We try to find the turn to head south in Puerto Vallarta.

Saturday Feb. 18, 2012

Well this morning we decided the weather was decent and we would “Get out of Dodge” (old cowboy movie saying!  We know there is a left turn on the north end of Puerto Vallarta that will take you south on the libramento road so you avoid the downtown area and this is the route that all heavy traffic including RV’s is required to take.  You are also supposed to be on the lateral (like an access road) starting at the Puerto Vallarta airport so you won’t get a ticket and there is a small sign that tells you to do this but it is very easy to miss.  Last year when we went south with Frank and Sandi Frank’s GPS didn’t send us that way and we drove through downtown Puerto Vallarta instead of being on the libramento.  It wasn’t a huge problem since we weren’t towing a rig.  On our way back north with them it wasn’t a problem to find the libramento as there were signs telling you where to turn. 

And now for the long…..drawn out explanation!!!

So off we went and when we got to the airport we got on the lateral.  When we got to the point where you should make the left turn for the libramento we found out that there was no light…. and no turn from the lateral but that you would have to take a small ramp up onto the highway prior to the turn and then cross two lanes of traffic and make the left turn from the main highway at the light.   Does this all sound incredibly confusing??  You bet.  I should also point out there is no sign telling you where the turn to the libramento is….not even an obscure one.  So we made a left turn farther down the lateral, crossed the main highway and made a left turn on the other side and returned to the libramento which is easy on the motorcycle but would be impossible in an RV. We then followed the libramento to the south end of Puerto Vallarta.  The main south bound tunnel is closed and all north/south traffic is routed through the northbound tunnel.  It is very congested at the south end and you go through small downtown cobblestone streets before you see the sign that sends you south toward Melaque.  We turned around there and headed back to find lunch and head home.  On the reverse route on the north end of the libramento there are lots of signs saying Tepic as you flow into the northbound lane so you wouldn’t get lost.  

We stopped at a Pizza Hut by the Soriana’s mall and had a nice thin crust pizza and pop for lunch.  A quick stop at the Mega for a 24 pack of beer and off home.  We took the ocean route by Punta Mita which comes out at Sayulita because it is a much prettier and quieter ride. 

Tomorrow we will try it again!