Mary:

About getting around in Mexico... as someone noted earlier, the bus 
system is very good in Mexico.. nothing like Greyhound.  There are 
luxury buses that are almost always on schedule and do non-stop 
trajectories between major cities.  You should be able to get from 
Mexico City to Guanajuato without any problems on such a bus.  I have 
rented cars before and driven and believe me I enjoyed the buses much 
more.

As far as maps, the Secretaria de Communicaciones y Transporte has 
very detailed up-to-date road maps of every state in Mexico:

http://dgp.sct.gob.mx/index.php?id=440

You can also order a Guia Roji, which is the premiere road atlas of 
Mexico and is updated annually as well.

http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/store/strProductDetail.jsp?
prod_id=9706214186

The SCT map can be searched in Adobe Reader.  From what I can tell, 
there are a number of San Felipes in Guanajuato.  The largest city by 
the name is at the intersection of Highways 51 and 37 in the northern 
part of the state.  There appear to be a number of smaller towns and 
ranchos by that name scattered throughout the state.

Here are some links to the major luxury bus companies serving routes 
between Mexico City and Guanajuato, where you can find schedules, etc:

http://www.etn.com.mx/
http://www.etn.com.mx/horariosydestinos.pdf

http://www.primeraplus.com.mx/scripts/webtaquilla.dll


--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, "Josie T. Trevino" <Josiett3@s...> 
wrote:
>
> Hi Mary & Victor!    Victor is right, Mary!  It seems that things 
have
> changed a lot when one travels now.  I travel a lot and have flown 
to MX
> City alone and boarded a bus to Oaxaca to visit my daughter a few 
years
> ago....alone.  It was all very pleasant and everything went well for
> me.......and that was the first time I had travelled alone by bus 
in Mexico.
> I will say this:  Mexico has VERY NICE BUSES as well as 
those "chicken
> buses" you hear about.  I have travelled on both!  Sometimes you 
have to
> take what you can get!  :-)  When I travelled by "chicken bus" it 
was to a
> nearby village and I was with my daughter so it was all ok.  It is 
also very
> important to "downplay" everything as much as possible......I only 
wear
> earrings as jewelry....no rings, etc.; I dress comfortable.....no
> heels!........I speak the language......when I have to!......I try 
not to
> let on that I am not from MX.....but as soon as I open my mouth 
they know!
> They tell me they detect my Texas accent~!  I walk with
> determination.....like I know where I am going and what I am 
doing!   (HA!)
> Do not give the appearance that you are nervous.......I have been 
fortunate
> that I have met very wonderful people in Mexico and they have all 
been very
> helpful.......BUT......your "gut instinct" will tell you who you 
can trust!
> I never let on that I am alone......I am always "waiting for
> someone".......(once I even said I was a FBI agent working
> undercover.....and they believed me!!!!)   If you like, send me an 
e-mail:
> josiett3@s...) and I will be glad to give you the names of some of
> the bus lines in Mexico and how to "get around" in the different bus
> stations in Mexico.  The airports are much like ours, but I have 
been there
> too.  There is an art to getting a taxi in Mexico also.......My 
friend,
> Mickey Garcia and I have mastered this "travel in Mexico" bit quite
> well....!   We are always on the alert and do not let our guard 
down, EVER!
> Contact me anytime and we can talk, ok?   You will enjoy your 
trip.....I am
> sure of it!    Hugs, Josie in San Antonio
> 
> ====================================================================
> 
> "Mary Allen  <mailto:mary.allen3770@s...>
> mary.allen3770@s... wrote:
> 
> Message: 7       Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 15:29:43 -0700 (PDT)
> 
> From: Mary Allen  <mailto:mary.allen3770@s...>
> mary.allen3770@s...          Subject: Re: Re: Travel to Mexico
> 
> Thank you to both Josie and Victor:
> 
> I thought about that. I hope that someone from those I meet in 
Mexico City
> will offer to go with me to Guanajuato. I have travelled alone 
extensively,
> but now I think prudence is the best thing. I won't drive and if I 
can't
> find a companion, would going by bus be acceptable? I understand it 
is a
> five hour drive from DF to the town of San Felipe, Guanajuato. So 
far I
> can't even find it on the map. Any advice is gratefully accepted. 
Mary
> 
> "v.h.villarreal" <raices_regias@y...> wrote:
> 
> Hello Josie,
> 
> Good thinking and suggestion for Mary. Also, it goes without saying 
to
> always be extra cautious when it comes to safety. If your going to 
travel by
> land over there get yourself the company of a trusted friend or 
relative
> that knows his way around; preferably don't drive by night; keep a 
low
> profile in general.
> 
> Victor Villarreal
> 
> --- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Josiett3@s... wrote:
> 
> > <<<<<Message: 6    Date: Sat, 15 Oct 2005 13:44:49 -0700 (PDT)
> 
>  From: Mary Allen  <mailto:mary.allen3770@s...> mary.allen3770@s...
> Subject: Re: Answer to Mary Garana Allen
> 
> > <<<Joseph!! I'm on a roll. From Mexico City I am flying to  
Guanajuato. I
> found <<<<another "cousin", 72 years old, who promises  photos and 
a lot
> more information.
> 
> >>>>>>>>> Hi Mary! May I suggest you take a Spanish/English 
dictionary when
> you travel to Mexico. My friend Mickey Garcia and I go to Mexico 
quite a
> bit and, believe me, there have been times that I wished I had 
carried  mine
> with me. It can be a small, light-weight one but anything is a  big 
help
> when you are talking to someone and cannot get your point  
across! :-)
> Good luck on your travels and I hope you find a wealth of 
information! 
> 
>  Josie in San Antonio, TX
>