We are Daniel & Robin Welsh. I'm 73, my wife is a few years younger. I'm a retired commercial artist and she  a teacher. Back in the 80's we had several trailers, and a 28 ft Winnebago motorhome.  We took a RV hiatus until May of 2017 when we bought a used Neismann Bischoff motorhome in Germany and travelled Europe from Montenegro to Portugal, Spain to Wales and everywhere in between for 17 months.

So someone told us about Escapees when we were in a campground in England and we just joined recently.

Back in the early 80's I went all over Mexico and have thought about going down there again. We especially were thinking about going to San Miguel de Allende.  Are there ever any groups that go into Mexico as a caravan of 2 or 3 RV's?

I wagon master for a company that does caravans. San Miguel is a stop although I much prefer nearby Guanajuato.  Caravans de Mexico is the only company running english language caravans deep into Mainland Mexico these days. You can safely RV in Mexico on your own, but a caravan the first time is not a bad idea.

Contact this chapter of Escapees:

http://mexicanconnection08.com/

  On 11/29/2018 at 8:30 AM, telcoman said:

I wagon master for a company that does caravans. San Miguel is a stop although I much prefer nearby Guanajuato.  Caravans de Mexico is the only company running english language caravans deep into Mainland Mexico these days. You can safely RV in Mexico on your own, but a caravan the first time is not a bad idea.

I've known this guy (telcoman) for almost 14 years and have "caravan" traveled with him on his first Mexico tour about 5 years ago (or was it longer)?  He knows travel and I would recommend his expertise.  He probably hesitates to capitalize on this forum for commercial purposes, so let me do it for him.

The organized caravan seems expensive but it is a good value.  All the work is done for you except the driving.  The Mexican Auto Club (called Green Angels) accompanies caravan travel - providing emergency service if needed, and blocking traffic in the more urban areas to allow passage of the caravan.   

While one cannot pick the group that travels in the caravan, everyone is like-minded when it comes to RV-ing, exploration and adventure.    It's a lot of fun and the more I think about it, I might do it again next year.

Here's the website:  https://www.mexicorvbuddies.com/index.php
See you on the road. . .

Thanks for the plug Rich. I no longer lead any personally myself although I often help take people out and end of season, many want to extend trips, so I have done that. I had a very serious accident in Canada in June and I am still a bit nervous driving an RV (see Rollover ). Gabriel was with me and we both survived with just whiplash and concussions. Anyone in the back seat would have been killed as it was really flattened. Worst thing was the engine was still running, I could not reach the key and one of the propane tanks on the hitch had been compromised. I could smell propane very strongly. It took a minute to get my belt off so i could switch it off. Terrifying.  Had to go get pysch help after that, lots of nightmares. Good thing was the dash cam absolved me of all blame. I have now bought a Cruise America rental return Class C which I intend to store in Villa Corona starting in 2020. This year is a shakedown trip and I am noting things I need to work on over next summer, before I do that. It is very low slung so I have to drive it carefully down here, but it will likely only be driving between Guadalajara & Melaque each season. I have scraped the generator exhaust pipe a couple of times. If I lead another caravan it will be in a pickup truck, using rooms. I probably will do that for the  total solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024 in Mazatlan. There are already dozens interested in that, they will need lots of wagon masters. it will be total from Celestino down to Teacapan, and also in Durango. Maybe you 2 would be interested? Probably do some including copper canyon and some not.

The caravan company owner is a good friend, I even had his son (Bernardo) with me for summer to learn English. I still help him with his website and do some scouting for him and help his customers with all the paperwork. You have to  stay busy when your retired or you're dead. There is a 3 month Yucatan loop in Jan 2020. I have led 2 over that route myself, and Kevin & Ruth Read did one last spring. A lot tougher with more dry camping, but sure interesting. We got into remote ruins hardly anyone goes in to, like Calakmul. Besides the previous customer discount you are entitled to, we could probably use Sylvia as a translator and Spanish teacher on that one, as the Wagon Masters are just learning Spanish.  They are fluent in English & French. Mike & Louise. Mike is retired RCMP. They are leading an Airstream caravan this season. First Airstream caravan into Mexico in decades. Silver sausages they call them down here.

Thanks eveyone for the info. I will definitely check out those leads.

We have been traveling to Mexico for over 35 years and also to Guatemala Central America and even to Argentina for more information www.adventuretrekcom

Information on maps road logs hand border regulations

Mexico, in my opinion and in the US State Dept's opinion, is unsafe to travel in. Read this 21 dead near border

add to this the massacre a couple weeks ago of the Mormons including children and infants. There is unending open warfare.

The country is out of control. Their government says they are going to tame the cartels with 'love' not guns. They are so corrupt that they cannot beat the cartels back. President Trump has justifiably classified the cartels as terrorists.

The place is an out of control war zone and anyone who travels down there is asking for trouble. May as well travel to Syria

Edited December 2 by agesilaus

Yes Mexico does have its problems most by the border areas but once you’re past that area and in at least a day in the Mexico conditions are much better.  We have traveled Mexico for over 35 years spending six months or more a year in Mexico traveling with trailer camper and motorhome.  
our last 10 years we have spent mostly on the east coast of Mexico traveling by way of Veracruz crossed the isthmus and down into Guatemala also traveled many times to Costa Rica and Panama central America has much cheaper fuel and better highways than Mexico.

