Mexican Connection Chapter 8

This question has been asked recently by many people, especially in light of the current and increasing physical violence along the border and within Mexico. Chapter 8 The Mexican Connection wants to make it clear that neither Chapter 8 nor the Escapees RV Club provides liability coverage, and everyone traveling into Mexico must provide their own insurance for travel, medical, and emergency evacuation coverage.

The decision to travel in Mexico implies that those members assume all risks to themselves and their equipment. This has always been the policy of Chapter 8 The Mexican Connection and the Escapee RV Club.

There is risk to traveling in Mexico, as there is risk in traveling anywhere. The question is, how much risk? And is it a level of risk you are comfortable in assuming? Your individual comfort level is the key. Some travelers are comfortable in assuming more risk than others. At the beginning of Rally registration and through the pre-Rally, Chapter 8 strives do a good job in laying out its travel plans, with as much detail as required, so that individuals can make a decision to go or not to go. But all participants and Chapter 8 representatives need to be careful because no one in Chapter 8 has the power to "guarantee" or offer "assurances" to any fellow traveler that they will be safe and comfortable. To make the trek into Mexico is a decision each traveler must make for themselves.

When planning rallys, the Wagonmaster is always thinking safety and comfort. Our important planning guidelines include the following: We never travel at night or for long periods during the day where folks might become fatigued. We always travel in groups of 7- 9 rigs. If someone has trouble, the group stays together until the problem is solved. You are not left alone to deal with it. We always avoid city congestion by going around, whenever possible. Where we do encounter congestion on our routes we can often arrange a police escort. We take the major toll roads versus the two lane country roads. The campgrounds where we stay provide security. Generally, Chapter 8 can only estimate the anticipated risks that fellow Escapees traveling into Mexico will encounter.

It is important to remember that travel in Mexico with an RV is different than in the USA. We travel toll roads or major highways, if available, but there are many roads we travel in Mexico that are narrow and without shoulders. Some areas do not easily accommodate the typical 40 ft rigs, whether its on the roads or RV parks. Driving hazards along the highways commonly include serious topes (speed bumps), donkey carts, bicyclists and pedestrians, low hanging wires, absent or confusing signs, border or immigration or agricultural checkpoints, no ultra low sulfur diesel, etc, etc. Discussion of these items and many more occur at the pre Rally.

The Mexican Connection Rally begins at the pre Rally in the USA and always ends in Mexico. There is no planned return trip out for attendees. The Wagonmaster encourages and provides signup opportunities at both the pre-rally and during the rally for people to arrange with each other to travel together straight back to the states, or if they choose, to travel farther into Mexico. We strongly encourage that these groups be made up of 3 or more rigs to travel together. This decision again is based on each person's degree of experience in Mexico travel and their personal level of comfort and experience of the people with whom they will be traveling.




Follow this LINK to the Mexicanconnectio08 website and click on the appropriate headings to view the PDF files. This is a very large website with a great deal of Mexico travel information.