crossing border

crossing border

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I will be traveling cross the Texas border soon and am hoping that someone with experience can suggest the best, safest border crossing... also whether anyone knows anyone who my be traveling into Mexico overland soon who may want to meet somewhere on the USA side and cross the border caravan style. I am a woman traveling solo to SMA and an concerned about safety.
Any other bits of advice are welcomed and appreciated.
www.thestarchildgallery.com

rvcycleguy

Jun 7, 2011, 11:01 AM

Post #2 of 22 (5373 views)

Re: [indianajulia] crossing border

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Eagle Pass/ Piedras Niegras for a crossing. You get to miss Monterey and the majority of Saltillo. Highway 57 from Texas to SLP should be okay all the way.

RickS

Jun 7, 2011, 6:05 PM

Post #3 of 22 (5314 views)

Re: [indianajulia] crossing border

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...someone with experience can suggest the best, safest border crossing...

I know you are just trying to get a comfortable feeling about your upcoming trip, but unfortunately that 'someone' does not exist. I am sure that, in the last year, thousands of gringos have crossed into and out of Mexico at the various border crossings. I've done it a couple of times myself. But there just are not any crystal balls out there to help us with this situation.

What I will suggest with some certainty is that the odds of you having a problem (due to cartel related activities) is exceedingly small. Exceedingly. This is a mathematical fact, not a feel-good statement. I personally would not (and did not earlier this year) choose to exit/enter anywhere in the State of Tamaulipas (excluding Laredo). I have exited twice lately taking 57 up to Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras and I know of several folks who have come through Laredo.

Just take a deep breath, stay tuned to Mexconnect right up to your departure date for any 'news' and then.... enjoy your trip. You are a very small fish in a very large pond..... mathematically speaking.

(This post was edited by RickS on Jun 7, 2011, 6:42 PM)

indianajulia

Jun 7, 2011, 6:16 PM

Post #4 of 22 (5307 views)

Re: [RickS] crossing border

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Thank you. I am beginning to get some perspective.
www.thestarchildgallery.com

Jun 8, 2011, 6:04 AM

Post #5 of 22 (5250 views)

Re: [indianajulia] crossing border

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I agree with Rick. There are no routes through Coahuila and Tamaulipas that are guaranteed safe in terms of cartel activity---the Zetas and the Gulf cartel are very active in both states although the level of activity varies over time and from place to place.

There are areas though that have not experienced alot of open, public violence and Highway 57 (Eagle Pass/Piedras to Saltillo) is one of those. That is why people on this forum recommend it--at least I think that's why most do.

Jun 10, 2011, 7:20 PM

Post #6 of 22 (5052 views)

Re: [Altahabana] crossing border

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With all due respect Altahabana, I agree with you and Rick about hat most of what was said, however I do disagree with your statement that . . . . . "That is why people on this forum recommend it--at least I think that's why most do." That makes it sound as though all people on this forum recommend it which isn't quite correct. I, among several other members of this forum also suggest the Mission TX, Anzalduas Bridge crossing (it is a very easy crossing both ways). It is a fairly new bridge crossing and it has been my personal experience that crossing it a few times now, this year, it has been uneventful for any problems. All of your needs (Immigration, Aduana, permit, etc., can be completed in one building with very easy access parking. I suggest you exchange your U.S. Dollars for MX Pesos before leaving Texas in the morning, no matter which crossing you decide to use.

As I posted in another post, regarding this same subject, . . . . . . . " Since I live about 2.5 hours north of Mexico city Near San Juan del Rio, Queretaro, I would suggest to you that you can easily make the trip from either of the aforementioned crossings within 7 to eight hours to Matehuala, allowing time for gas, potty calls, and a 30 minute lunch (all without leaving the highway). This is a route that is a "Cuota" and therefore costs a little more in tolls but it is well worth the money. You also can skirt around both Monterrey and Saltillo using this same route with either crossing you choose.

There is a very affordable hotel (The Oasis) right on the main frontage road in Matehuala, that is (granted a two star hotel at best) clean and both the car and the trailer can be pulled inside a well protected compound. A room for two with two double beds costs $450 pesos. for one person I pay $400 MX Pesos. The swimming pool is very clean (on 1 May 2011) and you can park safely right next to your room. I don’t know how much easier or safe or less expensive it can get than that. Many will recommend the Las Palmas hotel. In days gone by that was a very good and inexpensive hotel. Today it is still a very good but more expensive hotel, double the price of the Oasis and I see the same thing when my eyes are closed at night. When your eyes are closed you don’t see all the beauty of a hotel and still get the same rest. The Oasis is a clean (abet 2 star hotel) but safe, clean and close with a good price. Make sure to ask for a room with AC. They have them at no extra charge. Also ask for a room at the back where you can avoid any and all highway noise.

