Mexico Trip

Bill,

Thanks for the info. I figured on the passport, and I've dealt with the bribes to the locals at the border towns. The firearm is an interesting conundrum that I'm still noodling. Didn't know about the Premix gas (never needed a fill-up there) - any solution to that one, short of hauling a 50 gallon drum of gas in the back? Or are there other brands available there?

Thanks.

Michael White did pass the time by typing:

About that firearm..

DO NOT TAKE IT OR ANY AMMO ACROSS THE BORDER PERIOD!

Unless you actually want to be in a Mexican jail for a few years.

...

PMEX is the oil industry in mexico, it's a state run monopoly. Read here.

You should also pick up vehicle insurance for Mexico. Most US plans will not cover you there and the Mexican insurance is very helpful if you get in any altercation. AAA can fill you in on this.

... Not to be too pessamistic, this applies to certain third world contries I've been to.

If you park somewhere and will be away from your vehicle consider taking the primary ignition wire with you. It won't protect against vandalism but it can prevent someone from driving off with your wheels. ..sidenote.. some thieves carry a spare now. :/

Michael --

I have made two trips from SoCal to Todos Santos, which is just above Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. Once in a 93 Cherokee, once in a 05 Wrangler.

Each time I took off on unpaved, deeply rutted roads over mountains. I don't think you could call them trails, but each involved about 4 to 6 hours of driving at speeds ranging from a 4L crawl to maybe 40mph. I averaged about 12mph. I think I saw one pickup on one of the trips. There are multiple sharp switch-backs, many drop-offs, a few fords, and of course, no guard rails or signs. The occasional road off to a rancho is easily confused with the "highway" and you pretty much have to expect to get a bit lost, or at least uncertain where you are. If you want to drink a beer as you drive, no ones's going to stop you. If you want to do a bit of Baja Racer, no one's going to stop you. Of course, if you crash, no one's going to know it.

Both roads went by old (1700s) missions (Borca and San Javier) and can be found on any map of Baja.

For someone throughly sick of the overcrowding of Southern California, there is a deep pleasure in the miles and miles of open country, bad roads, unmarked intersections, and clear skys. The driving is not technical, but it's a good use of a jeep.

I was just told by someone here in Todos Santos that there is some nice country just off the highway from Tecate to Ensenada. He used to go quail hunting there. I don't know of any specific roads there, but my experience is that any road on a Baja map that is marked as poor is a good road to take.

On the gas and gun thing: Pemex 87 has caused me no problems in over

And the Federales. I got stopped for speeding (I was speeding). He was like the guy next door. No US-style cop intimidation. We talked about where I was from, where I was going, the weather, how nice Mexico was. Finally I asked whether there was any way to settle this now, on the spot. He shrugged. I said, doscientos? He shrugged. I offered docscientos. He took it. I said muchas gracias, he waved good bye, I waved good bye, and that was it. I'll take that any day in preference to my last California chicken s*it speeding ticket. The cop was an asshole and I ended up paying around $500. Doscientos is about $20.

Bob Brown

I hope you survive the trip. There are plenty of bandits down there who will take your jeep and your life. These bandits sometimes where uniforms and are sometimes called Federales.

Then again my friend went surfing down there and didn't have any problems at all. One of his tips is to keep your bribe money in your wallet and hide the rest of your money.

DougW ( snipped-for-privacy@invalid.address) wrote on Tuesday 21 June 2005 07:40 pm:

Doug,

Actually, for the firearms, I was thinking of alternatives, such as an air rifle. I haven't checked into this yet, but is there some problem with air rifles in Mexico? Yeah, it's not a "real gun", but a 1200 FPS .177 is nothing you'd wanna to get smacked with...

Thanks.

Michael White did pass the time by typing:

Slingshot/wristrocket. :)

No kidding though, the wristrocket is a lethal weapon that some folks even hunt with.

I wouldn't even tempt fate. First off anything bb gun is just going to piss off any potential attacker. Anything less than a lethal shot is going to simply get you hurt badly if not killed outright. If you actually need a weapon get a hunting permit.

I have come around curves in various places a few times in Baja and met soldier roadblocks where they search the vehicle. Don't mess around with weapons or drugs there, unless you want to stay.

And be darned sure to get supplemental insurance that specifically covers Mexico [ask your insurance agent, avoid unknown ripoff companies]. It can come in handy in case you accidentally run over a 100,000 peso prize chicken or injure a 2,000,000 cow.

L.W.(ßill) Hughes III proclaimed: