Mexico Day 44: The art of rolling with the punches


La Gran Reserve, Coahuila to Guadalcázar, San Luis Potosí //

It’s a grey, gloomy, cold morning here in the Sierra Madre forest.  We don’t waste any time packing up and getting on the road.  The first half hour is the kind of driving we love.  But as soon as the dirt track through the valley reconnects us to pavement, it’s highway driving for the next 5-6 hours.  After crossing the Coahuila/Nuevo León state border, we come upon our first military checkpoint since arriving on the mainland.  We are merely slowed down and waved through and as we continue south get to see how unlucky the northbound travelers are.  From the military checkpoint, traffic is backed up for several miles.  We make a mental note to not travel north on Highway 57.

The amount of semi-trucks seen heading north today is staggering.  Being that we are a straight shot south from Texas I can only imagine how many goods are being transported to the US.  It never ceases to blow my mind how much effort, money, time, and resources it takes to feed our consumer-driven culture and I see it first-hand today in the amount of tractor-trailers being hauled up north.

We make a single stop in the state of Nuevo León to get fuel before crossing into the state of San Luis Potosí.  I’m excited to have reached this point as this is the first state where we’re looking to spend an extended period of time.  We’ve heard great things and our hopes are high that this waterfall mecca is going to deliver.  However, the waterfall region is still a few hours out and we’re ready to be off the road for the day.  

The iOverlander app lists a campground in the small town of Guadalcázar along with many great reviews as well as some not-so-great reviews.  We pull into Aventurarte campground only to find a neglected property that far from matches the attractive photos posted online.  The onsite restaurant with excellent reviews that we were all looking forward to is closed, the other folks occupying the property are a bit odd, and our parking options aren’t great.  We surrender to the fact that we just need a place to sleep for the night and the place should work fine for that purpose.  It’s the first camp in 44 days that we don’t so much as get our chairs out.

Lately I feel like this style of travel could be described as the art of rolling with the punches.  You never know what you’re going to find, what obstacles you’re going to have to overcome, what days are going to be highs, what days are going to be lows, or how you’re going to navigate the unfamiliar and unexpected.  It’s a masterclass in patience, adaptability and surrender.  This past week has been all of that and then some.  


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About

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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We're spending the winter of 2025 exploring all that mainland Mexico has to offer. To follow along on the adventure subscribe to receive a daily photo and story directly to your inbox.

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