Skip Sonoyta speed trap..use New Nogales Crossing

jerry

jerry

Guest
If you Vacation between Penasco and Lobos and live in Tucson or New Mexico start using Nogales route.Almost no hassles on the food front headed south,the roads from the border to Caborca are beautiful,groceries are cheaper in Caborca,the restaurants on a par but cost maybe 65% of Penasco prices.
The new modern Maraposa crossing has 12 lanes.Every other one was open yesterday and the wait was thirty minutes.The Roadside restaurants in imuris and Santa Ana are great.Home depot in Nogales Sonora has pretty much everything you need too. Plus,the almost mystical feeling you get visiting the Mission in Caborca is worth the stop even for nonbelievers....as always travel in day light
 
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marybna

Guest
How long does it take to get to Penasco this way? I am in Green Valley and used to go San Carlos and Mazatlan.
 
Buffalo Marty

Buffalo Marty

Guest
I live in Nogales, AZ and know both the USA and Mexico routes well. Strictly timewise, from Nogales its about a wash- I can make it in ~4hrs going either way. So depending where someone lives in Tucson, its probably faster to go via USA but its not a huge difference. Jerry is definitely right about the cool roadside stops in Imuris & Santa Ana- the US trip is SOOOO boring, pretty much a whole lot of nothing- the Mexico ride is scenic and has cool little stops along the way.

The big con for me for the Mexico route is the stretch from Caborca to Penasco. From Nogales to Caborca, its pretty much all 4 lane highway and not too stressful, but from Caborca onward its mostly just 2 lanes and in terrible condition. Even during the day it can be stressful, but at night its downright dangerous. I know that the section from YGriega to Pensaco has been under repair, so maybe it will eventually be a nicer drive. Even so, I'm not sure if there are any plans to modernize Caborca to YGriega- I think thats only a but a 45 minute stretch, but still not pleasant. (One more bad thing about Mexico are the tolls- if memory serves its ~40 pesos in Nogales, ~30 in Magdalena and ~90 after Santa Ana- so ~160 all told, probably 12 bucks or so)

Jerry's definitely right about the border crossings. I cross every day for work and in Nogales the US guys almost never check you going into Mexico. And coming back is usually not too bad either since there are 12 lanes now- although it still helps to check the wait times online to compare Lukeville & Nogales:

http://bwt.cbp.gov/
http://www.elimparcial.com/Webcams/GaritaNogales.aspx (webcam to see the border- Mariposa is the highway crossing)

If you're a little adventurous, I'd definitely recommend taking the Mexico route at least once- just do it when you're not in a rush and can go during daylight hours- its definitely a more interesting ride than the US route.
 
Arizona2010

Arizona2010

Guest
I didn't encounter any problems in Sonoyta when I traveled through today, in fact I didn't see any police at all, Federalis, or Marines there. It was really quiet and there were not a lot of Arizona plated cars going in either direction. There were 3 different Bimbo trunks I passed along the way heading back down to Puerto Penasco, apparently Sonoyta likes their bread.
 
jerry

jerry

Guest
Joe same one.The chief was looking for some dough at the bread company.I returned to the states via nogales again....maybe 5 hours from tucson to Santo Tomas or lobos.If taking a boat to lobos it would be a good route.All road work is finished. Heads up in Caborca on side streets.... A few drunk ass central Americans lurking....only 50 cops left on the force.....have a few great beach fireside stories to share....corrupt ass country
 
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audsley

Guest
What's the word nowadays on taking Highway 43 out of Altar through Tubatama, Saric, etc.? I know it adds scenery, has picturesque churches, cuts out the tolls and reduces mileage, but last I heard it wasn't smart even in the daytime. Anybody doing it?
 
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HILL BOY

Guest
audsley said:
What's the word nowadays on taking Highway 43 out of Altar through Tubatama, Saric, etc.? I know it adds scenery, has picturesque churches, cuts out the tolls and reduces mileage, but last I heard it wasn't smart even in the daytime. Anybody doing it?
Click to expand...
No way!! Banditos


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
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The Man

Guest
Came south from Sonyota a few weeks back and eat at Lupita behind the big tourest trap store where Ya turn left at the stop sign and left again. Then turned right at the big closed hotel. Got to that next intersection and red lights blasting behind me.
A young tall neat Mexican cop came to my window, shook my hand, told me his name, then I asked why I was stopped! He spoke good english. Said I went down
a one way street. I said I did not! He walked across the street to a store then a big older plain clothed ruff cop came up to my window asked for ID and stuff? I said why to him and in broken English said I went down a one way! I said I did not, no sign and said no tickie! He said yes, walked to his police truck. I got out, walked to his truck and seen he was writting a ticket! I again said no tickie for me, no one way street. He got a little mad, it was about 7 pm, and again said no tickie, I did not go down a one way. But at that cornor there was a one way sign pointing to the way I came. Another try to talk my way out of a ticket, he was getting a little more sour faced! I said I did not want a tickie, it was not posted one way! By this time I started to walk the block back and look for a one way sign by Lupita. By now the other neat as a pin young cop came back and I said if there was a sign, and I did not see, ok I get a ticket.
As I started to walk that young cop said he will walk, as he seen me limping from an injury. Walked back to older grumpy cop and said I don't want a ticket not a one way.
He was getting more grumpy as he really insisted I get a ticket right or wrong! The young Cop got back, repeated what I was saying to the older cop, and said to the older cop....no tickie! Told me there was no one way sign at the cornor by the old closed motel. He said I can go! That older cop was not very happy about that! Judged by his look on his face.
So maybe there are some good un corrupted police there in Sonoyta. He went to the trouble to walk a block and look, while the older cop sat in the police truck and was not going to check my story out!
 
jerry

jerry

Guest
Badge number 18 is giving a huge number of tickets as you leave Sonoyta .If you have gotten a ticket from him pm me as a friend with connections with the mayor is trying to put some complaint letters together......6 or 7 people have gotten tickets from the same guy!
 
brokenwave

brokenwave

Guest
First of all let me thank Jerry for getting me out of a ticket with his info from the previous post.

Crossed today Sat, at 3:15 my wife was driving our SUV got to the check point, red light, pulled over Mexican Border agent said we had beautiful cats
and said have a safe trip.
Easy as can be.

I was telling my wife about what I read here from Jerry's post about Sonoyta Police badge #18, I told her to lock the cruise at 27mph (42KPH).
We traveled from the border about 3-4 blocks and a Sonoyta Policia truck pulls in behind us and flips his lights on.
Two guys come to our car and said we were speeding he shows us a radar gun that showed 63KPH, I started to laugh, he saw no humor in that,

I told him NO Way because we had the cruise set for 42KPH and asked him if his badge number was #18.

He demanded we pay him, I told him that I have heard that badge #18 really likes the Mordida and told him again there is
no way we were going 63kph (42mph) and lets go to the police HQ.
I was showing a very stern side of my normally laid back self by repeating to him are you #18?
He got a bit rattled/frustrated and after a few words with the other policeman he folded.

Bottom line is he told us to please slow down and drive carefully, at that point I just let it go and decided not to confront him anymore and off we went
Mordida Free and arrived in Cholla at 4:35.

Thanks Jerry!!:)
 
Hobie Vern

Hobie Vern

Guest
Came through yesterday at about 3:30 pm. No stop at the border, waved us right thru. By-Pass closed due to construction. Traveled 25 mph had no problems.
 
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