Is Mexico Safe?

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Are we back to measuring pekker sizes Schizz? ;)

Well, I'll let you two battle as you will, I don't even want to be in the same zip code when it really heats up.

I do believe everyone might generally agree what happened 40 years ago in Mexico isn't fresh and relevant. I do give huge props to Schizzman, whose last trip downrange past the border on a motorcycle was a couple of weeks ago. And a major, longer trip in January. I did a big chunk of that trip with him. Like Schizz has mentioned, very accurately, nobody in the IMS thread is an expert. Well, Sjoerd is. That guy is at a different level than anyone who has ever posted here. And the best part? He just rides and reports, and creates guides to help people. He doesn't swing his internet dick. I thought when he was at my house I was sitting with Indiana Freakin' Jones of the Mexico Division.

And Schizz also rode Mexico, downrange, more than a few occasions last year as well. And the year before that. His observations on really traveling into Mexico on a motorcycle are fresh and relevant, and he'll admit before anyone that he's still in the learning mode. As am I, and everyone else in this thread.

You, PJ, your last downrange trip into Mexico was with Arte, in July 2009 or thereabouts. Correct me if I've got that wrong. That means in about 4 months it will 4 years since you've last ventured south past the border on a bike into 'non pub crawl" border town Mexico. But, props are due you, on the other hand, for posting on being willing to assist people at the border with crossing into Mexico. Mark883 is one example of a rider who has availed himself of your services. I know he appreciated that.

Any one of us could keep riding into Mexico for the next hundred years and never find out or know about all there is to find and enjoy about that place. I do know we are all very fortunate to have any time in Mexico at all, and we all keep learning, and sharing what we know.

This is a great community of folks who love Mexico.

[MikeMike]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

I do believe everyone might generally agree what happened 40 years ago in Mexico isn't fresh and relevant.

Can you please tell my wife that!

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Can you please tell my wife that!

There was about a 2 second delay before it hit me

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by tricepilot

Well, I'll let you two battle as you will, I don't even want to be in the same zip code when it really heats up.

I do believe everyone might generally agree what happened 40 years ago in Mexico isn't fresh and relevant. I do give huge props to Schizzman, whose last trip downrange past the border on a motorcycle was a couple of weeks ago. And a major, longer trip in January. I did a big chunk of that trip with him. Like Schizz has mentioned, very accurately, nobody in the IMS thread is an expert. Well, Sjoerd is. That guy is at a different level than anyone who has ever posted here. And the best part? He just rides and reports, and creates guides to help people. He doesn't swing his internet dick. I thought when he was at my house I was sitting with Indiana Freakin' Jones of the Mexico Division.

And Schizz also rode Mexico, downrange, more than a few occasions last year as well. And the year before that. His observations on really traveling into Mexico on a motorcycle are fresh and relevant, and he'll admit before anyone that he's still in the learning mode. As am I, and everyone else in this thread.

You, PJ, your last downrange trip into Mexico was with Arte, in July 2009 or thereabouts. Correct me if I've got that wrong. That means in about 4 months it will 4 years since you've last ventured south past the border on a bike into 'non pub crawl" border town Mexico. But, props are due you, on the other hand, for posting on being willing to assist people at the border with crossing into Mexico. Mark883 is one example of a rider who has availed himself of your services. I know he appreciated that.

Any one of us could keep riding into Mexico for the next hundred years and never find out or know about all there is to find and enjoy about that place. I do know we are all very fortunate to have any time in Mexico at all, and we all keep learning, and sharing what we know.

This is a great community of folks who love Mexico.

No problem with what you wrote.

I was doing business - and trying to do business - with Winter Texans, RGV area realtors, and so forth. That keeps one around the border. Although we did use a printer in Monterrey for awhile and had contacts with other people there.

Also, I joke about hitting the Mission Bar a lot. What I don't tell but some understand is that it's a meeting place for businessmen. For awhile I was a manager with a water company in the RGV. One of the regulars there was 3rd in charge of a water utility in Mexico. We were drinking plenty of beer and trying to cook deals until both of our bosses died at about the same time and we both decided that it was time to move on to other projects. Quickly.

One has to do what one enjoys. Life is too short. The last time, a few months ago, that I had several weeks to go riding I didn't go south. I went north. To Milwaukee. Partly for personal reasons and partly because, after riding everywhere else during the last several decades, I hadn't been to Wisconsin since I was in high school.

I had fun. And was shocked to see how many Mexican folks there are in Chicago and Wisconsin. Who would have thunk it? ;)

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[pilot815]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Selection not as good? Prices high?

It's a different type of selection, and the prices are higher in Mexico from what I remember. It's like when I shop the latin food section at walmart and HEB. They shop the American stores to get their fix on food that's available here.



