll need my passport. You have your's out?
Yep. It's in my jacket pocket Mac says.
I reach into my tank bag and immediately produce my passport.
How's that for organizational skills? I ask.
"Pretty good, I'd say."
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 30, 2015 at 7:42 PM
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