Okay everyone, this is an official Ride Leader Update:
I am leading a group from Austin, through San Antonio, to the Laredo border crossing and down to Santiago. Anyone and everyone is welcome to join my group!! We will pause and help everyone with the border crossing paperwork. It will be a full day, with sustained 80mph highway driving. Google suggests 7.5 hours of drive time from Austin to our hotel in Santiago + stops and time at the border, so maybe 10 or 11 hours total. (Riding solo, I've made the trip in 6 hrs, so it's hard to tell with a group!) We want to arrive before dusk, so while I openly recognize schedules don't work well in Mexico, us doing our best keeping to the schedule is important!
Again, to ride with my group on this first day it is REQUIRED that you can go 150 miles without getting gas AND you must be able to 80mph all day long. (I understand this is expected of everyone for this trip.) Once in Mexico my group may cautiously lane split through very slow or stationary traffic, and we will aggressively pass slow moving traffic.
I expect the riders in my group to stay together, always be carrying water and a small snack, wear full protective gear, and be mentally and physically prepared for a long, full day of riding, possibly through VERY hot weather. Next week temps around 115°F+ are forecasted for this desert region.
thank you!
.....
Steve's group, Day 1 Travel Itinerary:
*8:00 departure from South Austin: *
On Saturday, June 22nd at 7:45am my group will meet at "H-E-B Fuel" in Buda (on the south-bound I-35 service road). We will
leave at 8:00. Please have helmets on, kick stands up, and be actually ready to roll at 7:55am!
H-E-B Fuel:
âââââ · Gas station
maps.app.goo.gl
We'll pause on the south side of San Antonio at the big Exxon on I-35 to pick up anyone who wants to meet us there.
We will leave the Exxon at 9:30. This will give all of us from Austin a few extra minutes to top up our gas and double check our loaded gear after a little freeway time. Our next stop is 140 miles later in Laredo.
We will not stop for gas along this stretch.
Exxon:
âââââ · Gas station
maps.app.goo.gl
From here it's about 2 hours to the "Juárez–Lincoln International Bridge" at the Laredo/ Nuevo Laredo border crossing. We'll fuel up and pause to grab some pesos in Laredo before crossing. Be prepared with about $200-250usd to grab about $4000 in pesos to start the trip and pay for fuel, tolls, dinner, etc. There is a good place I like to use near the crossing -- we won't be shopping around for "the best rate." Currently the exchange rate is a very good $19.75pesos to $1usd; this of course may change.
Before crossing we'll regroup and fuel up in Laredo here:
Chevron Laredo
âââââ · Gas station
maps.app.goo.gl
Border crossing probably will take less than an hour.
If we get seperated crossing the border, we will regroup at the Banjercito - paperwork office.
âââââ · Bank
maps.app.goo.gl
It will take maybe 3.0 hrs from the border to Santiago. The first approx 75 miles is desert, possibly very hot, and there are no gas stations. (And the one or two along the way often have no gas!). There are a few of the more expensive toll road stops, maybe $120 pesos(?) so have cash and keep your receipt.
I'm not certain of everyone's housing arrangements, but the link below is to one of the hotels in downtown Santiago where some of us are staying. It's across the street from the nice Argentinian steak house we keep talking about. I hope to easily have us there in time for a nice dinner!
Hotel Las Palomas de Santiago
âââââ · Mexican restaurant
maps.app.goo.gl