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route from Albuquerque to lakeside


donnie

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We have family that live in Colorado Springs and Santa Fe so have taken this route quite a few times. For the crossing we take Santa Teresa, it's west of El Paso. There are signs pointing you toward the international border. It seems strange but you will be crossing into Texas and then going back into New Mexico. When we went over the border a couple of months ago there was no border patrol on the U.S. side and only one person on the Mexico side. Passed right through.

Depending on how far and how long you like to drive will determine on where to stay. We usually stop for the first night in Delicias, a town about 3 hours south of Chihuahua. This is a 15 hr. drive from Colorado Springs and 12 from Santa Fe. From Delicias it's about 12 hours to Chapala.

Going through the city of Chihuahua watch your speed. Been given tickets twice for "speeding". Also be very careful when driving on the road between Durango and Zacatecas. It's a two lane road and the pot holes have been terrible the last couple of years. Thought they would have it fixed by now but you will still see cars and trucks weaving all over the road trying to avoid them.

It's a great trip. Haven't been stopped for inspections at all for the last 3 trips.

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Well I have some good news for you regards Chihuahua.  There is a new "libremiento oriente" that takes you completely around the city and has an exit for 45 south towards Delicias.  You can see it clearly on Google maps.  The exit is well marked as well.  It is a toll road like most of the decent roads in Mexico but it is cheap and fast and well worth it.  You won't go into Chihuahua at all.  It is a big town and not very easy to drive through.

We rode the route towards Zacatecas last fall on our motos and did not encounter a large number of pot holes, the road seemed pretty good by Mexico standards.  A lot better than most "free" roads in Jalisco by far.  It was very fast and had little traffic.

If you are not in a big hurry you might want to stop in Nuevo Casas Grandes and visit the Paquime archaeological site.  The ruins are impressive but even more impressive is the museum which really ties together the story of the major indian pueblos from there north to NM and AZ.  It has an outstanding collection of antique pottery.

I got a very decent and cheap hotel room at the Hotel Dublan, on the main drag (Juarez) through town.  It was a basic but relatively modern room and it cost me 500 pesos per night, about $30.  Parking was very secure.

I just rode through that area on my moto.  I stopped in Nuevo Casas Grandes at the Dublan, in Parral at the American Inn (they speak no English) and then in Durango.  I rode the "Espinazo de Diablo" a famous moto road to Mazatlan, you wouldn't go that way.  Parral has a lot of interesting history around Pancho Villa.  If you can, try and give yourself several days in Zacatecas, one of the really interesting towns along your route.

If you go by way of Torreon you won't go through Durango.  It is an OK town but difficult to drive through and I'd save my time for Zacatecas if I have it.

It is an easy run from Zacatecas to here via Aguacalientes.

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