Nov 16, 2016
We are in Mexico
The sunrise got our day off to a great start.
I know for certain that there are 4 RV’S behind us following in our steps and then I received another email this evening requesting info so please bear with me if I go into too much detail for my armchair readers.
We crossed at Nogales, specifically the Mariposa crossing which is Exit 4 off of I19. Cars go to the left but RV’s must go thru the truck lane as above. Do not use the lane to the right with the orange barricades, marked wide load.
Once thru the truck lane you will need to veer to the right to go around the building shown above. You will soon be on the road into Mexico. Just keep following the signs for RVs.
Our second international border crossing this trip.
Some Americans bringing things into Mexico for their family and friends. We always see trucks filled to the brim like this and often they are also pulling a trailer equally loaded.
This old car was being imported. A gift for someone?
Next stop is the first of many toll booths. Shortly after that first toll you will come to an inspection area. RV’s are to go the the right which is the 4th lane to the right. Someone will come to your RV. Now this year was the strangest experience we have ever had in the many years we have crossed here. The border agent wanted to see the RV registration. I assumed she meant our 10 year sticker which expired earlier this year. I explained that we were getting a new ten year permit at KM 21 ( which by the way is actually KM 257 ). She then insisted on seeing our VIN number. In this RV it happens to be in one of the bedroom closets.
Meanwhile she kept asking about what we had to declare, alcohol, tobacco and money over $10,000.00. I said that we had nothing to declare. She came in to look at the VIN and to compare it to our BC vehicle registration info. Her eyes widened at everything we had inside. Again she asked what we had to declare. She then spotted my desktop iMac which we keep in it’s original box for travel. Bingo!! Okay how much did the computer cost. I explained it was old, etc. She wanted to know how much it cost when we purchased it new. We said we did not know and back and forth. She also checked the fridge and found 2 wine bottles! I did not mention the rest of the wine aboard nor the amount of cases. Finally she left. Very strange.
Hermosillo was easy to go through but watch out for those nasty rough areas here and there along the roads, almost pot hole like. Other than that the roads are in great shape. Looks like a new road is in the works from south of KM 21 to Magdelena, lots of surveying happening and some clearing beginning. Very interesting to see how the Mexicans construct their highways.
We were surprised to see that we were the only RV at KM 21 at 8 AM. Even more surprised that we were the only ones at Immigracion, a first ever. Everything went smoothly and we were done in just under 40 minutes, a new record for us. The new 10 year permit for the RV cost the same as the 6 month permit for the car, 1213.96 pesos/$60.12 USD, a great deal for the RV. I think we paid less than half of that 10 years ago when we got our first long term permit.
We were detoured around this semi that had jackknifed across the road. No idea how he managed to do this unless it happened last night while he fell asleep at the wheel. As we passed they were transferring the contents of his load into another truck. Two large tow trucks were standing by.
We got to Totonaka RV Park in San Carlos at 4PM. I had never seen it so empty. However 8 other RV’s arrived about 30 minutes after we did. The price has gone up, yet again, to 420 pesos or $24.00USD. We saved close to $6.00CAD by paying in pesos. The girls were happy to be on a Mexican beach again.
It took us a bit to get settled. We seem to have an issue with our jacks. The right side won’t come down and makes a strange noise. Colin suspects a low hydraulic fluid level. At this point we aren’t sure how this will affect our set up on the Isla. We have sent a message to Eric, our Mazatlan RV tech. There is always something that needs to be repaired or sorted out.
So basically we arrived, parked and took the girls to the beach. We had been back at the RV for less than five minutes trying to get set up when I heard my name being called. Turns out it was Diane and Pierre who will be at Tres Amigos this winter for five months. They dropped by for a short visit last winter and fell in love.
Diane, Pierre, myself and Linda and her husband ? David, I forget his name. So we were were talking to Diane and Pierre when Linda and her hubby came over. They live in our RV park in Kelowna and had left the same day we did the end of October. All three couples are leaving here in the morning. Linda is toying with the idea of joining us on the Isla for a few days.
I can’t get over how many people we have run into on this trip. Rather amazing. Yesterday in Amado both couples were blog readers as well as RVers. Today they are newer RVer friends of the last few years, who don’t even know about my blog. Don’t forget that I met another couple from our Kelowna RV park in Palm Springs. First time that has ever happened and now two couples from Holiday Park. Then there was Colin’s business associate in Napa and the two Isla couples we had happy hour with before we left Palm Springs. Hopefully I didn’t forget anyone. So much fun to meet people along the way. I wonder what Mazatlan will bring this winter.
We drive 289 miles today.
It is almost 10:00PM and I am very tired. Tomorrow will be another long day on the road and our last before we reach Tres Amigos RV Park on Stone Island/ Isla de la Piedra. Yes, I am counting the hours 😀
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Yeah!!..Glad you made it….Not far to go…Eh??
David
Almost there – how exciting – love how you took your time and enjoyed the trip south!