Crossin'
the Border with Mexico:
I'm Semi-Back in the Saddle Again
By Don Adams © 2005
This one should be filed with your important documents. It’s a one-of-a-kind keeper. You RV folks up there in Texas are free to use parts of it on your website, just like you have a bunch of my other stuff, but it would damn sure be nice if you’d give attribution for a change. www.headformexico.com is my website. But you already know that.
In Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses we read of John Grady Cole and his young friends Lacey Rawlins and the luckless Jimmy Blevins ridin’ their mounts north and south across the U.S./Mexico border as though they were just roundin’ up strays from the outpasture. Of course that was another time altogether but we could all do the same today, and just as illegally, if we wanted to; and if we could sit a horse for the required time, but nowadays the only leather I want between me and a Mustang is a six-position padded bucket seat. Most of you are of a similar mind and state of physical deterioration so here’s part of my current version of the crossin’ saga.
But first…
My lovely young bride, Teresa Kendrick, is updating Mexico’s Lake Chapala and Ajijic: The Insider’s Guide to the Northshore for International Travelers. (www.chapalaguide.com) Just like rattlesnakes and bullwhips, sometimes book titles can be a bit too long to deal with easily so I think she’s planning to abbreviate it a bit on this go-round. She won’t be abbreviating the content, though. The book is no longer just the best guide to the area, and the only one sold internationally by Amazon and others ; it’s now an expanded guide, comprehensive phone book, and reference manual for both tourists and long-term residents.
A labor of love, the book is more of everything for everybody. Ajijic writer Dale Hoyt Palfrey has updated and added new information to reflect the changes in the area, Canadian geographer/cartographer Tony Burton has again contributed his excellent work, and Jocotepec-based writer Zophia Barisas explored that increasingly popular area and wrote a very detailed and interesting section about it.
In addition to updated reports on sights to see, how to keep the kids entertained, which places will tolerate your pets on the trip down, and a huge section on re-modeling, construction, and local services, it’s even more user-friendly than before. Hard to believe, but true. Again, check it out at www.chapalaguide.com.
As an example, for those who lean in that direction, Zophia tells us how to find the Jocotepec cathouse. I’m not talkin’ about Anita’s Animals in San Juan Cosala, I mean the real deal in Joco. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. And Teresa tells you the secret stop to ask for if you want your bus ride from Ajijic/Chapala to the new bus terminal in Tonala to be quicker, easier, and less expensive.
I’m mentioning all this because due to overwhelming demand; mostly mine, Teresa let me contribute a chapter to “The Ajijic Bible.” That section deals with my main area of expertise; gettin’ outta town.
Most of you know my research techniques usually follow a fairly standard routine; show up somewhere, find a cantina, buy a cheap bottle to share, and pay attention to the resulting conversations. This has proven to be a semi-effective way of figuring out what’s going on but it seems like I often get several conflicting stories about any subject. Usually from the same drunk.
Fortunately for you, Teresa demands a higher standard of research so I was forced to slog through sober and official sources to gather up the info I’m offerin’ here. This is a small excerpt from the new edition of her book, and I guarantee it’s the most complete list of official Ports of Entry into and out of Mexico that you can find. I would have visited each one individually to verify the information but I just assumed that my government wouldn’t lie to me. Again. I had to Lone Wolf McQuade the subject, looking at city, state, and federal websites to piece together this crossin’ quilt. Not a single source listed all of these together. Some are not even listed on the official U.S. government sites.
Note to the Texas RV people: Since you do almost no original research I’ll give you a clue here---the little Los Indios crossin’ your contributor was referring to is down there, or up there depending on which direction you’re headin’, by Roma, Texas.
There are literally thousands of places you can cross the border between the two countries; just ask the members of the Minuteman Project, but this list contains only those where you can take care of all your paperwork and enter or leave either country legally. That means you need access to Banjercito. The Banjercito facility operating hours at each of these ports of entry are 24 hours a day, seven days a week unless otherwise noted. Double check the times at smaller crossings as they may change occasionally. And at a few of these you’re not gonna find anywhere to buy Mexican auto insurance. Refer to Teresa’s book, or to mine, to find out how to do that before you hit the border. It’s easy, and fun for the whole family.
Now, here’s the list. Give me credit if you post it on your own website. Especially you Texas RV people.
Arizona
California
New Mexico
Texas
To see how long you might expect to wait to cross at some of the more popular
locations go to http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt
And there are real-time border cams at some of these locations but I’ll save those for another time, along with a lot of other info you can use for an easier entry and exit. Teresa and I hope this information is useful. You’ll find tons more invaluable stuff in our books.
As Roy and Dale used to sing, “Happy Trails to You.” Even you RV people up there in Texas.