Nogales Az. to Navojoa, Sonora

This is a long blog with lots of pictures.  First off I've been asked if we think it's worth it to do our paper work in San Luis before we cross the border.  Yes it's easy there (except for our tow bill!) and saves us time at the border.  We didn't go in through Lukeville because they usually check our load and we have lots of new stuff such as a dishwasher under our canopy and didn't want to pay duty if we could help it.   At Nogales they rarely check so better safe than sorry.  If we'd gone through Lukeville we couldn't have made it all the way to Navojoa in one day.  Just all our preference. 

Last night Eric was really tired and still fighting his cold.  Slept before dinner while I did the blog.  Then we had dinner in the bar, chicken caeser salad for me and carnitas for Eric.  Again under $20.  I watched a movie on Netflix and Eric went to bed.  

Up early this morning at six am.  We had free continental breakfast in the restaurant and it was the best one we've had on the road.  Actual scrambled eggs, tater tots, beans, fruit salad, buns, sausages etc. etc.  We ate light and packed up and were on the road by 7:30 am.  I did tell the young woman on the desk about the horrible smoke smell but did say that the room was very nice and the breakfast the best we'd seen so far.  

 Heading out.  Crossed over on Western Ave. to head south on Hwy 19 to the border.

 Cloudy this morning and threatening rain.  Heading up to the border crossing.

 We were questioned by a young Mexican border guard.  He asked to see the registration for the truck and the Jeep.  Eric pointed out that we had our stickers so would have already produced registration.  Then he wanted the banjercito papers.  Eric got out and he looked at the Jeep papers and we were on our way.  I guess he had to ask us something but he didn't ask to look in the canopy. 

 A bit of rain and we're on our way.

 Nice concrete highway.

 Always a large tope in every small town.

 Pretty quiet at this point.

 And....some construction.  Not all the road is done close to Nogales.

 One lane here.

 You can see how steep it is and how much fill it will take.  It will be a while till all of this is done.

 Slowing down in Ligurta for a big tope that seems to be there for people to sell food.

 Farther ahead and they are sweeping the highway.  At least it's new highway and not one filled with potholes.

 The saguaros are just beautiful.  Must have been lots of rain here this year.

 Look at those beautiful green fields.  Sun, good soil and water.

 Edgar and Anna's RV park is still open and being run by their family.  They were both lovely people and it's nice to see that the park is still open. 

 North bound military check point by Benjamin Hill.  Huge line of trucks today.

 I wonder how many thousands of acres of grapes are grown here.

 Okay now for the important part "the new Hermosillo bypass."  Here we are leaving the highway to the right and the signs are good. 

 Turning right.

 Get in the left lane as the next sign will tell you to make a retourno to Guaymas.  Not much traffic and easy to do.

 See the sign...make an easy retourno.

 Now...stay left and head for Guaymas.  To the right and you're into Hermosillo.

You make a big loop that takes you into the northbound lane where you will turn right onto the bypass. 

 A big loop around just follow the signs. 

 Right turn off the northbound lane and you're on.  Up ahead you can see where they are building an overpass.  I would guess that by next year we will go over that and not do all the silly stuff we are doing right now.  All very easy if you just pay attention.  Google maps shows it all in detail if you have a phone with data on it. 

 Away we go.  Two lanes and a bit rough but who's complaining!

 Beats the hell out of downtown Hermosillo and all the pounding the RV's take going through the old way.

 There are many overpasses in partial completion.  Eric noted that the fill on the sides is already washing away.

 Toll booth. We paid for two autos.  Some of the toll booths north of this are by donation only right now as the Mexican people protest the tolls.  We gave a donation when asked.

 End of the bypass stay left or you'll go back into Hermosillo.  The whole road is a long way out but you can do 100 K so it's quick and pain free.  Except for the toll of course!

 Back onto 15D south. 

 The Army was out and about.

 Here they are weed wacking their new highway.

 Here is our fuel bill.  3/4 of a tank and a full tank used to cost $900 pesos.  More than we pay at home now.

 We fueled up here just after Guaymas on a part of the highway we've never travelled as we always took the RV into Guaymas and went through town.  Ate lunch here too.  The stations are privatized now so I guess they can charge what they want.

 Federalie check here.

 One of the many Yaqui stops today.  They block the highway and ask for donations to help with their fight for their water.  Not sure if the donations help as one collector was very drunk!

 See that beautiful soil.  Nothing was cultivated here last year but...if agribusiness gets water they will grow crops. 

 Still nasty two lane pavement through Vicam.

 Lots for sale here.

 Who buys that stuff?

 Yummy oranges.

 One of the new buses.  We usually see old beat up ones but today we saw lots like this.

 Now for Obregon.  This is an easy one but expensive.  You leave to the right, go over the overpass and you're on.

 This Yaqui stop before Obregon was nasty.  We thought it was a wreck on the highway but they had turned a truck sideways to block the highway.  Some of the trucks got quite aggressive about it and it got a bit dangerous at one point.  The Yaquis were collecting again and trying to direct the traffic through but it was a huge mess.

 Stopped in the northbound lane as well.

 You can see the truck behind us blocking traffic.

 Well marked sign to skirt around Obregon and continue on to Navojoa.  Next year I bet Hermosillo will be this easy too!

 Turn right.

 And then pay a hefty toll.

 We paid 332 pesos for two autos.  Oh well it's better than downtown Obregon.

 Lovely and quiet on the bypass.  You can see the dotted lines on the side.  If the traffic moves to the side there is room to pass in the center.  They do this from Caborca to Lukeville as well.  Works well if the drivers move over.

 Stay left or you'll end up back in Obregon.  Getting back onto 15D here is bad as they have a stop sign instead of a merge lane.  Dangerous.

 Another one of the new stations.

Here we are coming into Navojoa and our motel.  That old bus is blowing horrible black smoke.  We found the Fiesta Hotel and pulled into their parking lot but Eric couldn't turn around.  He had to unhook but he says our hitch is so easy it really doesn't matter.  750 pesos for the night which is cheap and there is free continental breakfast here too.  We left Nogales at 7:30 am and got here at 3pm.  Did 105 to 110 kph today because the roads were so good.  The best we've seen since we started in 2009.  The Yaqui stops slowed us down a little but we still got in early.  A good day and tomorrow on to Mazatlan.

I must post this now and go drink some beer!