bajarriles
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Driving from Los Barriles to Los Angeles in a 27' RV
Hi everyone. First poster here.
A little history as an introduction.
We are a young couple from Los Angeles. In 2005-2006 we left our jobs in NYC and bought a 27' motorhome and started a 1 year trip to Baja. The route
was: NYC - Nuevo Laredo crossing - Mexico City - Los Mochis Ferry crossing to la Paz then up to Ensenada, then back to la Paz and finally to Los
Barriles our most favorite place. We stayed there for 10 months and it was super fantastic. We stayed at Playa Norte. Super nice place and awesome
people all around. We did a lot of spearfishing, kite surfing, hiking, swimming. It was the best year.
We had to go back to NYC in the summer of 2006 and left our motorhome in Los Barriles at the Verdugo RV and boat storage at Alex's places (Super nice
guy). Since then we took a plane ride down and back few times, but our RV stayed.
- We are planning to drive our motorhome from Los Barriles back to Los Angeles next week. It's not a flashy motorhome, it's an old 1986 class A, but
still kind of hard to miss on the road, because of it's size. Our question is: How safe is to travel the 1000 mile route from Lapaz to Tecate in a 27'
motorhome nowadays? 5 years ago it was perfectly safe and enjoyable. Since then a lot has changed in terms of violence. We wanted to ask other Baja
RV-ers opinions.
We are planning for a 3 day trip, traveling only in daylight (of course) and staying in RV parks.
- Also because our RV stayed in Baja for so long, there is no registration and no plates on it anymore. We are registering it here in Los Angeles, but
we won't have a plate for the RV until we do the smoke check which is not possible because the RV is not in CA. The DMV will issue a temp registration
and with that the RV is drivable in the states. There will be a sign (tag) in the window but no plates. I assume this won't be acceptable for the Baja
police. Any thoughts?
- This will be our first crossing with an RV at the Tecate border. Could anyone enlighten us what documents do the officers ask for the RV at the
border? Insurance, RV registration, (we will have the Title in hand because the registration is temporary). etc..
Any input would be much appreciated.
[Edited on 5-23-2011 by bajarriles]
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gnukid
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Simple answers to your questions are readily available, but if you knew the easy answers that would take all fun out. have fun!
consider white statement of facts DMV form to exempt smog and get plates and docs in advance.
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Barbarosa
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Location: Jackson, CA
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Mood: "On th' road again..."
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajarriles
Our question is: How safe is to travel the 1000 mile route from Lapaz to Tecate in a 27' motorhome nowadays? 5 years ago it was perfectly safe and
enjoyable. Since then a lot has changed in terms of violence. We wanted to ask other Baja RV-ers opinions.
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Well, I'm not an RVer, and there's Shirley plenty folks here to answer your question (listen to them, as I did), but I'll toss in my 2 bits.
I'd traveled down there a fair bit and chucked it in about 5 years ago, too. And missed it a ton. Re-opened the question (not long ago) as you have,
and discovered I'd become a victim of the cable news 24/7 hysteria.
Threw m'self back into it. And recently had a most wonderful trip, very reminiscent of trips long past.
Baja is the same beautiful wonderful warm and friendly place it ever was. Well, OK, different, but not less enjoyable. Certainly not scary.
Use your common sense (I already noted you do) and just enjoy the great trip you are about to embark on.
Regarding vehicle registration, I defer....
Barbarosa
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
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Bajarriles...
Have never driven it in a motorhome, but the road between Santa Rosalia and Guerrero Negro is very mountainous and very narrow in many spots with huge
drop-offs.
Just be sure to drive it during the early part of the day when you are well rested, drive very carefully, and take your time. It's really not an area
you want to hurry through. Take it easy on your brakes too. Not a place you want to overheat them and have a problem.
It's the only area I can think of that may be a bit difficult in a motorhome! BUT...just be sure to watch out for the road shoulders (the lack of) on
the whole highway going north!
Drive safe and have a fun trip!
BTW...I understand why you like Los Barriles. I've been to the area many times on fishing trips. One of my favorite areas in Baja. Have thought about
moving there too.
Miguelamo    
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bajarriles
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Registered: 5-20-2011
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Thanks everyone for the feedback.
AmoPescar, thanks for the driver-safety advice. We drove our RV through that section a few times. It's kind of twisty and hilly between Los Barriles
and la Paz too.
The safety question I was referring to actually was not for the actual driving, but more for the violence, cartel-problems, kidnappings, fake military
check points, etc. Should a tourist driving an RV all the way up be concerned with harassment? I know it's over hyped, but good to hear other Baja
goers, drivers opinion and hands on recent experience.
Thanks everyone.
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drarroyo
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NOOOOOOO!!!! violence is EVERYwhere. especially in Los Barriles!! and NOOOOOO!!!! ... Barriles (and all it's surroundings) is not THE jewel of all
baja!! stay away ... stay very far away!!!!!!!
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Barbarosa
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Location: Jackson, CA
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Mood: "On th' road again..."
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajarriles
The safety question I was referring to actually was not for the actual driving, but more for the violence, cartel-problems, kidnappings, fake military
check points, etc. Should a tourist driving an RV all the way up be concerned with harassment?
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When I looked into this before our recent trip, I was told that BCS is one of only 4 Mexican states with no overt cartel activitiy. (Of course it
strikes me as kinda stupid to attempt to traffic drugs along that route. It would seem the cartels agree.) And that would seem to pretty much
include everything south of Ensenada.
It's anecdotal, of course, but our trip was absolutely entirely incident-free (wrt any untoward encounters).
Barbarosa
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bajagrouper
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Was it not too long ago the planes landed near Todos Santos in the middle of the night to unload???
Original Poster, there are folks driving $200,000.00+ motorhomes everyday in Baja,do you think someone would want and old one without plates???
I hear the whales song
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Baja161
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Location: So Cal
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A suggestion you might got to this site for more RV info for Baja......http://www.vagabundos.com/ good luck
\"Baja For Life\" Tacos, Cerveza, Surf, Fish, Offroad, Pura Vida!!!!
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mtgoat666
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Location: San Diego
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajarriles
How safe is to travel the 1000 mile route from Lapaz to Tecate in a 27' motorhome nowadays? |
lots of RVs do it every year.
your problem of unplated RV makes no sense. just use the plates you had before, and is stopped show them the new temp registration paperwork.
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bajarriles
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Thanks again for the reply, keep them coming.
The plate had to be returned to the DMV when the registration expired, so there is no previews plates available at this point. I will not drive
without plates of course.
Barbarosa, very good to hear that.
bajagrouper, happy to hear that. If $200,000 RVs are still not being robbed than ours won't stand out. Believe me 5 years ago when we were driving up
and down I wasn't even thinking about things like this. It was a heaven, and a safe one.
Thanks again guys.
[Edited on 5-23-2011 by bajarriles]
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