Actual observations

[Wm_Elliot]

1. Garmin traffic works very well in Mexico - so far. In SLP now
2. Sirius satellite radio starts failing around SLP. I've done some searches and found numerous attestations that Sirius works all over Mexico... After speaking with customer service I can safely say for me at least it does not.
3. 57 northbound south of Saltillo still gets epic traffic jams - maybe even more so now.
4. I've seen more RV's on the road (all headed north) than I've seen for years. Easter week probably is driving the few RVers out this time.
5. My T-Mobile phone works better in Mexico than it does in the US.
6. I see people wearing masks still - restaurant staff and a surprising number of Nationals out and about. Thus far I have been instructed to wear a mask only at the government permit offices where quite a few of the staff didn't wear masks.
7. Police escorts are offered from N.Laredo to the 20 km checkpoint. There was no tail (drag) officers so any number of escorted vehicles could have been easily picked off with the point being none the wiser.
8. I see very few traditional gringo tourists in interior Mexico... Hardly any, in fact.
9. Gas and diesel prices are significantly lower near the border.

[Wm_Elliot]

We're in Mazatlan now - staying at a hotel we always have stayed at previously. We are the only US guests here now, no Canadians either. I spoke with one of the security staff; he said Americans (US & Canadian) don't stay here any longer. The last time we stayed here was 2019 and then the hotel had a large population of Americans. The hotel changed hands since then and the entire staff we knew from past visits have been replaced. Changes are mixed... rates are higher, nights are quieter, no more pot smoke drifting by our balcony.
The hotel seems busy, full of nationals but it's hard to tell which are staying over night and which are just here for the day. I assume the hotel is busy since we had to change to a more expensive room to stay tonight (Saturday).
Since we were last here dozens of hotels/condos went up and I still can count about 9 cranes along the malecon. There are very few US or Canadians in town unless there's a cruise ship in port - which there are 7 cruise ships due to stop here in May ... not many compared to years past.
We were going to check out Tres Amigos RV park but I'm not so sure we'll continue RVing in Mexico or the US. Life has changed so much from what it was when we started RVing.

[Wm_Elliot]

In my opinion Teacapan offers the best beach experience I've ever encountered. We started in 1999 at the Rancho Los Angelos north of the Onac. It closed in the early 2000's and we then camped at the Onac - which was fairly busy so the owners usually put us on a site near the south boundary which we liked. Then the RVers disappeared - first the US ones, then the Canadian RVers. It's a shame.
Not sure what the deal is with currency exchange - Canadians get whacked with a very low rate that doesn't match USD exchange even when taking into account the USD/CND rates the US gives. It's always been like this and has always been a bone of contention for Canadians.
I recall the early days standing in a long line at a bank in Escuinapa with a handful of traveler's checks to buy pesos with... It's so much easier now with ATMs.
Also easier - internet access, calling home, watching movies at night. T-Mobile works great in Mexico, better than back home actually. 5 gigs of data per month are allowed and then the data is slowed but still allows watching Prime or Netflix with hardly any buffering. Sirius works again in Sinaloa and points north. The satellite is still positioned south rather than overhead (I can tell going under bridges) but Sirius must mask the broadcast shadow like DirecTV did.

[almcc]

Thanks very much for the posting update for Onac! It brings back great memories about the place and the area. We spent 3 seasons (2007 to 2010) there, we enjoyed the area and the park. In Teacapan the store folks were great, I remember just holding out a handful of coins to pay, they always took the exact amount, no cheating. The beach areas were great and the RV sites were perfect, right off the beach. Unfortunately in 2010 Mexico got violent with the gangs, we haven't been back.

[Wm_Elliot]

We stopped at the Color Marino (formerly Onac) near Teacapan Sunday. There appears to be more cabins now than there were when we last camped there in 2007. One cabin was still occupied although the guests were checking out. Some of the other cabins did not look like they had been used although an employee there told us all cabins had been booked for the weekend. The employee told us that the cabins are all booked every Friday and Saturday night as a rule. The one cabin we looked at was very nice, cookware, linens, and a mini-split. The cabin we looked at did not look like it had been occupied recently.
The campground looked like the hookups still worked, at least the water tap did. 30 amp breakers with the proper plug. The campground did not look like it had seen much use recently; it wasn't overgrown or neglected but there were few signs of compaction or vehicle traffic. The road in from the highway had been much improved from what I remembered it being; no sandy hollows to bog down in but gravel and stone to give a better base. It was still narrow but with carve outs to pull into when meeting an oncoming car or truck.
I've heard the RV spots are very expensive but couldn't find any information there or online. The public area with the pools was clean and attractive but there wasn't anyone using it or representing management.
The entire facility isn't well marketed. The beaches are of course as beautiful and deserted as ever.
On edit... The highway in from Escuinapa has huge high tension pylons along the road with cables up and everything rigged for use - it all ends where the ferry crossing used to be years ago. The last pylon has a small conduit tray connecting the overhead cables to buried conduit but that type of power isn't normally buried - too high voltage. Not sure what the deal is there. Fonatur ?(spelling) had big plans for Teacapan as the next Cancun tourist destination - but so far not much progress.

