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| Plaza de Carmen, (LT) Templo de Carmen (RT) Teatro de la Paz, San Louis Potosi |
To get from Guanajuato to San Luis Potosi I first had to travel to Doloras Hildago off of MEX110. Then I catch MEX51 to MEX37 through farmland of hay and corn, while sharing the road with large over-loaded trucks. The absents of road signs gives you no choice but to rely on your compass, to get where you are going. Finding the turn off on to MEX70 I had to pull over and double check that I was really on MEX70. Slowing down at one of the many "Topes" I pulled over to consult my map.
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| 17th century Palacio de Gabierno, Plaza de Armes San Luis Potosi |
Focused on finding where I am at on the map I looked up after a moment only to see a marked club-cab pick-up truck loaded with Federals (at least 9 officers), in a cloud of dust pulled-up in front of me as they quickly jumped out. My first thought was not well, looking stunned, shit!. Trying to keep my cool I thought I was in for a big shake down! Thinking, holy Shnikes! I don't have that many Benjamin's!
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| Jardin de San Francisco, stone carved fountain, Templo de San Francisco, SLP |
Wearing flack jackets and packing multiple weapons, I just about, excuse the term
"Shit My Pants!!" They were all around my rig, I couldn't keep track where each one was, three of them were looking at me crowding the driver side door. Clutching his loaded assault rifle one of the three came closer and asked me
"what am I doing?" mouth moving but nothing coming out I answered, he asked me
"where are you from?" I said
"Florida" he stepped back and yelled
"Florida!" so everyone can hear.
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| Massive Bronze sculpture Jardin de San Francisco, SLP |
Then the leader of the patrol steps up while the others step back giving him room he puts his serious face in my window and says without expression
"Florida!" Holy crap! I'm in for it now!. He shakes his head as a big smile comes over him laughing, he says
"buen dia" now everyone starts laughing. With a joking smile he said
"I looked military." He liked my rig and asked me about the RTT, lights, GPS, CB and bumper, he knew Toyota
was a excellent truck and gave me the thumbs-up!
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| Bronze sculptures and stone fountain, Jardin de San Francisco, SLP |
After a short chat he was happy to give me directions to
San Luis Potosi, turned out I was on the correct road. After all the handshakes, farewells and the not so nervous laughs that's when I realized that more than a couple of the officers were women. I sat still, watching them climb back into the club-cab pick-up and the rest jumping into the trucks bed, they made a hasty U-turn and sped away.
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| Off the Jardin de San Francisco, SLP |
I felt my heart still racing sitting there for a moment longer, calmly I fastened my seat belt, hands 10 & 2, s.m.o.g. (signal, mirror, over-the-shoulder, go) heading to San Luis Potosi.
From
MEX70 my turn off was north east on
MEX 57 leading into the heart of
San Luis Potosi. with a quick drive around town I noted the areas I would like to explore. Parking just blocks away from the center of
San Luis Potosi's colonial core,
Plaza de Armes. I set out on foot to explore this historic state capital founded in 1592.
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| Business opportunity with watch dog, Cook wanted!! SLP |
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Again colonial architecture well over the top, beautiful planted plaza's with old growth plants and trees, hand carved fountains adorning the squares. Wandering through the city's core viewing the painstakingly detail of the many colonial buildings has got me awestruck.
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| entrance to the small village of Sierra de Alvarez |
At the
Jardin de San Francisco the stone carved fountain against the beautifully manicured plantings I wondered. Massive bronze sculptures resting in such a way as if they were broken and laid to rest from a much larger statue. Classical trained musicians smoking cigarettes speaking Russian walking the streets waiting for their cue to preform at the
Teatro de la Paz, in the
Plaza de Carmen.
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| Wild camp Sierra de Alvarez |
Enjoying a traditional simple lunch at one of the many locally owned street side restaurants. I get the feeling that
San Luis Potosi is one of the Colonial towns not over blown to fit a tourists idea of whats convenient for them.
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| Breaky served, below Sierra de Alvarez |
Driving through such a beautiful country side when entering
San Luis Potosi I researched some wilderness camping just out of town. Getting dark I headed towards
Sierra de Alvarez up in the foot hills surrounded by a fertile valley.
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| Tight little ruins painting, Sierra de Alvarez |
With my Auxbeams LED's blazing I found an abandon ranch and took the rustic trail through the thicket to a clearing. Maneuvering my rig in the dark close to the edge, confident I had auxiliary lighting I rested on level ground facing what promises to be a picturesque valley when I wake in the morning. I popped my
RTT and made camp.
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| pines in the valley RTT cam, Sierra de Alvarez |
Not disappointed by the morning's vista a quaint small village
Sierra de Alvarez below in the gentle green valley of horses, cows, chickens, dogs, burros and goats. A small stone humble church as the towns center and a few narrow cobblestone streets,
Mexico of old!
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| resident herding his horses and cows to get a drink Sierra de Alvarez |
Coffee, fruit and of course a pastry as I enjoyed my breaky idly while I witnessed the small village in the morning light from my perch.
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| Sierra de Alvarez village center |
Pulling up stakes I took a quick drive down to the village, and snapped a few pics then I set my compass east on
MEX10 to
Tampico on the
Gulfo de Mexico.
Hope to see you on the Trail!!...
🚙.....
