I need a little time to vegetate my mind, escape from my reality. Just Mexico, tequila, and me.
Alan Jackson, in his 2015 song Mexico, Tequila and Me
There’s something truly special about the start of a road trip. The fresh air, the open road, and that sense of freedom. There’s no better feeling in the world. This trip was particularly special for me for reasons I’d rather not go into, so I decided that I would go all out and make this one particularly epic. It will take me through 3 countries, 15 states/provinces, and cover 5,500 kilometers.
A Special Beginning
I couldn’t think of a more appropriate place to start this trip than Puerto Peñasco. The city, which sits at the top of the Gulf of California in the Mexican State of Sonora, is where the desert meets the ocean. Look one way and you’ll see the sparkling azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. Look the other way and you’ll see the stunning mountains and dunes of the Sonoran Desert. It’s about as close to Margaritaville as you can get. And that’s coming from someone who lived in Florida for 6 years.
As I sit on top of the hill overlooking El Malecón, a spectacular sea breeze starts to fill in. It’s instant relief from the 105-degree heat and high humidity. That feeling of freedom and being on vacation finally starts to truly set in. The smell of the salty air coming off the ocean. The smell of the fresh Peñasco shrimp wafting over from the waterfront restaurants and the street taco stands. Then down on the street you start to hear the country and western beach music from north of the border blend with the regional Sonoran music. It puts you in laid back and relaxed vibe. You only need to worry about which taco stand you want to get lunch from.
Jimmy Buffett Would Be Jealous
My favorite part about visiting Puerto Peñasco is indulging myself in the region’s world-famous seafood. The Rocky Point shrimp put the fresh Gulf of Mexico shrimp I would get when I lived in Florida to shame. It’s not even close.
I managed to get a seat on the patio at one of the waterfront restaurants at El Malecón for lunch. It was so hot out everyone was sitting inside in the air conditioning, so the only other person eating on the patio was a local street vendor selling Mexican dulces (candies). While I was waiting for my shrimp tacos to cook, he and I struck up a casual conversation. Like most interactions with the locals, we conversed half in English and half in Spanish.
After a little shopping and a mandatory stop at the local fish market to get a big bag of fresh shrimp to bring home, I made my way back to the truck as excitement started to set in. This is kilometer zero, the official start of my road trip. I can’t wait to see the sights, friends, and new experiences the next 5,500 kilometers bring.
All in all, this was a truly awesome way to kick off the trip and a great way to set the mood and tone for the entire adventure. Puerto Peñasco is a special place, and there is no place more appropriate place at which to start this trip. Let’s hit the road.
Funny Addendum to this Leg of the Trip
They always say that the funniest things happen when you least expect them. Boy did that ever prove true here. I pulled into the Mexican border town of Sonoyta, Sonora on my way back to Phoenix. I made sure I had my passport easily accessible and went over my mental checklist of everything I had to declare to US Customs as I made my way towards the border.
Shortly before you get to the border, two Mexican federal highways briefly come together. When they fork, one highway runs parallel to the border and eventually brings you to Mexicali and Tijuana. The other highway brings you to the Port of Entry and becomes Arizona State Route 85 once you cross back into the US. Here is a picture of the fork (note the green signs).
Bear Right Towards “Oosah”
As I approached the fork, my GPS said very loudly, “Bear Right towards Oosah”. Apparently acronyms are still a foreign concept to the GPS AI technology. Anyway, I burst out laughing so hard and couldn’t stop. I almost had to pull the truck over to re-compose myself.
Keep in mind the setting here. I’m by myself, laughing my ass off in my truck, less than 500 meters from an international border that’s well known for all kinds of nefarious activity. In the back of my mind, I know I’m going to be driving very slowly – no more than 40 km/h (25 mph) – past the Mexican military, federal police, and customs. They’ll notice.
Thankfully, I was able to play the 40 km/h speed limit to my advantage, and used the extra time to compose myself well before reaching the border. I crossed safely back into the US, and after a brief and friendly stop through US Customs, I was on my way back to Phoenix.