Thank you Tecate, thank you!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tecate! We crossed going north last night after dark. Friday night and 6pm ish at Tijuana I imagined nightmares. So we headed to Tecate instead. Drove up to an empty crossing. Not one vehicle. One minute or less at the booth and a few minutes in inspection. DONE! Did I say thank you?

.
....someone else who knows why they make a beer of the same name

Ya just never know...about 3 weeks ago when we crossed, the line was to the end of the border road, doubled back and partially out onto the side road that connects to the boulevard. I was pulling a trailer - making the U-turn at the end of the border road was a real treat...not.



[Edited on 1-25-2015 by BigWooo]

Hours at Tecate also.

Quote: Originally posted by micah202

. ....someone else who knows why they make a beer of the same name

...during WWII each of the border towns (Tecate, Tijuana and Mexicali) had its own brewery in order to export beer to the US, Tecate Brewery:

Tecate Brewery 1949: upper left corner of town:


the brewery during the 50's (?)


first saloon in Tecate, then it was Mexicali Beer...


...the same Santana Saloon after Tecate Beer took over, not only the town but almost all of Mexico...

.. the Santana descendants today own "MXN" fast Mexican Food restaurants in SD...

The Brewery was founded by Mr. Alberto Aldrete in 1944 and later sold it to Cerveceria Cuahtemoc in 1954. Back in the days Tecate was a very small community: everyone lived near what today is "downtown" the town would stretch from about today's police station to the east onto the Red Cross on the west and to the south not much further tan the railroad tracks, when the brewery sounded the whistle for workers to end or start a shift, people would use it instead of watches to set their daily life routines, at night the last whistle would sound at 9:30pm and this was curfew time for anyone under 18 years of age... and it was enforced... in the morning those caught during the night would be seen sweeping the plaza or the main street for everyone to take note... and Tecate was a very small community: everyone knew everyone... the bad boys would get a "bald" hair cut coutesy of the police chief Mr. Baranda...ooops! Those were the good old days....



[Edited on 2-10-2015 by carlosg]

[Edited on 2-10-2015 by BajaNomad]

wonderful photos!

Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd

The major problem with the Tecate crossing may have something to do with this forum. They have so few gates, that on very busy days, it is no better, or even worse than SY, maybe worse. On another note, despite the wonderfully rich history of the brewery, after major international consolidations in the beer industry, Tecate beer sold in the US is brewed in Monterrey. Beer brewed in Tecate is sold in Mexico.

...Tecate produces 3.2 million barrels of beer annually,



most of which are exported to the US;



Monterrey produces 6.6 million most of which is exported worlwide... Tourists are welcome to visit the Brewery for a guided tour and to enjoy a sample the export quality beers produced locally. Local brewery workers enjoy ONLY export quality beer at the Brewery's Club House (Casa Social) and non-workers (we) never pass the opportunity to say yes when invited by a someone that works at the factory ...

The border crossing back in the 60's

looking north


entering Tacate from the US

Yabut, wait 3 weeks 'till all the geese migrate north again.....

Quote: Originally posted by Udo

I could be wrong, but I was told (by Sentri guard in OTAY) Tecate now has a dedicated SENTRI lane.

Quote: Originally posted by carlosg

Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd   The major problem with the Tecate crossing may have something to do with this forum. They have so few gates, that on very busy days, it is no better, or even worse than SY, maybe worse. On another note, despite the wonderfully rich history of the brewery, after major international consolidations in the beer industry, Tecate beer sold in the US is brewed in Monterrey. Beer brewed in Tecate is sold in Mexico. ...Tecate produces 3.2 million barrels of beer annually, most of which are exported to the US; Monterrey produces 6.6 million most of which is exported worlwide... Tourists are welcome to visit the Brewery for a guided tour and to enjoy a sample the export quality beers produced locally. Local brewery workers enjoy ONLY export quality beer at the Brewery's Club House (Casa Social) and non-workers (we) never pass the opportunity to say yes when invited by a someone that works at the factory ... The border crossing back in the 60's looking north entering Tacate from the US

I agree THAT THE LINES IN TECATE ARE REALLY REALLY LONG and that the CHUPACABRAS ARE KNOWN TO ATTACK AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT and that IT IS A SPECIAL CLIMATE ZONE WHERE TEMPERATURES CLIMB TO 120' DURING THE WINTER AND WORSE DURING THE SUMMER and EVERY AMERICAN CAR AND TRUCK IS PULLED INTO SECONDARY FOR A FOUR HOUR "INVASIVE" SEARCH..............


Right?

Quote: Originally posted by fixtrauma

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tecate! We crossed going north last night after dark. Friday night and 6pm ish at Tijuana I imagined nightmares. So we headed to Tecate instead.

Gate hopping

Never parked on the MX side in the fifty's because border closed at 11:00 and the bars didn't close until well after midnight. Park on US side and just climb over the gate when it's time to go home. Very seldom did US Customs come out of their trailer and do more than shine a flashlight at us (but driving back on old highway 8 was a very dangerous thing after drinking all night).