IHANA.COM big trip - diary - September 2001

Typical tiny pueblito

Saturday 15 - Monday 17 September

After all the delays we were getting desperate to reach Culiacan and take part in the 15th September festivities. Abandoning hopes of off road shortcuts, we took the main highway 24 as marked on the map. This proved to be a big mistake as highway 24 isn't a big fat red line scything through the countryside but, in reality, is a narrow, rocky, almost impassable track winding along every valley, through every river and over every mountain! 'Esta carretera no existe' is what we heard from the locals. One village doctor advised us to go back via Durango, a 2000kms detour - a second opinion needed there! We pressed on, taking many wrong turns along similar looking dirt roads and losing hours of time until we got a map which led us eventually, as in two days later, to civilisation.

The route was hard and frustrating but we enjoyed constantly beautiful views and friendly people. Two lads who decided to race us up a hill left us behind but were waiting around the corner to chat and invite us to their place for food. We met part of the family which consisted of the grandparents, their 12 children and 42 grandchildren!

Things started looking up as more people we asked for directions actually weren't shocked by our desire to drive to Culiacan. As the road started to get better the landy was rattling a bit from the back end. A quick check revealed the lower shock bush had gone. T effected a quick bodge and we continued on, reaching Culiacan, civilisation, humidity and crashes!