Leaving at or before 9:30 in the morning from Matehuala should get you into SMA, by 1:30 in the afternoon. There is no lack of gas stations or places along this route for eats. The highway from start to finish is very good and I make about six to eight such one way trips a year on this very route, so far without any problems.

As Altahabana says, there is always a possibility of anything that can happen. Go to the largest book store near where you live and order a 2011 copy of the Guia Roji “Por Las Carreteras de Mexico BOOK Map. You will find this invaluable as a tool as you go along the trip. The ISBN # for your bookstore is 978-607-403-132-4

If I can answer any other questions for you, and I have the correct answers from personal past and recent experience, I would be happy to do so. When do you plan on making your trip? I will again be making the same trip from Texas to San Juan del Rio, Queretaro (Passing right by the SMA exit on HWY57, sometime in the middle of August. If it makes you feel any better or safer you are welcome to join me.
As Rick S also said . . . . . . . “Just take a deep breath, stay tuned to MexConnect right up to your departure date for any 'news' and then.... enjoy your trip. You are a very small fish in a very large pond..... mathematically speaking."

Regards,
Robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 10, 2011, 7:28 PM)

Jun 12, 2011, 6:16 AM

Post #7 of 22 (4926 views)

Re: [robt65] crossing border

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You are reading way too much into my comment you quoted Robert. "People who recommend this route, recommend it for that reason---" would have been another way to express what I was saying. I personally don't care what route people use and have said that many times on threads asking these types of questions.

Jun 12, 2011, 7:01 AM

Post #8 of 22 (4916 views)

Re: [Altahabana] crossing border

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Good Morning Altahabana,

That is exactly why I said "That makes it sound as though all people on this forum recommend it . . . . . " I wasn't exactly sure of exactly what you did mean. None the less at this particular time, I feel from personally taking this particular route several times, this is one of the few relatively safe crossings to take today, (if any are really safe) and it is especially easy to get through as for some reason, it is not so apparently busy as are some of the other crossings. The design of having all the necessary offices in one building, on the Mexican side is a real plus, even when towing a large 32 foot TT as I did last Christmas. From what I now understand the crossing will soon open up (if it has not already done so) to commercial traffic which will probably have some impact on the time crossing factor in both directions. I will know more when I return to Mission in Late July for a couple of weeks. I will report my findings heading North across the Anzalduas Bridge Crossing into the USA at that time. I sure hope that it does not change.

robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 12, 2011, 7:02 AM)

Jun 13, 2011, 5:08 AM

Post #9 of 22 (4804 views)

Re: [robt65] crossing border

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I have used Andalzuas bridge to cross several times in the last six months because it is the most convenient crossing to get where I need to go in the Reynosa area when arriving from Laredo. It is designed well with all services located in the same area. Whatever security issues there would be for someone using this crossing would be on the roads leading to the interior, not around the crossing itself.

My general advice would be to avoid crossing at a point that will take you through areas where there is ongoing fighting between cartels if you have a choice. While the chance of any particular traveler having an unpleasant experience is slight, there are areas where that slight chance is more likely to happen. In my opinion an area where cartels are actively fighting each other increases the slight risk that a traveler faces. North/central Coahuila is not experiencing inter-cartel violence and as a result there SEEM to be fewer documented incidents on Highway 57.

It hasn't been mentioned much here, but the Monterrey area has been undergoing an escalating cycle of public violence over the past two-three weeks. There was a particularly disturbing event last Thursday that occurred on a busy thoroughfare ( Ave. Revolucion) around 10 a.m. and was witnessed by hundreds of pedestrians and passing motorists. The violence may not be of great concern to people who are simply passing through, but it is not something to just blow off either.

