Road to Oaxaca

If you do stop in Patzcuaro, El Pozo is still open and running. However, the north bypass for Morelia is a real mess. Serious mess, add an hour to the normal 25 minutes around the city, and the conditions seriously sucked. This is as of 4.5 weeks ago from friends. We did it in late October and didn't know if we'd make it through the construction.
Personally? The short road from Morelia to Patzcuaro isn't usually one of the areas that get hit. I wouldn't pass on Patzcuaro, and it's a great way to break up the drive.

We're in Oaxaca thru NY's and then heading back to Jalisco via Puebla and Michoacan. Maybe we'll skip the camp ground in Patzcuaro this pass and stay on the toll road to Guadalajara, Colima and Melaque.

I HATE IT! I HATE IT!

Bear in mind this is THREE STATES out of 31. No, I don't mince words. The situation in Michiacan is fluid. Until they find that @#$/\&! La Tuta and sever his head it's going to stay bad.

Autodefensas have BLOCKADED Mex 14-D the toll road between Patzcuaro and Lazaro several times the last few weeks. Absolute shutdown and if you are on it you will be immobilized.

The indians in the X villages in northern Michoacan are on the warpath - a shooting war against adversaries. This makes using Mex 200 dicey.

Most gossip and advice is a bunch of krap IMHO. This isn't. Ron Y Vickie and Canadian Rainbirds were robbed by independent petty criminals who took advantage of a vacuum in law enforcement in the region. That vacuum is WAY worse now. Yes, this includes the Butterfly Sanctuary, and highways to Patzcuaro, Lazaro, Uruapan, and Zihuatanejo.

Los Defensas Rurales are more interested in fighting each other than the Cartels. It is a real mess.

" IMHO, it would pay to keep your ear to the ground. I have never in 50+ years seen so much anger and frustration in Michoacan, Guerrero, and Oaxaca. It's a freakin' powder-keg. Anything can set this off and when the state capitol buildings go up in flames, you'll know it's started."

That's very disturbing news.

Everyone should take note on Mex's post. Remember he has more Mexico experience than anyone on this site and I have never seen him post anything like this. Just a few weeks ago his take on this subject was very different. He joins a list of other long time Mexico RV'rs that are changing their tune.

Moisheh

Mexicowander, I always find your insight interesting and valuable. Glad to hear you are being careful. Be careful around La Paz as there has been an increase in problems tho not against tourist & gringos.

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

RonYVickie wrote:
Nope ! on the truck. We flew home, bought another one, had it outfitted in AZ and went and fetched the trailer home. Put out 40 grand before getting anything back, but it's only money, right ? Presently in PV wishing things would calm down in Guerrero and Michoacán. May end up doing a camping tour of the neighbourhood here - Sayulita, LDM, etc, as we always stay here in town for a couple of months, then go south. Not a big fan of sleepy villages with nothing to do or see. May have to try Thailand, etc for a change. RYV

IMHO, it would pay to keep your ear to the ground. I have never in 50+ years seen so much anger and frustration in Michoacan, Guerrero, and Oaxaca. It's a freakin' powder-keg. Anything can set this off and when the state capitol buildings go up in flames, you'll know it's started.

The president of Bolivia just labeled Mexico "A Failed Narco State" followed by Germany who hinted the country was on the verge of breaking diplomatic relations. This is incredible.

The wheels are coming off. A lot of this stuff is not in the news. But when 2,000 campesinos show up bearing pitchforks, machetes and molotov cocktails, it ain't too cool.

Michoacan is a mess. The Fuerzas Defensas, the Rurales are riddled with ex templarios and la familia former members. The feds just took over control of La Mira and Lazaro Cardenas, because of LCT infestation of iron ore mining and transport businesses. The -------- have threatened workers and chofers with deadly violence if they continued to work under the Federal Police and Army supervision.

I was just ordered out of casa by the kids. Vague but unnerving threats against my life. Beto and Chelas are hunting the source of the rumors (these folks are bad to the bone ex La Familia) but meanwhile I returned to Baja California. There is going to be violence. I heard with my own ears twenty minutes of protracted automatic arms fire and what sounded like grenade launcher explosions right from my front door. Jesus said it sounded like it came from Las Flores, a village on a dirt road about 8km toward the mountains.

My advice is to stay the hell away from Michoacan for the time being. Include the states of Guerrero and Oaxaca as being "tense" and I do not mean mere jittery. I am anything but alarmist. But the dam is about to burst and you nor me, want to be anywhere near it when it does.

A force of who the hell knows who wants to march on Morelia and burn state government buildings to the ground just like what happened in Guerrero.

Idiots are labeling this a revolution or Civil War. Both are stupid labels. It is Insureccion Civil.

It is also NO REASON TO ABANDON TRIP PLANS OR AVOID THE COUNTRY. There are hundreds if not thousands of destinations outside the region of conflict. Just like happened in Furgueson, it is regionally serious but idiotic to decide to avoid visiting the United States.

Use wisdom in your trip planning, 2015.

This'll be our third night at the Oaxaca Trailer Park. We found it easily with Siri's help on our iPhone. Entry would have been more difficult in a 40 footer because of all of the cars parked, and yes, double parked inside and outside the gate. Walled in and gated, night watchman, feels secure and roomy enough for our big black dog to chase a tennis ball. Electricity, sewer and cold water, but no wifi or water heater. Good thing the hot shower in our Lance camper works well enough and our iPhone makes a convenient hot spot and we can both get on line.

First night we were the only camper in the yard, but last night we were joined by a couple of canucks in a Road Trek. Good walking neighborhood, Soriana, Bodega, good cheap restaurants and coffee shops, Tuesday street market just over the wall. Forty or fifty pesos plus tip each way to the central zocalo. Lots of grid locked traffic the whole way downtown and mobs of people and cops when you get there. Taxi drivers say it's the xmas crowds and not typical. Load your wallet up before hitting the big square or you won't be able to afford food and drink. Puebla and Chalula are plenty interesting and much more economical.

Guadalajara is four hours from our home and we had no trouble getting in and out of the city after a visit to Costco, dinner and a good night's sleep. Day two we arrived in Puebla and lost our way because of closed off ramps and detours from road construction on 190d. Found the campground sort of by accident. Liked Puebla and Chalula and plan to spend more time there on our return.

The tolls were high and frequent between Guad and Puebla. After Puebla they were less, almost cheap. The last toll booth before Oaxaca had been taken over by a masked group carrying banners about the missing 43 students. We were talking and listening to music and not paying close attention when we arrived there and I thought the guy extending the collection can was another red cross or fire fighter volunteer just wearing a black mask. I smiled and greeted him, dropped a few small denomination coins in his can and drove forward prepared to pay the cuota. Nobody was home in the booth and the gate was up so we drove on with no more attendant drama than usual. Our Chihuahua didn't even bark. Now we just need to find someone who could wash our clothes.

Nope ! on the truck. We flew home, bought another one, had it outfitted in AZ and went and fetched the trailer home. Put out 40 grand before getting anything back, but it's only money, right ? Presently in PV wishing things would calm down in Guerrero and Michoacán. May end up doing a camping tour of the neighbourhood here - Sayulita, LDM, etc, as we always stay here in town for a couple of months, then go south. Not a big fan of sleepy villages with nothing to do or see. May have to try Thailand, etc for a change. RYV

Thanks for the suggestions. RyV, we were parked for two weeks next to your closed trailer in Patzcuaro last April. Seemed secure. Ever hear anything more about your missing truck?