Is Mexico Safe?

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by Chrisfed

Hi all, heading to Mexico City by way of LA next April (starting from NYC). Any route suggestions to keep it safe? Must be well paved, bad back. Cheers (if I missed a similar post answering this q in another thread I apologize, not great at searching this forum yet)

Welcome!

Hope you'll keep us abreast of your plans as they develop. Sounds like you're going to be doing a whole heck of a lotta riding!

The routes I take to Mexico City are from Texas so I'll leave it to others to direct you.

Happy planning!

SchizzMan

[tricepilot]

Originally Posted by Chrisfed

Hi all, heading to Mexico City by way of LA next April (starting from NYC). Any route suggestions to keep it safe?

Yes. Skip Los Angeles.

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by dwj - Donnie

I am not suggesting that this is incorrect, but have you considered that the Mexican Government wants everyone to believe that all of the deaths are drug related so the regular folks and tourist might feel safer? On the other hand, I saw a gringo on the Bill O'Reilly show a while back that claimed less than 20 US citizens, that were not involved in drug trade, had been injured in the Mexican Drug War. Bill, who is adamantly against Mexico travel did not challenge his numbers. However, it is my belief that the longer the Cartels can run rampant in Mexico, the bolder they will become and they will expand their business outside of drugs. Some folks claim that the Drug Folks won't harm tourist for fear of causing too much of a problem. But, the fact is, they have already substantially injured the Tourism Industry and nothing has been done.

I am still going tp Baja in Dec/Jan unless things continue to deteriorate. But, I will not simply pretend that Mexico is no more dangerous than the US. That, I believe will get you hurt. I also believe that folks wanting to travel into Mexico, but complaining about the danger will get more results than those who pretend that there is no danger or that it is the same as in their neighborhood.

What bike are you taking to Baja?

[going south]

[[QUOTE]QUOTE=dwj - Donnie;16915242]I

am not suggesting that this is incorrect, but have you considered that the Mexican Government wants everyone to believe that all of the deaths are drug related so the regular folks and tourist might feel safer?

\

Hey Donnie: I usually don't wade into this, As I am not as eloquent as Trice, Crash, Schizz, supa,mikemike,ace,PJ,Sr forgive me for omitting the others.... I live in Mazatlan 6-7 months a year, I have done a few big loops through Mexico all over the place.... I have come head to head with crash in Lazaro Cardenas, In veraCruz Mikemike gave me some great side trips, thanks MikeM...

And every sunday I meet with the local Bike gang at the Pemex for a ride... these Locals are not slouches in any since of the word or level .... the one Harley rider is the chief of surgery at sharps in Maz..... a lawyer & dentist, I am truly the low man on the totem pole in this gang....... I am trying to paint a picture here of my (gang)..

And this is where I wish I was more of a wordsmith, they tell me that this drug thing has been around for years... that they the Cartels are just placing the bodies a little more conspicuously as scare tactics for the others... Cartels-Zetas
and that it helps keep the pipe line open for faster delivery.... nobody in the way as it were....

And they (my friends) are wondering, is this an American Media scare tactic to keep gringo $$$ in America??? to send it to fort Lauderdale, Hawaii, to Arizona to keep the cash in the USA... to help out the new administration???... as you have stated "they have already substantially injured the tourism industry"


I gotta tell ya Donnie I don't know jack about shit, BUTT I gotta a lot of miles in Mexico this year 2011, and I trust my friends.... I don't know what to say from here, Butt and it is a really big butt... if you are near Mazatlan and I am not in Alaska (where I work) look me up I'll show you around town, and if it's sunday you is going for a ride, and then turn you loose.... and that goes for the rest of you....
the first beer is on me.....

[Chrisfed]

@trice and @schizz I can leave from TX no prob. Just visiting bro in LA then off to Mexico. Whatever you recommend I'm game! Love Mexican culture and want to it, just don't want bad things to happen! I'll be on my yamaha fz6 2008 cheers

[macrae85]

Acapulco?........I've been hearing bad things from down there.........anyone been lately?
No computer jockeys please!

[MikeMike]

Going South has it correct. +1

Acapulco is not a lot of fun these days. 10 hotels have closed their doors, and Carlos and Charlies was on a big slide and likely wasn't going to see it through. That really says it all.

The lesson here is to avoid the urban areas. Stick to the rural areas where life is pretty much like it was years ago.
The major urban centers are where you are likely to find the body dumps etc... like what happened here on Tuesday. Sometimes these things are just outside the urban areas but usually not in the rural areas on the libre and secondary roads. Having said this, there is more risk for residents than travelers simply based on how much travel you do inside the city on a daily basis. The chances of you having problems are far less than me for example because I have to transit the city every day at all hours.

Don't hesitate to visit Mexico, just avoid the urban centers where there have been problems and stick to the fun rural areas.

[dwj - Donnie]

Originally Posted by SchizzMan

What bike are you taking to Baja?

Probably the KLR. If I was trucking it to the border, but I'm not, I would take the KLX250S. Planning on riding around for about a month, want to go?

[acejones]

Donnie,
Let me get this straight. You're riding your KLR from Clarksdale to Baja ?