There is a great camping resort in Guatemala called AUTOMARISCOS Located between the coast and Guatemala City on Highway CA9, this is a full-service campground with hook ups and natural hot spring resort pools Jacuzzi and sauna’s.  Most of the campers we’ve met here are either German or French Canadian.

If you need anymore information please PM me

  On 11/30/2018 at 12:32 PM, Daniel2 said:

Thanks eveyone for the info. I will definitely check out those leads.

Since this person asked his questions just over a year ago, I highly suspect that his travel is well along if it hasn't been completed. Daniel2 last signed into the forums on Dec. 12, 2018. 

QUOTE:

Mexico, in my opinion and in the US State Dept's opinion, is unsafe to travel in. Read this 21 dead near border

add to this the massacre a couple weeks ago of the Mormons including children and infants. There is unending open warfare.

The country is out of control. Their government says they are going to tame the cartels with 'love' not guns. They are so corrupt that they cannot beat the cartels back. President Trump has justifiably classified the cartels as terrorists.

The place is an out of control war zone and anyone who travels down there is asking for trouble. May as well travel to Syria

I am guessing you don't live int he United States or you never read a newspaper.

I live 6-7 months a year in Mexico. Over the last 12-13 years I have driven the entire country with no issue nor have I seen any issue. It is pretty much calling the kettle black to point out dangers in Mexico when people in the US are beinbg shot to death at random in Walmarts, at country music concerts, movie theatres, schools, and county fairs. Heck even in Canada last summer 2 RV'ers were murdered in Northern BC. The Mormon incident was bad, but these folks were interferring with cartels in a remote cartel controlled area and were targeted. That is the big point about violence in Mexico, it is largely targeted, while a lot of violence in the US appears to be random. You can generally avoid being a target, you cannot avoid random. To be honenst I feel less safe in Europe than I do in Mexico with the increase in terrorism. I spent the last 2 summers there. I was in London during the first London Bridge incident (the other was this week) and I was in France when people were ploughed down there by  truck. You are now reminded of it by armoured vehicles blocking streets with access to tourist attractions

BTW the couple murdered for their RV in Texas in late October were killed by Americans, not Mexicans, they just drove the RV into Mexico to try and dissappear. Someone in the facebook group I admin, where I posted theri info, recognized them and reported them to the Police who very quickly shipped them back to the US.

I guess if you want to be safe you can stay in your house, but then again you may not be safe there. Living in fear is not living.

Don't be scared to RV in Mexico, 1000's of us do it every year. Just stay away from drugs and people who are involved in them

BTW here is where I am right now, near Guadalajara:

Edited December 2 by telcoman

Kids walk to school in Mexico - just like the use to in the old days in America.
Americans are gripped in fear.  It's the media.

We put our 5 year oid grandaughter in preschool down here 2 years running. Statistically she was a lot safer than she would have been in a US School.

OK next item

I don't recall hearing about shootouts in the US where the criminals are allowed to win and to recover arrested criminals from jail. They took police hostage and were allowed to walk away as winners. Can you imagine that happening in NYC for example? That happened a few weeks ago in Mexico. In the El Paso area?

And I don't recall massacres of scores of citizens by the police, like happened in southern Mexico.  Or this in Coahilla.

Or the fact that 130 politicians have been killed down there: link

Or here is a whole series of links.

So do not even try to compare that War Zone to the US.

Whatever the circumstances, dead is dead like hundreds of school children all over the US, Walmart shoppers in Texas, concert go'ers in Vegas. All still dead (including a friend of mine in the Vegas incident). And has it stopped? No. So obviously the laws and police in the US are not doing a very good job at it,  just as in Mexico, as mass killings happen nearly every day in the good ole USA. The only diference I see, is that you generally have to have a good reason to be shot in Mexico, not just doing your weekly shopping at a Walmart or enjoying a concert with friends (If you can call Country music enjoyable). I am not kidding when I say I feel a lot safer down here in my RV than I do in many parts of the US. I was a block away in Tucson when Gabby was shot, that was a wake up call. I certainly feel a lot safer than I do in Europe these days. Regardless I did not work 35 years to spend my retirement in a kevlar vest on my couch. I have actually become so fond of this country I am taking out resident status next month. I like a country where teenagers sit in the town square with their parents on a  Saturday night rather than hanging around a 7-11 making mischief, and where people see you stopped for lunch on the roadside and stop and ask you if you need help. Last time I saw that in the US or Canada was in the 1950"s. Most Americans have a very distorted view of this country. Selective blindness, focusing on bad incidents here while ignoring all the crap that happens every day at home. Even in the Vancouver area of Canada where I live 1/2 the year, there now are weekly killings related to drugs, often in very public places. the world is a dangerous place, but living in  paranoia, is not living.

Regardless, it is a personal choice. if you you dont feel comfortable, stay at home, but don't tell the rest of us where we should or should not go., unless based on personal experience.

BTW, I have been to Syria and Afghanistan ( I do not recommend either at this time, no comment on Somalia as I have not been there)

Also, Canada now has a travel warning out about the US.

Edited December 3 by telcoman