Ron and Susy in Mazatlan

DRIVING IN MEXICO

A lot of people have been interested in what is involved with driving to Mazatlan. For us if we were to just drive from home with no dog trial stops and no company business it would probably take about 5 days. Below are some of our experiences. You do need cash for gas in Mexico, they do not accept credit cards at the Pemex stations. Some have cash machines where you can get cash against your credit card, but I don't know what type of exchange rate and/or fees those machines charge.

OUR FIRST DRIVING TRIP:
On previous trips, we flew to Mazatlan and rented a car. Our first driving trip was in 2003 and we drove our 36 foot Bounder motor home to Tucson, Arizona which took four days. We rented a storage space in Tucson and left the big rig there. We then drove our tow vehicle, a mini-van, the rest of the way. We crossed into Mexico at Nogales. We were worried about changing money for the tolls and gas, so we drove around and got a little lost in Nogales. We ended up on a "San Francisco" steep hill in a residential area that was only wide enough for one car, but was open to two way traffic. After getting out of the hills we found a Bancomer bank, but they wouldn't change money even though we had an account with them. They sent us across the street to a money exchange. We changed $200 US and we had about 1/2 of that left when we got to Mazatlan.

Actually we didn't need to worry about changing the money in Nogales. About 20 or 30 minutes down the road there is a stop that one must make to purchase a car permit. They have a money exchange there. The car permit is not as organized as it could be, but it is Mexico and part of the Mexican experience. There are several offices to go to. At the first one they hand type some stuff. Then you go to a booth and get photo copies of your typed up papers and your ORIGINAL car registration. If you car isn't paid for, you will need some type of paper work from the lien holder. Also bring your PASSPORT. Some people were sent back as they didn't have the correct papers. Then you go to another area and give them a credit card for your permit. If you try to pay with cash it costs several hundred US dollars, with the credit card it is about $30 (a little less, I think). They will then fool around a lot and finally come back with a paper with a special sticker for the window. You must have this sticker on the window if you go beyond Sonora (that is the state you have entered). Since Mazatlan is in the next state, Sinaloa, we needed our sticker. Also you must have MEXCIAN insurance written by a Mexican based company if you want to keep out of jail in the case of an accident. I purchased ours on the internet from Ace: INA Cross the Border before we left home. Note: since the trip in 2003, INA Cross the Border is no longer in business (but the company ACE, that they wrote the policy for is still around). I have switched to: MexPro and they offer several different companies and different packages.

After we got our official sticker, we drove through the "crossing" and were waved right through. I have been told that sometimes they search everything, other times nothing. I guess we got lucky, but we really didn't have anything to declare.With a dog and cat on board we really didn't want to have to deal with unloading the van and re-loading everything; thus we were glad to have been waived through. No one was even interested in the vet certificates that I brought, and it turned out that the US agents were interested either.

We took the cuota or toll roads all the way to Mazatlan. The roads were fine, however in Sonora there didn't seem to be a shoulder, just a drop off from road to weeds. No real place to pull over. We drove to Guaymas and stayed at the Flamingo Motel which was on the main street into town and was recognizable as it was bright pink. They accepted the cat and dog so that was one of the reasons we stayed there. We had located them on the internet. They had a swimming pool which Ron enjoyed and a little restaurant where we had dinner. The room was clean, but somewhat funky by American standards. However it was only for one night and we left very early the next morning. Well, we tried to leave early. We spent about 15 minutes driving around Guaymas looking for the cat. The windows fogged up as we started to drive and Ron opened the side window. The cat jumped from my lap and we couldn't find him. We thought that he might of bailed out the window, but we couldn't figure out how. Finally Ron stopped the car and took a flash light and located the rascal hiding under some stuff in the back of the van. With much relief, we re-started our journey towards Mazatlan.

The second day from Guaymas to Mazatlan was a long day, 11 hours. We followed the speed limits and had a lot of slow downs for construction, pedestrian crossings and the posted limits. Also when you see a sign, Topes, this means speed bumps. They can be huge round metal balls or the American style lumps or just white stripes painted on the road. But if you don't slow down you will be VERY SORRY. If you hit those bumps with any speed other than a crawl the car will fly and you will hit your head on the ceiling! If that isn't enough, the policia (cops) will probably give you a speeding ticket. Watch your speed: 100km is about 62 or 63 mph.