[alphajory]

its been a long time since we have seen a word from this threads sponsor....trice your slipping

[dwj - Donnie]

[QUOTE=going south;16917206][

QUOTE=dwj - Donnie;16915242]I \

Hey Donnie: I usually don't wade into this, As I am not as eloquent as Trice, Crash, Schizz, supa,mikemike,ace,PJ,Sr forgive me for omitting the others.... I live in Mazatlan 6-7 months a year, I have done a few big loops through Mexico all over the place.... I have come head to head with crash in Lazaro Cardenas, In veraCruz Mikemike gave me some great side trips, thanks MikeM...

And every sunday I meet with the local Bike gang at the Pemex for a ride... these Locals are not slouches in any since of the word or level .... the one Harley rider is the chief of surgery at sharps in Maz..... a lawyer & dentist, I am truly the low man on the totem pole in this gang....... I am trying to paint a picture here of my (gang)..

And this is where I wish I was more of a wordsmith, they tell me that this drug thing has been around for years... that they the Cartels are just placing the bodies a little more conspicuously as scare tactics for the others... Cartels-Zetas
and that it helps keep the pipe line open for faster delivery.... nobody in the way as it were....

And they (my friends) are wondering, is this an American Media scare tactic to keep gringo $$$ in America??? to send it to fort Lauderdale, Hawaii, to Arizona to keep the cash in the USA... to help out the new administration???... as you have stated "they have already substantially injured the tourism industry"


I gotta tell ya Donnie I don't know jack about shit, BUTT I gotta a lot of miles in Mexico this year 2011, and I trust my friends.... I don't know what to say from here, Butt and it is a really big butt... if you are near Mazatlan and I am not in Alaska (where I work) look me up I'll show you around town, and if it's sunday you is going for a ride, and then turn you loose.... and that goes for the rest of you....
the first beer is on me.....

I don't fall for the media hype, but I also don't ignore the facts. My wife and I spent nine weeks in Mexico in the past two years. Those two trip included more than 12,000 miles within Mexico's borders. We normally travel the back roads and small towns. My wife is gone now, but that will remain my travel method. We/I don't pick a small geographical area and spend a few days, we cover most areas of the country, traveling for weeks at a time. I have ridden around 20,000 miles in Mexico in the past four years, plus I worked there for five and a half years.

I am very familiar with issues that have always been present in Mexico, but I think a new era is taking hold of Mexico and I fear for the country as well as its people. Vicious gangs have got in bed with the ever present corrupt police and politicians. This has already and will continue to be a devastating thing for Mexico and its people. The days of your biggest concern being the possibility of paying a $10 bribe to a cop are gone!

In Sheryl's last trip to Mexico, I was looking forward to taking her to Creel. I had been there twice before. When we got there, it was like a ghost town! Other than a few local kids on the streets, it was barren! The experience I had hoped for my wife was gone! I worked at a number of facilities during my career, but Mexico was my favorite, not because of the manufacturing plant, but because of the people. It greatly saddens me to see what is happening!

While I know the demand for drugs in the US is fueling much of this violence, it cannot be blamed for the atrocities that are allowed by those in power in Mexico. Maybe Calderon, who I believe is a good and sincere man, is fighting the wrong enemy. Maybe he should first fight the corrupt politicians and police that is allowing and profiting from the drug trade. After that war is won, then go after the remaining Drug Cartels. Until then, I will continue to monitor what is going on and make my decisions of whether to cross the border on a "real time "basis.

It seems that most folks are in one of two camps, they have heard stories and seen TV coverage and chose not to take the risk without indept knowledge of the real problems, where they are and how to avoid them. Or they ignore all warning signs and pretend there is no real danger. I think the first group may be missing out on some excellent adventure and the second group put themselves and anyone that listens to them in more danger than is necessary. But of course, that is simply my opinion!

Thanks for the tour offer. I have been in or through Mazatlan three times in the last few years and it probably won't be the last!

[dwj - Donnie]

Originally Posted by acejones

Donnie,
Let me get this straight. You're riding your KLR from Clarksdale to Baja ?

How else would you get it there? I have done 5,000 mile plus trips on it in the past. It ain't nothing for a Mississippi Boy!It has over 67,000 miles on it and has been trucked/trailers for about 6,000 miles. My max one day ride is 599 miles, but there are folks that have ridden then much more! I have five motos in the garage now that I have put over 360,000 miles on!


Here is a link to a 12,000 mile plus ride I took after Sheryl's death, but it was not on the KLR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=708584

[SchizzMan]

Originally Posted by dwj - Donnie

Probably the KLR. If I was trucking it to the border, but I'm not, I would take the KLX250S. Planning on riding around for about a month, want to go?

If at all possible, yes. Let's keep in touch.

[acejones]

Originally Posted by dwj - Donnie

How else would you get it there? I have done 5,000 mile plus trips on it in the past. It ain't nothing for a Mississippi Boy!It has over 67,000 miles on it and has been trucked/trailers for about 6,000 miles. My max one day ride is 599 miles, but there are folks that have ridden then much more! I have five motos in the garage now that I have put over 360,000 miles on!


Here is a link to a 12,000 mile plus ride I took after Sheryl's death, but it was not on the KLR: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=708584

Yes,
I know you can do it. It just takes me longer to ride to the border than it does to drive my truck and tow. That was my only point. That; and I'd rather drive my truck through Houston than ride my bike. If I'm going to Mexico, then I have to go through Houston which can be a royal pain.

[dwj - Donnie]

Originally Posted by schizzman

if at all possible, yes. Let's keep in touch.

ok!