VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Just a recap for those that may be following later this season.
My usual route down I5.
First diesel stop is always Bow Hill (Skagit Casino) just south of bellingham.
Generally better prices than Blaine or Bellingham. It was $3.89gallon.
Shopping in Salem and Albany Oregon (no tax).
Stop at 7 feathers casino in southern Oregon. ($4.05gal). Exit 99.
Love's in Corning CA ($4.17gal)
Flying J in Lodi ($4.18gal) almost got stuck in Lodi with transmission glitches but that is another story.
Harris Ranch for a bunless burger which is on their menu, delish (wifi).
Flying J at the top of the "Grapevine" ($4.26gal)
WalMart at Santa Clarita (Lyons ave. exit.)
Oceanside rest stop.
Notice the diesel prices going up as one drives south.

Went through the new border crossing into Tijuana at about 10am.
Very nice and new and big!
Easy parking for the RV while getting the Tourist Visa (295 Pesos) (approx 12pesos to one US dollar)
Officers were very helpful. Two inspections but quick and cursory.
They advised me to be very, very careful when passing between the posts on the way through. Line up the rig well before. Apparently someone barely hit a post recently and they charged them $1500US!
It was very tight and my rv is 8' wide not the newer 8'6".
6km detour just south of San Vicente,
Stopped at my favourite eating spot at km 174 just north of San Quintin.
LaMission , lots of room to park and turn around. Good food and wifi!

First night was at Catavina at Rancho Santa Ines in the high desert area. No one to pay. Cool 12c after 33c during the day.

Diesel now 11.89 pesos @ litre.

Second night Ciudad Constitution.
Lots of small and not so small washout repairs south of Santa Rosalia.

3km detour at the south end of Ciudad Constitution.

5 military checkpoints in all. They only came into the rv 3 times for a cursory inspection.

This morning arrived at the campground in laVentana at about 11am.
By 11:30 I was having breakfast at Adelita's. Life is good!

Right on Martin! You are there! That is one hell of a drive.

Great report Martin. Made me feel like I was making the journey. Have a great BC Sud season.

Glad you are safe and sound sir Martin. Are you all by yourself? Enjoy some well deserved rest!

None of the people I was with this summer bothered with the Tourist Visa, since I was following them and they kept driving so did we.

Didn't seem to be a problem for us and we got thoroughly searched at least 3-4 times on the way home.

Curious why folks spend the ~$30 on the visa. We only went as far as San Carlos but from what I heard thing only get easier south of there.

Re the Tourist Visa.
As with most "things", it is not a problem if nothing goes wrong and you don't get checked for it.
I wouldn't want to get into even a small accident without it.
Your Mexican car insurance company may look at it as an "out" for liability.
In other words, you aren't legal in Baja so why should we pay etc.?
Also, when you drive south and reach Guerrero Negro, you pass through an inspection station. This separates Baja Norte from Baja Sur.
They sometimes ask for it there. They also come into the rv and check the fridge for fruit and veggies.
You also have to pay 20 pesos for spraying. You basically drive over a spayer in the ground as you leave. What they spray is anyone's guess!

Fluffy,
7 rigs on the beach.Looks like a ghost town, lol.
Adelita's is open though, so all is well!
Some kites out yesterday for about 1.5 hours. 10m wind.

m

Martin
Great to here that you are now there on "la Playa".

New regulations as of Nov 1 2012.

I have been to Immigration in LaPaz to help people with no Tourist cards, It is no longer possible to get a tourist card south of the border. You are just "shit out of luck" if you need it.

Bad advice telling folks not to get it.

Hey Tom, good to hear from you.

Yes, we used to be able to get the Tourist Visa in laPaz, also in Ensanada.
Now, just at the border.
I look at it as part of my Mexican insurance which we have to buy for the car anyway.
We use Lewis and Lewis in Santa Monica CA.
WWW.MexicanAutoinsrance.com

The Tourist Visa ($30.00) is included in your airfare if you fly.
They date it for 6 months which is good if you want to stay for a while.

On our return, we apply (with documentation eg. receipts for diesel, campground) for refund from ICBC for the time in Mexico as ICBC insurance is null and void the moment you cross the border.
We have been receiving the refund foe 13 years.

Only one rig in South Park, Tom.

Hello Martin,

Just caught up with the posts. Glad you had another successful trip down?
It won't be a ghost town for long. I can't wait to be there too.
But I am over 70 days away!!!

Cool the place down for us Decemberites!

Happy wind sessions,
Lass Vegas

Hey Martin! You will have more company on Monday! Robby, debs and sir Steve will be arriving on mass! there's been some fun rollers coming in here the last few days but sadly no wind sigh. Save some for me .......

Have fun. I have a nice wood pile

Martin wrote:Re the Tourist Visa.
As with most "things", it is not a problem if nothing goes wrong and you don't get checked for it.
I wouldn't want to get into even a small accident without it.
Your Mexican car insurance company may look at it as an "out" for liability.
In other words, you aren't legal in Baja so why should we pay etc.?
Also, when you drive south and reach Guerrero Negro, you pass through an inspection station. This separates Baja Norte from Baja Sur.
They sometimes ask for it there. They also come into the rv and check the fridge for fruit and veggies.
You also have to pay 20 pesos for spraying. You basically drive over a spayer in the ground as you leave. What they spray is anyone's guess!

Good info. Like I said I expected to get it, but when the car we were following didn't stop for one, it was either stop and lose our directions down to PSC, or keep driving and hope for the best!

JL,

Counted 4 FJ cruisers with surfboards on top heading North on the Baja highway. Seems like a popular vehicle for the Baja surfers.
The vehicle you see most often here is the vintage Toyota PU, 4cyl. 4x4.
The year and condition may vary!
And then there is the old Suburban which is used for everything you can think of and more. Rust doesn't seem to matter, even really big holes.
I will take a pic.
m

Just an update on Gasoline prices at Pemex; 11.49 pesos @ litre. It has gone up fast.

The camp fees at the main campground in LV are the same as last year.
For the front row, we paid 3240 pesos per month which is about $275.

Two more rigs pulled in today but it is still very empty.

Enjoyed maybe my best dinner ever in LV last night.
Cabrilla (sea bass) smothered in pieces of garlic. Wow!
$10.00cdn wow!
At Las Palmas, also known as the yellow restaurant.

m