[Wm_Elliot]

Currently at Villa Corona - Chimulco. 3 RVs being occupied here; Quebec, Washington, and ?... Maybe 4 rigs here long term - all unoccupied at this moment. Looking at the RV park it doesn't appear that it's had much use over the winter.
The water park part of Chimulco is very busy. Most picnic tables in use and lots of young people in the pools and water slides. It's as busy as we've ever seen it.

[NamMedevac_70]

After seeing the movie Firewalker I would definitely visit the Kliff House if I travel to PV. Fantastic facility with terrific views.

[Talleyho69]

Keep watching, big changes are coming soon!

[moisheh]

Nice to see people posting. I was ready to post that the forum is dead!

[Wm_Elliot]

Thank you for your service!

[NamMedevac_70]

Yes, I have great memory of driving my 63 dodge with two friends all the way from central Texas to Acapulco in 65 and staying at the then premier Hilton on the beach. One minor incident with stolen hubcaps in Monterey that I bought back the next morning at the central square (same ones for a few pesos). A few flats and that was it.

As former commercial chopper pilot in SE Asia and Middle East I have fond biased memories of Singapore, Thailand, Bali, UAE, Egypt, Israel and then onto Zurich, Frankfurt, Holland and UK. I understand other folks risk aversion for traveling to hot zones anywhere including certain locations in the USA. They are smart. I was younger then and now older and wiser. Maybe someday I will fly into beautiful PV. Cheers to the happy traveler

https://www.facebook.com/498thDustoffUnarmedandAlone/

1970 Nam Army Dustoff UH-1H medevac pilot, PH, CMB, AMs, DFC, C of G. (Age 21)

[Wm_Elliot]

Yes, I do recall. The escorts are optional and have been running for years in N.Laredo. I remain convinced that Mexico is not nearly as dangerous as it's reported to be. For example the murder rate per 100K is more than twice as high in New Orleans as it is in Mexico (the country). Murders and kidnappings happen frequently in the US but if an American is killed or kidnapped in Mexico it's on all the news outlets. I've been visiting Mexico since 1986 and it's always been said to be "very dangerous".
Maybe that's part of the attraction of Mexico for me - it requires a personal awareness of reality based upon actual experiences and observations. That alone creates a gateway that discourages some folks that are too frightened to experience life - but on the other hand it's unfortunate for Mexico to have this unfortunate reputation.
Last night we ate at a steakhouse and there must have been at least 60 attentive employees on duty. A great meal for $60. At the hotel there are cleaning staff cleaning the rooms daily. In the US it's much different - one hotel in the southeast offered to clean rooms after the 4th night. Many US restaurants have so few staff that service suffers.
Hope this explains what seemed like a contradiction to you. it's... complicated.

[Tvov]

Wm.Elliot wrote:

....
We've noticed an absolute lack of US or Canadian plated passenger cars on this trip. It's a shame people are not enjoying Mexico.

You do realize that in your first post you have this:

"7. Police escorts are offered from N.Laredo to the 20 km checkpoint. There was no tail (drag) officers so any number of escorted vehicles could have been easily picked off with the point being none the wiser."

[Wm_Elliot]

In 1999 I bought a used DirecTV dish in Mazatlan - it must have been at least 3 feet across but still used the regular LNB. It worked for one, maybe 2 years in southern Sinaloa. I had the regular sized dish mounted on a plywood base, set it on the ground in preparation for hooking it up at the Creel KOA - connected the coaxial cable to the TV and it was spot on - no aiming, no meter. What are the odds of that? Should have bought a lottery ticket that day.

[moisheh]

You should see the roof of our house. We have the old Hughesnet internet dish . Not used. A Direct Alaska dish and an old Shaw dish. A true satellite farm. hnak you Telmex for finally getting Fiber to our house. We have come a long way since dialup or driving to HMO to use an Internet cafe.!!

[Wm_Elliot]

The RVs we saw were Canadian or American rigs headed north on 57. The satellite radio quit for good when we entered Guanajuato. The antenna is the standard car rooftop fin. As one who tried getting DirecTv in Mexico years ago I draw the line at having a rooftop array just to get Sirius. 57 through Querétaro is major league torn up due to massive construction. Down to 1 or two lanes north or south. It will take at least a year to rebuild this critical route.
We've noticed an absolute lack of US or Canadian plated passenger cars on this trip. It's a shame people are not enjoying Mexico.