Pan Am Bum Rush!
- Thread starter RMP&O
- Start date
Toyotero
Explorer
Have a safe trip.
Of course, you are more than welcome to stop by nuestro casa aqui.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Central America done in 5 days!
Sunday was Catalina to Boquete, Panama.
Monday was Boquete to Jaco, Costa Rica
Tuesday was Jaco to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
...Wednesday was San Juan del Sur to Nacaome, Honduras
Thursday was Nacaome to Jatipa, Guatemala
Friday (today) was Jatipa to Comitan, Mexico
Many long long days but I hardly checked the maps at all and am now just 2-3 days from the USA!!
Don't quote me on city names, very tired and don't feel like fetching the maps to check.
A few highlights of the drive so far.....
Awesome seafood while sitting on the beach & watching the sunset in San Juan del Sur. Argueing with cops in Honduras who tried to rob me! I told the last guy who was hassling me hard that either he l...ets me go or we visit his boss or I call the US embassy and he can tell them how he is trying to rob me, it worked!! Entering Guatemala was nasty, the lady (very nice) at the border made several HUGE mistakes when I left the country in December, because of this it took me 4hrs to enter Guatemala. It ended by me hitting my head on a sign (didn't see it with m hat on) and I split it open pretty good! Blood was everywhere including all over my face, all in front of about 50 people!! Lucky for me there was a doctor on the El Salvador side of the border. Very nice people on both sides of the border who took good care of me before I left. Today was super long, I drove across ALL of Guatemala and entered Mexico. Along the way I was stopped by the police in Guatemala City and my truck was search for no reason at all other than they could do it.
Sunday was Catalina to Boquete, Panama.
Monday was Boquete to Jaco, Costa Rica
Tuesday was Jaco to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua
...Wednesday was San Juan del Sur to Nacaome, Honduras
Thursday was Nacaome to Jatipa, Guatemala
Friday (today) was Jatipa to Comitan, Mexico
Many long long days but I hardly checked the maps at all and am now just 2-3 days from the USA!!
Don't quote me on city names, very tired and don't feel like fetching the maps to check.
A few highlights of the drive so far.....
Awesome seafood while sitting on the beach & watching the sunset in San Juan del Sur. Argueing with cops in Honduras who tried to rob me! I told the last guy who was hassling me hard that either he l...ets me go or we visit his boss or I call the US embassy and he can tell them how he is trying to rob me, it worked!! Entering Guatemala was nasty, the lady (very nice) at the border made several HUGE mistakes when I left the country in December, because of this it took me 4hrs to enter Guatemala. It ended by me hitting my head on a sign (didn't see it with m hat on) and I split it open pretty good! Blood was everywhere including all over my face, all in front of about 50 people!! Lucky for me there was a doctor on the El Salvador side of the border. Very nice people on both sides of the border who took good care of me before I left. Today was super long, I drove across ALL of Guatemala and entered Mexico. Along the way I was stopped by the police in Guatemala City and my truck was search for no reason at all other than they could do it.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Oh and the most expensive fill up ever in a Tacoma!!
$152 in fuel!!!! :Wow1: If I recall right it was in Nicaragua. Nice how fuel prices went up just days before my drive north...
Good thing I can go over 500 miles on both tanks.
Calculated mpg earlier today, averaging very good milage in my Taco. 15.8mpg thus far. For those who don't know.....my Taco is supercharged, bigger fuel pump and last time it was on the scales came in at 5200lbs unloaded! So over 15mpg is excellent!!
$152 in fuel!!!! :Wow1: If I recall right it was in Nicaragua. Nice how fuel prices went up just days before my drive north...
Good thing I can go over 500 miles on both tanks.
Calculated mpg earlier today, averaging very good milage in my Taco. 15.8mpg thus far. For those who don't know.....my Taco is supercharged, bigger fuel pump and last time it was on the scales came in at 5200lbs unloaded! So over 15mpg is excellent!!
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Mexico done in 2 days!!
That beats last years time as well as my time down in December. No problems or issues driving through Mexico this time, not even one cop tried to get money out of me. I suppose they simply have to much else on their hands....
I am currently at a Toyota dealership in Texas having the oil changed, new plugs put in and going back to a cold climate mix in my radiator. I was going to have them change my fuel filter but they want well over $100 in labor to do it! It takes me 10mins to do it myself so screw that! I am paying to much for the few things being serviced but am on the road and they need to be done before I drive the next 2,000+ miles.
