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Old 04-17-2019, 03:42 AM   #1
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Central Mexico in a Fiberglass RV?

in April 2024, there's going to be another total eclipse on the Sun, and IMHO the optimal place to watch it will be along a path[*] that goes just north of Durango and Torreon, Mexico. The Eclipse path actually goes from Mazatalan to Maine, but from the texas border on to Maine, the odds of clouds go up and up. In Durango and Torreon, its 90% probability of being clear on that date.

so... I'm thinking of trying to take my Escape down there with my F250 diesel. ideally, would like to caravan with a few more eclipse viewers, and maybe join an organized event somewhere on the path. Its too early for such events to be planned, but I know several groups are definitely going to do such.

I know we'll need mexican insurance, etc.

Not interested in 4th hand horror stories about crime there, in reality its safer than most US cities, except for a few border areas and parts of Baja.

Has anyone here traveled in that part of Mexico with their Fiberglass ?



(*) - https://www.eclipse-chasers.com/php/...p?TSE=tse2024d
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Old 04-17-2019, 07:55 AM   #2
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Maybe you're looking for more specific info than I realize, but I have friends who spend their winters in Baja in a trailer. I usually see them at some point during the summer so I can ask them what their experience has been. They don't have a fiberglass trailer but I don't see that mattering as much as possibly the specific location you're asking about. They've been doing this for almost 10 years so I'm sure they have some advice.

Good idea! I was lucky enough to be really close to the last one, and only traveled a little over an hour to see it. I think where I live was at over 90% totality, but my experience was that the difference between 99% and 100% was all the difference. No comparison. Sitting out with glasses on, watching a shadow on the sun and things dim maybe just a little, compared with actual darkness, a couple stars coming out, and being able to look right at the sun without glasses. Huge difference.
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Old 04-17-2019, 09:54 AM   #3
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No information, but I’m moderately interested in such a caravan if it happens. By then the kids will be off to college and our travel more flexible. I’ve never seen an eclipse but would love to. Convincing my wife will be a challenge, but with a group she might be more open.

Last RV trip to Mexico was way back in ‘87, and we went to the gringo enclave at San Carlos to do some fishing. Only hassle I had was getting back into the US. I was 25 and pulling a tent trailer with all our gear in the back of my truck, accompanied by the teenage son of a teaching colleague. We got separated from his parents and a couple of other teachers in a second vehicle at the re-entry station. The sedan was waved straight through, but we were directed to pull under the canopy for a search. Border agents had dogs out and were measuring the thickness of the pop-top roof. I think they were on the verge of disassembling my trailer looking for drugs before the rest of our party finally came back looking for us. Then all was well!
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Old 04-17-2019, 10:30 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
in April 2024, there's going to be another total eclipse on the Sun, and IMHO the optimal place to watch it will be along a path[*] that goes just north of Durango and Torreon, Mexico. The Eclipse path actually goes from Mazatalan to Maine, but from the texas border on to Maine, the odds of clouds go up and up. In Durango and Torreon, its 90% probability of being clear on that date.

so... I'm thinking of trying to take my Escape down there with my F250 diesel. ideally, would like to caravan with a few more eclipse viewers, and maybe join an organized event somewhere on the path. Its too early for such events to be planned, but I know several groups are definitely going to do such.

I know we'll need mexican insurance, etc.

Not interested in 4th hand horror stories about crime there, in reality its safer than most US cities, except for a few border areas and parts of Baja.

Has anyone here traveled in that part of Mexico with their Fiberglass ?



(*) - https://www.eclipse-chasers.com/php/...p?TSE=tse2024d







At first I thought you were getting into the planning early, but then I remembered I went to bed one night when I was in my 30's and when I woke up I was 70. It's that fast !!
A person can find trouble anywhere if they look hard enough, on a rare occasion they get lucky, but it's all in ones' attitude. I have frequently traveled the western side of Mexico . Once you leave Sonora State, you may require documentation, so take your passport....not so much to get in but later to get back into the US.



I usually spend a little time here each trip, San Carlos Sonora Maps | San Carlos Sonora Mexico
So much for the commercial..lol


If you enter in Nogales and then to Hermosillo and take Route 16 you'll get your fill of mountains and bad roads. Why do I mention bad roads, because it's just like every other secondary road on earth lol If you think the Nationals are looking at you a little strangely, remember they just aren't used to seeing a truck pulling a trailer...they vacation differently there.


You'll enjoy your trip, I only wish I could go with you





Mike in NS
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Old 04-17-2019, 11:20 AM   #5
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My husband and I have an escape 21, and would love to take it into Mexico (I spent some time as a student in southern Mexico) I am interested in a caravan. We were working at Craters of the Moon National Monument during the last total eclipse in 2017, and enjoyed the excitement of a total eclipse with several thousand other enthusiasts.
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Old 04-17-2019, 01:25 PM   #6
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I've been to Mexico for two eclipses -- 1970 near Oaxaca and 1991 in Baja Sur. Weather should be good then, and the only thing I'd recommend, since Torreon is very near the point of longest totality is to book something well in advance. Like a year or more. The science community will be there, not to mention the tourists. In 2017, southern Wyoming (best, clearest viewing) was sold out a year in advance. If somebody is going to plan a caravan, maybe arrange to book a whole trailer park or campground to be sure to have a place. Other than that, I think this is a great idea, and would be tons of fun to do!
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Old 04-17-2019, 02:20 PM   #7
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John,

That sounds like a great trip and I'd like to go too. We were in Sun Valley Idaho for the last eclipse and it was a fine experience.

