• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

REAL Adventure Riding in Mexico

So you can split lanes going back across the border? I always wondered about this...

Generally I find lane-splitting at the border bad form (my 2 cents). The only time I ever did it was when my bike decided to crap out after an extended trip to Mexico, right at the border-line. I physically pushed the bike across the bridge, lane-splitting as I did and didn't have one soul try to cut me off. Picture a sweaty Gringo in hot riding gear pushing his bike, everyone thought that poor *** and gave me a pass.
 
Generally I find lane-splitting at the border bad form (my 2 cents). The only time I ever did it was when my bike decided to crap out after an extended trip to Mexico, right at the border-line. I physically pushed the bike across the bridge, lane-splitting as I did and didn't have one soul try to cut me off. Picture a sweaty Gringo in hot riding gear pushing his bike, everyone thought that poor *** and gave me a pass.


Yeah Sr. Otto... after thinking about it, I probably wont lane split again. It sure is fun as haites but it was expensive. (I dont know if you recall, but I am LaOutbackTrail on ADV.)

I'll just try to catch the border at a better time I suppose.
 
We lane-split at the border crossing in Progresso yesterday and the line wasn't that long...but our thermometer was reading 112 degrees.
 
Generally I find lane-splitting at the border bad form (my 2 cents). The only time I ever did it was when my bike decided to crap out after an extended trip to Mexico, right at the border-line. I physically pushed the bike across the bridge, lane-splitting as I did and didn't have one soul try to cut me off. Picture a sweaty Gringo in hot riding gear pushing his bike, everyone thought that poor *** and gave me a pass.

Perhaps Baja is different, but on our return the traffic was horrible; the line was so long we couldn't even see the border... So, being the good Americans we were, we sat in line, until some yelled at us in Spanish and motioned for us to split... we paused and questioned it, then when others around us chimed in and agreed (seems everyone in Mexicali drives with their windows down), we began our long split... many actually moved over for us, but no one gave us a problem... once we reached the front of the line, the border official stopped the next car in line and waived us to the front... I'm sooo glad, man that line was long!
 
Perhaps Baja is different, but on our return the traffic was horrible; the line was so long we couldn't even see the border... So, being the good Americans we were, we sat in line, until some yelled at us in Spanish and motioned for us to split... we paused and questioned it, then when others around us chimed in and agreed (seems everyone in Mexicali drives with their windows down), we began our long split... many actually moved over for us, but no one gave us a problem... once we reached the front of the line, the border official stopped the next car in line and waived us to the front... I'm sooo glad, man that line was long!
That's exactly what we did my first lane-splitting-at-the-border crossing over from Tijuana.
 
http://www.tequiladezert.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3145

Central Higlands Area, Michoacan, Mexico Week of July 13, 2009 - July 18, 2009.

Sorry bout the bad Spanish.

Michoacan is Hot in this moment, 5500 addl troops and police came into Michoacan when I was there. PGF, PJF, and Military. PJF are the guys with the black ski masks, they are no different than Zetas. Not a recommended route at this time until things settle down.

Nonetheless, it is the best of all of Mexico, it is Mystical. If you are new rider South of the Border, stay on the North autopista or major primary roads, stay away from any area South of Uruapan or Zitacuarco, or Mil Cumbres, Morelia. Just my two cents, guess it depends on your adrenaline level.

During this trip, I experienced two incidents that I felt were dangerous. I managed okay, but the outcome each time could have been very different.

Que te vaya bien, kiko
 
Lane splitting in the Reynosa International Bridge.
Yes, you can do it... at your own risk.
I asked 3 different "migra" officers if it is allowed and two said yes, and one said maybe.
What you CAN'T do is ride the SENTRI lane. I used to ride a part of it, get ahead of all cars, and then go back again to the regular lane. Until I was caught, chastised, and told that the next time would be a $250 or so fine. :eek2:
The SENTRI lane is on the extreme right of the bridge.
You have to take the extreme left lane, lane split, go to the lane that the buses use, and then go ahead of all cars in your immedate right lane.
The officers are used to it, and that lane is what people in bycicles use. They go ahead of the line, wait in front of the first car, and go to the Immigration officer's booth.
That's what I been doing since I bought my scooter and my motorcycle.
Oh, and don't expect to find a short line of cars waiting to cross the Reynosa Bridge from Mexico to the USA. It is extremely rare. Most of the time cars wait from 45 minutes to an hour and a half just to cross. Waiting 20 minutes is considered a fast crossing.
And with temperatures of 39~40ºC in the shade ( 102~104ºF), the cagers in their air-conditioned vehicles won't bother you if you get ahead of them.
Saludos desde Reynosa.
macnifico
.
..
...
 
