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oxxo
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Posts: 2347
Registered: 5-17-2006
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Tecate crossing latest
We crossed at Tecate going south last Sunday at 7:30am. It had been almost 9 months since we had made that crossing. There were a couple new
wrinkles since that time.
Customs was stopping and checking every vehicle at the border. Every car was getting the red light. We had a new flat screen TV in the original box
and new in the box DVD player in the back (it is for a neighbor). They didn't even ask about it. They made a quick cursory glance and sent us on our
way. It was very easy and took less than 5 minutes.
Wife needed a new tourist card. Last time she was sent to another office to pay a cashier. This time the immigration officer took her money and gave
her a receipt. Maybe this was because it was Sunday? Quien sabe. Total time at the border was at most 15 minutes.
As reported before, some roadwork north of Colonet, but nothing too major. For the most part, the roads were in decent shape. Without exception, the
roads in Baja Sur are better maintained than in Baja Norte.
Viaje bien, no problemas.
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Bajahowodd
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The highways in BCS have been much better than those in BC for years, with the curious exception of the highway between the Loreto airport and the
Villa development at Ensenada Blanca. Alway wondered if the local authorities were trying to get Villa to repair the road.
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bigzaggin
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In general, does it seem Tecate crossing has been majorly impacted by Salsipuedes slide? And if so, have they increased hours to accommodate extra
traffic?
[Edited on 1-16-2014 by bigzaggin]
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oxxo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
In general, does it seem Tecate crossing has been majorly impacted by Salsipuedes slide? And if so, have they increased hours to accommodate extra
traffic?
[Edited on 1-16-2014 by bigzaggin] |
The answers to your two questions are "no" and "no."
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bigzaggin
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"Thank" and "you"
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dtbushpilot
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Location: Buena Vista BCS
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Crossed Monday morning, same thing, all cars get red light. Had a bunch of stuff but nothing more than a cursory look. I gave him the title to my dirt
bike, he asked for the registration but seemed satisfied with my explanation that dirt bikes aren't registered in New Mexico. My esposa bonita had to
get an FMM and they took payment at IMM with a receipt.
An interesting observation: if you have a motorcycle in the back of the truck or trailer they seem to have tunnel vision, they go immediately to the
bike and don't even notice the box of assault rifles sitting on the back seat.
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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bajabuddha
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Mood: Always cranky unless medicated
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The big Q is; how is northbound crossing affected by the toll freeway 'closure' (although i read traffic is being diverted around the slide area).
Has the lines and wait-time increased?
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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dasubergeek
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Registered: 8-17-2013
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It hasn't been impacted at all. Crossing times are the usual, though with the expansion of lanes at SY, they're better than they have been.
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BajaBlanca
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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People coming here have said it adds about 15 minutes is all.
Regarding the BC and BCS roads, wouldn't you all agree that the Norte portion of highway 1 has better shoulders to pull over in case of trouble?
Les always does the driving, but it seems to me that the roads here in the south have fewer shoulders.
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Udo
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We crossed last Saturday 01/11/14 at 2 p.m.
We were ready for a crapshoot because of the closing of the toll road, but were pleasantly surprised at the 20 minute wait.
Just before that we had a 45 minute wait at the Tecate INM office for some paperwork.
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabuddha
The big Q is; how is northbound crossing affected by the toll freeway 'closure' (although i read traffic is being diverted around the slide area).
Has the lines and wait-time increased? |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Udo
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Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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You are right, Blanca,
BUT...
BCS has much wider Mex 1, and better pavement than BCN.
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
People coming here have said it adds about 15 minutes is all.
Regarding the BC and BCS roads, wouldn't you all agree that the Norte portion of highway 1 has better shoulders to pull over in case of trouble?
Les always does the driving, but it seems to me that the roads here in the south have fewer shoulders. |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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oxxo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaBlanca
Regarding the BC and BCS roads, wouldn't you all agree that the Norte portion of highway 1 has better shoulders to pull over in case of trouble?
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Blanca, I have no idea since out in the middle of the desert with no traffic we straddle the white line which leaves plenty of shoulder! 
waiting for David to give me the 
[Edited on 1-17-2014 by oxxo]
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Whale-ista
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Tecate 5 pm Thursday
I mistakenly drove into left lane en route to Ensenada a few hours ago. The guard asked to look in my camper shell, (personal gear, camping stuff) and
waved me thru, no problems.
2 soldiers wandered over to the front of the truck, I guess to admire the barking poodle, firmly attached to the seatbelt per new law. I assured them
She sounds fierce, "pero ella esta muy amistosa."
Drove around the block and parked near aduana office. Bank closed at 4 pm, so FMM for 180 days was issued and paid for directly at office. Road thru
hills into Guadalupe Valley were generally good- a few slow trucks, not much traffic. I arrived in San Miguel a little over an hour later.
