We stopped in Fresnillo to shop and hit the ATM. Our first real stop at a store since we crossed the border. Found a huge Soriana grocery store/mall. I always think it is interesting the first things I buy when I cross the border in either direction. We didn't really need any food so it was all impulse stuff - lots of coconut yogurt, boxed milk, packaged flan, a new dispensor pump for water bottles and yet another griddle for pancakes. Also more money for tolls and gas.


We did the long pull around Zacatecas, climbing steadily to over 8000' with lots of turns. A little later we stopped at a toll booth to take a break and Mimi noticed that the tow shield on the front of the jeep was leaning out at a weird angle. Bad news! The tow bar that is attached to the jeep had broken through the solid metal of the jeep frame and was about a 1/4 inch from freedom. If that had happened, the jeep would have been disconnected from the RV and hopefully the break away brake would have worked and it would have stopped in the middle of the road, the other option is even worse to think about.

There are 2 holes in the cross frame of the jeep that the bumper and the tow plate mount through. Both of them are ripped open, it's pretty thick steel and hard to believe. We disconnected and stowed the pieces and I drove the jeep the rest of the way into Guadalajara. We decided it would be easier to deal with in GDL than to stop in Aguascalientes which is a large capitol city that we are unfamiliar with.

I don't see well at night anymore and the 225 mile drive was not easy. There were a couple of places the road was under construction and the detours meant 2 lanes in opposite directions with a lot of big truck lights coming at me. It took us 7 hours including navigating around Guadalajara and onto the right freeway heading south. We pulled into San Jose del Tajo, a lovely RV park on the outskirts of GDL about 11pm.

We drove a total of 286 miles today and spent $65 US on tolls. It was a long day in spite of the short distance.