I may post some more pictures when I get home and go through them all but besides that.....this trip report is DONE! :victory::victory::victory:
That beats last years time as well as my time down in December. No problems or issues driving through Mexico this time, not even one cop tried to get money out of me. I suppose they simply have to much else on their hands....
I am currently at a Toyota dealership in Texas having the oil changed, new plugs put in and going back to a cold climate mix in my radiator. I was going to have them change my fuel filter but they want well over $100 in labor to do it! It takes me 10mins to do it myself so screw that! I am paying to much for the few things being serviced but am on the road and they need to be done before I drive the next 2,000+ miles.
I may post some more pictures when I get home and go through them all but besides that.....this trip report is DONE! :victory::victory::victory:
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Since 200 miles south of the USA border (in Fort Collins, CO now) I have been driving through strong head/cross winds. So over 1600 miles now of nasty winds. My mileage has suffered bad as a result.
By the way, my truck has not missed a beat on this trip. In case you didn't know, 2nd time to Panama and back in my 04 supercharged Taco. More than one person said it couldn't be done and I would kill the truck! The Taco purs and runs excellent, still. I believe a lot of that has to do with me doing very regular maintenance and taking care of my rig. I follow the rule of take care of your truck and it will take care of you! Today I just clicked over 135k miles! :wings:
By the way, my truck has not missed a beat on this trip. In case you didn't know, 2nd time to Panama and back in my 04 supercharged Taco. More than one person said it couldn't be done and I would kill the truck! The Taco purs and runs excellent, still. I believe a lot of that has to do with me doing very regular maintenance and taking care of my rig. I follow the rule of take care of your truck and it will take care of you! Today I just clicked over 135k miles! :wings:
Bummer I missed you in Panama. I am heading back in April.
Yes indeed - now you know the secret...
the reason why we came down - www.panamapassage.com
Yes indeed - now you know the secret...
the reason why we came down - www.panamapassage.com
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
With old friends in Panama City...drinking Seco
At Casco Viejo, in Panama City
Me coming in from a surf at Playa Estero
At my 38th B-Day party in Santa Catalina
A map of Santa Catalina at my favorite drinking hole, aka The Dive Stop
My house in Catalina....
A friends pineapple garden...
Milling lumber Panama style
The yoga deck at my friends place, aka La Buena Vida
At our favorite watering hole
A typical breakfast in Catalina
That is it for now....and I got to say posting these pictures makes me want to turn around and drive straight back to Santa Catalina!!
At Casco Viejo, in Panama City
Me coming in from a surf at Playa Estero
At my 38th B-Day party in Santa Catalina
A map of Santa Catalina at my favorite drinking hole, aka The Dive Stop
My house in Catalina....
A friends pineapple garden...
Milling lumber Panama style
The yoga deck at my friends place, aka La Buena Vida
At our favorite watering hole
A typical breakfast in Catalina
That is it for now....and I got to say posting these pictures makes me want to turn around and drive straight back to Santa Catalina!!
Toyotero
Explorer
I made much of that same trip in the last few days... from Austin to Denver, where I am now. Nasty winds.
Fools :-D
I just hit 90K on my Taco this trip :victory:
Great looking photos btw, looks like you had a blast!
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Bummer I missed you in Panama. I am heading back in April.
Yes indeed - now you know the secret...
the reason why we came down - www.panamapassage.com
Yah....bummer indeed.
Cool website and I wish you guys well with it! If you need info or other things (contacts) feel free to pm me. As you can see I know Panama pretty well now as well as the route down and back.
The drive home over the last 9 days, I didn't use my maps more than 4xs. I only got lost a tiny bit on the way down and on the way back didn't get lost at all. Not trying to impress anyone with those statements but I am impressed by my own route finding skills considering I never used a GPS either this year or last time. I have lot's and I mean lots of border crossing experience now ALL through Mexico and Central America, my passport has over 20 pages full from the trip this year and last. I am a bit tired atm and brain dead but again if you want info to add to your website feel free to pm me.
At this time I have no plans to return anytime soon but a friend of mine may be moving to Catalina. He came down end of Feburary first of March to look into possible business ventures. If he does move down I plan to go see him sooner rather than later. Either way some day I will be back....the Darien calls my name!