Southern California Club Xterra
Southern California Club Xterra => SCCX Xcursions => Topic started by: sturndog on August 07, 2010, 08:16:43 PM
-
I am hoping that some of us will want to go down(organize trip) to Baja sometime. My thoughts of Mexico are that if you are not buying or selling drugs your safety goes way up. The people are well mannered, part of wealth is how many friends you have- in both high and low places. People help each other mostly and many speak english. I go to Rosarito alot, and use Baja Bound Mexican insurance for my trips. About 60 mile south east of Enseneda is the Sky Ranch - the start of the Baja 500 and 200. Any way any thoughts?
-
I am hoping that some of us will want to go down(organize trip) to Baja sometime. My thoughts of Mexico are that if you are not buying or selling drugs your safety goes way up. The people are well mannered, part of wealth is how many friends you have- in both high and low places. People help each other mostly and many speak english. I go to Rosarito alot, and use Baja Bound Mexican insurance for my trips. About 60 mile south east of Enseneda is the Sky Ranch - the start of the Baja 500 and 200. Any way any thoughts?
Sorry - not me man. I used to go there 1-2 times a year for ages. I haven't been since '05 and this summer I read "Murder City: Ciudad Ju
-
Sorry - not me man. I used to go there 1-2 times a year for ages. I haven't been since '05 and this summer I read "Murder City: Ciudad Ju
-
I will check out the book you mention Oz, I doubt if I would cross from El Paso Texas, into Juarez. TJ not as bad, but I travel it with people who know the area. The scariest place I have been was Detroit in 2007. :-[ (http://www.thecolumnists.com/castillo/castillo12art6.jpeg) I go down to baja about every three months.
-
I've been dying to take my Xterra into baja especially to get me into remote fishing spots. But the last time I was there I had to pay off two crooked cops and came back $80 lighter which is the panga money. So until things get better I'm holding off on going down there.
-
I'm interested. I go down south of Ensenada about once a year and I just got back from a trip to San Felipe. If you're putting something together keep me in mind.
-
Thank you BlackX, I will. If you plan to go back, please let me know too. I know crime is down in Rosarito and they have put cameras in police cars to reduce corrupt cops asking for money. As for Juarez, it has always been weird. My nieces (Hispanic) moved along time ago from El Paso because they keep getting broken into by illegals. Their grandmother used to own a lot of property in Juarez, and they used to put leases on the kids to protect them when they crossed the border. What was striking about Juarez is it had a million people and no visible industry. That was back in the eighties. I am sure it is the murder capital of the world now but it has a long way to go to compare itself to Teul Slang(S-21), Khymer Rouge and Cambodia
-
Thank you BlackX, I will. If you plan to go back, please let me know too. I know crime is down in Rosarito and they have put cameras in police cars to reduce corrupt cops asking for money. As for Juarez, it has always been weird. My nieces (Hispanic) moved along time ago from El Paso because they keep getting broken into by illegals. Their grandmother used to own a lot of property in Juarez, and they used to put leases on the kids to protect them when they crossed the border. What was striking about Juarez is it had a million people and no visible industry. That was back in the eighties. I am sure it is the murder capital of the world now but it has a long way to go to compare itself to Teul Slang(S-21), Khymer Rouge and Cambodia
-
OH - this is from yesterday's LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mexico-cartels.eps-20100808,0,6054638.graphic
-
I certainly understand not wanting to go down there. The violence is definitely in the back of my mind when I go. I make sure to try and cross the border both ways in the morning and I don't hang around TJ.
-
John,.........just go!
Travel during daylight has always been the rule down there. Once passed Maneadero on the Pacific side or past San Felipe on the gulf side, you'll be fine.
BTW, the races never start or finish at Mike's....it is a popular pit along the course though. I would avoid areas north of there as a lot of meth labs are popping up. Laguna Hansen used to be one of my stopping points...won't go there now.
Some simple three-day trips would be MSR and the observatory. On the pacific side surfing camping and fishing the areas from Punta Santo Tomas (just south of Maneadero), Punta San Jose (surfing,), Punta Cabras (surfing, diving, fishing), Cabo Colonet, Punta San Telmo (aka, "Quatro Casas" for surfing). On the Pacific side beyond this point you'll need add'l days. Do yourself a favor and drop some pesos at the "Panaderia Morado" in Santo Tomas.
On the gulf side.... in three days you can make it past Puertocitos, Bahia Willard and perhaps to Bahia Gonzaga...but that's pushing it. Lots of open beach/palapa style camp spots and beachcombing along the way. Some great eateries along the way as well: Papa Fernandez's, Alfonsina's, etc.
