The other thread reminded me of some none standard check points I have run into. The strangest place I have ever been checked, was in Agua Verde.
It was my first visit there, and I found myself down on the boat launching ramp, just before sunset. I looked across the bay and noticed a beach just
north of town.
I drove back through town to an arroyo, and followed tire tracks down to the beach. I popped out of the brush, right in the middle of some soldiers
setting up a camp!
Some of the soldiers were already in swim trunks, but the officer in charge (in uniform) asked me for an ID, asked the standard "Where are you coming
from, where are you going?" then invited me and my dog to join their camp!
My dog recognized that he was in charge, and chose to sit next to him instead of me. It was a strange, enjoyable experience, marred only by the
biting gnats that came out after dark!Beagle - 9-28-2019 at 03:13 PM
Does Chiapas count? Early 90's during the EZLN uprising. We were driving though at night in a Bug (don't ask). Giant rope across the road and little
fires all over the road. Dudes with WWII era rifles and the Zapatista hoods Ask us to get out. We were 3 guys and a girl. We're a little nervous.
Then 2 of them put on wooden masks. One is of a cop and the other a campesino. They put on a little play on the side of the road where the cop masked
guy was sorta beating the campesino with a baton and there was some pretty decent acting. Then they passed a can around to us for donations for the
Zapatistas. We contributed liberally. Then they gave us an official looking card that we used at any other Zapatista check point to let them know we
were "friends of Marcos". Nicest guys we met on the road.
On the way out into Tobasco when leaving the EZLN territory, we hit the Mexican army checkpoint. They weren't as fun.bajabuddha - 9-28-2019 at 04:44 PM
I've had two unusual 'searches' over the years; first was in BOLA, back when I was solo with an 8" ponytail. Was toodling north on the flats, stopped
by Federales. I let 'em in, and being my first year (or so) in Baja i'd forgotten to take my box of BB's out of the trailer. The gendarmes went
ballistic, and searched me for almost two hours looking for ...... whatever. I stood my ground, had nothing better to do, and told 'em ''no problema,
andele pues." They found nothing and finally left with a bad attitude.
Second was at El Pabellon campo south of SQ. Pulled in, set my trailer, just getting relaxed and a couple army trucks pulled in. The guy in charge
spoke pretty good English, said he was raised in CA.... demanded to search my rig. I was way wary of this....... kept a close eye on all. Went
through my stuff, told me it wasn't safe there lately (no chit)... and not leave anything out to be taken.
One thing i'd noticed over the years, when travelling solo and with long hair I was searched way more than when hair was gone and travelling with a
lady. 'Racial Profiling' happens everywhere. thebajarunner - 9-28-2019 at 07:10 PM
I too got surprised at the checkpoint by La Gringa
As usual, I really haul the mail on that washboard stretch
Usually run between 70 and 80 (mph/ not kph) to smooth the bumps
Anyway, I guess I arrived a bit more quickly, with a much larger cloud of dust at my tail than the normal arrival
They were pretty nervous for a bit, but eventually we made peace and I rumbled off to camp.
Totally unexpected, probably on both sidesPacifico - 9-28-2019 at 07:22 PM
I've had a few unexpected ones over the years; mostly out in the middle of NOWHERE on dirt roads! It sure surprises you when you come around a corner
and there they are, stopped in the road!
Weirdest encounter was at BOLA years ago on the beach in front of Guillermo's. A friend of mine and our wives had just pulled into the beach from
fishing and 2 soldiers who were walking down the beach, came over and went through our stuff with a fine tooth comb. Thoroughly went through my
tacklebox looking for drugs. That was until Lucy saw what was going on, and she came out and yelled at them! She yelled at them to stop harassing the
tourists and they were on their way! advrider - 9-28-2019 at 07:46 PM
One time early in my baja trips, on the road between BOLA and El Archo where the the little rock walls are still standing.... Everyone was sleeping in
the shade of the afternoon heat and the rope was down, but we stopped. One guy reluctantly got up only to wave us on!
