Escaped from Mexico

[culcune]

Actually, a friend suggested I take the bike to a mechanic he uses just across the border in Algodones, Mexico.

He had a basket case Suzuki RF600 sportbike that he got for free, with paperwork, from an old roomate who had dumped it. He had just taken his bike one week prior, so when we rolled my bike there in his truck, his bike was already running when we got to the mechanic's house/shop.

Funny enough, the mechanic had a SunL 200 enduro there, too, that needed work. I dropped my bike off, and a few days later, the engine had been installed, and the bike ready to roll.

The adventure was in getting out of town. He only lives about a mile from the border, but to anyone who has ever walked or driven or ridden into a small Mexican town, would know the adventure. As small as the town is, being a border town makes it larger than its size suggests. I rode through the maze quite well, actually stopping at the "alto" signs ("alto" is Spanish for "stop"). The locals do not actually stop completely, but if you have been sitting patiently like I was, someone would politely wave me to go. It really wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be; like I said, I stopped completely at the stop signs. On the edge of town is where the road that takes one to the border crossing is. It can get quite busy to say the least. In peak snowbird season, the lines can be over an hour just to walk across, and up to 2 hours to drive across! When I got to a cross street, the traffic was backed up past the point I was at, at least 1 1/2 hours. I rode parrallel to the traffic gridlock kinda in the middle where oncoming traffic was coming. near the border, I saw my opening, and dove in, riding to the front of the line. Believe me, this is what I will use in the middle of winter (peak snowbird time) to get back into the US! The looks I received were priceless, but, it was legal (as far as I could tell).

[pumpkin]

glad you are back on the road. i drove across the border one time into tiajuana(sp) or tj as it is called. after that i paid to park and walked across the border way easier.

[culcune]

That is the best way to cross in TJ. Lotsa partying in my youth there :wink:

[pumpkin]

two years in the Navy stationed in san diego went to TJ every weekend

[AKTV8]

hey culcune, what exactly does that name mean?
So, what is required to cross over? I'm in Tucson and would like to go over in Nogales sometime.
MY riding skills have improved to the point that I can actually ride on the road at speed! What are you riding now?

[culcune]

I think starting on the 31st you will need a passport, but then I heard a photo ID and birth certificate will suffice. There is going to be a "lesser" passport card for walking/driving across, for cheaper, too.