What does it take to ride into Mexico for the day?

 

passport for sure nowadays

 

if you are going because you have business down there...be careful. just doing it for ***** and grins? forget it.

 

Well they can't legally keep a citizen from entering the U.S. But if you don't have a passport you may be there for a couple hours or more while they check you out. Just did the walk around Saturday into Mexico and back at Lukeville to get the duty free alcohol. Just had drivers' license. Got back ok, with a minor hassle and warning. D/L info was recorded so next time won't be so easy. Took about 10 minutes before was allowed back in.

 

I've got the passport. I have heard that you need to check your bike in? Maybe that's if you plan on staying longer.

 

Nowadays, i hear ***** help...

 

I have some family from Mexico who haven't been back in years...LOL Yes they are here legally, Just won't risk going down there. Not the safest place, good thing is South Texas looks the same!

 

Don't forget 2 or 3 envelopes with $200 in each one - for the speeding tickets you will get.

 

Mexico is a friggin' war zone. Couldn't pay me to go down there.

 

As said, passport. There's a long list of visiting rules on the Mexican side, you're supposed to get additional permission for over either 3 or 5 days, but most folks don't know that and ignore it. The Mexicans don't track your time in and out across the border. Also the distance you can drive into Mexico; don't think you're going to wander a couple hundred miles into the country, get stopped, you'll have a problem; need additional permission for that (driving, not flying to resort towns). Don't even think about trying to carry a weapon - you'll tour a Mexican jail. Lot of more interesting places to visit down there.

I've visited friends down there occasionally, but have only done so by pickup truck. From Utah, I'd guess you'd be crossing from Arizona; that area of Mexico can get sand drifts across the roads, hairy to hit at speed with a car, would have to be really careful with a Harley; I've seen some you probably couldn't have gotten across. I pass Puerto Peńasco on the way to the friends' house, and this was about a mile from there a few months ago (not my pic, been a couple years since I've gone). I'm very familiar with this area. My friends could hear the helicopters and machine guns.



If you insist on some excitement, take a camera, don't tie loose items on the bike; if you have to, stop in Tucson or someplace on the way and store it for the crossing - you don't want to stay overnight anyway, unless you can make arrangements to have the bike securely locked up. ALWAYS have bottled water with you; it's critical that you don't put any local liquids in your mouth, not even to brush your teeth; parasites in the water will flush your innards out both ends like you've probably never done before - yep, I learned the hard way. Bottled water is available about everywhere down there, but you don't want to run out. Have enough on your bike to walk or wait several hours, just in case. Mexicans are mostly nice folks, even if you think they're trying to kill you on the road. They just trust their instincts more than traffic signs, and they're not playing demolition derby, they know they'll miss you by at least a couple feet - if you don't do something unexpected...

Was fun while it lasted, but to be honest, I don't feel a burning desire to go back.

And don't think I'm trying to be funny writing this, this is all serious.