I sailed my boat to Mexico in '95 and, after Baja, was on the mainland coast from Mazatlan down to Manzanillo and back. Since then I've made a number of trips camping, and one on dirt bikes, in Baja. It seems fuel is getting easier to get now that international oil companies have been allowed in and we don't have to find an open Pemex. It looks like a good place to cross would be at Presidio, TX on Hwy 67.

This sounds like a great trip, and with trailers, I don't know why we would need reservations, or even how to make them if we did. Have you checked into that at all? I'd like to hear more from one of the organized groups about reservations and such.

Getting insurance is not a problem and can be done easily here before going.
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Old 04-17-2019, 03:25 PM   #8
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Maybe after all the buzz about the last one, this one will draw more people. If you're looking to be in a campground, I agree planning well, well ahead (which you're obviously doing) is smart.

For the last one, I just drove down I-15 into Idaho, took an exit and drove onto public land. It was busy, but I had no problem finding an empty camp spot on BLM land. A lot of people just pulled into gas station and rest stop parking lots, and found plenty of space, while places like Jackson Hole were complete madhouses.

So I guess my point is that it depends on where you go.
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Old 04-21-2019, 06:56 PM   #9
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well, after posting this thread, I did a little research, and found this outfit, who's already planning to plan a trip, and contacted them to be put on their list.

https://www.mexicorvbuddies.com/eclipse1.php#

We'll probably do the mazatlan/durango short tour, although the 90 day Yucatan + Copper Canyons + Mazatlan thing sounds pretty awesome, too.
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Old 04-21-2019, 07:11 PM   #10
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John,

Thanks for the link!
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Old 04-22-2019, 07:21 AM   #11
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Great idea! I've subscribed to this thread.

Over on the Escape forum, "Ron in BC" took several fiberglass RV's in Feb from Quartzsite, AZ to somewhere on the Baja. You might PM him for some insight to traveling in Mexico.
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Old 04-25-2019, 09:04 AM   #12
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Eclipse caravan

We are interested. We might be going to Chile next year to see the total eclipse there. We've tented in Baja a few times.
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Old 07-05-2019, 05:38 PM   #13
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I got a bulk mailing email from Paul Beddows, who is organizing the 2024 Eclipse trip to Mexico.

His website is: mexicocaravans.com

Is this a different outfit from: mexicorvbuddies.com?

They want a $400. USD deposit, nearly 5 years in advance of the trip, to assure campsites with hookups! This seems like a very bad idea to me.

Any thoughts on this?
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Old 07-05-2019, 11:34 PM   #14
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I got that too. there is going to be intense competition for sites in Mazatlan, its *NOT* too soon to be doing this. We booked our sites in Madras Oregon for the 2017 eclipse several years in advance.

Raspy, the RVbuddies site has 'click here to go to our new site' that links to the Caravans site.
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Old 07-06-2019, 08:56 AM   #15
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We were thinking of going to the Maritimes, either northern PEI or more central Newfoundland as they will be under the total eclipse. I do worry a bit what weather will be like there in April though.

We will be doing a few different Mexico trips over the coming winters. Loved the 4 weeks we did last year on the Baja, the residents there are wonderful and lots of neat things to see. Definitely want to see a bunch of the mainland, so much cool stuff to check out.

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Originally Posted by EscapeBoulder View Post
Great idea! I've subscribed to this thread.

Over on the Escape forum, "Ron in BC" took several fiberglass RV's in Feb from Quartzsite, AZ to somewhere on the Baja. You might PM him for some insight to traveling in Mexico.
Actually, several of us took Ron as he needs to be constantly attended to. Of course I kid, I had talked to him a year earlier saying we were possibly doing this and he ultimately said he was most likely going to go again, so along with my brother and SIL we too committed. Two other trailers came along for the start of the trip as well. Ron was a great insight into getting started, and once down there we were able to get a pretty good idea what we wanted to do. I would love to do the Baja again too.
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Old 07-06-2019, 11:12 AM   #16
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Jim - Just noticed your profile indicates California? Did you move? (Maybe to be closer to Baja ... ?)
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Old 07-06-2019, 01:09 PM   #17
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Jim - Just noticed your profile indicates California? Did you move? (Maybe to be closer to Baja ... ?)
That was weird, I wonder how that changed. Anyway, thanks to your keen observation I have now moved myself back to Alberta.
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Old 07-06-2019, 03:13 PM   #18
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Darn! I thought we'd be seeing you at some California rallies!
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Old 07-06-2019, 03:46 PM   #19
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re 2024 Eclipse planning, this weather probabilities map explains my decision nicely...

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Old 07-06-2019, 05:37 PM   #20
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Darn! I thought we'd be seeing you at some California rallies!
That could still happen in the future.
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