Jack

 

Thanks for the reply. I know that you have been using a Class 8 truck to haul a 5th wheel as long as anyone and I respect your opinion. I have been looking all over the web for information about this topic and can't find anything good or bad. I would like to go to San Carlos since I have been there many times in the past for SCUBA diving and just to relax, but I have never been there since I bought the Volvo 780 to haul my 5er.

Maybe I'll get my pickup worked on and use that for another trip.

Thanks again for the response.

Dick Simmons

Mancos, CO.

I know this is an old string, but just to be clear, we are talking about MEXICO here, right? The one with drug cartels, kidnappings and beheadings? Why would ANYONE in their right mind want to go there? Close the post and let's go to Florida, Texas or California for our warm weather.

Well here I go again, every time I see a line like "Why would ANYONE in their right mind want to go there?" in regards to Mexico I have to respond. We've been living in Mazatlan for 6 months each Winter since we retired 3 years ago. We've owned a home there for 8 years so I think at the least my experience can shed a little light on how real life is in Mexico.

There are about 25,000 to 30,000 expats (Americans & Canadians) that live in Mazatlan as snowbirds or full time (most are in their right minds). We all come here for different reasons but for us it is the weather, culture and great food that keeps us returning.

As for the "drug cartels, kidnappings and beheadings" here are my observations over the past 8 years. For the first 7 years there were NO deaths among our community of 25,000 Americans and Canadians. Again that is NO deaths. That would seem to indicate that the danger is lower for our particular demographic (gray haired older people not involved in drugs or the cartels). This last year the expat community had it's first death, an old Canadian had taken a young local girlfriend and ended up dead. That seems to be more dangerous than the cartels.

A sad fact is that young males are involved in the very dangerous business of cartels (in the states we call them gangs). Another sad fact is that they have good aim and continue to kill each other. The good news is that it has no effect on us people just enjoying a good life down South.

The US State Department estimate that there are 1,200,000 Americans in Mexico doing as we do and enjoying our lives here. Most of us are "In our right minds".

By the way, there are several hundred RV'ers that come down and live in our neighborhood every year. Just down the street from us is one of the nicest RV parks that I have ever seen anywhere.

That's my opinion. But at least it is based on experience and not just rehashed news stories.