Driving in Mexico

Three days, two nights in Gomez Farias, Tamaulipas, Mexico began early in the morning. We drove the Roadtrek to Dixie Storage where we have the MR2 in a garage and we loaded up the sports car for the trip. That included snacks, computer, binoculars, extra 5-gallon gas can, extra oil, scrabble, camera, toiletries and clothes. Our first stop was at the currency exchange near the border where we changed our dollars to pesos at at rate of $1= 110 peso. We hit the border around 9am and were surprised by a customs check on the US side of the International Bridge. They asked where we were going, why, and if we had firearms or drugs along. On the Mexican side we parked and enter the building to get out visas (free if less than 7 days, otherwise $26) and vehicle permit ($23) and Mexican car insurance ($26).

We drove through Matamoros, the border town with a splash of gibberish and followed signs for Victoria on Route 180/101. The drive is quick along a two lane road with wide shoulders that vehicles use as a right lane. When a vehicle approaches from behind the vehicle in the front pulls onto the shoulder letting the vehicle pass. It works very well. The traffic on the opposite side of the road coming at you is doing the same thing. It is important to pay attention to the on coming vehicles because sometimes they come over into your lane and you have to pull into the shoulder. Kathy scared Will on one passing experience with trucks in all the lanes. So, not only do you have to be aware of your lane, the shoulder lane, but also on coming traffic, traffic entering or leaving the road ,pedestrians and animals. Dogs sleep along the roadway in the towns, herders let their goats, sheep and cows graze along the sides of the roads and people walk and bike along the busy streets.

Tinielbo is a tourist stop. The art gallery depicts scenes of agave farming, distilling and drinking. The museum has pictures and artifacts of the early days of Mezcal, the alcoholic drink made from the agave plant. The restaurant serves meals and sells jars of Mexican fruits and vegetables. Photos of great hunts and kills of big horn sheep, antelope and deer fill the walls. It was a good bathroom stop too. When we came out we walked around the circus trucks parked out front. One had tigers! The door was opened for them each in their cage with paws hanging out trying to capture a breeze. Another truck held little dogs, a monkey and several ponies and a lama. Everyone was inside eating except two men watching over the trucks.

The countryside changes from vast fields to rolling hills to mountains and vast valleys. The roads changed to four lane pay-passes and back to two lane roads. We came upon the Tropic of Cancer and got out for a photo opportunity. This year the sphere depicting the imaginary line bisecting the earth’s northern hemisphere was full of graffiti. We past the new arch at the entrance of town, stone columns with a wooden sign for the town across the top. Our fist stop was the little shop that sells Corona beer.