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newtobaja
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 11-3-2009
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Which border crossing this weekend?
Hi,
We are in LaPaz right now and heading back up. We'll be crossing the border either saturday or sunday. My gut feeling is that the San Ysidro border
will have a long wait. Would it make sense to drive to Tecate or Otay Mesa crossing? Any gotchas for those crossing? Or should I bite it and stick
with the SY crossing?
cheers
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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Tecate anytime and everytime... no question.
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Marla Daily
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Tecate Crossing
We crossed at Tecate yesterday afternoon at 2:00 PM. The wait time was an hour long. A few cars "ran" the line and cut in at the gate and didn't get
caught. The agents at the US border said whatever happens along the line isn't their business. Occasionally a Mexican police truck cruised the line,
presumably to catch line-cutters.
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David K
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Here's what the route north at Tecate looks like..
===========================================
Coming north from Ensenada or Hwy. 2-D central Tecate exit... Fort on blvd. to right, along train tracks... big McDonalds is across the blvd. ahead if
you went straight.
If you miss this turn, continue ahad to the town plaza/ park and turn right at the far corner (free Mexicali highway)!
Fork left here, driving away from the train tracks (San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railroad, originally):
"Trafic Circle" with trees and stop signs (be sure to make a full stop, police may be watching). Go to right, east from circle:
Turn left a short distance east of traffic circle for U.S. Border:
A look west along the border:
Remember, Tecate border is not open 24 hours! 5am to Midnight, last I recall.
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Fred
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So, I assume (I know make an a-- out of you and me) that the road is now free of the mud holes (HWY 3)????????
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by newtobaja
We are in LaPaz right now and heading back up. We'll be crossing the border either saturday or sunday. My gut feeling is that the San Ysidro border
will have a long wait. Would it make sense to drive to Tecate or Otay Mesa crossing? Any gotchas for those crossing? Or should I bite it and stick
with the SY crossing?
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I don't see a big problem at SY or the other gates over the weekend. There won't be much if any work traffic and, other than Sunday afternoon, it
should be relatively calm.
That's my guess.
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bajadogs
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HWY 3 to Tecate is still a major construction mess. I wouldn't recommend it if your towing or driving an RV, and definitely don't do it at night. Lots
of dust, pot holes, slow big rigs etc. But, we crossed last Sunday night 8pm with only 4 cars in front of us.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Hwy. 3 all the way is NOT the only paved route to Tecate from Ensenada...
1) Use (Free Road) Mex. 1 from San Miguel Village (just before the toll gate off 1-D) up 7 miles to the new paved road to Guadalupe (14 miles) and
rejoin Hwy.3 there.
2) Use Toll Road (Mex. 1-D) to Cantamar, transfer to free road for 8 miles to Popotla, take the new, free Blvd. 2000 (BC 201) to either the Tecate
Free Road (Mex. 2) or the Tecate Toll road (Mex. 2-D).
3) Use the free road (Mex. 1) all the way to Cantamar, then Blvd. 2000 to Mex. 2 to Tecate... Very nice drive.
[Edited on 12-31-2009 by David K]
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Fred
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David.....I am going to try the other way you gave me. Thru the town of Guadalupe to the free road.
Fred
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Bajahowodd
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This topic has been debated many times. If newtobaja is going to be heading up I-5, doing the Blvd 2000 and then heading East to Tecate makes no
sense. When you get to the Cuota, you are practically at Otay. Why drive way East, just so you can drive way West?
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newtobaja
Junior Nomad
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Wow - you guys are awesome with all the info. (thanks davidK for the pictures - that is helpful. There needs to be a FAQ for all this so newbs like me
don't keep repeating the same questions 
The focus seems to be on Tecate though. I am heading towards San Francisco so I will most likely take 15->210>5 ( I had a nightmare crossing LA
on the way down via 5 so I plan to avoid LA all together this time)
That means Tecate is a bit off my route which most people are suggesting.
Whats wrong with the Otay Mesa crossing?
cheers
BTW - we are in GN tonight. That was 11 hours of driving from LP today. Missed the turn at Ciudad Insurgentes since we were looking for some food and
then we went straight up north. By time we realised and got back on Mex1, had wasted 45 min. Sheesh ! Lets hope there are some whales in the lagoon
tomorrow.
