Best USA/Mexico border crossing for my trip?
 

I'm currently just above L.A USA in San Buenaventure County waiting for parts. I plan on driving down to Mazunte, Zapolita, Playa _______,etc.... For some R and R. However, before hand i would like to learn a little spanish. I figure i will drive about 350 miles a day and would like some scenery and true mexican culture. Since my spanish isn't the best i feel that i will need a route that will minimize the amount of interaction i have with Police, other officials. Since i'm driving solo i would like to avoid the criminal elements as much as possible. I would like also to camp. I feel i want to get to the south before i chill.

i will probably be leaving where i'm at in a couple of days. i'm willing to drive east along the USA/Mexican border to cross at the most appropriate spot. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sincerely yours,
Troy "Wrong Way"

Cross anywhere you want, cross early in the morning and it should be pretty smooth sailing. I've crossed in Tijuana, Santa Teresa, Aqua Prieta and they all were ok. I do not speak Spanish and I have never had a problem, especially with the police. Since you are north of baja, just cross in southern cal and see baja and ferry over to Mazatlan. You can camp but motels can be very cheap from $10 to whatever you want to pay. Cheaper in the less touresty places. Enjoy! Mexico is a wonderful place...people and food are fantastic.

Nice
 

Okay, don't worry about it is what you are saying.

I think i'll cross at Nogales and head through the central mexico......but Baja sounds good... dammit. What's this copper canyon thing i hear about.....is it good? I have to much time to think about things i guess because of all the time waiting for parts. This rookie would appreciate any other commentary, experiences, ideas.......

Thanx all,
Troy

I crossed at Nogales three months ago, they were really nice at the border crossing- however for those who need to get export paperwork stamped be aware that you need to take the "Cargo" border crossing which is signposted from the highway a few miles before the official Nogales border crossing.

You only need the paperwork done if you are on a foreign registered vehicle that was shipped or flown into the States.

The road south from Nogales was fine - the Federales just waved me through every checkpoint as they are interested in looking for guns and drugs not solo bikers.

Personally I prefer the Baja route down through Mexico but I have to admit I've never been to Copper Canyon.

Ride sfae and enjoy.

The Copper Canyon as one of the best rides I have ever done (and I have been all over the world). It can be very hard offroad riding, especially if you want to enter from the Topolobampo/Los Mochis side.

In 2007 I went from L.A. to Nogales, down to Hermosillo, and east into the mountains that ring the Copper Canyon. I then did a circular route, down to Urique and Batopilas, before heading out of the Canyons to the South west and caught a ferry over to Baja. From there I went North back to California.

Unless you are comfortable with pretty nasty dirt roads and steep grades I would stay away from the copper canyon. If you are comfortable offroad and have a proper dual sport (XR650, DR-Z400, etc) Then I would recommend entering Mexico at Tiujana, early in the morning and get out of the city, and south as soon as possible. Make sure you get Mexican insurance at the San Diego side (unless you already have Mexican insurance). Once into Mexico make sure to get your tourist card, and Temporary vehicle import permit with Hologram. You can then ride down through Baja, take the ferry from La Paz to Los Mochis (Topolobampo) and then go into the Copper Canyon. When you come out on the other side you will near Chihuahua, and the main north south Road in mexico. You then have a straight shot down and the most direct way through the center of Mexico and down to the coast of Oxaca State (where you said you wanted to go)

Camping should be fine in Mexico assuming no one sees where you set up camp, no one can see you from any of the roads as they pass by, and that you are awake and out of your campsite before full light. Bush camping will get much harder as you get farther south into the country and I would not recomend it given how cheap auto hotels and hostels are

Click on the link below to see some pictures of the Copper canyon and Baja

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To minimize your contact with the police.....drive sanely and safely,do not get into accidents , do not speed,do not blow through stop signs ( even if the locals do it)... just what you do to minimize contact with the Mounties back home.

On the border crossing at Nogales- : you can take the downtown or the west side truck crossing and not worry about paperwork at the border because this can all be done at the customs terminal beside the highway Mex 15 at about the km 25 mark south of the city.Tourist cards and TVIP are isued there.
Actually that terminal may soon be not needed if the latest info form CAA is correct. It is advertised in the AAA roadbook for Mexico that a new customs terminal for issuing TC and TVIP etc has opened last autumn on Mex 15 just north of the Bypass for GUAYMAS (SAn Carlos) Can anybody confirm ?

Thanx guys and gal
 

i think i'll save Copper canyon for the end of my trip or for a later date; on the way back. My bike is fully loaded - possible overloaded for the copper canyon.

Since the Tijuana border is closer i think i'll go down the baja, cross to the mainland, as far south as possible( ?), and then head down. I'll decide to go down the coast or go inland and down at that point.

All information is appreciated and any new thoughts and stories would be appreciated.

Thanx again Hmadams, Tiffany, Bmwroadrider, Sjoerd

Troy

You can ride to Urique or Batopilas with a full load, but the back routes would probably be too much (or at least that's what I concluded when I was down there fully loaded).