One time some place outside of Ojos Negros we came flying up a wash, as we rounded the corner several solders were setting up a check point that
we blew past. We wheeled around and went back. They all laughed and told us to ride wheelies as we left.. Good times. Lee - 9-28-2019 at 07:47 PM
Checkpoint N. of Loreto, NB, solo, early, lone soldier came out, told him my espanol es muy muy poquito. He was leaning against my door and let out
a loud laugh and smoke from mota.
We conversed some and he waved me on.4x4abc - 9-28-2019 at 08:08 PM
I had one a long time ago on the Pole Line Road. They popped like ghosts out from the bushes with weapons drawn. Screaming at me to get out.
NOW!
I drive barefoot often. Not the moment to search for my shoes.
So I stepped out.
Into a cactus.
It was a memorable encounter.
The empty 9mm shell that I had found on the trail and thrown on the floorboard made the guys check everything I had loaded.
Everything
BajaBlanca - 9-28-2019 at 08:32 PM
I believe I wrote about it at the time but once as we were headed north along the beach towards Bahia Asuncion, we were stopped by soldiers who asked
us about fish or did we have any abalone. Very odd.David K - 9-29-2019 at 08:45 AM
A couple of times...
In 2001 near Rancho El Progreso, on the road to Punta San Francisquito, we stopped to record the road junction in my notebook and the troop appeared,
coming out from the brush just ahead of us.
In 2002, in the dark, driving north of Punta Cabras, climbing a grade, they came out of the darkness.
Both times they did the typical search.4x4abc - 9-29-2019 at 11:10 AM
here is one that was in use for a couple of years - buildings are still there
Attachment: all checkpoints.kmz (3kB) This file has been downloaded 263 times
[Edited on 9-29-2019 by 4x4abc]Paulina - 9-29-2019 at 11:55 AM
Many years of checkpoints, both known and pop ups. I´ve never had a shady experience, however two moments come to mind...
There was one time when the entire troop posed at my tailgate, with their weapons out at the ready, pretending that my 240lb English Mastiff was one
of them. They took turns taking photos of the scene.
The second one that comes to mind was when a young man was doing a very thorough search of my center console. He had already asked for my flashlight
and was denied. It was the only one I had, I told him. As he dug further he came upon a ziplock baggie of slender tubular objects, wrapped in white
paper. He indicated that there were more than one, so he should have one. Seemed fair, so with as straight of a face I could manage I agreed, one, he
could have one.
I have no idea what he planned to do with a tampon, poor guy.
here is one that was in use for a couple of years - buildings are still there
Yes, that is exactly where we saw them in 2001... If I didn't stop to make notes of the road mileage and GPS then we would have never seen them.
Because I did stop for more than a minute, the "platoon" came out of the bushes!
Santa Rosalia. Marines walked down onto the dock and boarded my boat for an inspection.
One of my dumb ass friends had weed on him. Which luckily was not uncovered.
Needless to say, I made him throw it out in the ocean in between Santa Rosalia and Loreto, which he wasn't happy about. rzitren - 9-29-2019 at 02:48 PM
In 1978 had my truck and camper searched by 4 plain clothes cops at Santispac. Everything was fine until he asked if I had any weapons.As he was
searching the camper, I remembered that I had an old 22 rifle under the matress. What to do? I decided to play dumb and told him of course I carried a
rifle for target shooting. I handed it to him and he asked where my permit was for the rifle. I again played dunb and told him I did not have one and
didn't think I needed one. He lectured me on the rules of Mexico and showed me his pistol on his belt and told me he never takes it to the USA. He
offered to have me follow him to LA Paz to get a permit. I told him he could keep it, and as soon as they left heading south we packed up and headed
north.David K - 9-29-2019 at 03:28 PM
Reminds me of my 1976 trip at El Requesón on Bahía Concepción.
Up drives a Dodge pickup with Texas plates and out steps a big guy with a cowboy hat but otherwise dressed like a comandante with a sidearm. Also
stepping out of the truck are two soldiers with automatic rifles.
He walks to our palapa and comments to us he wished he too was on vacation. He then searches my Cherokee, looks in glove box, asks if we have
marijuana, searches my girlfriend's purse, and opens a jar of lotion she had and sniffs it.
At that, he said for us to have a nice vacation, got into the truck, the soldiers both hopped in and off they went.AKgringo - 9-29-2019 at 03:32 PM
The Texas truck was probably 'donated' by some guy that did have something in the glovebox! David K - 9-29-2019 at 05:10 PM
The Texas truck was probably 'donated' by some guy that did have something in the glovebox!
