Go to Baja with looming threat of border shutdown?

[cruiseroutfit]

For anyone else considering a Baja trip. If you do your due diligence and decide to make the trip, here are a couple of my suggestions. Make a border (US/Mex) crossing early in the morning. Study up on border crossing techniques and requirements (passport, visa, insurance, etc) to ensure a smooth process and you'll be done in less than a half hour (if that). Then head south. No two ways about it the higher crime areas are also those closest to border and thus higher population. By the time you pass Ensenada or make your way to San Felipe on the eastern side of the peninsula you'll find a very laid back experience with minimal security risk. Don't be dumb, don't look for drugs, don't spend all night drinking in a bar and avoid spending time in high concentration areas, just like the US... would you camp or leave your rig parked unoccupied in Chicago? Vehicle and gear security is a real risk, anywhere, anytime. I wouldn't leave my Cruiser with easy to take gear strapped to the roof rack overnight in Salt Lake City or Ensenada. There are ample places to eat, camp and shop all whole never taking your eyes off your vehicle. Leave someone in the car if you have to be away long and you suspect issues. Crimes against law abiding tourists are very low. Expect to encounter military checkpoints, these young soldiers will act professional and some old magazines or a complimentary cold beverage from your fridge or cooler will generally take them from courteous to smiling and you'll go through trouble free. Don't carry anything illegal, again don't carry anything illegal.

Much of Baja accepts credit cards but have pesos on hand for those that don't, you can pre exchange in the US or at a variety of places throughout the peninsula. Their fuel quality is good and getting better, we ran it in supercharged engine and race cars trouble free. Keep your head on your shoulders, use apps like ioverlander and WikiOverland to find bush camp spots and identify trouble spots too. I'll be camping in a beach somewhere near San Felipe this time next week, I'm more worried about the driving conditions through Vegas than I am security in Baja.

http://wikioverland.org/Mexico
http://www.ioverlander.com/

There are many Baja specific sites too. If you're worried about security, go with one of the many US based tour guides that offer client trips to Baja and beyond.

 

[spartancrating1]

I dont know when the last time you spent any time there but you are 100% wrong. Stats dont fucking lie dude

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Good for you dude you looking for a gold coin? I dont give a shit about where you have been or where the fuck your going. I've put 4000 miles on in the last month from the coast of California, elk hunting up by Utah and currently hunting the Wyoming/Montana border so really I am unimpressed. Why the fuck are so many of you Toyota guys so standoffish?..lol. You dont agree with my opinions that's fine but keep your naive punkass comments to yourself. I decided to look into your profile and really it all makes sense. Go smoke some more weed dude.

Pot, meet kettle. I'm not being standoffish, simply offering a different opinion. Baja is not a warzone, that is my opinion, well mine and the State Departments too.

Calling someone a troll and/or a their vehicle a mall crawler is in fact being a "naive punkass". Of course calling Baja a warzone is even worse.

California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming are all great places... 4000 miles in a month? Why so slow? Need to ditch some of those bolt-ons from your JK and you could handle some higher speed ;) We did 4K miles across Australia in week this last month.

Smoke more weed? I'm not sure what profile you're looking at but I'm not much of the weed type nor do I care if other are.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I dont know when the last time you spent any time there but you are 100% wrong. Stats dont fucking lie dudeView attachment 74880

Stats don't lie, but apples are apples. Calling all of Baja a "warzone" because or the drug trade and subsequent deaths in Tijuana is like calling Illinois a warzone because of the murder rate in Chicago, or St Louis, or Baltimore, or Detroit, all of which have a murder rate approaching that of Tijiuana.

I was there in 2010-current annually at least once/twice fwiw.

 

[spartancrating1]

Oh and yeah it takes a while to go that many miles when your camped out for weeks at time hunting genius.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Bolt ons? Lol [emoji1787][emoji1787] eat shit dude I just took best in show at the 2018 Tepuifest much to the obvious dismay of many Toyota owners like you. Sorry nice try at a cheap shot bro but my rig was built not bought and has been places I'd have to winch you out of. Anyhow time to move along from this mundane dialogue with you. Safe travels in Mexico dude, hopefully you dont become a statistic.[emoji111]

Cool story bro, I'll give the gold coin back. Never heard of the Tepuifest event, I'm sure it's a pretty big deal in your sphere. I'd out that in your signature line :D

You drive to slow to get to the places you'd need to winch us ;)

You keep saying your done in this thread, somehow your warzone advice is never enough.

 

[spartancrating1]

Never said all of the area was that. Funny thing is if you have really spent time there then I'm sure you know of the shady ass places you have to pass through to get to where your going. As of today there is a major drug war between two cartels going on. Do your research before discounting mine.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Oh and yeah it takes a while to go that many miles when your camped out for weeks at time hunting genius.

Poor hunter... lucky elk ;)

Look, you're never going to think my experiences hold a candle to your own and I'm never to think Baja is the boogie man. On that we can agree to disagree.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Never said all of the area was that. Funny thing is if you have really spent time there then I'm sure you know of the shady ass places you have to pass through to get to where your going. As of today there is a major drug war between two cartels going on. Do your research before discounting mine.

My travels and racing across Baja, CenAm, SoAm, Russia, Africa, Australia, Greenland, etc are very well documented via YouTube, Overland Journal, etc. See Expeditions7, ExpeditionUtah, ExpeditionOverland, Canguro Racing, UROC rockcrawling, etc.

As I've made very clear, avoiding all of Baja because you have pass through TJ is like avoiding the east coast because you have to drive through Chicago. Super flawed logic. There is a major drug war in the US fueling the 700 homicides/year in Chicago. My research tells me not to spend time or camp in TJ, I've driven through a hundred times and will do so again in a few days.

