BajaNomad - Baja Secret Agent question

Baja Secret Agent question

unbob - 10-27-2012 at 12:50 PM

Hola amigos! Here's a question for you retired CIA guys ...

Let's say secret agent (SA) #1 agrees to meet SA #2 at a designated spot (let's say the Ensenada Costco parking lot) at an approximate time (noon-ish) on some future date.

Let's also assume that neither SA has the means to communicate electronically (or otherwise) with the other SA on the designated meeting day.

Question: what is "Plan B" if one or both SA's discover that on the designated day that they are unable to fullfill 'Plan A' (they are prevented from being at the designated time and place for any number of reasons). Again, they have no means of communication with the other SA.

In reality, this is just 2 guys planning to meet to caravan to La Paz - but what to do if one or the other doesn't show at the planned meeting time and place?

OK, I know there are some (one or two?) brilliant people on this board - I'll be really disappointed if I don't get some brilliant answers to my question!

Muchas gracias, Rob(erto)

DENNIS - 10-27-2012 at 12:54 PM

The answer to your riddle is plain and obvious. Plan your rendevous at a bar/restaurant so if one is a no-show, the other parties like there's no tomorrow and the no-show pre-agrees to pay for everything.

unbob - 10-27-2012 at 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
The answer to your riddle is plain and obvious. Plan your rendevous at a bar/restaurant so if one is a no-show, the other parties like there's no tomorrow and the no-show pre-agrees to pay for everything.

Sorry, no cigar for you! Like the Blues Bros, we're on a mission - no time to party - gotta get down the road!

mtgoat666 - 10-27-2012 at 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by unbob
Hola amigos! Here's a question for you retired CIA guys ...

Let's say secret agent (SA) #1 agrees to meet SA #2 at a designated spot (let's say the Ensenada Costco parking lot) at an approximate time (noon-ish) on some future date.

Let's also assume that neither SA has the means to communicate electronically (or otherwise) with the other SA on the designated meeting day.

Question: what is "Plan B" if one or both SA's discover that on the designated day that they are unable to fullfill 'Plan A' (they are prevented from being at the designated time and place for any number of reasons). Again, they have no means of communication with the other SA.

In reality, this is just 2 guys planning to meet to caravan to La Paz - but what to do if one or the other doesn't show at the planned meeting time and place?

OK, I know there are some (one or two?) brilliant people on this board - I'll be really disappointed if I don't get some brilliant answers to my question!

Muchas gracias, Rob(erto)

buy mobile phones!

leave messages to each other on bathroom wall at costco!

register for a free email account!

are you 2 secret agents the only 2 people left on earth that do not own mobile phones or know how to send/receive email at an internet cafe?

vandy - 10-27-2012 at 02:07 PM

There is absolutely no excuse (except extreme cheapness) not to be able to stay in touch in Baja while on the road.

Go inside, get a prepaid TelCel or Movistar cell phone for $25, activate it and put your number on the men's room wall.

I spend about 150 pesos per month for my prepaid Movistar (going on three years now). It is well worth the investment to keep in touch on the road, make reservations, call the cute girl with her car for sale, etc.

Constant yakkers will probably pay a lot more.

vandy - 10-27-2012 at 02:09 PM

Great minds think alike

DavidE - 10-27-2012 at 02:16 PM

No phones and no lectures from me, sorry...

If Meeting A does not work out, then pre arrange meeting B somewhere down the road. Does the other party have a recorder on the phone at home? TelMex phone cards are inexpensive. So are internet cafes, there must be 10,000 in Baja California. Hookup on this forum U2U.

There is absolutely no excuse to be "cut off" while on the road. Sure there are some dead spots, but c'mon there are dead spots in California too.

Been There Done That Got The Tee Shirt, Secret Whistle & Decoder Ring Dept -

Lee - 10-27-2012 at 02:20 PM

Easy.

Have a plan B and C in place prior to the meeting.

If Plan A is a no-show within 1/2, go to Plan B, meet somewhere else at a designated time. Same for Plan C if B doesn't work.

mcfez - 10-27-2012 at 02:30 PM

Simple.......
Meet at a internet cafe. If one cant make it for whatever reason(s)....email. EVERYONE has internet such as repair shops , hospitals and such. You can also borrow someone's text phone :-)

rts551 - 10-27-2012 at 02:38 PM

Just use your US phones until you can establish contact and exchange numbers on a telcel or Movistar pay as you go phone.