The man in the aduana office had assured me Hwy 3 was "muy tranquilo" this time of day/evening, and he was right.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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bkbend
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Location: central OR or central baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
An interesting observation: if you have a motorcycle in the back of the truck or trailer they seem to have tunnel vision, they go immediately to the
bike and don't even notice the box of assault rifles sitting on the back seat. |
I've noticed the same thing with a boat. I crossed with two new mattresses (a little hard to hide those) and assorted other new items and went to the
'declare' lane so I could pay my dues. I went to the back of the pickup to show what I had. The inspector looked at the stuff and asked for the boat
registration. I produced it, she checked the numbers against the actual numbers on the boat, and told me I was free to leave.
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apple
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In general, is it worth it to cross at Tecate when travelling from Ensenada to San Diego? I've read reports of quite a few people taking that route
lately
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dasubergeek
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In general, I would say no, especially given the recent crossing wait times. It's more or less a crapshoot which one will be fastest. The only thing
going for Tecate is its remote location... but if there's a huge line at Tecate, they can't "staff up" and open more windows, because there are only
two windows.
Assuming you're going to downtown SD, it's 15 minutes from SY, 25 minutes from Otay, and an hour from Tecate... so even then you won't save much time.
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oxxo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by apple
In general, is it worth it to cross at Tecate when travelling from Ensenada to San Diego? I've read reports of quite a few people taking that route
lately |
Crossing from Mexico to the US at Tecate has taken us anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes (the longest wait). This experience is based on 7 years
experience crossing about 25 times. At this time, there is no Sentry lane at Tecate.
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bigzaggin
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So after almost 30 years of crossing via SY, I'll be crossing/reentering via Tecate for the first time in the coming weeks. I'm sure this info
exists elsewhere on a forum, but while we're on it, a few questions for the Tecate vets...
1.) Lotta talk about FMMs here. I have never once been asked for one at SY and only bother when I'm heading to BCS just in case the station outside
GN is open on return. Am I way more likely to get asked for this at Tecate crossing?
2.) How's the crossing at dark? Is road through Tecate to the S clearly marked? Safe?
3.) And how is the road from there to Ensenada in general? I'm sure it's typically Baja, but is it ESPECIALLY Baja...high/narrow/windy/hard to pass
on? Would you drive it at night? (I know, I know...but if you HAD to?)
4.) Is the 10PM closure a hard time? In other words, if you're in line at 10:15, do they turn you away?
5.) How long is the drive from the 805 turnoff to Tecate?
Thank you!
[Edited on 1-17-2014 by bigzaggin]
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oxxo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bigzaggin
1.) Lotta talk about FMMs here. I have never once been asked for one at SY and only bother when I'm heading to BCS just in case the station outside
GN is open on return. Am I way more likely to get asked for this at Tecate crossing? |
No. In 25 crossings we have never been asked
| Quote: | | 2.) How's the crossing at dark? Is road through Tecate to the S clearly marked? Safe? |
There is one tricky jog. I hope David K will post a map for you. The area is safe, just be sure that you follow the speed limits and stop at every
stop sign so you don't give the local police an opportunity to pull you over.
| Quote: | | 3.) And how is the road from there to Ensenada in general? I'm sure it's typically Baja, but is it ESPECIALLY Baja...high/narrow/windy/hard to pass
on? Would you drive it at night? (I know, I know...but if you HAD to?) |
Hwy 3 is one of the best stretches of two lane road anywhere in Baja. Part of it is even 4 lanes. Yes, I have driven it at night with no worries.
| Quote: | | 4.) Is the 10PM closure a hard time? In other words, if you're in line at 10:15, do they turn you away? |
I've NEVER seen a line to cross into Mexico, but I always cross about 7:30 to 8:30am.
| Quote: | | 5.) How long is the drive from the 805 turnoff to Tecate? |
I think it is about 30 miles, maybe a little more.
viaje bien
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dasubergeek
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1. I have never been asked whether I have an FMM at any northern land border crossing. It is up to you to comply with the rules.
2. The road is extremely well marked. Follow signs for Ensenada. Beware of the usual Baja hazards, including extremely zealous police officers. Make
sure to stop (but not for too long) at each stop sign.
3. The road to Ensenada is good by Baja standards, fair-to-middling by U.S. standards. I went through about a month ago and there was one short
stretch of "detour", maybe a kilometer tops. There are windy stretches between Palm Valley and Francisco Zarco. I prefer not to drive at night in
Baja, but it's much less dangerous at night than, say, Mex-1 crossing the desert. Be aware of settlements and their topes, though there are fewer
topes than markings for topes, if you get my drift.
4. It's a hard closure. There is never a line southbound at Tecate so they just close it.
5. It is 36 miles from the 805/94 junction to Tecate and will take you 45-55 minutes at night. Ensenada is 72 miles and 1.5-2 hours from the border by
night.
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