June Gloom - Finally sunshine!

The May Gray stepped right into June Gloom without missing a beat.  More of the dismal gray skies for the first two weeks of June and then … SUMMER!  Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Dayz of Summer!  It’s 80 F. on the beach and 116 in Borrego.  Skipped right past Spring.

Our only outings since the last blog are a couple bike rides around Mission Bay.  Nothing really blog worthy, except to mention the Mission Bay Dump Station is again open and the OB Pier is being repaired.

Fran lost a crown from one of her molars, so we were once again off to Washington Dental Clinic in Tijuana.  The western pedestrian crossing, PedWest, remains closed.  Thus, the east crossing at San Ysidro, is taking the full load of foot traffic.

It’s an easy crossing and we are waived thru immigration with no paperwork.  That’s a nice change.

It’s fun to tell the cabdriver we want to go to Washington D.C.  They all get the play on words and know the location.

I’ve blogged the dental facility a couple times already (HERE), but there are a few changes.

Streaming movies in English are still offered, as is free, very, usable WiFi and a fridge of beverages.  However, the Fanta now has a warning “No recomendable en ninos’; “Exceso Calorias”; Exceso Azucares”.  Too much calorie and sugar intake for kids, but served at the dentist office.  Hmm, we'll stick with water.

And their hand sanitizer contains hemp oil.  Yes, personal Marijuana is now permitted in Mexico, but cannot be transported across the border in either direction.  I Had to try the sanitizer to see if the ICE border dogs might notice.  They didn’t care.

Across the street from the dental office is the former Jai Alai Palace, which is now a music/cultural venue.  

Adjacent to the palace is Tia Juana Tilly’s, a nice place to enjoy a margarita with Fran, once her dental work is completed.

.

We took our time walking back to check out some of the renovated shops along the way.

A Hookah Lounge? 

On our return, we got a chuckle as outside the office was a wheelbarrow full of “dulces” – confectionary treats and sweets off all kinds.  

Washington DC provides a cab to return us to the border.  They pay for the cab to/from the border, another nice touch.  After about 3pm the border crossing line is shorter, but there are fewer border agents … it’s always a bit of a wait going north.

Today - June 15th, California officially relaxed its Covid and face mask restrictions!  The caveats are lengthy and confusing.  A more complete explanation is HERE, if you like to read the press release and limitations.

The county libraries have been open for a few weeks, while the city continues to keep its libraries closed.  It is possible to request books online and pick them up at one of the pickup libraries.  Our local library is completely closed, and the closest pickup location is the Pacific Beach Library.  This makes for a good excuse for a bike ride, and some days we choose to complete the loop around Mission Bay.

The view from the West Mission Bay Drive Bridge looking west toward Hospitality Point. 

This trip we stopped at the Seaforth Landing for an adult beverage.  It's nice to sit and be tourists once in awhile when the boardwalk is quiet.

On premise beer/wine was originally planned for the De Anza Revitalization, but alas the city reneged on that and failed to issue the required permits.  The Mission Bay Beach Club has become a snack bar and rental facility for beach toys.  :(

Grandgirl #1 graduated high school last week.  Congrats Kg!

HowTo FMM - Forma Migration Multiple

Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) is a document required by the Mexican government for all tourists entering the country.

It is easily obtained at the INM (Instituto Nacional de Migración) at the land border crossing, or online.

I prefer to fill out the form for both Fran and myself online and pay online.  I exit the browser between forms as it tends to remember entries from the previous form.

However, even once paid and printed the form is still not valid until stamped by the INM at the border. 

Below are the basic steps on filling out the FMM form getting the appropriate stamps.  It's how we spent our morning ...

The FMM application in English can be found HERE.

Select By Land and agree to the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of the page.

If using either of the two INM stations in Tijuana select El Chaparral as the Point of Entry.
Use the drop down calendar to select your arrival date.  Note select first the month and year, and then the date.  Once the date is selected the entry is completed.  Also note the selection is stored in the European format of Day/Month/Year.

I’ve added my comments to assist with the remaining questions.  There’s no secret to answering to them.  Disclaimer:  my entries below are examples only and not related to any actual person.

Forma Migratoria Múltiple Important: To generate your request disable pop-up blocker browser and check to have installed Acrobat Reader. It is essential that has an email account.
<jsp> magenta accent added as this is important!

Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM)
Entry Information
Means of entry*:
By land

Point of entry*:
El Chaparral
<jsp>  Tijuana

Date of arrival to Mexico*:
30/10/2019
<jsp> 30 Oct, 2019

Date of departure*:
29/04/2020
<jsp> 6 months from date of entry

Personal information
Name(s)*:
John David
<jsp> First and middle name/initial/space as it appears in your passport

Surname(s)*:
Doe
<jsp> Last name as it appears in your passport

Gender*:
Male

Date of birth*:
01/08/1985

Nationality (Country)*:
United States of America

Country of birth*:
United States of America

Identification document
Type of document*:
Passport

Document number*:
555123456
<jsp> passport number

Document number (Confirmation)*:
555123456

Country of issue*:
United States of America

Date of issue*:
03/06/2015

Date of issue (Confirmation)*:
03/06/2015

Expiration date*:
02/06/2025

Expiration date (Confirmation)*:
02/06/2025

Place of residence
Country of residence*:
United States of America

Address of residence*:
SAN DIEGO, CA 92123
<jsp> I only provide a city, state, zip.

Trip information
Reason of trip*:
Tourism
<jsp> I could select Other –> Health –> Dental.  But the FMM is good for 6 months and all of Mexico.  So again I am a bit vague.