DanO - 10-27-2012 at 02:41 PM

The problem with your hypothetical is that it contains an unrealistic assumption -- that the secret agents have no means to communicate electronically in Ensenada. Cell phones that support calling, texting and email are ubiquitous SOB, especially in Ensenada. Service is easily set up through domestic carriers (I have Mexico Connect service with AT&T; all you need to do with most carriers is call to activate international roaming), and will work on phones, tablets and laptops. The cell signal at the Ensenada Costco is excellent. Wifi is also available at numerous locations in Ensenada, including a number of coffee shops (Starbucks, Sanborns, etc.)

However, let's assume for the sake of argument that both secret agents are Luddites who don't own cell phones or computers with wireless or wifi capability. Frankly, if you are posting on this forum, that is unlikely. But in that event, Plan B might be to pick as your meeting spot one of Ensenada's many internet cafes (yellow pages listing here: http://papelweb.seccionamarilla.com/doc/seccionamarilla-dire...), where one can log on to an email account and send and receive email. If SA #1 shows up at the meeting spot and SA#2 hasn't arrived by the alloted time, SA#1 logs on to his email at the internet cafe to check for a message.

Another Plan B might be for both parties to purchase pre-paid Telnor international calling cards (available at convenience stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc., all over the place in Ensenada). If SA#2 doesn't show up, SA#2 can either call SA#2 stateside directly from a Telnor pay phone or call a designated stateside third party whom the parties have agreed will be informed by either of them if they aren't showing up.

If none of that works, I suggest that you just mosey on down the road and forget about it. Maybe you'll just run in to each other later on.

DavidE - 10-27-2012 at 02:47 PM

OK look for the paper plate scotch taped to one of the uprights on the army inspection booths between maneadero and santo tomas? Take lunch at the entroque to erendira.

Meeting place

bajaguy - 10-27-2012 at 02:49 PM

No secret agent that I know of (and I know a few) would ever meet at COSTCO........they would meet at Anthony's........ :lol:

DENNIS - 10-27-2012 at 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy
No secret agent that I know of (and I know a few) would ever meet at COSTCO........they would meet at Anthony's........ :lol:

Hawaiian Shirts and Ray-Bans. It's like a Company uniform.

micah202 - 10-27-2012 at 03:51 PM

..obviously you -are- a SA,,and your plan 'B' was to pose this 'hypothetical' question on here

...smart move!-much less traceable than using internet or phone!! :cool:

[Edited on 10-27-2012 by micah202]

DENNIS - 10-27-2012 at 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by micah202
..obviously you -are- a SA,,and your plan 'B' was to pose this hypothetical question on here

...smart move!-much less traceable than using internet or phone!! :cool:

What??? You mean to say we've been duped by SA secret code?

unbob - 10-27-2012 at 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DanO
The problem with your hypothetical is that it contains an unrealistic assumption -- that the secret agents have no means to communicate electronically in Ensenada ... However, let's assume for the sake of argument that both secret agents are Luddites who don't own cell phones or computers with wireless or wifi capability. Frankly, if you are posting on this forum, that is unlikely.

No, we're not Luddites. I'm just presupposing a worst-case scenario and wondering what "professionals" do in such a case. I don't have an SA background but obviously they are trained to deal with such occurrences. Yeah, this is a bit over the top for a couple of Baja bums but an interesting question nonetheless. Gracias for your feedback.

woody with a view - 10-27-2012 at 04:29 PM

just go without the laggard....

MMc - 10-27-2012 at 04:53 PM

What Woody said.....

Plan B.
To many things can go wrong just meet up at the destination.

vgabndo - 10-27-2012 at 06:08 PM

I've had two 'missed connections' episodes I wish hadn't happened. I'm not sure how I'd have prevented either. I wound up spending a miserable night between three campfires in the Sierra Juarez when we sped too far ahead on light-less dirt bikes, and the chase truck broke down. The other involved my agreement to a pal to keep an eye on his wife and truck from SD to BCS. Our plan was 'we won't lose sight of each other', she WOULD NOT pass me. That happened at Mexican secondary, and I saw her next at San Nicolas'! :no:

Pre-cell phone. We should have had a back-up plan. She thought she was behind me trying to catch up! Fortunately she has Baja in her blood and had a fine drive.

mcfez - 10-27-2012 at 06:46 PM

Just meet at DENNIS's house. Beer in frig and steak on the grill. Hell....why go further then?

DENNIS - 10-27-2012 at 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
Just meet at DENNIS's house. Beer in frig and steak on the grill. Hell....why go further then?