On another note, the old man left for home this morning. He got brave and threw the new motorcycle tire in the back of the truck and figured he would take his chances. He just called to say he got the red light in Reynosa and they didn't think twice about the tire value. He got checked at the garita, and they passed him through without concern about the tire.

Sometimes you get lucky. When I was working down there, our technicians needed new tools. We determined the best deal was for us to buy 3 or 4 large Craftsman tool sets on one of our trips to the US. Even with the importation it would be cheaper than buying them down there. Even the cheaper "Pretul" and "Truper" branded tools were more expensive than Craftsman tools. One of the guys also wanted a hammer drill so he sent me up with some money to buy that for him. When we stopped to declare everything in Reynosa we showed them all the receipts for the tools, it must have been over $1000. We told them we were taking them to the plant and using them for a business and we wished to import them. They handed the receipt back and said don't worry about it. We were amazed. We got on the highway and made it to the Garita and stopped there and tried to pay the importation. We told them the guys in Reynosa said not to worry about it, but we wanted to make sure it was being done by the book so we wouldn't have trouble down the road. They said the same thing the guys in Reynosa said. First and only time I have ever seen that happen. I wouldn't ever think to be that lucky again in the future.

[MikeMike]

Hey Pirate, Chicago and, believe it or not, Minnesota, are popular destinations for Veracruzanos heading north. Big network of local support, same for the DC area and Georgia.
The Oaxacans mostly head for California, it is commonly referred to as, "Oaxacalifornia".

As for border crossing and customs and all that jazz, the policies are mostly enforced on a very subjective level. No rhyme nor reason, no different from a lot of policies from governments all over the world. The Sam's Club stores and Costco stores here are pretty much the same, prices are different and you'll only find about 50% to 70% of the merchandise comparable to the US, some things you'll find only in Mexico. Wal-Marts are totally different, it is called "Wal-Mex" here and you get the same Chinese made crap at all the retail outlets and grocery stores. Auto Zone is hit or miss, Craneguy has a good local one, my local one has less variety. Home Depot is pathetic and next to useless here, but in DF, they are ok.

Some things never change:
Superama will always be more expensive
Chedrahui will always have more staff than they know what to do with
Comerical Mexicana sell the same stuff but often cheaper
Wal-Mart usually has the freshest vegetables and fruits but Chedrahui will rival them on Wednesdays
Costco don't move things around inside the store as much as Sam's, at Sam's the shopping experience can make you feel like you have Alzheimer's because they move the stuff around in the store so much
Sam Walton would likely pass a large brick in his pants if he ever walked into a Mexican Wal-Mart and saw how his retail ideas and customer service were not followed

It's Monday, and I am discussing shopping on an ADV BB. I really hope the Rocky Oyster gets back soon so we can head to Catemaco! With the Mystery Rider in Africa and the Craneguy ostracizing me for my lack of ability to enjoy dressing in rubber clothing and haul large amounts of luggage on my bike, I really need to get on the road!

[PirateJohn]

I might add that I just enjoy reminiscing, and I think that the collective experiences are fun and entertaining. And I don't diss someone's experiences of 40 years ago - I find them to be interesting.

Some aspects of truckin' laws in the USA seem complex and nuanced, and that's because some of those laws change from place to place and, in some cases so do attitudes. What is encouraged in some states is discouraged in other states.

Same way with Mexico. Just because we have experienced different things doesn't mean that someone else is necessarily wrong. Mexico varies from state to state, city to city, and is changing their judicial systems and, perhaps more fundamentally, their abilities to collect and record information.

As they say "it's all good!"

Or, as a pal of mine who had once been on the Pan Am Games cycling team once told me, it's better to be a has been than a never have been. We can all learn.


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[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

Actually, I get the impression that you are more of the Boys Town expert than I am. Not like there is anything wrong with that ;)


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Never been there, as you know. Nor would I ever take a first-time Mexico rider there. But I do have pretty good Google-fu and can look stuff up for those who show up here with questions.

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Hey Pirate, Chicago and, believe it or not, Minnesota, are popular destinations for Veracruzanos heading north. Big network of local support, same for the DC area and Georgia.
The Oaxacans mostly head for California, it is commonly referred to as, "Oaxacalifornia".

As for border crossing and customs and all that jazz, the policies are mostly enforced on a very subjective level. No rhyme nor reason, no different from a lot of policies from governments all over the world. The Sam's Club stores and Costco stores here are pretty much the same, prices are different and you'll only find about 50% to 70% of the merchandise comparable to the US, some things you'll find only in Mexico. Wal-Marts are totally different, it is called "Wal-Mex" here and you get the same Chinese made crap at all the retail outlets and grocery stores. Auto Zone is hit or miss, Craneguy has a good local one, my local one has less variety. Home Depot is pathetic and next to useless here, but in DF, they are ok.