TRIPS SINCE 2003:
Since that first trip, we switched to just driving a mini-van from Idaho and stopping at hotels at night. We have crates for the dog(s) and one for the cat too. The cat gets to ride loose so he can use the litter box and when we stop he gets crated and we then walk the dog(s). We usually stay in Nogales on the US side the night before we enter Mexico. We try to leave early as it usually takes an hour at the car registration area and it can get hot for the pets. Once we have our sticker we drive until we reach Navojoa. We use to stay at the Best Western, but there is another motel called, El Rancho that is just as good for about 1/2 the cost. Both motels have restaurants so you can get a dinner and then a breakfast without going out. Both hotels allow pets, but I like El Rancho better as they have a big grassy area where the dogs can play. The second day drive is much shorter and we usually arrive in Mazatlan around 3:30pm. We still stick to the pay roads and we bring pesos with us to pay the toll. Some of the toll booths take US dollars, some do not. We make it a rule to get gasoline when the tank is about 1/2 empty. There are Pemex gas stations along the route, but no way to know how far away the next one may be. Just make sure that the attendent has zeroed the pump BEFORE he (she) starts to pump.

WARNING: THERE ARE SOME GASOLINE ATTENDANTS THAT WILL WORK THE PUMP SO FAST AND CLAIM IT WAS ZEROED BUT YOU ARE CHARGED FOR GAS YOU DID NOT GET - THEY WILL EVEN CLAIM THAT THEY DIDN'T CHEAT YOU WHEN YOU TRY TO CALL THEM ON THIS.

THE PEMEX IN THE GOLDEN ZONE BETWEEN CASA COUNTRY AND LOS ARCOS RESTERAUNTS HAS SOME ATTENDANTS THAT PULL THIS SCAM!!! IT WAS DONE TO US AND TO LOCAL MEXICANS TOO!

Returning to the US:
Driving north from Mazatlan, about 3 hours up the road there is a fruit stop. If you have any fresh fruit, they take it They too are worried about fruit fly maggots like some states in the US. Either don't take any fruit with you or if you do have some, give it to them and proceed on your way. There are some miliary check points and on the second day there is a very large stop. Sometimes you have to wait for a long time to get through this and you may be pulled over and searched by their military. Often they will have you pull your car over a pit and they will poke at your car and maybe even make you unload the car or search it. If you exit through Nogales, Mexico there are two gates. The large road usually has a long, long wait. You can exit and drive through the town, but it too may have a long wait. The other alternative is to drive west in Mexico and cross the border at Lukeville, AZ (just south of Ajo, AZ). You will have to drive a longer day in Mexico and it will be dark by they time you get to the border, but it is usually a lot easier to cross back into the US at Lukeville. However the choice of motels in Ajo is limited. It is in the middle of the desert with nothing close by. We have found it is worth the extra few hours of driving to avoid the hassle of entering the US at Nogales.

Before you leave Mexico you need to stop and turn in the sticker from your window if you are not returning before it expires (6 months). If you don't, the next time you drive in, you need to return the sticker, before you try to get a new one or you will not get your permit. We had to do this once and it wasn't too hard, but a little confusing as to where to turn in the old sticker. After it was deactivated, we could then get a new one.

Don't try to bring back meat or any of the other prohibited items to the US. The Border inspectors do not have a sense of humor about these things. They will pull you over and go through your car.

Although I always go to the vet and get health certificates to travel to Mexico with the pets, I have yet to have anyone ask to see the papers either coming in to Mexico or leaving. The Americans have asked if the pets were healthy and looked at them in their crates. That was about it.

The pay roads are usually very good, although there can be road work going on. Most of the way is divided highway with two lanes each direction. The exceptions are that they go through villages and towns and in some places cities.

SPEED BUMPS that mean business: There are signs that say: TOPES. These are very large speed bumps that will wreck your car if you hit them faster than a very slow, slow roll. They are very effective - they keep cars from speeding through their towns, crossings and school zones. Remember that the speed signs are in kilometers not miles. So 100Km is not 100 mph!

Signals: They blink the green light before the yellow and then the red. Running the yellow is illegal. So if the light is blinking green try to stop; it is just like a yellow light in the US.

