Driving through Tamaulipas is quite a gamble Ernesto, glad you made it ok. Nico
On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 8:52 PM, Sandi Calhoun <sandi.calh...@gmail.com>wrote: > After reading Bruce's email I am extra glad you made it back safe, > Ernie! Maybe you should consider flying next time? For my piece of > mind if nothing else. > > Gatita > > On Thu, Feb 2, 2012 at 6:37 PM, <brewsky...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Consider yourself very lucky. I live here in McAllen and I would not > even consider driving the road between here and Tampico. This being said > please understand I am still doing business in all of the border towns from > the Texas valley to T.J. > > > > There is a reason for what you saw. The Zeta's currently use this road > to try and come in and takeover Matamoros and Reynosa. They also kidnap > people on this road to work for them or they kill them. There is also a > problem with truck jackings on this road. If they want the truck they take > it. > > > > In the past couple of weeks there have been major gun battles in Reynosa > and Matamoros between the Zeta's, Gulf Cartel, Mexican Army and Mexican > Marines for control of the cities. > > > > In the cities it is the luck of the draw as to where you are and where > the trouble is. The highway to Tampico is like playing Russian Roulette. > > > > Bruce > > Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Ernest Garza <er...@texasphotoworks.com> > > Date: Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:08:26 > > To: texascavers<texascavers@texascavers.com> > > Subject: [Texascavers] Mexico trip > > Mexico Lovers, > > For those concerned about traveling in Mexico, here is how it came > down on my trip to the Sierra Mazateca in Oaxaca. > > I crossed at Laredo, paid my $200 deposit on my vehicle, and traveled on > toll roads all the way to near Tehuacan. There is > > a new road that goes from near Queretaro, going east and bypassing > Mexico City and Puebla, at a costly 275 pesos. Not one > > hint of trouble all the way to Huautla and on to La Carlota on the > eastern side of the sierra. I was hauling ropes for a British recon > > of Sotano de San Agustin, so this seemed the safest. > > There were two other vehicles that made it to La Carlota, one from > Ohio and a van full of cavers from Colorado, all without > > incident. All other personnel flew to Oaxaca City or Vera Cruz. On the > way back I chose to run the gaunlet and take the usual > > for me, the Gulf coast roads. It meant countless topes and slow moving > trucks, and driving only during daylight hours. There > > are now roads that bypass the towns of Papantla, Tuxpan and Posa Rica, > but not Tampico. > > Driving north, before the Reynosa/Matamoros division, there is a > highway that goes to Tampico, which I took last year; a > > creepy experience as I was the only one on the road for many miles. At > the intersection, there is a major PEMEX gas station, > > and I headed for it intent on relieving my bladder. I turned into the > drive up to it and seemed as if I had stumbled into a Hollywood > > set. The whole place was empty of cars or people, the snack store closed > up, the rest rooms shuttered. I went off to the side > > and watered the grass, then opened up the back of the truck to rummage > around. Suddenly, as if they had materialized out of > > thin air, I saw these camouflaged soldiers walking around, paying more > attention to the permitter of where I was. Then I saw > > the two personnel carriers, armed with heavy caliber weapons, driven by > menacing looking young men. The leader came up > > to me: he was straight out of central casting, with a swagger and armed > to the hilt. He asked me what my purpose was, I told > > him about going caving in Oaxaca. He asked about drugs (mota) and I told > him I don’t use now, perhaps in my youth. He looked > > inside the truck and found a rolled up map which he unrolled, the > Huautla topo quadrant. I pointed to where we had been, and > > all that vast jungle area without roads or trails, “full of caves.” I > asked why they had closed the station, and he answered that it > > was now a very dangerous area. Satisfied, he said I could resume my trip > and extended a hand, which I shook and said to him, > > “well done.” > > Just a couple of miles down the road, a regular military checkpoint, > I pulled off the road into a deep pothole-ridden area. A > > young guy asks the usual, wants to see inside the truck, he asks how > expensive the caving gear is. As I close the back, another > > soldier joins him and is told that I went caving. The newly arrived > soldier, a dark complected fellow asks me if I’ve been to Puebla. > > I reply I have been to Cuetzalen. I could not contain my surprise when > he said he was from there, and he mentioned the cave, > > Chicicasepan. I told him I had been in it and considered it one of the > finest river caves anywhere! With that I got a pass to go. > > At the border, I was almost out of gas and money, due to a loss of my > debit card. With the $200 deposit in my wallet-they did > > not even bother to inspect me at the US side-I headed for the first > Whataburger and feasted on one. > > > > Travel safe, > > Ernie G > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: texascavers-unsubscr...@texascavers.com > For additional commands, e-mail: texascavers-h...@texascavers.com > >