Some things never change:
Superama will always be more expensive
Chedrahui will always have more staff than they know what to do with
Comerical Mexicana sell the same stuff but often cheaper
Wal-Mart usually has the freshest vegetables and fruits but Chedrahui will rival them on Wednesdays
Costco don't move things around inside the store as much as Sam's, at Sam's the shopping experience can make you feel like you have Alzheimer's because they move the stuff around in the store so much
Sam Walton would likely pass a large brick in his pants if he ever walked into a Mexican Wal-Mart and saw how his retail ideas and customer service were not followed

It's Monday, and I am discussing shopping on an ADV BB. I really hope the Rocky Oyster gets back soon so we can head to Catemaco! With the Mystery Rider in Africa and the Craneguy ostracizing me for my lack of ability to enjoy dressing in rubber clothing and haul large amounts of luggage on my bike, I really need to get on the road!

Great info Mike! Dunno about others. I enjoy that stuff.

Wal-Mex? Is that a regional thing? I seem to remember a big Wal-Mart in Hermosilla or somewhere nearby. What struck me as being funny was that there were highway signs directing traffic to the place.

Do you have Woolworths? All but extinct in the USA, there used to be one in the little Kentucky town that I grew up in. I remember the smells of candies and roasted nuts.

Fast forward a few years. Reynosa has a big one downtown in their walking mall in the Centro, and Tampico has two. Nice selection of clothes and clean and neat, at least in Reynosa.

Thanks!

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[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by pilot815

It's a different type of selection, and the prices are higher in Mexico from what I remember. It's like when I shop the latin food section at walmart and HEB. They shop the American stores to get their fix on food that's available here.

.

Thanks!

I remember that the Mission Bar always had Louisiana brand hot sauce. I like the stuff too but figured that someone was buying it in the USA.

But I am like you, we all stock up on foods that we love. I bought an HEB's entire inventory of Pick-a-peppa Jamaican steak sauce and then forgot that I had it and crossed the border. The US side looked all of those sealed bottles over pretty closely before they let me go ;)

Glad to hear that your Dad had good luck on his journeys.



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[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Hey Pirate, Chicago and, believe it or not, Minnesota, are popular destinations for Veracruzanos heading north. Big network of local support, same for the DC area and Georgia.
The Oaxacans mostly head for California, it is commonly referred to as, "Oaxacalifornia".

!

I have wayyyyyyyyyy too much time out here in the oil patch to watch TV. Anyway, one of the TV chefs (Bourdain? Zimmern?) said that Chicago had more Mexican folks than anywhere in the USA outside of California.

When I was visiting with Sue in Waukesha, WI we went to a local Mexican restaurant. It was nothing like the Mexican places in Florida. The food was very similar to what I had in Reynosa and the architecture looked like they had moved an entire building to the north.

It's a small world. There was a Mexican restaurant in Jacksonville that I used to hit. I asked the owner where she was from and she told me that she came from a little town north of Tampico. I guessed Manuel and she gave me this long look and said "How did you know?" She had trouble believing that anyone from Jacksonville would have logged time there.


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[MikeMike]

PJ, they call it Wal-Mex because most people who know a real Wal-Mart, especially the pochos, see it as a chafa type imitation.
That's a good story about the Tamaulipas resident in Jacksonville. I think Jacksonville is the Tijuana of Florida.

[Stromin'Nroman]

Originally Posted by PirateJohn

She had trouble believing that anyone from Jacksonville would have logged time there.

Maybe this thread should be called:

"Is Mexico Safe from the Americans?"

[mark883]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Hey Pirate, Chicago and, believe it or not, Minnesota, are popular destinations for Veracruzanos heading north. Big network of local support, same for the DC area and Georgia.
The Oaxacans mostly head for California, it is commonly referred to as, "Oaxacalifornia".

It's Monday, and I am discussing shopping on an ADV BB. I really hope the Rocky Oyster gets back soon so we can head to Catemaco! With the Mystery Rider in Africa and the Craneguy ostracizing me for my lack of ability to enjoy dressing in rubber clothing and haul large amounts of luggage on my bike, I really need to get on the road!

We have a family that opened a taco stand in our little town, they're from Vera Cruz. Finally, as close as my downtown I can get a pretty darn good taco pastor the way God and Mexicans intended it. They don't have enough traffic to run the rotating meat cooker thing full time though.

Mike- there's a sale at Penny's too. You forgot that!

[PirateJohn]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

PJ, they call it Wal-Mex because most people who know a real Wal-Mart, especially the pochos, see it as a chafa type imitation.
That's a good story about the Tamaulipas resident in Jacksonville. I think Jacksonville is the Tijuana of Florida.

Jacksonville, precisely like Tijuana, has some nice places and some tough, industrial places.

When I first moved there the area had three Navy bases and a common question was "what did you do wrong to get stationed here?"


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