rpleger
Super Nomad
Posts: 1087
Registered: 3-12-2005
Location: H. Mulegé, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Was good.
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A thank you to the Mexican troops
Guys........
On your way up or down the Baja, when you are stopped at the military check points...........have some toilet paper, cold cokes, snacks for these
young men. Just to comunicate our thanks for the help that they gave our country in a time of need.
Just a thought
Richard on the Hill
*ABROAD*, adj. At war with savages and idiots. To be a Frenchman abroad is to
be miserable; to be an American abroad is to make others miserable.
-- Ambrose Bierce, _The Enlarged Devil\'s Dictionary_
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bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
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Senor Hose....go to your room and smoke please.
Richard, we are taking off on a road trip soon and I like you idea. Will let you know how it plays. I have visions of these guys who are in the
middle of bum.... ...may not even know that there has been a hurricane nor that the Mexican army helped.
But we will thank them all the way up the peninsula!
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Oso
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2637
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: on da border
Member Is Offline
Mood: wait and see
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Great idea! I have had one annoying experience, one great experience and many ok experiences at retenes. The annoying one was a surprise reten on
the dirt road between Colonet and Valle de Trinidad. No signs, they just jumped out of the bushes waving me down. I guess since this wasn't a
"normal" tourist route, it looked suspicious. A sergeant, maybe in his late 30's, was just positive I had something and combed every bag, box, nook
and crevice in the truck. Took more than half an hour, was really p'd when he had to give up, having found nothing.
The great one was when I blew a tire, maybe 1 click from the reten at El Doctor on the way to El Golfo de Sta. Clara. It was a spur of the moment
run, only an hour or so from home, so I had not done the checklist- didn't bring tools. Doh! I had forgotten that I had replaced the lost bar gizmo
that held the spare under the bed of the truck with a U-bolt. Naturally, the nuts were rust frozen and the tire iron was the wrong size anyway. I
did have a farm jack but that wasn't going to do much good if I couldn't get the spare off. I could see the reten and still had rubber on the rim, so
I crept up on what was left of the tire and asked if any of the guys had a "llave de pendejo" (adjustable wrench). One young man who seemed to be in
charge, a corporal I think, went back to the barracks and returned with a whole set of tools. He then proceded to get under the truck and work on the
U-bolt. After 10-15 minutes, it wasn't coming off. He reluctantly suggested cutting it with a hacksaw. I said sure, I wasn't going to remount a
spare that way again anyway. Bottom line; we got the spare mounted and were on our way after about 45 minutes of this guy laying in the hot sand,
busting his knuckles. I found that to be remarkable that he would go to those lengths to help a decrepit old gringo. Of course it's possible that
the fact that my 20 yr. old grandniece was with me just might have had something to do with it. But anyway, he refused the 50 pesos we tried to give
him. After a couple hours at the beach, we headed back and when we got to the reten, I unloaded a case of cokes and a bag of ice and set them on a
table under a tree. The corporal gave a dissaproving look and told me I should not have brought anything. I smiled and said I was "abandoning" the
sodas there and they could do anything they wanted with them.
Most of the time I get waved through or get a relatively perfunctory inspection. Occasionally they'll ask for stuff- flashlight batteries in
particular, but mostly not. Offering sodas etc. with a word of thanks about the hurricane help sounds like a good thing to do.
All my childhood I wanted to be older. Now I\'m older and this chitn sucks.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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At a checkpoint just south of Laguna Salada (not there anymore) I had some problems having coutraband on board that I didn't know was there one day -
after a couple hours, and radio from there to the HQ, all was resolved and on the way I went. Two days later coming thru the same checkpoint, they
pointed out I had a tire almost fland and insisted on changing it for me. A couple bottles of water was all they would accept.
I too was suprised by the group jumping out of the brush on that road to Valle Trindiad - half with only part uniform - wondering if it was a real
army check. Figured it probably was as they have the barracks just 5-6 miles away in Valle Trinidad.
Never have had any other problems - the only one was of my making and even then they were friendly - unloaded everything from a big roof rack on my
VW Bus, then when they were done, the loaded it all back on just like I had it. I can see a US customs guy doing that.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Bedman
Senior Nomad
Posts: 523
Registered: 9-4-2002
Location: Orange County, CA.
Member Is Offline
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I've Never had a problem, well, not with the Mexican checks.
They always want to at least look inside and we invite them in "Passelle, senor", They always come in and browse a little and peek in cupboards, open
the bathroom door and generally check things out. No problem, I can appreciate the fact that they are doing a job. We never get checked heading South.
Only heading North. When wer'e going that way our trip is all but over and we really don't need all the supplies that are left. So I load them up.
anything I have left will most likely set in the Moho for a month or more and will only go to waste. I'd rather they get it than the trash can.
Batteries, Water, Beer, Popsicles, Magazines, Insect repellant, Fruit, Any food that hasn't been opened, Everything goes out the door no later than
Maneadero.
On the other hand, If they open the door and march in like they own my motorhome and blatantly suggest I "give" them something, I return the attitude
and coldly tell them "No".
If I'm at the U.S. Border and I get pulled over into Secondary. They have to fight me tooth and nail. I never have had a Good experience in U.S.
Secondary.
It only takes a small effort to be polite.
Bedman
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bajaden
Nomad
Posts: 496
Registered: 4-7-2005
Location: Ensenada
Member Is Offline
Mood: vicarious
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I have never had a problem at any check point. I've had a habit of giving them bottles of water for a long time. I've also given out bottles of water
to many of the road workers. Its got to be brutal out there in 100 degree weather.
