I visited Mexico twice last year, 15,000 km on a BMW 1150 GS :

q: gas?

a: I had 200miles of autonomy and a 2,5 gallons cannister that I used once in Baja California. On roads with over 200miles distances between gas stations, people will sell gas along the road. Most of the time you can tank every 100 miles.

q : how safe is it to camp between towns down there? (sleeping bags and mosquito nets)
a: No wild camping in Mexico : dangerous. Nor being on the road after dark!
Besides every small place has some kind of hotel.

q : what are some good landmarks/towns that are a must see? mayan ruins maybe?
a: On the 15.000 miles I did last year in Mexico, the most beautifull 1,300 miles are the Pacific coast (Huatalco up north). Palenque is the most beautiful mayan site.

q: what are some towns that two non spanish fluent gringos should avoid?
a: I had never any problem in any town, and in general just respect common sense safety rules.

q: what are some items that are a must have for the trip? what items should we avoid taking? (weapons and such)
a: No weapons what so ever. Many military checkpoints looking for drugs and weapons. You would have a very bad moment on you first stop.


Have a nice trip

trip planning Mexico
 

Just got backtwo days ago from a (gasp, shock) car trip through much of Mexico , having left Ontario on 15December when this thread was a few entries old.
As expected it was cold in the Copper Canyon country just before newyear , -6C in Creel at night and ice rims along the shaded creek banks.In the following weeks north Mexico, the high country of Chihuahua, including CC, and much farther south experienced an outbreak of severe cold by Mexican standards .Much of the really poor population live in wood, tin and tarpaper shacks and they were suffering' Even in Oaxaca state the road north through Ixtlan de Juarez , Mex 175 had to be closed a few days while the army brought in heavy equipment , as reported on TV there, .YIKES! to remove up to 30cm of ice,slush and snow. Needless to say we modified our route to stay in warmer climes , not very difficult, and a wonderful trip was had- inspite of the cage.
Now I am going to prep one of my bikes and get set to take off in the next weeks when a mild snap in the winter here will permit me to ride out and head back for another trip to Mexico and perhaps beyond.
During this recent trip I learned another few interesting facts that can be of use to others.
INSURANCE - until now I had always been buying the required liability insurance for Mexico with the poicy listing the bike. In another post on the HUBB it was mentioned that policies for mlti vehicles were also avbailable.This December I asked an agency in Calexico about this possibility and was happy to learn the following;
Ask for a DRIVERS LICENSE POLICY . If the agency you are visiting does not deal in those ask for a referral to one which does.
A DRIVERS LICENSE POLICY does not carry the name of the vehicle you are riding but is instead made out to your drivers license name and number .The beauty of it is that you can bring whichever vehicles you own on different trips and be covered for liability, roadside asssistance and bailbond if you get into trouble i.e. an accident (not for drunken brawls!) Furthermore this policy is a lot less costly than a vehicle nominated policy, but it is a bit more basic in its liability limits and health cover. But that should be of little concern because you should already be covered for out of country health insurance which you should buy from your own travel agent or insurer or credit card company.
Now, this past December'07 I had the choice of buying vehicle nominated Mexico insurance for one month costing $187 or buying ONE YEAR of DRIVERS LICENSE policy for $180. Duh, I bought the one year Drivers License policy , saved 7 bucks on this trip and am now set for the rest of the year to take either bike.
For this insurance and more info from the horses mouth check out Mexican Auto Insurance - Lorenz Insurance - Since 1921 and their agents at Lorenz Insurance Agency Inc.,919 Imperial Ave., Calexico Ca 92231 , open 7/7
In an earlier post I said camping is possible , and it is if you are desperately intent on camping . At the time I wrote that post one important disadvantage of such wild camping slipped my mind , namely the difficulty of finding a safe , comfortable and CLEAN spot to pitch a tent . If it isn't to narrow and rocky, too overgrown with tire puncturing thorns or cactus it will most likely be the entry point to a back country trail , a clandestine garbage dump stewn with galss, metal and dead animal parts or a roadside latrine. No fun setting up a tent in the dark to discover you parked in the middle of a load of crap. As an as ide, years ago on a bike trip thru Italy we turned off the main road into the hills and picked a campsite, but discoverd a big dump of doo . Out of civility we covered it with some sand and went further up the dirt trail, Next morning returning to the highway we passed the dismissed site to see that another party had set up their tent with the little mound right in front of their door. I can imagine the conversation in the tent: Claus ,you must not eat zo much zwiebeln !!