Looking For Info Re; La Paz And/Or Cabo San Lucas Mexico Thank You

[elskede]

WOW...SOLARBI THANK YOU!! SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT..I'D LIKE MORE INFO A BOUT HOW LONG THE TRIP IS FROM YOU BEING IN LA PAZ THEN HEADING TO YOUR NEXT PORT AND SAILING CONDITIONS ....ALSO..HOW MUCH IS UNLEADED AND PROPANE DOWN THERE AND WHAT AM I LOOKING AT FOR $ OF FOOD IE: LOAF OF BREAD. MILK. CANNED GOODS. THX AHEAD OF TIME

[azsailor12]

There's only one paved highway down Baja- Hwy 1. You will take it all the way down. There is gas available in major cities, but I wouldn't count on it elsewhere. Food and gas are similar to US pricing or cheaper. It's my understanding that it is very difficult to get financing in Mexico, so you may have to pay cash.

[azsailor12]

More on driving in Mexico- you should only drive in the day time- safer in the border area and further south there can be cattle on the roads at night. You will need registration for truck, trailer and boat, as well as Mexican insurance on all of those. You'll also need to get a tourist card- visa, not sure where to get one in Tijuana. You might try the tripadvisor forums if nobody here knows.

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by azsailor12

More on driving in Mexico- you should only drive in the day time- safer in the border area and further south there can be cattle on the roads at night. You will need registration for truck, trailer and boat, as well as Mexican insurance on all of those. You'll also need to get a tourist card- visa, not sure where to get one in Tijuana. You might try the tripadvisor forums if nobody here knows.

There are people that sell gas from the back of pickup trucks for a premium along the sections of desolation between Pemexs...You can get a "customs agent" to help with all permits for Mex. in San Deigo or for less across the border...you will need to get another permit for travel south of Baja California(into Baja Sur)..do not drive after dark! Cows ,Donkeys, and Banditos every where after dark...good luck

[Cheechako]

La Paz is more "normal" than Cabo. Cabo is a tourist trap, and the anchorage is exposed. La Paz is a well protected anchorage... although the current changes direction daily. The northers blow in the winter in the Sea of Cortez. So you need to pick your northerly transit days well. They can reach 40 knots and huge steep seas in the channels between isalnds....

[Bash]

Originally Posted by elskede

I Have A Ford F250 With Twin Tanks And I Gotta Camper....So I Got A Little Home On Wheels And Will Tow The Boat If This Is My Way To Go...Rather Than Sail Down....So What Im Wondering Is For Anyones Input....Would You Sail Or Get In...And Drive And Then Just Be Done With It And Have The Boat There....In La Paz And Have A Nice Beautiful Relaxing Place To Enjoy The Weather And Fresh Ocean Breeze And Go From There Around On Little Trips Like I Do Here In The Puget Sound.....??? And If I Do Drive...How Do I Know If I Drive Down The Coast Of Baja If There Are Gas Stations?"?"?

I've towed a boat as far as Bahia de Los Angeles, and I've transported kayaks as far as Mulege. The only time you might have gas problems is during spring break or Christmas week, otherwise there are ample Pemex stations along the transpeninsular highway. I would not want to tow a large boat on that highway. It's just a two-lane road most of the way, with almost no shoulders. Passing a truck or a bus can be a real adventure, especially on hills. Much more pleasant to sail down.

Good idea to figure that you shouldn't drive at night, and that you'll never exceed 50mph.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Bash

Good idea to figure that you shouldn't drive at night, and that you'll never exceed 50mph.

And "night" at that latitude night starts at about 6 pm, and it comes QUICKLY!"

[elskede]

great info all of you....this is very very usefull and great for me and my kids safety. exactly the input a guy like me needs. okay...so if we pull over and i have my ford f250 loaded down with my camper, and im towing my sailboat. how do i know where to stop? where's safe from the banditos and can i bring my SHOTGUN with me or does this require a permit too and is it legal? i do appreciate the info regarding all the permit's and insurance documents that is one thing i didn't think of other than a passport and visa's and i was told if i sail into la paz i can call and get my visa there as i enter from sea to the beach.