Window washing at signals. This is a very annoying "service" that sometimes leads to dirtier windows than before. One or more men will run out when you are stopped at a signal and throw their dirty water on your window and start "cleaning". Then they want a tip. Going through a city can mean several of these unwanted cleanings. I try to put my wipers on when we stop, but every so often they get us. Some are good natured if you don't pay up, others can do damage to your car. If you are trapped in traffic it is easier to give them 2 or 3 pesos.

City driving: Go slow. They drive all over the place, but the speeds are low so there doesn't seem to be many accidents. They do however sometimes park in the street. You pull up behind someone and then find out they have parked and left the car. Then you have to get out of a tight spot and back into traffic. What a pain! There are few street signs. Sometimes the roads are one way and not marked. A good indication of this is when someone either drives right at you and makes you back up, or someone comes running down the street yelling and pointing - oops!

Parking Lot Attendants: Now this is an excellent service at most of the larger stores and the mall. These fellows watch the cars, help load your car and carry whistles to stop traffic so you can back out safely. Give them several Pesos. Sometimes you can pay them to wash your car while your shop. We could use some of these fellows in the US shopping parking lots!

	November 2006 Welcome to our Mazatlan web site. We are Americans from North Idaho that escape to Mexico when the the weather gets cold. So far we haven't stayed through an entire winter as we still have to get back to the States around the first of the year. We are still active in our business, 21st Century Scientific, Inc., which manufactures Bounder Power Wheelchairs. Eventually we would like to stay all winter, so each year we work a little more toward that goal. For the last few years we have arrived around the end of October or the beginning of November and stayed until right after Christmas. We return again in February for another month to two months and then home to Idaho for the balance of the year. We drive from Idaho, but usually we stop for a dog agility trial on the way. Susy and her dog, Diva compete in dog agility, primarily AKC games. Diva has her own website, www.machdiva.com, she is very accomplished! We own a full time condo at Costa Bonita. It is a very beautiful resort and we are very happy to have purchased our very own place. It is not a time share, but full time ownership, just like in the States. This year, 2006, we added a new puppy, Tessa to our family. She is a Papillon and quite small, but very mighty! We also bring our cat, KK, to Mazatlan. He has become quite the traveler. There is a drop down menu at the bottom of this page so that one may enjoy pictures of our pets, condo and some of the adventures we have had.
	2006: KK, the cat, Tessa, the Papillon and Diva the Border Collie snoozing on the bed
DRIVING IN MEXICO A lot of people have been interested in what is involved with driving to Mazatlan. For us if we were to just drive from home with no dog trial stops and no company business it would probably take about 5 days. Below are some of our experiences. You do need cash for gas in Mexico, they do not accept credit cards at the Pemex stations. Some have cash machines where you can get cash against your credit card, but I don't know what type of exchange rate and/or fees those machines charge. OUR FIRST DRIVING TRIP: On previous trips, we flew to Mazatlan and rented a car. Our first driving trip was in 2003 and we drove our 36 foot Bounder motor home to Tucson, Arizona which took four days. We rented a storage space in Tucson and left the big rig there. We then drove our tow vehicle, a mini-van, the rest of the way. We crossed into Mexico at Nogales. We were worried about changing money for the tolls and gas, so we drove around and got a little lost in Nogales. We ended up on a "San Francisco" steep hill in a residential area that was only wide enough for one car, but was open to two way traffic. After getting out of the hills we found a Bancomer bank, but they wouldn't change money even though we had an account with them. They sent us across the street to a money exchange. We changed $200 US and we had about 1/2 of that left when we got to Mazatlan. Actually we didn't need to worry about changing the money in Nogales. About 20 or 30 minutes down the road there is a stop that one must make to purchase a car permit. They have a money exchange there. The car permit is not as organized as it could be, but it is Mexico and part of the Mexican experience. There are several offices to go to. At the first one they hand type some stuff. Then you go to a booth and get photo copies of your typed up papers and your ORIGINAL car registration. If you car isn't paid for, you will need some type of paper work from the lien holder. Also bring your PASSPORT. Some people were sent back as they didn't have the correct papers. Then you go to another area and give them a credit card for your permit. If you try to pay with cash it costs several hundred US dollars, with the credit card it is about $30 (a little less, I think). They will then fool around a lot and finally come back with a paper with a