I sure hope this gets done and out of here.

Went to CBP today to get permission to take my computers to Mexico and bring them back with out paying a duty. CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION FOR PERSONAL EFFECTS TAKEN ABROAD

I also needed a Customs Declaration. They couldn't find one. So this CBP guy across the room says you don't need one for a private plane. I have heard I do need one. What do you say?

I could have made a scene but didn't feel like harassing grandma who was helping me. I wish I had a picture of her. Bullet proof vest, gun, 4 clips, hand cuffs, mace, tazer. It was all I could do not to say something.

Good day

Customs declaration form? Permission to bring your lap top? You are putting too much work into this trip. When I clear US customs in Oroville, WA and am asked what I am bringing back from Canada, I say what on earth would I bring from Canada that I could not buy in the US cheaper?? Maybe a hockey puck? Turns out it is Ice Wine. Whoope, a sweet dessert wine that I have no interst in.

Coming back into the US from Mexico is about the same. No drugs, no problems. I have cleared customs in Calexico at least 150 times and most of the time the only reason I go into the office is to go the head. It is totally a non event. Rob, you are going to have a ball. For those that are afraid of Mexico, it is best that you stay home. If your idea of a fun night out is stumbling around drunk outside a titty bar on Sat night, you might get a lesson you should have already learned. Gump has it right, tourists=less than bright actions lots of the time. See ya in awhile. FF

Have a great time Rob! Very jealous. Don't know about crossing into Mexico, but I did my first Canadian flight last year and it was a breeze at Bellevue. It was really easy landing at Campbell River, BC. Just call them, I never even meet with any Canadian officials.

I lived with my dad down in Ensenada in the 70s while he was making rain. A house with stables on the beach. Flew my own aircraft up and down Baja in the 80s and 90s surfing, camping, fishing. I really liked the adventure, remote backcountry flying, people, Spanish mission architecture. I find it interesting the posts about guns. We would almost always have a gun, sometimes a hidden handgun, or if it was rifles we would just leave them out. If asked by Mexican customs if we had guns we would declare them. Standard survival gear at the time. I never had a problem. At one point we had 400lbs of rifles and ammo, my relationship with the Mexican black hats was pretty good then. Flew in and out of Laguna San Ignacio as a FO doing beach landings in a DC-3. Nothing out there at the time, just whales and tents. Handheld GPS had just come out and I built our own approach because there were no nav aids. Even had to use it a couple of times. Now a story about Americans worried about Mexicans stealing there airplanes. While Im flying DC-3s in Mexico the owner of the DC-3s son steals a Mexican Generals MU-2 XB out of Long Beach and is flying it around the US. The General doesn’t report the theft because he is hiding the aircraft in the US for his retirement. Now the DC-3 Captain I am flying with went to prison in another country for smuggling drugs, escaped from that prison and was still wanted by InterPol at the time. The DEA are watching us in the DC-3 and start tracking the MU2. They grab the son in the MU2 and interrogate him for 3 days (not his first time). The DEA claims that his dad and I are smuggling drugs North across the border in the DC-3 and he is distributing them in the MU2. I can see how they came up with that conclusion. He explains to them that he is not a drug runner, he is just a thief. I liked Mexico but I live at a little faster pace. It was always an adventure.

Great story Skydive206, thanks.

The SPOT will be on.

Leave Saturday for socal. Tuesday March 1 for Mexico. Tuesday March 8th half way back to USA. Wednesday March 9th back to Bermuda Dunes. Then a few days later back to Oregon.

Cheers...Rob

Have a good trip Rob, give Ford a big kiss for me. Take lots of photos.

Rob,

Have a safe trip.
Don't stop for any road blocks.

No way I'm crossing that border without a gun. And since they prohibit that, reckon I'm not welcome there.

Since they like tourist dollars, perhaps the best approach is to make sure they know you are in that catagory: A T-shirt, "RICH, UNARMED GRINGO" would be good.

I was at Nova Vicosa Brazil back in 2001. Beautiful beach, Tiki bar, and palm trees. After a couple of hours, I was ready to leave. Just thinking about it is good enough as I pot around here at home.

Maybe something similar for Mexico in the future. A friend of my sister retired in this country and is now working in Bahrain at the airport. She is keeping her friends updated and posted this. I think it is taxpayer money doing this so is better to spend abroad and not here.

The US has also acquired land here where they have been working to base the Middle East Base against Piracy. A little late for those poor four Americans just off the coast of Somalia on their way to Oman. That is not that far from us and we traveled to Oman our first year here. The Country is beautiful.

Lets talk pirates. I'll start a thread in Hot Air.

Go away snow. wx man says sun Saturday. We will see.

Thursday

Glad the wx forecast is looking better Rob, I will enjoy watching your SPOT track move throughout the country.

We expect a full blown write up when you get back.

Wheels up 7AM SPOT will be on. KTTD KOVE get gas to KDLO more gas, to Big Bear L35 more gas, if clouds say yes, to KUDD. Arrive at 5PM

Cheers...Rob

"KDDT, KOVE, KDLO,M KUDD", gawd, it will take me longer to decipher this stuff than for you to fly it!!!!

FloatFlyer wrote:"KDDT, KOVE, KDLO,M KUDD", gawd, it will take me longer to decipher this stuff than for you to fly it!!!!

I'm headed south

1 stop down, many to go.

Keep on cruising Rob.

mountainmatt wrote:1 stop down, many to go.

Keep on cruising Rob.

Going to get interesting down by Bakersfield.

QMDV you see me buzz your farm?

Zoom Zoom

Hi Rob,

Looks like you might have flown an approach into bakersfield, how was it.

Thats were I picked up my piper when we bought it. My first flight was into Vegas after dark. Pretty awesome experience!

Cheers

Paul

Edit..I guess you've arrived at Fox rather than Bakersfield, I guess didn't zoom in enough.

Rob: I hope you aren't stuck at Fox Field!! No rental cars at the airport, maybe you can get one from town. I got there on a Sun in Oct on my south and could not get into Van Nuys vfr. Went back to Fox field and borrowed approach plate/inroute chart and relaunched only to find out my G/S wasn't working. Spent the night at Bermuda Dunes. Good luck. FF

Yep stuck at Fox. I bobbed and weaved but couldn't squeek into Palm Desert. Tomorrow. The storm will be gone. Got the free shuttle to Holiday Inn.

If I were half as good as Gump I would have plowed into the clouds at 50' AGL. But I am to much of a chicken for that.