HI skiri251, Thanks for the photos...ooooh gets me juices flowing! I think that your Eureka tent is awesome....and as you know, perfect for the job.
Baja is certainly one of the safer places in Mexico as it always has been. I recently crossed at the Mexicali/Calexico and other than being busy, it was fine. We came back from Baja through San Luis and it took an entire 2 hours to get through....I have crossed there in the past and it was fast. I think it is a result of our tightening the border....(I have traveled all over the world and when we came back from Guatemala after having crossed 5 borders between countries the US border was the worst experience of all and we were both born and raised here).... we have met travelers from all over the world who had heard the stories about the US borders and were skipping the US in their travels around the world.
My neighbor couple just got back from whale watching and beach sitting in Baja and went as far south as Bahia Conception. They had a ball and literally did not want to come back. They crossed at San Luis going south and Tecate coming back. Personally if I was crossing from SoCal I would use Tecate....in fact there is a nice little hot springs off to the east of the road heading to Ensenada. Once we camped there and were the only ones there. A old fella came along and wanted $4 for camping which we gladly paid. Of course as you know, it is extremely easy getting into Mexico and if you are only going to Baja Norte you don't even need a tourist card and in any of the states of Baja Norte or Sur or Sonora and Sinaloa you don't need vehicle import papers. Just your Mexican insurance.
I like your analogy about Mexico and the motorcyclist...exactly! I rarely say much about it since so many people seem to be all caught up in the news drama and what they "hear", unfortunately, never from someone who goes there or lives there. I actually keep myself pretty aware of the realities in Mexico but stay away from the conversation since folks who are afraid of Mexico will argue forever as to why they should be afraid and not go...tedious and rather sad to me.
I have many friends who have chosen to live in Mexico for the peace and serenity they find there. We brought my stepmom back with a broken hip when she was 92....she went down to the mountains in Mexico every winter from Vermont to the same hotel where she and my dad wintered for 30 some years...she was just about the last of their cronies left alive and she just passed herself 2 weeks ago at 94.
Anyway...I definitely encourage you to go....it is every bit as beautiful as you remember.....and the people are as sweet and kind as you remember....
Happy trails,
Brian in NM
Brian in NM