 

[spartancrating1]

Cool story bro?.. LMAO.. go groom your beard, iron your skinny jeans, button up that flannel, grab your bottle of Tin Cup whiskey and move along hipster. Your right about not being in my "sphere"..

 

[Chadlyb]

Bolt ons? Lol [emoji1787][emoji1787] eat shit dude I just took best in show at the 2018 Tepuifest much to the obvious dismay of many Toyota owners like you. Sorry nice try at a cheap shot bro but my rig was built not bought and has been places I'd have to winch you out of. Anyhow time to move along from this mundane dialogue with you. Safe travels in Mexico dude, hopefully you dont become a statistic.[emoji111]

Obviously you need a small refresher from the founder himself....Michael. I and others appreciate your opinion but being rude and disrespectful is not even acceptable or tolerated here. https://www.overlandbound.com/forums/threads/overland-bound-founding-principles.442/

And as far as who your argument is with....you might want to stop now. I know exactly who he is and what he represents. His avatar is nothing but a pic. I support his efforts . Just remember there are more members here from around the globe with all kinds of levels of experience and information.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Cool story bro?.. LMAO.. go groom your beard, iron your skinny jeans, button up that flannel, grab your bottle of Tin Cup whiskey and move along hipster. Your right about not being in my "sphere".. View attachment 74881

Again, I don't know what profile your harvesting even more or your nonsense from but I don't groom a beard, don't own skinny jeans or pants that get ironed, drink Tin Cup, drive JC Whitney catalog "never heard of show" winning JK's or fear monger about Baja. "Hipster, naive, punkass..." you sound 90 years old. No wonder you have to drive so slow along the spoonfed routes. Try something exciting before your taking a dirt nap, might wake up those old bones. :D

 

[spartancrating1]

Yeah go have that conversation with all of these clowns looking to start arguments. If you read the original post all I was doing was giving safety advice to someone looking to travel into a volatile, dangerous, region. Sweeping stats under the rug and saying otherwise is foolish and could put people at risk. I will not sit by and let people who disagree with my opinions insult me or be condescending. If you want to have this conversation then have it with all involved otherwise dont single me out. I am a member of OB and display that emblem proudly but I will gladly peel it off my rig and send it back should this be a one-sided conversation. I posted that with good intentions and not to get bombarded with all the political BS.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

On a lighter note @spartancrating1 , I see you are from Northern Nevada. Care to share where? My family has some old homestead property in the Tabor Creek area, south of Jarbidge. Spend much time in that area?

 

[spartancrating1]

Old bones?.. here we go again with you assuming you know shit about me..lol. Sorry try again bum.. I just ran the Death Race in Vermont dude but I guess you wouldn't know anything about that since we are in different 'spheres'. Like I said move along dude and go find another argument elswhere.

 

[spartancrating1]

Look you obviously has some air about you that gives you this feel of superiority. I get it you have the time, money, and resources to travel to some admittedly impressive places. Central and South America? Would love to do it.. Baja 1000? Props.. I am just a small local business owner who wishes I had the time to do more. We obviously disagree on whether Mexico is safe to travel into but had I met you under different circumstances I still wouldve given you the same advice. I would have done so not to be this know-it-all but to maybe keep you out of some bad situations. On that note I dont judge people on what they decide to drive for their overland adventures so the whole bolt on JK thing I dont get. Anyways I dont want to continue with this bad energy so my bad for judging you with this hipster thing. If you or any of your club ever encounter problems passing through Nevada then by all means feel free to hit me up for help. Safe travels.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Old bones?.. here we go again with you assuming you know shit about me..lol. Sorry try again bum.. I just ran the Death Race in Vermont dude but I guess you wouldn't know anything about that since we are in different 'spheres'. Like I said move along dude and go find another argument elswhere.

To be clear I said you sound 90 years old with your name calling. It's different than assuming you are 90, or a hipster ;)

Look you obviously has some air about you that gives you this feel of superiority. I get it you have the time, money, and resources to travel to some admittedly impressive places. Central and South America? Would love to do it.. Baja 1000? Props.. I am just a small local business owner who wishes I had the time to do more. We obviously disagree on whether Mexico is safe to travel into but had I met you under different circumstances I still wouldve given you the same advice. I would have done so not to be this know-it-all but to maybe keep you out of some bad situations. On that note I dont judge people on what they decide to drive for their overland adventures so the whole bolt on JK thing I dont get. Anyways I dont want to continue with this bad energy so my bad for judging you with this hipster thing. If you or any of your club ever encounter problems passing through Nevada then by all means feel free to hit me up for help. Safe travels.

I didn't bring up my experiences to brag or create a hierarchy, I was solely responding to your skeptasim on my experience, travels and vehicles. You don't judge people on their vehicles yet apparently search my profile and say I have a "mallcrawler"? Which is it, do you judge or not. I'm not the first you've apparently rubbed with in this thread alone and I'm not proud I made the list. I just want folks to make an educated decision on international travel be it Baja or Canada and not discount it right off the bat because they heard it was a warzone. If they do their research, seek opinions or those from both camps and decide to sit it out, so be be it, better they stay in their comfort zone if they had any question at all.

PS everyone Utah is dangerous too, stay out :D

 

[spartancrating1]

Dont think that I am this dense person that doesnt recognize the snide undertones of your responses. Dude just move along already. I tried to somewhat change the tone of our conversation and you are still sitting on your pedestal. Block me, complain to the moderators, get me blocked from OB.. whatever I can give a shit. At this point I'm done with this lame ass dialogue. I'm going dark now. Like I said safe travels man.

 

[Chadlyb]

If any of you make your way through central Oregon, please reach out. Would love to share a meal and trails . No breakdowns necessary.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...At this point I'm done with this lame ass dialogue. I'm going dark now...

You've said that a half dozen times now :D