Most of the folks on this site are gringo expats that live full or part-time down there...check it out.
http://forums.bajanomad.com/
-
Stopped going there about 15 years ago when I woke up to a kick in my ribs facing down a barrel of an SKS from a federaly at San Miguel Point camp ground. Seems some idiot at the other end of the campground stole a giant wire spool (Their beach table) from one of the beach homes just south of there and burned it in his fire pit and that was good enough for the federalies to shake us down, (as well as every other camper not associated with them, for a few hundred dollars worth of stuff.
NOPE. Never again do I desire to go back. Ever!!!
With that said I wish you all a great and SAFE trip.
-
Stopped going there about 15 years ago when I woke up to a kick in my ribs facing down a barrel of an SKS from a federaly at San Miguel Point camp ground. Seems some idiot at the other end of the campground stole a giant wire spool (Their beach table) from one of the beach homes just south of there and burned it in his fire pit and that was good enough for the federalies to shake us down, (as well as every other camper not associated with them, for a few hundred dollars worth of stuff.
NOPE. Never again do I desire to go back. Ever!!!
With that said I wish you all a great and SAFE trip.
Sorry to here of this experience.....But, if you'd been frequenting Baja up until 15 yrs ago, why would this, of all experiences, deter you from going? The San Miguel trailer park (I've never known of a campground) has always had the reputation of being.....well, a trailer park, replete with all the crappy conduct you could imagine. More than a few over-inflated surf-dude "mexican federale stories" have been contrived there.
As I stated above make TJ, Rosarito, and Ensenada a blur....get to the toll road and stick to it. Stay alert and drive the speed limit, not above it...not below it. Once past Maneadero, breathe. Anything north of Maneadero is not representative of the frontera. Same goes for the cesspool border towns above the mainland, once past them you've arrived in Mexico....and, it's a beautiful place with great people. It is however a different country, and if you are closed-minded and unable to adapt....you'd best stay here in the States and not consider travel to about 90% of the rest of the planet either. Travel is supposed to be about adventure and seeing what's different in other parts of the world. If Mexico's problems are overwhelming to an individual, I'd say they'd be uncomfortable anywhere in Central and South America, Africa, most of Asia and large portions of Europe as well.
-
Seems as if you have doubts about what I wrote and I will make no apologizes for your doubts. I have plenty of witnesses if you need to talk to them. San Miguel use to have just empty camp sites and as for the trailers, well I have seen a couple there, but nothing like you describe, just other travelers. It may be different now but it was the way I described it back then. The camp ground was some little private deal with about 12 sites and a drop arm gate. As for over inflated contrived surfer stories, I have never heard any of those either. If I had prior to the trip I would have opted not to stay there. But seeing that you have heard so many of them, then maybe it does have issues with the federalies robbing when opportunity arises. One thing I will agree with you on is above Ensenada is riskier than south of Ensenada but 15 years ago it wasn't nearly as bad as it is now.
I do know of one person who got hit by a drunk down there and had his car totalled and he himself injured. After they fixed him up at the clinic they held him in custody until payment was made and he never got to collect his belongings or his vehicle. This happened way south of what you consider the safe zone. Oddly enough he was delivering supplies, that my church collected, to an orphanage or something similar near La Paz.
Now I don't know about you, but small indiscretions don't really deter me from visiting someplace again whether I be shopping at a local store here or traveling abroad, large ones usually do deter me from visiting or spending my hard earned money there again. The incident I was citing ironically was the last day of a goodwill mission in which I tagged along with some firemen from OCFD and other Orange county municipal fire stations. They delivered a bunch of used equipment and a refurbished firetruck to ensenadas' fire brigade. One of those firefighters is my brother and I wouldn't consider him a contriving surfer type either but a very level headed individual family man with the responsibility of running a firehouse in an Orange County coastal city. Not the type of city that hires and promotes irresponsible types to that position either. Yes we were planning on surfing one morning after we made the delivery. A few, but not all of the other firemen joined us. There were 6 of us in all. Hardly a "contriving" type of group.
As for traveling to other foreign lands, I have never experienced having an SKS (or any other type of firearm) pointed at my head or kicked in the ribs as I was in Mexico. I follow the rules as I don't like the idea of being locked up abroad reliant on an unknown justice system. I have been to 27 different countries in both hemispheres and on both sides of the equator since I left the Navy. Many I have camped in. I stay away from large hotels and opt for the smaller BandB's in order to take in as much of the local culture as I can. I work for a Large Hotel Chain and could easily save money staying there but I like it the other way far better. 2 years ago I went to Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey and camped out more nights than I spent in hotels or BandB's. Not once did I have any issues with the local authorities. As a matter of fact the only time I did was the one incident I cited before. And because of that I will personally boycott traveling and spending my money there.