That's what I thought, too!queseyo - 9-29-2019 at 05:24 PM
OK maybe not so unusual but memorable...kinda like some first timers.
Probably Spring Break of 1972 two college buddies and I left the Santa Barbara Rugby Tourney in the afternoon. Having played, drank and sang our
hearts out and needing some R&R, I convinced them we would do well to drive to San Felipe and camp on the beach, drink cheap beers and eat lots of
cheap tacos and shrimp. We loaded sleeping bags and a small cooler into my my '63 convertible VW, top down and took off.
Anyway with our late start but spurred on by a variety of stimulants and intoxicants we found our way to the one and only checkpoint during the wee
hours of the morning....totally unexpected. We all had made numerous trips to Hussongs but had never encountered a military checkpoint. So... in the
distance we spied what appeared to be a campfire in the road, we slowed cautiously, not sure what we were getting into, and into the light and the
middle of the road walked a couple of fully armed soldiers, several others huddled around a 55 gal drum candle. I spoke Spanish, my buddies were
pie-eyed, no doubt we all had sobering rushes of adrenaline. The few obligatory questions and responses and we got the heck down the road.."what the
**** was that?"
End of story, we roll off the pavement into SF, find our way to a left hand turn to the beach in town, roll out the sleeping bags and fall quickly to
sleep only to be awakened pre-dawn by fishermen dragging their boats to the water, dogs sniffing our faces..... what's for breakfast, I'm hungry....
Tioloco - 9-29-2019 at 07:33 PM
About 20 years ago. A buddy and I were sitting on the tailgate of my truck one night on the beach drinking beer. It was pretty dark but we could see a
group of guys approaching us a couple hundred yards away. As they got closer they broke up into 2 small groups and started approaching from either
side. Being not sure who they were and knowing we were out numbered we decided it best to get the heck out of there. We jumped in the cab, started the
truck and put it in drive. We were immediately greeted by the unmistakable sound of machine gun fire. Threw the truck in park and we both bailed out
into the sand. Ended up being a military patrol on foot. After they interrogated us and searched the truck, they were friendly enough. Upon them
leaving, I was happy to find no bullet holes in my truck. They were kind enough to fire warning shots. I think my buddy had a different odor the rest
of the night. Definitely unforgettable!Fernweh - 9-30-2019 at 07:44 AM
One week after Odile in 2014 I did run into a check point between Guerrero Negro and Viscaino. A few vehicle, mostly Federal Police blocked the
highway, and a couple officers approached my F350 service truck. The truck was loaded with supplies and equipment, I had almost no room for myself.
One guy check the VIN thru the windshield, while the other started to talk to me. He asked me where I was going, and if I know that I was speeding,
extremely fast. I glanced over to the nav system and noticed my speed, almost 150km/h.
He asked me again, what I am doing and where to. The only thing I could say with my fearful voice: driving to La Paz to help.
He looked at me for a moment, and said: stop driving so fast, you will kill yourself - and waved me trough......BajaDanD - 9-30-2019 at 08:15 AM
One-time about 20 years ago I decided to drive out to Mag Bay to check out maybe kayak fishing in the mangroves. I can't remember what town I was in
but I took a dirt road down to the water. There was a whale watching building that's was closed. A military truck pulled up and about 10 guys got out
and so did a woman. They all stood guard while the guy in charge was making out with her. They let us take some pictures with them. One of the guys
used our camera to take our picture. All the while the guy in charge and the woman were behind the building. When they finally came out they all
loaded up and drove away. Waving as they left. Marc - 9-30-2019 at 09:09 AM
Up into the Sierra Madre at the Yecora turn off Pemex I was approached by a plain clothed guy who showed me a ID of some sort. He checked my visa, Mex
insurance, car permit, Calif drivers license, Calif registration, and Calif auto ins. All very carefully recorded. This is as some may know is in the
middle 'God's Middle Finger' country on Mex16, on the way to Copper Canyon.
BTW I am thinking I am done with Baja and returning to my haunts in the mountains. The canyon, river, and falls are calling me and my rod.
