The 300 mile run from Tampico, Mexico to the border at Brownsville, Texas on Route 101 was once known as The Highway of Death.
Ten or so years ago the drug cartels pretty much owned the road. Kidnappings, murder, mass graves, and gun fights were common. Buses even stopped travelling the route as they were routinely stopped and robbed, or worse.
The military and police presence have cleared up the route and it is now a pleasant drive through farmlands and small towns, but the evidence is still there in burned out buildings, vehicles, and a general creepy feel.
Our only issue along this stretch of road was when we pulled off to fill our fuel tank from our jerry can. We had been stopped all of 5 minutes when the police pulled up and hopped out. They wanted to make sure we were OK, and when they saw M holding the funnel, they would have none of that! One of the officers grabbed the funnel and held it for me to pour the diesel.
We thanked them and boogied north to the border, not realizing that the world around us was about to change.
