What's the ONE THING you wish you knew before your first ride south of the border?

Dr. Benny · 11-28-2012, 11:28 AM

I'll start: I wish I knew that all the money I spent preparing my bike (except the corbin seat

) would have been better spent on tacos and cerveza.

Apertureguy · 11-28-2012, 11:40 AM

Don't drink the water or get drinks with ice in them. Get bottled water or just drink beer.

Also...the lettuce is rinsed with the same water.

There is a reason some of the stalls have 6 rolls of paper in them.

High Country Herb · 11-30-2012, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apertureguy

Don't drink the water or get drinks with ice in them. Get bottled water or just drink beer.

Also...the lettuce is rinsed with the same water.

There is a reason some of the stalls have 6 rolls of paper in them.

I made the mistake of drinking a blended margarita in Ensenada. For 12 hours my body did it's best to get rid of any fluid I had in me.

I bundled up in blankets, and sweated it out quickly to get it over with.

Since then, I have had good luck with food/drink by avoiding anything that touched water: ice, lettuce, salsa

, lemon/lime slices in beer

, etc. I also heard I should avoid Mexican cheese, since it is not pasteurized. I have ignored that advice, with no problems. Deep fried calamari is safe, but again I avoid the dipping sauce. Enough tequila will sanitize anything

.

tedder · 12-03-2012, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apertureguy

Don't drink the water or get drinks with ice in them. Get bottled water or just drink beer..

6 months, local water, only time we had trouble was when we were cooking our own food and using sealed "water cooler" bottles. huh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aussie_explorer

I wish I had known how easy it would be to get help, no matter where I am - whenever I've had problems people have fallen over themselves to try and help get me back on track.

Indeed- especially when my wife was with me

H96669 · 12-04-2012, 01:48 PM

[QUOTE=tedder;20173427]6 months, local water, only time we had trouble was when we were cooking our own food and using sealed "water cooler" bottles. huh./QUOTE]

I spent a few winters in Mexico driving old vans. Stopped at the water purification plants many times to buy water and refill my jugs. Watched them quite a few times just rinsing the water cooler bottles....then refill and cap.

Dr. Benny · 12-06-2012, 08:17 AM

The stalls always have a toilet paper holder but never have toilet paper...

HellsAlien · 12-06-2012, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Benny

The stalls always have a toilet paper holder but never have toilet paper...

Si! And the agua is always caliente!

catweasel67 · 12-06-2012, 09:54 AM

So...speaking as somone who's never ridden south of the border and was hoping to learn something.

2 pages of "advice" and all you can say is

"don't drink the water"

?

is there any chance you all mis-understood the OPs question?

HellsAlien · 12-06-2012, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catweasel67

is there any chance you all mis-understood the OPs question?

Si!

tedder · 12-06-2012, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catweasel67

is there any chance you all mis-understood the OPs question?

How is "don't drink the water" not advice?

beechum1 · 12-06-2012, 11:07 AM

we also said, words don't mean anything, and take your own TP.

The cops are ALWAYS trying to squeeze you for money, and you probably didn't do anything wrong, or if you did, they didn't see it, and they're banking that you'll fold. Don't fold. THey're bluffing. Always.

Don't be an asshold and don't be a tourist. Soft targets are easily spotted and hustled.

junglemototours · 12-05-2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apertureguy

Don't drink the water or get drinks with ice in them. Get bottled water or just drink beer.

Also...the lettuce is rinsed with the same water.

There is a reason some of the stalls have 6 rolls of paper in them.

Where is this stall with paper? BYOTP

tedder · 12-05-2012, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by junglemototours

Where is this stall with paper? BYOTP

indeed. It usually costs at least a few pesos from the lady or security guard outside the stalls.

Lone Rider · 12-05-2012, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedder

indeed. It usually costs at least a few pesos from the lady or security guard outside the stalls.

Just stash paper in your gear, or in a jacket pocket. A roll of paper towels works well.
This is one thing thing assumed by many people that will take a short getting used to.
After that, no prob.

tedder · 12-05-2012, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lone Rider

Just stash paper in your gear, or in a jacket pocket. A roll of paper towels works well.

I'm bigtime. I can afford a few pesos.

(and mz tedder wouldn't go for paper towels)

11-28-2012, 11:28 AM	#1
Dr. Benny ^OP Enjoying the Journey Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Bay Area, California Oddometer: 651	What's the ONE THING you wish you knew before your first ride south of the border? I'll start: I wish I knew that all the money I spent preparing my bike (except the corbin seat ) would have been better spent on tacos and cerveza. __________________ Motorcycle Mexico DVD - The easy way to prepare for your first motorcycle ride south of the border. New Hampshire to Ushuaia 2009-2010

12-04-2012, 01:48 PM	#5
H96669 A proud pragmatist. Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Hiding off Hwy 6, B.C. Oddometer: 2,859	[QUOTE=tedder;20173427]6 months, local water, only time we had trouble was when we were cooking our own food and using sealed "water cooler" bottles. huh./QUOTE] I spent a few winters in Mexico driving old vans. Stopped at the water purification plants many times to buy water and refill my jugs. Watched them quite a few times just rinsing the water cooler bottles....then refill and cap. __________________ Have tools, will travel!

12-06-2012, 08:17 AM	#6
Dr. Benny ^OP Enjoying the Journey Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Bay Area, California Oddometer: 651	The stalls always have a toilet paper holder but never have toilet paper... __________________ Motorcycle Mexico DVD - The easy way to prepare for your first motorcycle ride south of the border. New Hampshire to Ushuaia 2009-2010

12-06-2012, 09:54 AM	#8
catweasel67 BAN - Born Again Noob Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Vienna, Austria Oddometer: 5,450	So...speaking as somone who's never ridden south of the border and was hoping to learn something. 2 pages of "advice" and all you can say is "don't drink the water" ? is there any chance you all mis-understood the OPs question? __________________ Planning NA 2010 NA 2010 Adriatic Loop August 09 Mandello Guzzi Protest Sept 09 "I've got the key to the gates of paradise...but I've got too many legs!!" Jeff "Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -- Robert E. Howard

12-06-2012, 11:07 AM	#11
beechum1 Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2007 Location: Herlong, CA. Look it up, I'll wait. Oddometer: 4,815	we also said, words don't mean anything, and take your own TP. The cops are ALWAYS trying to squeeze you for money, and you probably didn't do anything wrong, or if you did, they didn't see it, and they're banking that you'll fold. Don't fold. THey're bluffing. Always. Don't be an asshold and don't be a tourist. Soft targets are easily spotted and hustled. __________________ www.bajastarz.com \\\ 94 XR650L, 85 GL1200A Rally Moto Kit /// Vendor Thread

11-28-2012, 11:40 AM	#2
Apertureguy Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2012 Location: Putnam County, NY Oddometer: 281	Don't drink the water or get drinks with ice in them. Get bottled water or just drink beer. Also...the lettuce is rinsed with the same water. There is a reason some of the stalls have 6 rolls of paper in them.

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