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newtobaja
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 11-3-2009
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Wow - you guys are awesome with all the info. (thanks davidK for the pictures - that is helpful. There needs to be a FAQ for all this so newbs like me
don't keep repeating the same questions
The focus seems to be on Tecate though. I am heading towards San Francisco so I will most likely take 15->210>5 ( I had a nightmare crossing LA
on the way down via 5 so I plan to avoid LA all together this time)
That means Tecate is a bit off my route which most people are suggesting.
Whats wrong with the Otay Mesa crossing?
cheers
BTW - we are in GN tonight. That was 11 hours of driving from LP today. Missed the turn at Ciudad Insurgentes since we were looking for some food and
then we went straight up north. By time we realised and got back on Mex1, had wasted 45 min. Sheesh ! Lets hope there are some whales in the lagoon
tomorrow.
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Bajahowodd
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Didn't expect a 90 degree right turn, eh?  And the big pesky sign in Spanish
that says Loreto?
There is nothing wrong with the Otay crossing. Usually, but not always, the back-up is longest at San Ysidro, shortest at Tecate, with Otay somewhere
between. That said, there was a recent post here saying that they were doubling up with inspectors in each lane at San Ysidro which really reduced
wait time.
Looking forward to your next report, as we've never gone whale watching this early.
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newtobaja
Junior Nomad
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We came late to the border so I decided to go with San Ysidro. Didn't want to find my way to Otay mesa in the dark. Route from 1D to border was well
marked except for one spot where you are supposed to take a left turn but there was no indication. I just followed the rest of the cars. Almost ran
into 2 guys who ran across the main road going along the border.
Came to a stop at 7:05 pm and was in US at 8:10pm so it wasn't that bad at all. First time there so thhe number of hawkers was surprising. There was
actually push carts on the road. I guess they have to make a living and it made the slow movement bearable. A chance for us to get rid of the few
remaining pesos.
cheers
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newtobaja
Junior Nomad
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went with mario's tours as marallaimo was closed on new years day. Marallimo had reported about 40+ whales in the lagoon. However with Mario's, they
took us to the mouth of the lagoon and we saw & followed an adult and 2 pairs of mom+kid whales. Got as near as 10 ft but no touching. The baby
whales are too small right now I guess
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Didn't expect a 90 degree right turn, eh? And the big pesky sign in Spanish
that says Loreto?
There is nothing wrong with the Otay crossing. Usually, but not always, the back-up is longest at San Ysidro, shortest at Tecate, with Otay somewhere
between. That said, there was a recent post here saying that they were doubling up with inspectors in each lane at San Ysidro which really reduced
wait time.
Looking forward to your next report, as we've never gone whale watching this early. |
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bajaguy
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Crossed at the SENTRI lanes in Otay yesterday (Saturday)morning at 7:15AM. NO cars in line, no wait. A quick look at documents and waived through with
no conversation.
Normal lanes had not backed up to the Bella Artes overpass yet.
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fishbuck
Banned
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Otay. 12:30 pm yesterday Jan. 2, 2010. 20-30 minute wait. One of the quickest ever. No problems.
Came up Blvd 2000. Very easy. Light trafic.
Avoid the Playas De Tijuana area. Especially southbound. Mucho trafic due to construction.
Very slow going. Maybe the free road through TJ or up to Blvd 2000.
Buen Suerte
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." J. A. Shedd.
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. – Albert Einstein
"Life's a Beach... and then you Fly!" Fishbuck
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woody with a view
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| Quote: | Originally posted by newtobaja
Almost ran into 2 guys who ran across the main road going along the border.
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if you look closely you can see guys shooting up drugs along the sidewalk in front of the houses! it makes for an interesting conversation....
[Edited on 1-3-2010 by woody in ob]
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by newtobaja
went with mario's tours as marallaimo was closed on new years day. Marallimo had reported about 40+ whales in the lagoon. However with Mario's, they
took us to the mouth of the lagoon and we saw & followed an adult and 2 pairs of mom+kid whales. Got as near as 10 ft but no touching. The baby
whales are too small right now I guess
| Quote: |
The fact that Malarrimo was closed is good indicator of how slow things are this early in the season. Glad you got up close to some whales. If you
can swing it in the future, head down about 6-8 weeks later next time. The difference will astound you. Figured you did it at this time as kids had
vacation break. Just remember, especially if you only go as far as Guerrero Negro, you can do it in a long weekend. Take a Friday and a Monday off.
Just don't go on the President's Day weekend. way too crowded. |
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msteve1014
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 12-2-2006
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We crossed yesterday, at 4:00 pm, at Tecate. 20 minute wait. Light traffic all the way from La Bocana.
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