Jun 13, 2011, 5:41 AM

Post #10 of 22 (4795 views)

Re: [Altahabana] crossing border

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Good Morning Altahabana,

I agree with your statement of . . . . . . "My general advice would be to avoid crossing at a point that will take you through areas where there is ongoing fighting between cartels if you have a choice. While the chance of any particular traveler having an unpleasant experience is slight, there are areas where that slight chance is more likely to happen. In my opinion an area where cartels are actively fighting each other increases the slight risk that a traveler faces." There is also very little Reynosa driving involved and even that is only on the fringe of driving required to get into and out of the Anzalduas Bridge crossing area and onto the Cuota towards 57 headed South, It is also a very straight shot to the Cuota. Almost all the fighting that I have read about in Reynosa has been in the city proper, certainly some distance from the Anzalduas Crossing itself.

As you have always said, one thing for sure is that every day brings a new danger, somewhere. I also agree that for sure Monterrey is a city to avoid. I have followed the news on both Borderlandbeaet and blogdelnarco and have read the reports of not only the cartels fighting it out in Monterrey but also of the delinquents who are now trying to muscle in on the cartels, especially showing themselves off as Zetas, when in fact they are not. This is where the three young men were hung from the bridge, where one was lucky enough to survive. However the route that I suggest, takes one well south of Monterrey and (for the time being) clear of the city itself.

I am for sure not claiming that this route is 100% safe. I don't believe any route today in the North is safe 100%. I just want to stay as far south of Monterrey as possible, try to avoid Saltillo and the city of San Luis Potosi as much as possible, when traveling. I also want to get out of the Reynosa area as fast as possible and for me, and for now, this route fills that requirement pretty well.

I think basically it breaksdown to the route that one is most comfortable with for their particular destination is the one they should take. I also think that any route can (and has) changed within hours. I remember well, taking the Colombia Crossing one time before last Christmas, and wakeing up in the morning at the hotel, going to get a cup of coffee only to read in the Lerado papers about a large prison breakout just a few miles away in Mexico. That sure made for an interesting first several hours ride into Mexico, at what was at the time, deemed a pretty quite route to take.

Regards,
Robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 13, 2011, 6:45 AM)

Jun 13, 2011, 7:57 AM

Post #11 of 22 (4756 views)

Re: [robt65] crossing border

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The problems I was referring to were not limited to Reynosa, but on Highway 40 between Reynosa and Monterrey. There have been more than a dozen incidents over the last year on both the autopista and the libre, mostly balaceras between the military and the cartels. There are ongoing problems now between the Zetas and the Gulf cartel in the area south of the autopista/libre in General Teran and Montemorelos.

Again I think the risk for any particular individual on a particular trip is slight but where cartels are actively fighting each other and the military is trying to engage both sides more open violent incidents are going to occur. To use the popular analogy we have used here, there are more black beans in the jar for these areas.

jreboll

Jun 13, 2011, 8:37 AM

Post #12 of 22 (4743 views)

Re: [Altahabana] crossing border

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I don't know if this has be brought up before but I would be interested in knowing what car/truck model and year is least likely to be hijacked and which do you think is most likely to be hijacked? I am just wondering if there is anything one can do to be less noticeable or less of a target.

chinagringo

Jun 13, 2011, 9:45 AM

Post #13 of 22 (4725 views)

Re: [jreboll] crossing border

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Some time back (4months or so), one of the Mexican Media outlets published a listing of the top 20 most popular vehicles for highjacking based upon numbers supplied by the Mexican Government. While I should have saved the link or report, I failed to do so. From memory, many of the vehicles were no great surprise - large sized pickups, larger SUV's and vans. It seemed to me that their priorities were: 1) Size to handle numerous passengers-for example, crewcab or 4 door pickups were the vogue while 2 door versions weren't on the list. Same goes for the larger SUV's or vans because of the capacity. 2) Also included in the report was the fact that they preferred new or fairly new and all the better if the vehicle had heavily tinted windows. 3) Flashy dark colors or expensive looking also came into play. 4) No sedans, small pickups or small SUV's were on the list.

While this topic has been touched on, it seems there is a growing trend among the youth to be a "Cartel Wanabee" by imitating some of the known cartel methods. I am guessing that while these are not the brightest of folk, they probably don't wish to draw the cartel's attention by infringing on their preferred vehicles. But they would like the prestige of pulling off successful highjackings. Thus some of the lesser vehicles may become the target of these gangs. Article on Wanabees:
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/06/los-zetas-hang-zetacuaches.html

So if I were to draw any conclusions, I would say a very dirty white colored or badly faded paint type vehicles with plenty of dents that didn't fit into the above profile would probably be best!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Rolly

Jun 13, 2011, 10:01 AM

Post #14 of 22 (4725 views)

Re: [jreboll] crossing border

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I have never heard of anyone hijacking a horse and buggy. Or a tricycle. Bicycles have been hijacked.