special sticker for the window. You must have this sticker on the window if you go beyond Sonora (that is the state you have entered). Since Mazatlan is in the next state, Sinaloa, we needed our sticker. Also you must have MEXCIAN insurance written by a Mexican based company if you want to keep out of jail in the case of an accident. I purchased ours on the internet from Ace: INA Cross the Border before we left home. Note: since the trip in 2003, INA Cross the Border is no longer in business (but the company ACE, that they wrote the policy for is still around). I have switched to: MexPro and they offer several different companies and different packages. After we got our official sticker, we drove through the "crossing" and were waved right through. I have been told that sometimes they search everything, other times nothing. I guess we got lucky, but we really didn't have anything to declare.With a dog and cat on board we really didn't want to have to deal with unloading the van and re-loading everything; thus we were glad to have been waived through. No one was even interested in the vet certificates that I brought, and it turned out that the US agents were interested either. We took the cuota or toll roads all the way to Mazatlan. The roads were fine, however in Sonora there didn't seem to be a shoulder, just a drop off from road to weeds. No real place to pull over. We drove to Guaymas and stayed at the Flamingo Motel which was on the main street into town and was recognizable as it was bright pink. They accepted the cat and dog so that was one of the reasons we stayed there. We had located them on the internet. They had a swimming pool which Ron enjoyed and a little restaurant where we had dinner. The room was clean, but somewhat funky by American standards. However it was only for one night and we left very early the next morning. Well, we tried to leave early. We spent about 15 minutes driving around Guaymas looking for the cat. The windows fogged up as we started to drive and Ron opened the side window. The cat jumped from my lap and we couldn't find him. We thought that he might of bailed out the window, but we couldn't figure out how. Finally Ron stopped the car and took a flash light and located the rascal hiding under some stuff in the back of the van. With much relief, we re-started our journey towards Mazatlan. The second day from Guaymas to Mazatlan was a long day, 11 hours. We followed the speed limits and had a lot of slow downs for construction, pedestrian crossings and the posted limits. Also when you see a sign, Topes, this means speed bumps. They can be huge round metal balls or the American style lumps or just white stripes painted on the road. But if you don't slow down you will be VERY SORRY. If you hit those bumps with any speed other than a crawl the car will fly and you will hit your head on the ceiling! If that isn't enough, the policia (cops) will probably give you a speeding ticket. Watch your speed: 100km is about 62 or 63 mph. TRIPS SINCE 2003: Since that first trip, we switched to just driving a mini-van from Idaho and stopping at hotels at night. We have crates for the dog(s) and one for the cat too. The cat gets to ride loose so he can use the litter box and when we stop he gets crated and we then walk the dog(s). We usually stay in Nogales on the US side the night before we enter Mexico. We try to leave early as it usually takes an hour at the car registration area and it can get hot for the pets. Once we have our sticker we drive until we reach Navojoa. We use to stay at the Best Western, but there is another motel called, El Rancho that is just as good for about 1/2 the cost. Both motels have restaurants so you can get a dinner and then a breakfast without going out. Both hotels allow pets, but I like El Rancho better as they have a big grassy area where the dogs can play. The second day drive is much shorter and we usually arrive in Mazatlan around 3:30pm. We still stick to the pay roads and we bring pesos with us to pay the toll. Some of the toll booths take US dollars, some do not. We make it a rule to get gasoline when the tank is about 1/2 empty. There are Pemex gas stations along the route, but no way to know how far away the next one may be. Just make sure that the attendent has zeroed the pump BEFORE he (she) starts to pump. WARNING: THERE ARE SOME GASOLINE ATTENDANTS THAT WILL WORK THE PUMP SO FAST AND CLAIM IT WAS ZEROED BUT YOU ARE CHARGED FOR GAS YOU DID NOT GET - THEY WILL EVEN CLAIM THAT THEY DIDN'T CHEAT YOU WHEN YOU TRY TO CALL THEM ON THIS. THE PEMEX IN THE GOLDEN ZONE BETWEEN CASA COUNTRY AND LOS ARCOS RESTERAUNTS HAS SOME ATTENDANTS THAT PULL THIS SCAM!!! IT WAS DONE TO US AND TO LOCAL MEXICANS TOO! Returning to the US: Driving north from Mazatlan, about 3 hours up the road there is a fruit stop. If you have any fresh fruit, they take it They too are worried about fruit fly maggots like some states in the US. Either don't take any fruit with you or if you do have some, give it to them and proceed on your way. There are some miliary check points and on the second day there is a very large stop. Sometimes you have to wait for a long time to get through this and you may be pulled over and searched by their military. Often they will have you pull your car over a pit and they will poke at your car and maybe even make