Thank you, Deno. Mi casa es su casa.

planned caravan

captkw - 10-27-2012 at 07:15 PM

Hola,what I have done is to set the 1ST meeting when both partys have packed and set a date and time.. and if you think you cant make it..pick Phone and call other party and avise of current time frame !! when both partys have talked and say they are ready to hit the road !! 1 truck is the deasanated lead and has wrote down his planned nights spots along the ..relays to #2 truck and stay on road at all costs and when refueling keeps eyes on traffic passing as he refueling...has worked for me on many,many road trips and I alway have radios and stay on the road. like no side trips.. on baja 1 mex,the pan american hwy and the alcan hwy this has worked fine for me before cell phones..on mex 1 its rather hard to miss your buddy rig....K&T..I already have the ring, but next I'm getting a dick tracy watch !!!

[Edited on 10-28-2012 by captkw]

windgrrl - 10-28-2012 at 06:38 AM

Ummm...if I were a secret agent, I would stake out my target's home, set up a home base with perfectly matched camo within site before departure then tail them to the destination. :lol:

The other would be to leave secret signs at pre-agreed upon checkpoints down the #1.

watizname - 10-28-2012 at 09:08 AM

What?? Did you forget the phone in the heel of your shoe? I know "M" has made a flip flop model by now. :!:

bkbend - 10-28-2012 at 10:54 AM

My US cell phone with no real coverage in Baja (verison) will work as far south as Ensenada. Bit if I were a SA I'd have a pocketful of throwaway phones and don't forget the gloves. Don't want pesky fingerprints left behind.

gnukid - 10-28-2012 at 11:22 AM

This is a common problem for meetups in baja.

If someone doesn't show up they aren't a good travel partner. And two people coming from separate locations to meetup en route are unlikely to arrive at the meetup at the same time.

The excuses are endless. People don't know how to use phones in mexico, they don't know how to find places, they don't have a watch, they are the wrong the time zone, overslept, made other plans are slow or just plain forgot.

Often people do show up but they are 1 hour off on the time zone or they are standing behind a palm tree and you don't see them.

The solution is that you need plan A to be window of time say meet at 8am but show up early and wait at least 1-2 hours and the meetup spot must be a specific location with broad clear visibility.

Use bright signal systems such as tie a ribbon to a tree to communicate you were there and left.

Make multiple meetup spots and times to continue onward.

The best solution, is if someone doesn't show, meet someone else.

motoged - 10-28-2012 at 01:30 PM

Stop being a weenie ....put on your Big Boy SA pants and drive south.

Your SA travel partner is unreliable and is only a potential risk from the time he did NOT show up until eternity....in fact, he could be a double agent ( you can tell because he thinks Pacifico is good beer and is likely swilling it at some cheap strip bar already in Ensenada).

Ignore all the cell-phone/internetthingee advice: leave the designated meet spot after waiting no more than 10 minutes, seek out a good taco cart, get a gut-full and head south after changing clothes, vehicle, and originally planned route.

Once south of San Quintin (since you originally planned to meet and head to San Felipe to mooch beer from McFez), follow the not-so-known advice to stay at a place few have heard of in El Rosario....(a humble roadside stop called Baja Cactus) and stay in one of the newer rooms....if not sure where all that is, contact the low-key and humble SA (code name:MapBoy) back in Los Angeles (use the carrier pigeons in the Aston Martin's boot) for directions.

You can find something to eat nearby at a place shunned by all informed Baja Nomads (who also think they are SA's) called Mamma's....

Once on the road again, be sure to contact Master Agent Gotta Peso for further directions....you can rely on him for secure intel and the new code.

Your next assignment will be written on a Catavina boulder and will at first glance just appear to be graffiti or a shrine....persist and switch Aston Martin for what appears to be an abandoned pickup truck at Rancho Santa Ynez (code book might be misleading as it might call location Santa Inez....don't be fooled....they are one and the same).....eat a burrito or two there for further sustenance....

By this time, your comrade will have been eliminated as his double agent status was confirmed by Ultra Agent Skeet in Texas....who has irrefutable evidence your comrade was a Democrat who never over-fished his limit, and drank Indio beer.

Who needs cell phones???? Or even flip-flop phones???

This message was sent by Super Dooper Class One Agent Buford.

motoged LOL,LOL

captkw - 10-28-2012 at 02:38 PM

as for myself,, I marreid agent 99 and have 99 kids with phone shoes !!!!!.............K&T :lol:

[Edited on 10-28-2012 by captkw]

SpyTrainer

unbob - 10-29-2012 at 08:42 AM

For all you aspiring Baja Secret Agents, here's a resource for becoming a "professional".

SpyTrainer

"We teach the skills that the government teaches it's agents to protect themselves."

Actually some interesting and informative articles here.

The Anatomy of Fear - How to Control Fear is especially good.

[Edited on 10-29-2012 by unbob]