Across the border!!~!

Crossing the border was a little daunting, especially from the U.S.A. side. Those homeland security-appearing guys with long high-powered automatic rifles hanging on their sides or off their backs, dressed completely in black with their black sunglasses that reflect your imagine, halt the truck.

They will not allow me to pass unless I agree that the truck be x-rayed. Or I could take everything out for them to look thru. I've done that crossing the Canadian border many years ago when I only had a pickup truck full of boxes of antiques, camping equipment and an African-American girlfriend - and they just knew we were drug queen pins.

I concede to the x-ray. She lets me go thru.

When I cross into Mexico, the next police wants to see my registration and jumps inside the back to half-halfheartedly inspect my clothes hanging across the back of the truck, and open a few boxes. He lets me go. I am embarrassed when he asks if these are all my "ropas".

Less than 10 miles down the road is a roadblock and inspection station. I pull into the empty lane as I don't want to line up behind tons of trucks. At first the young officer wants me to go back and stand in that line.

Then he tells me this one time he will let me go ahead. I have to pull over and get a visa to travel in Mexico and a permit for my truck. $35.42 plus $22.09 dollars later, I have the proper papers that will last 180 days.

Now I have reached the first major town Carboca(?) and have found the internet cafe. $1.00 american for 1 hour - or 10 pesos for an hour.

The roads are fabulous. The desert is huge with palo verdes, mesquites, organ pipes cacti, mountains and valleys. The weather is perfect.

On I go...