My daughter has a great picture at a check point with her on the shoulders of the soldiers there.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15937
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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here's to them...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64490
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Never had a 'problem' with them... of course I never have drugs or guns on board either!
I speak to them in my limited Spanish and often share a laugh over one thing or another.
The boys on the El Rosario mesa have been the most fun, the ones at Gonzaga Bay have been the most thorough... I was also surprised by some 'jumping
out' of the brush north of Punta Cabras late at night when I was trying to find 4baja's and Desert Bull's camp.
This photo from 'seatwill' taken near Catavina...
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Temp rising.
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My experience has been mixed. Everything from surly to great. I had a soldier put his rifle on my door and ask me if I had anything "bad." On question
he said "guns or drugs." Didn't like that.
Once I had a kid find my timing light. Thought it was a chrome pistola. For a brief second I thought I was going to jail until one of his cohorts
correctly id the object.
Last trip had I a little excitment. I was coming out from Rancho San Antonio. I come through some trees, and what do I see. MILITARY! This is an odd
place for a check point. Two guys come running to my door. Then a third, an officer, Lt. Luis Martinez, comes out of the trees. WTF?
Between my English and lack of Spanish, and their Spanish and lack of English it became clear they wanted a tiny bit of gas for some vehicle I
couldn't see. The officer wanted to load his boys up (and I mean literally boys), but I only had one seat. So, just before getting in this officer
(rank has its privileges, ya know) pulls the mag from his M-16, slides back the bolt, points the rifle into the air, and pulls the trigger. Nothing.
This make me feel good.
He jumps in "shot gun" and we drive down the canyon about 2 miles. He points off to the left and says "rancho" and I see the windmill. We pull in, and
sure enough there are another half dozen kids (with guns) and a good old HumVee with the hood up. I separate the line between my two tanks and get
them about a cup of gas. As I'm buttoning up the lines the officer takes the gas and in a few moments I hear the HumVee start up. The only thing I can
guess is they dumped in their load of gas after running out, but didn't save enough to prime the carb. I figured nobody was going to believe this
story, so I took a group shot of me and the gang.
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bajaden
Nomad
Posts: 496
Registered: 4-7-2005
Location: Ensenada
Member Is Offline
Mood: vicarious
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I go through Gonzaga bay all the time. My wife loves the place, but hates the trip. I played soccer with some of the troops there while my tire was
being replaced. I've had them come out of the cactus in numerous places, so it doesn't surprise me anymore.
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Big Al
Nomad
Posts: 184
Registered: 12-17-2002
Location: El Cajon
Member Is Offline
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Coco's Corner
A friendly inspection at Coco's corner. They were all very curious about the fishing rod tubes in the trailer. Maybe they thought we had a four inch
diameter six foot long fatty in there.
Big Al
[Edited on 9-27-2005 by Big Al]
[Edited on 9-27-2005 by Big Al]
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Big Al
Nomad
Posts: 184
Registered: 12-17-2002
Location: El Cajon
Member Is Offline
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One more Time
Same spot. I asked them if my buddy could lay on the ground while they put their boot on the back of his neck and pointed the gun at him. They
didn't think that was a good idea. It would have made a great photo
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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Once when we were camped out ------
east of Picacho del Diablo, just two of us with two vehicles, about 2oo yards off the gravel road to San Felipe, up a wash and out of site of the road
(we thought), we were sitting around the campfire about 9PM in the dark (it was April). From all sides of us came armed troops out of the night, all
pointing guns at us, we presume, tho we could not really see much. We heard them coming about 10 seconds before they got there----we figured out
instantly what was going on and thru our hands in the air and loudly and laughingly asked them to come into camp in espanol. An officer slowly came
into the firelight, and politely but nervously asked us a lot of questions. Slowly, the rest of the troops came into the firelight, and we saw that
there were 12 of them, all heavily armed and all very young. The officer explained that there were smugglers working that area, and they thought we
were them. He asked us to be very careful, and stay alert. We all got a good, tho nervous, laugh out of the whole thing and they melted into the
night.
The next day, we saw them again several times as we drove south down the foothill base road along the Sierra San Pedro Martir-----we were old buddies
by then and stopped and talked each time we came across them. I always admired how much country they covered in a relatively short time----they seemed
to be really having a good time, and all were very friendly, but serious about their job. The last we saw of them was just north of Algodones
Rancho----we continued down south, exiting the area via Matomi Wash after about a week exploring the area.
All in all, I thought that they were doing an outstanding job, and were very professional. They do not bother me in the least, and in fact I kinda get
a good feeling knowing they "are there" somewhere out in the night, doing their job.
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Debra
Super Nomad
Posts: 2101
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Port Orchard Wa./Bahia de Los Angeles BC
Member Is Offline
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I also have never had a problem with the check points ,well, except when they wern't at, Cativina and I'd hoped they would be so I could ask that they
take my G-Daughter and Brendan up on the rock so I could take a picture, SHEESE, never a "Storm Trooper" when you need one!  .
When I saw on the news that Mexico had sent 200 troops in to help New Orleans I thought..that was really a nice gesture, and I was thankful, but, I
have to admit my formost thought was, they should be home taking care of their own, as bad as it is there (The Gulf) it's much worse everyday for so
many more of the own.
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