Rolly

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

(This post was edited by Rolly on Jun 13, 2011, 10:03 AM)

Jun 13, 2011, 12:09 PM

Post #15 of 22 (4687 views)

Re: [Rolly] crossing border

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I don't know Rolly . . . . . . . looks to me like that "trike" could be fitted with a .50 cal mount and some armour plate along with some run flat tires! (smiling)

robt65

Jun 13, 2011, 12:37 PM

Post #16 of 22 (4681 views)

Re: [jreboll] crossing border

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Hi jreboll,

In the past three or four years, I have been driving a 2005 Red 4X4 Chevy Tahoe, a GMC 2500 Crew Cab 4X4, and now a 2008 Beige Chevy Tahoe, all with a Rolla roof Rack and almost always, I have been pulling either a twin axle enclosed cargo trailer, a 2010 -32 foot Rockwood Windjammer Travel Trailer or have a mobility scooter on an electric lift on the rear of the vehicle, when I am not pulling one of the trailers. These are for sure not the cars to drive if one wishes to remain anonymous, but as a tall 6'5 1/2" (amputee) disabled vet, I do not have much of a choice. I need the leg room. If they want it . . . . come and get it . . . . . that's why I carry insurance. I have also been known to put a drawing of an apple I found on this site that basically says "No Mordita" on the windows of my vehicles; as well as running a front plate that says (in big letters) U.S. Navy and the rear plate which is a Disabled American Veteran Plate.

Still wannna ride along jerboll?

robt65

hunteradvisor

Jun 16, 2011, 4:03 AM

Post #17 of 22 (4536 views)

Re: [indianajulia] crossing border

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We use this blog to determine whether to cross, when and where http://m3report.wordpress.com/
Foreign and Domestic News Report
The National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers (NAFBPO) extracts and condenses the material that follows from Mexican, Central and South American and U.S. on-line media sources on a daily basis. You are free to disseminate this information, but we request that you do so in its entirety and that you credit NAFBPO as being the provider.
Isabel
www.RanchoSolyMar.com

indianajulia

Jun 16, 2011, 5:51 AM

Post #18 of 22 (4508 views)

Re: [hunteradvisor] crossing border

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Thanks to all for replies and information. Thought there are several postings on this subject I obtained quite a lot of useful information from this one.
www.thestarchildgallery.com

Jun 16, 2011, 6:30 AM

Post #19 of 22 (4498 views)

Re: [hunteradvisor] crossing border

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Hello hunteradvisor,

This is all very interesting reading. Thank you for the link. At this time it doesn't change my travel route, but as we all know, that can certainly change from time to time.

robt65

(This post was edited by robt65 on Jun 16, 2011, 6:33 AM)

chinagringo

Jun 16, 2011, 7:36 AM

Post #20 of 22 (4475 views)

Re: [hunteradvisor] crossing border

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While the M3 Report is on my list of reference sites, I find that the Mexico news is often a few days late. Their consolidation of the news from the US side of the border is quite extensive and often enlightening. They recently linked up with stories from the Narco Blog for some timely reporting.

I recently found a new-to-me site that can also be quite handy when attempting to stay current:
http://www.lapoliciaca.com/
The good thing about this site is that if you go to the right column, you can do a sort by State to get the current news from a given area.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

chinagringo

Jun 19, 2011, 8:03 AM

Post #21 of 22 (4291 views)

Re: [jreboll] crossing border

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While not a direct answer to jreboll's question about the most popular vehicles for highjacking, I found an article in today's online EL UNIVERSAL addresses car theft in general. Car thefts in Mexico rose 74% between 2004 and 2010. In the article, they provide the most commonly stolen vehicles:
"Agency's data revealed that the stolen brands are Tsuru, Pick Up Nissan Sentra, VW Jetta, Bora, Pick Up General Motors, Ford Pick Up, Nissan Truck 35 tons pegs, Pointer, X Trail, Civic, Volkswagen Sedan Silverado, Honda CRV, Ibiza Stella, Lobo, Chevy C and Platina."

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/finanzas/86080.html
In another article from INFORMADOR, it is stated that vehicle thefts in Jalisco are running 27 per day:

http://www.informador.com.mx/...r-dia-en-jalisco.htm
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

jreboll

Jun 19, 2011, 2:03 PM

Post #22 of 22 (4235 views)