Mexico Day 39: New rules of the road

La Ciudad, Durango to Balneario San Juan, Durango //

While the night was quiet and our campsite felt safe, I remained on edge through most of the night.  I’m ready for a new day and am warmly greeted this morning by the sweet scent of pine, crisp mountain air, and rose-colored sky.  It’s chilly here at 8,000’ above sea level and it causes us all to dig out our hats, gloves, and jackets in order to comfortably enjoy our morning beverages.  

The morning’s conversation centers around yesterday’s hair-raising events.  We discuss how everything played out, what we might have done differently, and how to better communicate with one another the cues we’re getting from the environment.  I take a lot of solace in the way we all communicate as a group and how we all aim to learn from each and every one of our experiences, good, bad, or otherwise.

Our campsite is beautiful but we’re all ready to move on from this region.  After a little research we suss out a hot spring water park that offers camping two hours to the east.  It’s in those two hours that we get a crash course in Mexican driving.

The mainland operates a little differently than in Baja.  In Baja there are rarely any shoulders, here the shoulders serve as a lane unto themselves.  It is common practice to drive (at highway speed) in the shoulder so that faster moving traffic can pass.  We quickly learn that it is entirely normal for vehicles to be driving in the shoulder on each side of the highway while passing traffic uses the middle of the highway to get around.  The lines mean nothing and neither does oncoming traffic.  It’s hectic but at least there’s no cartel.

Around 2pm we pull in to Balneario San Juan.  It’s not the most scenic place we’ve ever stayed but the amenities of a gated property, water spigots, trash cans, bathrooms, and a water park all add up to just the respite we’re all in need of.  As we settle in I feel a weight lift and the mood lighten.  When the water park closes to the public at 6pm we have the place to ourselves and take the opportunity to decompress in one of the thermal pools that is a short walk from camp.  

Now that we have a loose route laid out for the week ahead, I decide to close out the day by researching things to see and places to go along the way.  The list I assemble is long and with each item I add, my excitement for being here grows.  Yesterday was a bit of a rough start but today gave me confidence that some great things lie ahead. (Spoiler alert: it takes us some time to grasp the scale of Mexico and those places remain out of our reach for several more days.)


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4 Comments

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  • Looks like you guys are circling the conestoga wagons 😀 Do your friends that have the dog and daughter have a blog? I would like to see how they approach these trips as well since their crew is very similar to ours…including the Doodle!

    • We definitely found a configuration of the three trucks that worked well for us! Josh & Darci have a photo blog for friends & family but don’t share anywhere online about the ins and outs of their travels. They are certainly an inspiring family to travel alongside.

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We’re Mark & Michele, modern-day nomads perfecting the art of slow, full-time travel.  Our tiny home on wheels and slow-paced travel style allows us to minimize our expenses while maximizing our freedom.  May our unconventional way of life inspire you to design a life that you love.

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