Equiping for Mexico travel?

PNW_Steve wrote:

old guy wrote:
I am curious, what are the odds of getting sick from the mexican water or getting shot by the drug guys.

Well... I have been sick three times on trips to Mexico but haven't been shot yet. I would say that the odds are at least 4:1 in favor of getting sick versus getting shot.

Sick 3 times.

Why would want to return?

Price region to region varies several centavos which really is meaningless. Taxis fuel up at the station that cheats them least. I hoot when I drive by a gasolinera that has a line of cars waiting for one particular pump island - even though the others are functional.

Domestic water is not an issue but dumping is.

A porta tote sometimes is worth it's weight in ---- to dump black and gray water.

ALWAYS carry measurement stuff that allows you to see reversed power pedestal connections and lack of earth ground. I pound in an 18" long stake, and wet the ground. Hose clamp a 10 gauge green wire to a really vicious jawed alligator clip that gets snapped onto chassis bonded metal.

I would not travel Mexico without my portable Fantastic Fan Endless Breeze fan.

Buy a Manganese steel bicycle theft chain and modify the generator so crescent wrench and hacksaw theft is thwarted for the generator. Actually a cage should made and a cutproof lock used in addition to the manganese steel cable. Generators are irresistible to the lightfingered.

I purchased several 12 volt motion detectors on eBay. Slap them on with Velcro patches and have them fire piezo sirens.

What's this******about being shot? Is this like me complaining about getting sick the last two shopping trips north of the border? Drink 200 cervezas, get sunburned and yeah, you might feel a tad under the weather the next day.

THE problem in Mexico is petty theft. More so than in the USA. Concentrate on that and not getting kissed by a KenMex and that'll take care of a majority of actual hazards.

Distortions of reality serve no one but the person who enjoys creating them.

old guy wrote:
I am curious, what are the odds of getting sick from the mexican water or getting shot by the drug guys.

Well... I have been sick three times on trips to Mexico but haven't been shot yet. I would say that the odds are at least 4:1 in favor of getting sick versus getting shot.

OP - you talked about varying gas prices at home, but that brings up a good question about Mexico. Since all of the fuel comes from Pemex, does their price vary from location to location? Prices may vary as the price of crude goes up and down, but does the location cause the price to vary? I'll have to look when I'm down in November to see if all of the Pemexs in one town have the same price.

Yes you will have varying fuel prices to get from the NW to Mexico.

Bill

with all the precautions with the water, why even waste your time going there. I am curious, what are the odds of getting sick from the mexican water or getting shot by the drug guys.

Truck is diesel (2001)
Generator is gas. I will be carrying 2 5gal "jerry" cans.
Only kid has 4 legs and a wet nose...

As far as water goes:
If I carry an additional tank I can fill it from the tap and add chlorine to sanitize. Then I have a 4 stage water filter that filters down to .5micron then treats with UV before depositing it in the primary tank.

How far is the run from Mazatlan to San Blas? I am ok with 300+ mile runs between fuel stops.

One of the reasons I considered additional fuel is the likelihood of varying fuel prices and leveraging the lower cost fills.
Diesel is currently $4.29 a gallon here. 50 miles down the road it is $3.71 a gallon. I know there will be significant variance in fuel cost on the US portions of the trip. Is the same true in Mexico? Or are the prices more consistent?

Thanks

Do not drink the water in mexico, bottled is cheap and look for a screw top cap 5 gallon jug. Use one of those blue inline filters to fill your tank, most parks do not have enough pressure for direct hook up. The filter will keep sediment out and give you some sterilization in case you swallow shower water. i use hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant as well. I simply empty my tank when back in the US and give it a good dose of chlorine & empty again. Fuell is not an issue, there is only one stretch you have to worry about and that is the section south of Mazatlan to the San Blas turnoff, and I noticed last year they were constructing a new Pemex station along there.

Is your truck diesel? If so you may have a problem. No ULSD. 2013 & 2014 are far more sensitive than 2007-2012 where people get away with ignoring it. You will have to find someone to bypass the fuel filter, etc and that will affect your warranty. USLD will not be available until late 2015 at the earliest, probably later.

I'd throw in two five gal jugs of gas for the generator you should have and two of additional fresh water jugs - you don't say if you have kids? There are Pemex stations all over unless you're really going to get out in the sticks where you won't go with the trailer anyways.

Bill

Don't forget the Imodium!