What you CAN'T do is ride the SENTRI lane. I used to ride a part of it, get ahead of all cars, and then go back again to the regular lane. Until I was caught, chastised, and told that the next time would be a $250 or so fine
We accidentally did this in October and the cars we squeezed in front of weren't too happy about it.
 
OK, I'll bite... What happened?
Saludos desde Reynosa.
macnifico
.
..
...

I took some small roads that were not on my map into the mountains south of mil cumbres into some small villages. These places are fairly remote. In one village, I sort of got a bad feeling because I noticed a few expensive 4wd trucks like hummers, which are not too common in a small poor village. Anyway, I was coming around a curve and some kind of expensive SUV made a sharp cut into my lane in front of me for no reason that I could see. Later in town when I was asking directions, the same vehicle drove up along side of me and the driver, a cholo from Georgia, started talking to the Mexicans who were giving me directions. He had a shaved head and was tatooed up pretty good. It was about 9 AM in the morning and the guys in the SUV were all drunk already. I didn't feel too comfortable about this.

The other incident was in Uruapan, the day before 12 federal police were tortured and murdered, then their bodies dumped in the highway in a town about 70 miles south of Uruapan, The feds flew in 1000's of more federal police into Michoacan the next day. I went to the plaza area and it felt like the town was under seige. At one hotel I went to, everyone was a federal police officer. The moment I rode into the parking lot, I saw three fed snipers on the roof of the hotel and then 3 others from the lobby came to me and escorted me inside. They all appeared very nervous and so I thought it would be a better idea to move on. One of them hit my helmet with his rifle, probably just an accident,

Most of the police I saw were PGF, but some were PJR. PJR are the guys who always wear a black mask, they are the govt's answer to Zetas. I always try to stay as far away from them as possible.
 
You have to take the extreme left lane, lane split, go to the lane that the buses use, and then go ahead of all cars in your immedate right lane.
The officers are used to it, and that lane is what people in bycicles use.
This is interesting.

So is this
http://www.tequiladezert.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3145

During this trip, I experienced two incidents that I felt were dangerous. I managed okay, but the outcome each time could have been very different.
 
Here is a condensed version of the TequilaDezert.com July Michoacan ride report in English for a TDM website; You need to scroll down to post #9 to view the English version. I translated most of the Spanish text to English.

http://www.carpe-tdm.net/ipb/index.php?showtopic=13699

I went back last week for 3 days only on my KLX400 (DRZ400E) but the offroad part just did not work out well for various reasons so I aborted the trip and came back to Jalisco. The route I chose was too difficult for me as a solo rider. Also, I had too much weight on the rear of the bike. Also I did not have SPOT, and my cell phone, IUSA cell did not work anyway in the region I was trying to cross just South of Pantamban, Michoacan. Another day with another rider. :giveup:
 
Here is a condensed version of the TequilaDezert.com July Michoacan ride report in English for a TDM website; You need to scroll down to post #9 to view the English version. I translated most of the Spanish text to English.

http://www.carpe-tdm.net/ipb/index.php?showtopic=13699

I went back last week for 3 days only on my KLX400 (DRZ400E) but the offroad part just did not work out well for various reasons so I aborted the trip and came back to Jalisco. The route I chose was too difficult for me as a solo rider. Also, I had too much weight on the rear of the bike. Also I did not have SPOT, and my cell phone, IUSA cell did not work anyway in the region I was trying to cross just South of Pantamban, Michoacan. Another day with another rider. :giveup:
Nice report Kiko.
BanditosenElCentro.jpg


I'd very much like to do a ride from Reynosa, hit Santiago and then travel south by way of the mountains... as far south as Guatemala. Mostly on dirt mind you. One day.
 
Most of the police I saw were PGF, but some were PJR. PJR are the guys who always wear a black mask, they are the govt's answer to Zetas
I've seen these guys in the backs of police/military trucks cruising down the freeway and always wondered what was up with them. They usually have a very large gun mounted on the front or back of the truck.
 
Scott, any chance you still have the images for the posts that have all the dead image links?
 
I laughed when I saw this thread pop back up to the top. Man, that was a fun ride!

I think Scott B. likes riding with me because I always had a few $, a few extra bolts, an extra tube, that water filter...you know, prepared. All the photos I took are over on my smugmug acct at the link here. You have to wade through some other stuff, but here are a few of the goodies. :-)

229894


High-end gas station...
229895




Useful back-country gas station...

229896




Looking for a back-country camp site. It was just us and the coyotes.

229897



The tunnel to Real De Catorce...

229898


Cost a whole 20 pesos to enter!

:-) Fun stuff.

100_1372.jpg
 
Hey hey hey... I was a broke-*** college student back then.

Almost ready to go back. Unfortunately, our friend Jim is not doing so well. He had heart surgery and then got pneumonia while recovering and hasn't been able to leave the hospital in a few weeks. He has a long way to go before he can go home. :(

230549
 
Back
Top