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garfey
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I'm not sure if this is the "correct" place for this but in the middle of a great RR wasn't, so I'm copying/pasting what I was about to post in, and clutter up, Trail Boss's thread/RR re his & JT's Excellent Adventure finding "The Other End" of Santa Elena Canyon.
This is 1st-hand info from two trips into MX last year, both to Ensenada, the 1st (May-June) for the Baja 500 and the 2nd (Sept-Oct) for Baja Rally 3.0.
Re (finally) getting a Passport: As I was committed to providing a bike for ADVRider Inmate bananaman to ride in the Baja500, I had to break down and get a P'port. Now, I was generally PO'd (/P'dO (?)) at the idea of having to have a Passport to get home when I didn't need one to leave - dang overreaction & shotgun approach to 9/11 by the Washington Weenies! - but I was committed and already had beaucoup $$$$'s "invested" so when ya gotta, ya gotta. I filled out the Application online and printed it and got photos made and was ready to turn it in. Per what I read on the State Department website, I expected 30days or more to get one, even with the "Expedite" fee.
Actual time, application to receipt => 9 days.
I don't know if it depends on which Passport Office you go to, but The Guy at the Main PO in Tyler flat knows what he's doing, and should, having been there, IIRC, 32yrs. He's also a funny dude who enjoys his work and makes sure that his customers do, too.
With 10 days South of the Border in May/June last year (Baja 500) plus another week in Sept/Oct (Baja Rally 3.0), my Passport was checked exactly twice, by "our guys" at the border, coming back North. Also, the only potential "paperwork" problem was at the Otay Mesa crossing in May when the (female) MX Agent went hermitile over the 7 spare tires I had in the truck bed - it seems if there are more than two (per bike, UNMOUNTED - if they're mounted, reportedly (by experienced BJ500-ers) there's no problem), they want Import Duties, reasoning that they must be being imported for resale in MX. Handed off to a Caballero, Max (bananaman on ADVRider) soon had him laughing and when the Agent whipped out his cell phone and showed Max a picture (of him wheelie-ing his Quad), we were Golden. Having a guy who'd grown up in Panama and habla'd was a definite PLUS. Alone, I'd have been in Deep Kimchi!
2nd time, crossing at Tecate with 3 bikes on the trailer, towed by The Adventure Crown Vicky ( TWT FM ), the MX agent checked license plate numbers against MX insurance papers (trailer, too!) but didn't even look for VINs, commented on the 4 spare tires in the trunk (two mounted on extra wheels), then "Have a nice time in Mexico, Senor."
Also, during BR3.0, we were waaaay South of the "Free Zone" (as in down to El Progreso (totally deserted/abandoned, landmark palapa gone, still smoldering when we got there) where I headed back North (the bikes/Quads continued East to Mision La Catavina for their last bivouac before the finish back in Ensenada) and went thru many checkpoints, military and Policia, and was NEVER stopped/questioned except to ask where I was going (back to the Motel in Ensenada). "Have a nice day, Senor." YMMV
However, since then I have read that the the "Free Zone" is no more and that Temporary Import/Aduana papers are required everywhere, but I don't know if that is true. I'll find out next month and report back.
"PRO TIP": If you're going to go to MX more than once in a year and stay a while, buy an annual insurance policy. Short term policies are horribly expensive, like $7-10/DAY (on the Sept/Oct trip I was insuring five vehicles!) and the premium for an annual policy will not cost much more than one for two weeks.
HINT: If going to Baja, DO NOT cross at Otay Mesa (unless you really want to feel your way all the way across the "back side" of Tijuana! There's a paucity of street/Hwy signs there (as in essentially NONE) and TJ, if you don't know it, is HUGE)! Instead, cross at Tecate, head straight ahead (South) until you intersect MX3, turn right and follow it thru MX Wine Country (beautiful!!!) to the North side of Ensenada, then turn left onto MX1 and Bob's Your Uncle. Or, if you'd like a little Adventure on the way, cross at Calexico/Mexicali, offload the bike(s), and ride La Rumorosa/Rumarosa both ways before reloading and heading on West to Tecate, then South on MX3, as above. (Note: I haven't done this yet but will probably run the south side of the border all the way from San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, MX (/Yuma) to Tecate, then cross North to camp/ride in the Dez abt 12-13 days (?? Hot Springs ??) until WARPED. Or bum a couch/bed in/around San Diego for a while.
'Nother Note: Motel rooms in Mexicali and Tecate are CHEAP, as in $15/day, and $20-25 in Ensenada. Note also that Booking.com lists/books rooms at Motel Agora in Ensenada for $41-45/day; same room is $25/day if booked at the desk.