you unload the car or search it. If you exit through Nogales, Mexico there are two gates. The large road usually has a long, long wait. You can exit and drive through the town, but it too may have a long wait. The other alternative is to drive west in Mexico and cross the border at Lukeville, AZ (just south of Ajo, AZ). You will have to drive a longer day in Mexico and it will be dark by they time you get to the border, but it is usually a lot easier to cross back into the US at Lukeville. However the choice of motels in Ajo is limited. It is in the middle of the desert with nothing close by. We have found it is worth the extra few hours of driving to avoid the hassle of entering the US at Nogales. Before you leave Mexico you need to stop and turn in the sticker from your window if you are not returning before it expires (6 months). If you don't, the next time you drive in, you need to return the sticker, before you try to get a new one or you will not get your permit. We had to do this once and it wasn't too hard, but a little confusing as to where to turn in the old sticker. After it was deactivated, we could then get a new one. Don't try to bring back meat or any of the other prohibited items to the US. The Border inspectors do not have a sense of humor about these things. They will pull you over and go through your car. Although I always go to the vet and get health certificates to travel to Mexico with the pets, I have yet to have anyone ask to see the papers either coming in to Mexico or leaving. The Americans have asked if the pets were healthy and looked at them in their crates. That was about it. The pay roads are usually very good, although there can be road work going on. Most of the way is divided highway with two lanes each direction. The exceptions are that they go through villages and towns and in some places cities. SPEED BUMPS that mean business: There are signs that say: TOPES. These are very large speed bumps that will wreck your car if you hit them faster than a very slow, slow roll. They are very effective - they keep cars from speeding through their towns, crossings and school zones. Remember that the speed signs are in kilometers not miles. So 100Km is not 100 mph! Signals: They blink the green light before the yellow and then the red. Running the yellow is illegal. So if the light is blinking green try to stop; it is just like a yellow light in the US. Window washing at signals. This is a very annoying "service" that sometimes leads to dirtier windows than before. One or more men will run out when you are stopped at a signal and throw their dirty water on your window and start "cleaning". Then they want a tip. Going through a city can mean several of these unwanted cleanings. I try to put my wipers on when we stop, but every so often they get us. Some are good natured if you don't pay up, others can do damage to your car. If you are trapped in traffic it is easier to give them 2 or 3 pesos. City driving: Go slow. They drive all over the place, but the speeds are low so there doesn't seem to be many accidents. They do however sometimes park in the street. You pull up behind someone and then find out they have parked and left the car. Then you have to get out of a tight spot and back into traffic. What a pain! There are few street signs. Sometimes the roads are one way and not marked. A good indication of this is when someone either drives right at you and makes you back up, or someone comes running down the street yelling and pointing - oops! Parking Lot Attendants: Now this is an excellent service at most of the larger stores and the mall. These fellows watch the cars, help load your car and carry whistles to stop traffic so you can back out safely. Give them several Pesos. Sometimes you can pay them to wash your car while your shop. We could use some of these fellows in the US shopping parking lots!
Diva on the beach in front of Costa Bonita
KK cat likes to sleep under the bathroom sink, so we brought a kitty bed from home and put it in his favorite spot.
The days here are full of things to do: First thing is: Get Up. Susy runs the dogs to the beach for their morning potty and walk. Next comes Agility practice for Diva and Tessa plus lots of frisbee play. Ronnie works on the computer in the mornings and in the afternoons it off to the Malacon down past the Golden Zone for roller blading. After the evening meal, it's time for some computer "work", read a novel and time to turn in. Another day in paradise! Here is a picture of Diva and Susy practice Agility on the beach in front of the condos. To see more pictures of Diva practicing on the beach in Mazatlan, click here.

Check out the navigation menu below to see more pictures and adventures in Mazatlan. I have included pictures and information showing our own condo unit , the condominium complex: Costa Bonita, places we have been here in Mazatlan and links to other fun things. If you would like more information about our business, 21st Century Scientific and the wonderful BOUNDER power wheelchairs that we manufacture, just click on the link. Click here for more on Susy. If you would like more information about our experiences in Mexico please send an email. Click the link below: Send us an email - Click Here

RON AND SUSY IN MAZATLAN

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