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Me and a bud will be in the general area of Big Bend Park/Presidio on the 10th, 11th or 12th. If you run past a Transalp and a Dakar wave us down and chat awhile.
Leavin out of NC and N. Ga. today -- see you on the road. Kurt, May try some dirt on the way down from Presidio. Look for a dust cloud. :) Jim D |
"I wouldn't sweat it. When we drove down in 1997, we didn't bother with licenses. Just use common sense and don't flaunt it if you're at a checkpoint. If you're in a large city, don't be surprised if the locals hassle you a lot once they hear you. :-) It's all in good fun but it gets old after 10 minutes." Since you have been there, maybe you can tell me if it`s OK for motorcycles to go to the head of the military checkpoint lines. Someone on another list said they are not interested in checking MC riders, and let them through. Doug |
I always wait. They have guns and I'm shy! Sometimes they check (maybe just out of curiousity) and sometimes they just wave you past. I have had my bags gone through pretty thouroughly once.
Kurt |
Sorry, guys not going to be able to make this one. Maybe if I had two weeks. I have a lot on my plate right now. I have the bug though. I'll be on the East Coast for the meeting in NC next summer.
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What Kurt says... these are for the most part 19-20 year old kids who might be excited seeing something as strange as we look coming up too fast. Generally speaking, if the list is long, there are other soldiers watching the queue in case someone trys to dump something. Motion them over and ask if you can ease around. Mostly, they're very friendly although sometimes they want to play, "Let's make the gringo open his bags." Don't sweat it. I think that the most important thing to take to Mexico is a good ATTITUDE. It's their country/their rules. Go with the flow, don't get excited and enjoy the game. If you can't understand that or even tolerate it, go to Disney. Don't turn into the ugly 'merican and make it difficult for others that are sure to follow behind you. If you can do that, you'll have a blast. The people are friendly as you move away from the border. Wave at the kids, enjoy the countryside, spend money with the roadside vendors, etc. |
The first question is always "a donde va?" where are you going? and where are you from.
Remember that most the check point guards are just kids from the country that have been stationed on some remote highway and theyre usually bored out of thier minds. They will be very interested in your bike, i.e. how fast does it go?, How much it costs? etc. Smile and be cheerfull you'll get past faster. Also you may run into a PGR check point, they are looking for drugs and guns. They are polite but assertive, be patient and dont piss them off. It's the local federales who get the wise ideas. . . ride with caution around them. (slow) should you not wish to be searched, put some third rate cheapo porn mags on top of your luggage. When they find them, give them as gifts. Also the helmet makes a discreet storage place. Mexican law is draconian, stiff penalties for minor offences, so act accordingly. |
One last call. I'll be leaving NYC early tomorrow. Several people (well at least 2) will be at Lone Star BMW the morning of Oct 12 for some service before the run to the border. The more the merrier!
------------------ Brooklyn Dakar http://motorcycleramblings.blogspot.com/ |
Quick update from an internet cafe enroute home:
If you didn't make it to Mexico for the meeting - and even some that pre-registered didn't - you really missed a great time! We ended up with 92 people, more than 50% increase over last year. The weather was perfect, the riding awesome - I even got to do some myself! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Lots of great presentations, lots of talk, and lots of plans made for future trips. There were 6 (that I know of) folks heading on south for Ushuaiua too! Jim Hyde's 3 hour off-road rider training went over big, with nothing but rave reviews. Just to make sure you include Copper Canyon Meeting in your next years plans - Jim will be back with more off-road rider training courses, and for those who just couldn't face the freeway drone - or the border crossing - we'll have rental dual sport bikes available (pre-booked only) at the meeting! Keep an eye on the Meetings page for more details as we lock everything down. Time will be about the same, in the September 10-18 area. We are debating doing it mid-week instead of the weekend. Comments? Which would you prefer? See you there in '05! ------------------ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find. ------------------------ One world, Two wheels. www.HorizonsUnlimited.com |
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I would prefer a midweek meeting. That would give others a couple of days to get there and home and for us in AZ, we could extend our route to/from the event. |
Photos wanted - if you have any photos from the meeting, please let me know!
You could also get published, I have received a request for photos for an article. No pay, just fame! http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif ------------------ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find. ------------------------ One world, Two wheels. www.HorizonsUnlimited.com |
Grant,
Thank you for putting on such a great event. It was more than I expected. The Villa Mexicana was a great place to stay, either camping or cabins and the food was good also. The many different configurations on the bikes sure does give one a bunch of ideas for long distance travel. Also, thanks for taking the time to talk to me one on one about my KLR and how to make it as bullet proof as possible for my biggie trip in 2006. The information is appreciated. Talking to Juan Ibarra (sp??) was great. Listening to him talk about riding in different parts of our world made me want to start my trip right then. Would have had to clear it with the wife first.<G> For those that didn't come you missed a first rate rally. The evening slide shows are things dreams are made of. Made is very easy to sleep at night just rerunning the slide shows in my head.<G> The folks that showed up were very willing to share any knowledge they had about their trips or bikes. Very unique group of people in the way they share. Thanks to all but especially to Grant and Carol for putting this together. John Quote:
[This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 21 October 2004).] |
Thanks John!
(I assume you mean my wife Susan not Carol?) Others to thank for putting it all together would be Gerardo Ibarra and Arturo Macias, plus all those who helped out where needed, and especially all the presenters for putting together terrific slide shows and getting up in front of everyone and inspiring us to get out there and just do it. My thanks to all above, and especially to all those who made it to the meeting - you're the ones who made it a success! ------------------ Grant Johnson Seek, and ye shall find. ------------------------ One world, Two wheels. www.HorizonsUnlimited.com |
Grant,
I have a few pics of the meeting and area if you want them for your article or the site. Let me know. Thanks for another GREAT HU meeting. I got to see some old friends, and made plenty of new ones. Regards, Bruce Quote:
[This message has been edited by gaspipe (edited 21 October 2004).] [This message has been edited by Grant Johnson (edited 21 October 2004).] |
Bruce, thanks, good to hear you enjoyed it!
RE pics - not for an article I'm doing, someone else at the meeting is doing one for a mag. Click "Contact Horizons" at the bottom of the page to get me direct, and I'll tell you what to do with the pics. Thanks again, and see you next year! What's your vote - weekend or midweek for next year? |
I vote for midweek - it'd be easier to get to/from.
Bruce |
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