Yep anywhere near the vehicle verification drive through at the state line is a wayback machine taking a person back to what the road was like in the 1970's.
Two guys were standing outside the shed as I used the bypass because I have placas nacioanales. I guess they had binoculares because a few miles into Sinaloa I had an SSP federal highway patrolman crawl to within 15 feet of me then drop back and make a u-turn. The vigilance impressed me.
Might be interesting to some how the condition of the road is around Sta Cruz -- Matanchen Bay to Las Varas if they take that route.
I chose the Tepic route because there usually is a lady selling superb tamales at the gasolinera near the entronque with Mex 200. Quicksilver has a jake brake and the toad has disc brakes for the downhill run past Campostela.
Some people like the Tepic route, others the coast route.