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warning, avoid nogales on Jan 10

Tequila
Explorer
Explorer
I will be taking 17 rigs across that day. We will probably plug up km21. Best to avoid crossing.
29 REPLIES 29

Tequila
Explorer
Explorer
moisheh wrote:
Your warning shows an amount of arrogance. Reads like this: We will be there stay away until we are gone as we deserve special treatment. It is incumbent on you as the wagonmaster to make sure that this caravan does not interfere with traffic flow and borders. If it requires baby sitting then do it! Caravans suck!!!!

Moisheh


Moisheh, with all due respect, I am simply providing a heads up so people avoid that morning. I do not want to inconvience anyone and certainly 17 rigs showing up at km 21 is going to do that. We will go through in 2 groups to try an make it efficient, hold 1/2 back at the Pemex station so we dont fill the entire parking lot. There is only so much you can do when you have a group this large and I felt that it was courtesy on my part to warn people on this forum, many of whom probably plan to cross around this date that we will be there. I could have blindsided instead, and i am sure you would also dump on me for that. The wagon master for this trip had to back out due to a medical issue. The orignal plan was for me to tail-gun and take half the group through several hours later, Unfortunately I am now it, except for Green angel in the rear, and we have to go as a block. I was simply trying to be considerate and let people planning to cross around that date, that this would be happening. I did not expect you to dump on me for being considerate.

The company is actually contacting Banjercito to see if we can pay overtime to have 2 normally schedueld off officials dedicated just to our group so we do not inconvenience other travelers.

1968mooney
Explorer
Explorer
I have learned 2 things after reading these posts. #1. Stay away from Mexico, #2. Never join a caravan. :S

Tequila
Explorer
Explorer
tony lee wrote:
Babysit through a simple on-line application??? Surely that option would be just part of the pre-trip WRITTEN instructions and information pack that you would give everyone several weeks before they leave. No?

Must admit my knowledge of US Caravan procedures is confined to one amusing experience down in Mexico when a caravan arrived with much huffing and puffing of certain individuals and a belated realisation by some that they really should have practiced reversing a fiver or big MH in something smaller than a 5 acre field before they left home, followed by an hour of the senior huffer and puffer haranguing everyone sitting around in a big circle followed by three hours of bingo - all done through a cheap PA system turned to maximum volume and maximum distortion. Guess they eventually did get to experience a little bit of the local 'flavour' to compensate them for the huge costs of their adventure.



as long as we can all make it to Faustos in hermosillo before dark

which would be assured if all had their FMM and TIPs already in their sweaty hands when they lined up to get them stamped. 17 rigs each saving 15 minutes of paperwork is ----- a loooonnnng time.


We do not encourage on line. We have so far had 2 cases where people had to back out at the last minute and canceling a permit is a 6 month process and a huge headache especially since most people are Canadian and live 2000 miles from the border. Yours truly had to spend hours trying to facilitate it with going to the police and gettign letters attestingn the vehicle was still in Canada, etc. When you are dealing with retired people it happens a lot. It is almost impossible to cancel a permit by mail and you cannot get another until you do. You have no idea what a headache it is. By the time the permit gets cancelled the $400 deposit is also forfeit.

Don't know what caravan you observed Tony, but we have none of that. probably because we dont move to a new spot each day. That sort of excursion is certainly not for everyone, but it doe shelp keep RVing in Mexico alive. I orginally got into it simply to helped out a few parks which were suffering who have become like family to me, like the one in Huatabampito. If they close, everyone who loves RVing in Mexico loses. I don't do it for money, I don't need it. I get expenses covered, but my main reason is to introduce new people to the country I have come to love. Not to mention I see everyone who retired with me, dying from sitting around doing nothing. That is also the reason I do it for a Mexican based company, not na American or Canadian one.

mexicoruss
Explorer II
Explorer II
Wm.Elliot wrote:
The people that lead the caravans (wagonmaster?) should get hazardous duty pay. I can't imagine dealing with all that angst.



Two thumbs up on that post! In the month of February alone we will host more than 110 rigs in Peรฑasco
Russ Black
011-521-638-113-4591 Cell Phone
Puerto Penasco, Sonora

Wm_Elliot
Explorer
Explorer
The people that lead the caravans (wagonmaster?) should get hazardous duty pay. I can't imagine dealing with all that angst.

tony_lee
Explorer
Explorer
Might be my inexperience, but I think it might be cool to be part of a caravan.


Depends on your personality type and in many cases on your traveling style. Talk to the rear-enders (assuming the huffer and puffer allows people to lag behind a bit) and you will find they end up either nervous wrecks or angry and resentful because they are forced to exceed their driving comfort zone or aren't able to stop and smell the roses. Not everyone can handle a 6 hour drive with the right side of the vehicle 6" from a 3' construction dropoff for 20 miles at a time or even a 6" drop which is pretty much standard on any non-toll road.
Tony
Lots of photos with comprehensive captions at MY PICASA Album
Spotwalla map of our travels - Our Travel map

briansue
Explorer
Explorer
We won't be crossing at Nogales in the near future but thanks for letting folks know. When we cross at Nogales we stay at Amado the night before and get up before the Sun rises to head for the border and try to beat the rush. I usually works.

We are not caravan people but have seen good caravans and bad caravans. I don't know about getting paperwork done online but would think that would be a must for any caravan if it can be done.