El Espina del Diablo is entirely worthwhile, and you'll be right there in the neighborhood. Just head uphill towards Durango from Mazatlan. Then you can continue south through the mountains, hitting all the usual spots: Zacatecas, Real Catorce, Guanajuato, Anganguero, etc. etc. etc. You'll be tired of the heat by then anyway.

So what's the story on your bike? Fixed? Fixable? Diagnosed, at least?

enjoy,

Mark

Yes, my bike....?
 

You've hit a sore spot. Well, they haven't touched it yet. Brought it there 10 days ago. the reason i brought it there, in retrospect, is because i believed that they would have parts and i could be on my way. They don't have parts. I'm use to taking my bike in to the shop and it's done within 2 days. regardless of problems.

They have the Parts on order gasket for balancer chain cover, and kill switch. they got my tires in on tuesday. I went in to the shop yesterday and they haven't, unbelievable to me, taken anything apart yet. When i first got there, I showed them that the bolt that holds the doo-hickey in place was turning freely in both directions. I know this can mean a few things. I assumed they would have dug right into it. but no. So are they going to have to order more parts when they actually do this? Yes of course. feeling that it's going to be another week. all i can say is wow. Going to call them now and see how they are "progressing".

I'm tempted to take it out of there but...... Very frusterating.:censored:

all i can say is i can't wait to get to mexico.

thanx for the info Markhauf........ and everyone else. .

Troy

Google Eagle Mike. Email him asking for advice on where to take your bike. Then you can focus on finding a way to do whatever he suggests, which might involve renting a van for a half-day.

If you're correct that all this shop has done so far is order gasket and kill switch (neither of which are needed, actually), you don't need them.

The preceding advice is unsubstantiated, unreliable and probably irrational. Make your own decisions.....and watch out for mysterious buying impulses (c.f., GPS) which really just represent useless attempts to regain the illusion of control. If tempted to buy stuff you neither want nor need, go skiing, surfing, or hang gliding instead.

Mark

Mark

I only camped once in Mexico, WrongWay, but i have a .gpx and a .kml file of camp grounds in Mexico i could send you. I actually got those files right here at HU.

If you want, send me your email address via a private message here at HU, and i'll forward you those files. Maybe there is a way to attach files with messages here at HU, but i'm not sure how.

Also, when i camped, it was on a campsite not included in those files, so here are the coordinates of that campsite, in Baja California Sur:
26°45'53.62"N
111°53'19.65"O

Good luck with the bike repairs!

I've had a great time both times I've been down the length of Baja camping rough and all the way through to the Guatemala border and beyond, I appreciate that sometimes it's the luck of the timing. But as said previously, get off the road where no-one knows you're there and you can find some beautiful spots, especialy in the desert areas of Baja.

Further south a few times I had to ask at the pueblos for somewhere to put my tent (carpa in spanish) and everyone was always really friendly and helpful.
Hope you get your bike fixed soon.
Enjoy (as I'm pretty envious from a cold spot down here at Lands End:freezing:).

thanx guys and gal
 

Tiffany, i hear that the Baja is expensive. It says online that it will cost me about 900 dollars to get me and my bike to the mainland from la paz. Is this true? does anyone else know?

GatoMontes, i'll take you up on that if i decide to do the Baja. After this bike repair it may be out of my budget....... i'll leave it for next trip.:thumbup1:

Markhauf....good thought about impulsive buying. I'll google good eagle mike.

I called them this afternoon and they have changed my tires, put the kill switch on and decided to do my brakes for me. But of course they needed to order a balancer adjuster bolt because just today they decided to take off the cover. It was broken....sheered off is what they said. Indeed, i think i must of over tightened it, but it didn't feel like i did. However, i don't think that is why it wouldn't start. i think it's electrical which is what i'm good at. I'm going to the shop tomorrow morning.

It's about $1400 but mexican pesos for you and the bike from La Paz to Topolobampo so about $120USD

Copper Canyon is a must in my book trail was a dirt road with a few holes and some up and down bits that zig zag like crazy

I'm heading for Puerto Escondido this weekend to start a month long spanish course, been fine so far with the basics everyone I've met is really friendly down here, let me know if you're passing through

Wrong way, do you have a cam chain in that bike? An unbroken, functional cam chain? I don't want to claim any sort of special mechanical abilities (got none). But neither do I want you spending the winter in southern California waiting while they gradually diagnose (and then order parts for) what has already been suggested might involve a broken cam chain. Seems to me you might be concerned about this possibility....which, all else aside, would keep your bike from starting.

If it's already been considered and ruled out, please return to your usual program of fretting and distraction. But don't let them keep ordering parts you don't need. You can change out the entire balancer mechanism without buying new gaskets, and you can test (and bypass) the safety switch with a single lenth of scrap copper wire.

Nothing to see here folks, just keep moving along.

Mark