Dunno about SLRC and Mexicali but will soon.
This is 1st-hand info from two trips into MX last year, both to Ensenada, the 1st (May-June) for the Baja 500 and the 2nd (Sept-Oct) for Baja Rally 3.0.
Re (finally) getting a Passport: As I was committed to providing a bike for ADVRider Inmate bananaman to ride in the Baja500, I had to break down and get a P'port. Now, I was generally PO'd (/P'dO (?)) at the idea of having to have a Passport to get home when I didn't need one to leave - dang overreaction & shotgun approach to 9/11 by the Washington Weenies! - but I was committed and already had beaucoup $$$$'s "invested" so when ya gotta, ya gotta. I filled out the Application online and printed it and got photos made and was ready to turn it in. Per what I read on the State Department website, I expected 30days or more to get one, even with the "Expedite" fee.
Actual time, application to receipt => 9 days.
I don't know if it depends on which Passport Office you go to, but The Guy at the Main PO in Tyler flat knows what he's doing, and should, having been there, IIRC, 32yrs. He's also a funny dude who enjoys his work and makes sure that his customers do, too.
With 10 days South of the Border in May/June last year (Baja 500) plus another week in Sept/Oct (Baja Rally 3.0), my Passport was checked exactly twice, by "our guys" at the border, coming back North. Also, the only potential "paperwork" problem was at the Otay Mesa crossing in May when the (female) MX Agent went hermitile over the 7 spare tires I had in the truck bed - it seems if there are more than two (per bike, UNMOUNTED - if they're mounted, reportedly (by experienced BJ500-ers) there's no problem), they want Import Duties, reasoning that they must be being imported for resale in MX. Handed off to a Caballero, Max (bananaman on ADVRider) soon had him laughing and when the Agent whipped out his cell phone and showed Max a picture (of him wheelie-ing his Quad), we were Golden. Having a guy who'd grown up in Panama and habla'd was a definite PLUS. Alone, I'd have been in Deep Kimchi!
2nd time, crossing at Tecate with 3 bikes on the trailer, towed by The Adventure Crown Vicky ( TWT FM ), the MX agent checked license plate numbers against MX insurance papers (trailer, too!) but didn't even look for VINs, commented on the 4 spare tires in the trunk (two mounted on extra wheels), then "Have a nice time in Mexico, Senor."
Also, during BR3.0, we were waaaay South of the "Free Zone" (as in down to El Progreso (totally deserted/abandoned, landmark palapa gone, still smoldering when we got there) where I headed back North (the bikes/Quads continued East to Mision La Catavina for their last bivouac before the finish back in Ensenada) and went thru many checkpoints, military and Policia, and was NEVER stopped/questioned except to ask where I was going (back to the Motel in Ensenada). "Have a nice day, Senor." YMMV
However, since then I have read that the the "Free Zone" is no more and that Temporary Import/Aduana papers are required everywhere, but I don't know if that is true. I'll find out next month and report back.
"PRO TIP": If you're going to go to MX more than once in a year and stay a while, buy an annual insurance policy. Short term policies are horribly expensive, like $7-10/DAY (on the Sept/Oct trip I was insuring five vehicles!) and the premium for an annual policy will not cost much more than one for two weeks.
HINT: If going to Baja, DO NOT cross at Otay Mesa (unless you really want to feel your way all the way across the "back side" of Tijuana! There's a paucity of street/Hwy signs there (as in essentially NONE) and TJ, if you don't know it, is HUGE)! Instead, cross at Tecate, head straight ahead (South) until you intersect MX3, turn right and follow it thru MX Wine Country (beautiful!!!) to the North side of Ensenada, then turn left onto MX1 and Bob's Your Uncle. Or, if you'd like a little Adventure on the way, cross at Calexico/Mexicali, offload the bike(s), and ride La Rumorosa/Rumarosa both ways before reloading and heading on West to Tecate, then South on MX3, as above. (Note: I haven't done this yet but will probably run the south side of the border all the way from San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, MX (/Yuma) to Tecate, then cross North to camp/ride in the Dez abt 12-13 days (?? Hot Springs ??) until WARPED. Or bum a couch/bed in/around San Diego for a while.
'Nother Note: Motel rooms in Mexicali and Tecate are CHEAP, as in $15/day, and $20-25 in Ensenada. Note also that Booking.com lists/books rooms at Motel Agora in Ensenada for $41-45/day; same room is $25/day if booked at the desk.
Dunno about SLRC and Mexicali but will soon.
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