[elskede]

one more two part question for those who 'know.' how long does it take to get from san diego to la paz at 55mph for me and my boat following the route straight down the coast and is this the safest...if not there is the alternate route where i go down then cross with a ferry......part two.....at 55mph and NO MORE BECAUSE I'll be towing and have a heavy load etc....which way is the best to go...safest to go and most prudent to go and if i get pulled over and i have the insurance, the visa, the registrations etc....do i offer local law enforcement a 'bribe.' type gesture when i hand them my documents? i've heard in the past for over 25years that friends of mine often settle there 'ticket's' right then and there and it's over???? and are the BANDITO'S often law enforcement or are you talking about people who may abduct people for a ransom because we are not affluent and it would be futile for us and them?? thanks again for your time. i appreciate any input that is given. can i make it in one full daylight day from san diego to la paz? if not where do i stop and can it be done in two safe days? w/ fuel etc...i can always bring my own extra fuel.....thx

[Bash]

Originally Posted by elskede

where's safe from the banditos and can i bring my SHOTGUN with me or does this require a permit too and is it legal? .

Shotgun?

As someone who spends a great deal of time in Baja, all I can say is please go somewhere else.

[Ironhorse74]

Once a year I ride the Motorcycle to Cabo. If crossing at TJ you can get the tourist card right at the border crossing. My bike gets about 240 miles on a tank of gas. There is only one place I have to buy gas out of the back of a pickup. Really only to have a comfortable margin. The truckers have there own weird signals down there. When you come up behind one and he turns on his left turn signal it means safe to pass. Weirds you out the first few times. Don't drive at night is excellent advise. Watch for the topes and fake topes. What happens if you have miles and miles of unpatrolled desert highway and you want to keep the speed down? You put in huge friggen speed bumps (topes). You mark them with white lines across the highway. Then you fake people out with the same white lines sans topes.

Expect to be pretty much waved through the military check points heading south. Expect to be torn apart heading north. I wouldn't bring a firearm into Mexico for love nor money. You will go to prison. South of Ensenada and North of Cabo I have never felt threatened in Baja.

I don't like Cabo. To touristy and americanized. I do like La Paz. Plenty of places to anchor out with a nominal charge for the dinghy dock. If you want to be in the marina it can get pricey. La Paz is much like a medium sized US city. Costco, Walmart and Home Depot. I like Loreto even better than La Paz.

[elskede]

bash..thank you. as far as you mentioning hwy 1...im not sure if this is the hwy on the baja side (which i think your talking about) or the side where i drive a bit to the east then ferry over...which is safer? if you google map SEATTLE TO LA PAZ it give's two choices. which would be best and is either safer/safest or accessible for a guy with an '85 ford f250 in great running order with a loaded camper and towing a double axle trailer with a 27' boat rigged for blue water...thanks again to everyone who has had input.

[elskede]

why would i go somewhere else? is it because a shotgun scares you? im a 'founding member of homeland security.' and it's better to have a gun if you need one that to not have one when you do....personal security is a given in this day n age...you can not count on 'ANYONE' but yourself to protect you and your kids. maybe im misunderstanding your statement. in any case have a nice night. be safe/secure. gnight

[elskede]

okay...thank you for mentioning that it's illegal to bring a firearm into mexico. if it's illegal that ends it. thank you. gnight.

[Ironhorse74]

Originally Posted by elskede

why would i go somewhere else? is it because a shotgun scares you? im a 'founding member of homeland security.' and it's better to have a gun if you need one that to not have one when you do....personal security is a given in this day n age...you can not count on 'ANYONE' but yourself to protect you and your kids. maybe im misunderstanding your statement. in any case have a nice night. be safe/secure. gnight

Founding member of homeland security? Hmmmm no comment. I am a gun nut. Before I go to Mexico I double check everything I am taking with me to ensure I don't have as much as a single empty brass. The Mexican government takes possession of firearms and ammunition very seriously. If they catch you with any, you go straight to jail. I have had them empty my dirty under ware on the ground at a checkpoint. Mexico is not the US.