Years ago there we were staying at Mirador in San Carlos visiting friend who live in SC. Caravans pulled in every other day back then. We spoke with people who had no idea where they were or where they had been or where they were going. I forget which companies and have no idea who the wagonmasters were but that sort of caravan does nothing to encourage people to visit Mexico again.

We have also seen very well run caravans that have Green Angel escorts and even police escorts. They bring Mariachis into the park special for the caravan. They organize trips and hire buses. All done in advance. A great experience for the people who paid to have a great experience.

Last week we were in Cholula and spent a few days exploring Cholula and Puebla. While there a group from Europe traveling in a large RV with tents pulled in about 4pm one day. They were on a paid 180 day tour of the Americas. The leader got the people organized and took them to the pyramid we think - at 5pm. Next morning they were gone before we woke up. To our way of thinking these people are traveling but having very little time to really experience anything. Covering lots of ground but seeing very little.

These paid travel plans can be good or bad depending on the organizers and the itinerary. Some are well run and some are pretty much a joke. I guess we are very fortunate to be able to go our own way and do our own thing. But not everyone is equipped to just go off and figure all this out for themselves. A well run caravan could not only teach people about a new area but teach them to travel and how to do all the things we need to know to live as we do - but then the caravan customers would have the confidence to go on their own and have no need to be repeat customers. Never-the-less I do think a well run caravan should be providing and experience that teaches people that they can do this by themselves if they so choose.

Tvov
Explorer
Explorer
Might be my inexperience, but I think it might be cool to be part of a caravan. Seems like posting a "warning" on a message board like Open Roads, which I believe is the largest RV'ing forum, is being polite and part of planning ahead.

I would also think a caravan would plan ahead for such things tony lee's story about the ferry... the caravan members should, at a minimum, only go across every other trip, allowing for other traffic.

Many campgrounds I've been to have "rally fields" where they let groups camp together, and/or the campground manager (if he is on the ball) puts groups together in sections of the campsites to reduce bother of other campers.

Well, if (and when!) I ever get involved with a caravan, I'll always try to keep in mind others on the road and at campgrounds.
_________________________________________________________
2021 F150 2.7
2004 21' Forest River Surveyor

moisheh
Explorer
Explorer
Your warning shows an amount of arrogance. Reads like this: We will be there stay away until we are gone as we deserve special treatment. It is incumbent on you as the wagonmaster to make sure that this caravan does not interfere with traffic flow and borders. If it requires baby sitting then do it! Caravans suck!!!!

Moisheh

Talleyho69
Moderator
Moderator
You are a gentleman and a scholar.

So nice of you to post the information. Unfortunately, many/most people don't use the message boards like we do.

We have been incountry since November, and won't leave until mid-March.


Thank you for the heads up.

tony_lee
Explorer
Explorer
Actually I just remembered another experience of a caravan - or convoy. Up north on the way to Alaska. 20 large motorhomes all sequentially numbered front and back and a couple marked "Staff". At the stop we could hear the radio calls Caravan 1 rolling........ Caravan 2 rolling ......Caravan 3 rolling ....... all the way up to Caravan 20 rolling.

The silliness and lack of consideration isn't confined to the USA of course. A few years ago someone organized an outback tag-a-long tour from Adelaide to Birdsville up the Birdsville track. Half way up a major river was in flood and a ferry was started up again after sitting idle in a dry river bed for donkey's years. 35 RVs hit the ferry at once which could only fit one large vehicle on at a time with a turn around time of more than half an hour. Blood is still boiling over that fiasco.
Tony
Lots of photos with comprehensive captions at MY PICASA Album
Spotwalla map of our travels - Our Travel map

tony_lee
Explorer
Explorer
Babysit through a simple on-line application??? Surely that option would be just part of the pre-trip WRITTEN instructions and information pack that you would give everyone several weeks before they leave. No?

Must admit my knowledge of US Caravan procedures is confined to one amusing experience down in Mexico when a caravan arrived with much huffing and puffing of certain individuals and a belated realisation by some that they really should have practiced reversing a fiver or big MH in something smaller than a 5 acre field before they left home, followed by an hour of the senior huffer and puffer haranguing everyone sitting around in a big circle followed by three hours of bingo - all done through a cheap PA system turned to maximum volume and maximum distortion. Guess they eventually did get to experience a little bit of the local 'flavour' to compensate them for the huge costs of their adventure.



as long as we can all make it to Faustos in hermosillo before dark

which would be assured if all had their FMM and TIPs already in their sweaty hands when they lined up to get them stamped. 17 rigs each saving 15 minutes of paperwork is ----- a loooonnnng time.
Tony
Lots of photos with comprehensive captions at MY PICASA Album
Spotwalla map of our travels - Our Travel map

Tequila
Explorer
Explorer
Nope, since I just took one across northbound last week,no time to baby sit all of them through that process. That is why I am giving people here a heads up.either way it is supporting rving in mexico. I would say 25% end up returning on their own.that is good for everyone. We will of course let some individuals go ahead as long as we can all make it to Faustos in hermosillo before dark

tony_lee
Explorer
Explorer
Guess everyone in the convoy will get their FMM and TIP on-line so the process will be very quick
Tony
Lots of photos with comprehensive captions at MY PICASA Album
Spotwalla map of our travels - Our Travel map

moisheh
Explorer
Explorer
In years past Caravans would find a marshaling area NOB and either send rv'rs across say every 15 minutes or they would split the caravan in 2 NOB and get together further down the road. The "hogging" of services is why many do not like Caravans. I hope your caravan does not travel like an elephant train!

Moisheh