I knew this was going to be a long but exciting day and I was on the road by day break and the roads were fine it was an easy drive of 4 hours to just outside of Mazatlan where I began this new toll road to Durango!!!!
The below is taken from the internet!!
The Baluarte River Bridge is not only the highest bridge in North America but the highest cable stayed bridge in the world surpassing the Millau Viaduct in France. It is the crown jewel of the greatest bridge and tunnel highway project ever undertaken in North America. Known as the Durango-Mazatlán highway, it will be the only crossing for more than 500 miles (800 km) between the pacific coast and the interior of Mexico. The path of this new highway roughly parallels the famous “Devil’s Backbone”, a narrow road that earned its nickname from the way it follows the precarious ridge crest of the jagged peaks of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The dangerous road is a seemingly endless onslaught of twisting, terrifying turns that are so tight there are times the road nearly spirals back into itself.
By cutting a safer, more direct route through the mountains, the highway department of Mexico hopes to improve trade and increase tourism between the city of Durango and the coastal city of Mazatlán. To achieve this connection, the Mexican engineers were forced to design an autopista with no less than 61 tunnels - nearly 10 times more than have ever been built on any road in North America. For big bridge fans, the highway is no less amazing with a parade of towering concrete beam bridges. Including Baluarte, there will be 7 bridges that exceed 300 feet (90 mtrs) in height including Santa Lucia, Neverías, Chico, Botijas, Pueblo Nuevo and El Carrizo. Only in China and Italy are there highways with a larger collection of high bridges.
Forming the border between Sinaloa and Durango states, the Baluarte River is the most formidable obstacle on the route with a gorge more than a quarter mile in height. To cross it, the Mexican engineers decided to go with a cable stayed bridge. It would allow the construction to proceed outward from a single tower on either side of the canyon, avoiding the difficult and expensive construction of temporary false work. Once completed, the final height of 1,280 feet (390 mtrs) will make it the second highest roadway bridge on earth. It will also have the longest span of any cable stayed bridge in North America at 1,706 feet (520 mtrs), exceeding the John James Audubon bridge in St. Francisville, Louisiana by 123 feet (37 mtrs).
When it is completed, the Baluarte crossing will be more than just a preeminent bridge but a signal to its bigger neighbor to the North that Mexico can design and build bridges with the same skill and perfection as the best of them. As a stretch of North American pavement without parallel, the Durango-Mazatlán highway will become a proud, prominent symbol of Mexico’s civil engineering skills for decades to come
As you will see later I was on that bridge taking photos!!!
It was just an awesome drive and I will let the photos do the talking……it took 3 hours, cost 508 pesos in tolls and very little traffic which was how I was able to stop on the bridge….the scenery spectacular and the mountains so beautiful…..my only complaint….I was on my own!!! I really needed that special person next to me to take photos and enjoy it all and the other complaint….not many places safe to stop for shots….but not taking anything away this is a work of immense proportions!!!!
The above is the small bridge.
The below is the big bridge!!!!
Traffic was so light I was able to get out and take the shots!!
When I took this shot the smell of the trees was so inviting have not smelled that in a long time.
Cannot go by a logging truck with out thinking of my special friend who I spent so many happy hours with, Roy!!!
It was a magnificent drive but there are no facilities on the road and I knew I was getting short on gas but the GpS is an amazing piece of technology…I punched in fuel and directions and it showed me there was a gas station 30 km away….all I can say is good job it was not 32 km away!!!!
Filled up and whilst Dad was washing the big windows this young lady washed my headlights…only in Mexico!!
It had been a long day of driving and around 5 pm I wanted to call it a day and went to the trusty GpS again and punched in hotels and it showed one on the same road about 25 km away and here I am……what a wonderful clean and well appointed place…….cost me 490 pesos…40 dollars!!
There was a guard on the gate so very secure.
They even have the little snakes to stop the draft from coming under the door.
After a long hot shower it was time for a cup of tea and a chance to use my new coil heater that I bought in San Antonio and will take on the Camino with me…first time I used it and it worked great!!
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So this was the drive today…11 hours…1035 km……I feel good and relaxed and listening to the Canucks get their tails whipped again…take note Croft!!!! Of course I have now found out the Canucks came back to win a shoot out so Croft with my tea tonight I shall have a large helping of humble pie!!!
So the plan is to be in Las Cruces tomorrow late afternoon it is about 700 km and I shall arrive a day early but the place I have booked for 5 days…… the owner e mailed me and invited me to come the day early and she will let me stay in the little travel trailer she has on the property as my room is booked tomorrow night…so it all works out.
Blessings and a wonderful weekend to my readers!!!
1 comment:
You made the mistake of counting your chickens before they were hatched. Blackhawks Down!
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