-
Does your car insurance cover you in Mexico?
My command has barred border crossing for the military members and strongly recommend that the civilians stay away too.
-
Does your car insurance cover you in Mexico?
My command has barred border crossing for the military members and strongly recommend that the civilians stay away too.
25 miles into Mexico.
I recommend purchasing additional Mexico insurance. You can get at the border or from an agent like myself. ;D
-
PAUL,Once you cross the border into Mexico, your U.S. or Canadian insurance cannot legally help you prove your financial responsibility in Mexico. Mexican insurance will instantly show authorities that you are able to pay damages to third parties.THIS IS WHY THEY JAIL PEOPLE UNTIL THEY DETERMINE IF THEY CAN PAY THIRD PARTIES IN ACCIDENTS. Policies may also include physical damage to your vehicle, total theft of your vehicle, medical payments for the driver and passengers, legal aid, bail bond and roadside assistance.
I have been to Turkey,Romania,Bulgaria and USSR, although mainly the port cities of Constana, Sofia, Odessa and Yalta. Turkey all over. Going back hopefully to Goreme Valley and Cappadocecia. At the time I went 3 of the four were communist and had no hard currencey. I was body guarding and would break up a common scam, points on the dollar where money was offered and exchanged at good rates until "police" would break up transaction and keep money as evidence. Got my camera taken away in USSR for taking pictures of bridges and power plants.
/As for Mexico I just got back from Rosarito, my dollar goes twice as far and there is Smart and Final, 7/11, PetSmart etc if I miss American amenities. Diana and her dad(wounded Korean and Nam vet) lived in Baja because they thought it was safe and peaceful. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ] Unfortunately her 17 year old brother was shot by gang members in 1994 because of a traffic dispute in Gardena California. I guess when it is your time, no safe places.
-
For ol' times sake last summer, the wife and I decided to spend the day in Tecate, a small, quaint town east of San Diego accessed off Highway 94. I have fond memories of crossing the border early in the mornings while I would be camping in the area. I'd stop at one of the local tortillerieas to pick up a kilo of fresh-made corn tortillas then buying fresh creamery butter from the market and having a feast for breakfast.
Anyway, we took my highly modified Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, passed through the border check and were immediately pulled over by the local Police as we passed their station. Let me just say there was about 5 minutes of real tounge-in-cheek bantering back and forth but they made it real clear through covert threats and innuendos that my rig would make a great addition to the motor pool. And you know what? Had they followed through with confiscating my vehicle there would have been absolutely not one thing I could have done to stop them or get it back. I talked my way into leaving, drove back to the border and back into the U.S.A.
The hell with Mexico. This kind of stuff happens way too often and they have absolutely nothing down South worth the risk.
-
I agree with the post above by Phil. Unfortunately, Mexico is just not a safe place for travelers. I used to travel down quite a bit in the 70's, and mid to late 80's.
I had an experience while driving north (after a day trip to Ensenada) on the Ensenada Toll Road where I was pulled over by a "police officer," who with his partner, at gunpoint, ransacked my car (a Toyota Celica at the time) and kept asking me "where were the drugs?" My biggest fear was that they would plant drugs, or just haul my date and I off to a jail cell. I ended up paying them $80 (all the cash I had) and they let us depart.
I had a similar experience the next trip down, when I was accused of "parking illegally" and had to dispense with $60.
For me it became not so much the how, as to when something would go wrong.
It is a shame, because the drive was beautiful, the food was quality and inexpensive, and most of the locals were very welcoming.
-
"...PetSmart... if I miss American amenities.
:D
If I may chime in, as much as I would like to do some Expedition-type travel, explore Baja, perhaps bring toys and food during Christmas, etc., I was put off as well during my last visit across the border.
Just like what Phil has mentioned about crossing the border just to enjoy some local delicacies, I remember when me and my coworkers would go to a favorite place in Tijuana just to enjoy some good ole fish tacos while watching the busy streets eating with the locals... then going to work right after.
My last trip was one Memorial Day a few years ago. We were a less than a mile away from the San Ysidro border on our way back to San Diego when we were re-directed to Tecate due to traffic. Not being familiar with the area, we were circling around for hours trying to find the entrance to the US in Otay. In process, we managed to get ourselves pulled over by a local cop. Apparently, while in the busy freeway on an Xterra with a 16-foot kayak strapped in the roof rack, we were actually "speeding" and was told that we would have to follow the local law enforcement to the precinct that is an hour and a half away. Annoyed and frustrated, I pulled my last $20 and was so glad that it was good enough to settle our speeding infraction.
From there, it was a 5-hour long wait to cross the border back to the US... literally inching our way. >:(
And then there was this one time in Rosarito... ???
Never again.