State*:
Baja California
<jsp>  The FMM is good for all of Mexico, but we spend nearly all our time in Baja

Address in Mexico*:
San Felipe, BC
<jsp> Again a bit vague, but it’s never been questioned

Email*:
johndoe@example.com

Email (Confirmation):
johndoe@example.com

Verification code*:
Not readable verification code? Try another one
<jsp> Enter the Captcha shown in the graphic, or ask for another.

Save the form and review it.  If all looks good, be certain pop-up blockers are disabled click Submit. 

A new window will be opened for Payment.  Today I paid $588 Pesos (~$28 USD) each for our FMM forms.  Be certain to print your receipt.

After payment an email link from notificaciones-inm@inami.gob.mx will be provided to  download the FMM itself.  Download and print the FMM.  Both the Entry and Exit forms are printed on a single sheet of paper.  

Since no sharps, paper cutters, scissors etc. are permitted in INM, I crease the forms and cut them about 3/4 of the way apart – top toward bottom.  Thus the agent can see they belong together and tear them apart easily.

Take BOTH the bank receipt and the completed FMM to the INM office.  There the agent will stamp both the Entry and Exit forms.  The Entry Form is retained and the Exit Form returned.  I keep Exit Form in my passport as it is proof that I am in the country legally. 

To reach the border crossings for Tijuana, ride the Blue Line Trolley to its last stop at the San Ysidro Transit Center.  Or take I-5 or I-805 to the last USA exit at Camino de la Plaza.

Today we are driving south on I-5 to the 'Last USA Exit'

The cars behind the fence on the right is where we usually park for the El Chaparral crossing (PedWest).  Today we’ll go left to the remodeled San Ysidro crossing.

I turn left at Camino de la Plaza, then right and parked in a lot on the right.  The advantage of parking on the right is that it is a right turn from the parking lot, and another right at the intersection onto the northbound freeways.  A few lane changes to the left is I-5.

Across the street is the San Ysidro Transit Center.  Since the rework, the entry to Mexico is straight ahead past McDonald's, no longer a dog-leg to the left.

This is just a different approach to the same building.  Once inside the queue for FMM is on the right.  There were a few people ahead of us, but the line moved quickly.

Once in Mexico if you are looking for a taxi?  Walk on past the yellow cabs, they are not regulated.  At the end of the walkway are the regulated white cabs with their fares clearly posted.  

Note the return to the US is a walkway originating about where the blue cart in the picture is located.

Despite the new remodel on the US side, not much has changed south of the border.

The pedestrian line forms just east of the freeway.

The building on the right (circa 1930) is the previous pedestrian crossing.

The USA is straight ahead, SENRTI Card holders to the right, everybody else to the left.

I checked Border Wait Times and both the remodeled San Ysidro and El Chaparral/PedWest were reporting 10 minutes.  I multiply by 3, expecting a 30 minute wait ... it's almost an hour!

The new San Ysidro pedestrian crossing could really help with congestion at the border.  It has 24 inspection stations, but the day we were there on 4 were operational and the wait was almost an hour.  At least that’s twice as many as the old 1930’s station that had 2 stations.

I know many people chose to cross into tourist towns, such as Los Algodones for dental visits, without issue.  The same form can be filled out at the INM desk at the crossing, there is no charge if the stay is for 7 days or less.

I've been asked to show the FMM every time we use either pedestrian crossing into Tijuana and about half the time driving across in Mexicali (west).  I've not been asked when driving into Tecate.  I've also been asked to produce the FMM in San Felipe and Puertocitos.

Now we at least we now have all our paperwork in order, we're off for a couple weeks in San Felipe.  And SHRIMP!

Rufus Repairs - and a Caeser’s Salad

As I reported in my trip summary, Rufus came home requiring some repairs from the road trip this year.  The big issues were the need for a new converter to replace the 2-stage WFCO that came with the unit and the TV.  I planned to replace the WFCO 2-stage converter with a 4-stage Progressive Dynamics unit in the same space.  But it’s a tight 13” x 18” space under the pantry.


Oh my it is indeed quite snug in there!  A nice big service loop in the AC wires, but the DC wires are bango-string tight.  Their service loop is in the furnace compartment under the refrigerator. 

While disconnecting the power, I also disconnected the B.I.R.D (my Battery Interconnect Relay Delay) and the relay.  The purpose the purpose of the relay is to allow the coach batteries to be charged from the alternator with the engine running, or the chassis battery to be charged while plugged into shore power, or isolation when boondocking.  I noticed the coach (yellow) connections were not tight, hmmm.  But that is an issue with the lug that is physically too large seat over the isolation tab.



I replaced this three post relay (body is the ground) with a four post relay (separate ground post).  And the cable to the starting battery seats much better now.

I also pulled the Trojan T-105 batteries and noticed one was in pretty bad shape.  I’ve used Deep Cycle Batteries of El Cajon for previous projects.  If you’re in the area in the need of a battery replacement give them a call.  Their prices are competitive and they offer free delivery/installation for the greater San Diego area.


After unmounting the circuit breaker and fuses panels I was able to create a little more workspace to disconnect the old converter and wrestle it out of its hiding place.


My idea of using a fancy top-of-the-line Progressive Dynamics 4-stage converter with ‘Charge Wizard’  was completely dashed.  Just looking at the size of the boxes gives a good idea that more than a few modifications would be required to install the Progressive Dynamics unit.


In the end I took the path of least resistance and replaced the WFCO unit with another WF-9855.  It took a couple tries to wiggle the new unit into the original spot.


Oh and the TV?  Fran did not pick my fancy Blue Ray unit, but went with a 24” Samsung.  Much less expensive, but it has an AC power supply.  I’m concerned it may not hold up to the riggers of RV travel, but sure has a great picture!  The little blue box under the TV is the 150 watt inverter I choose.  I also added a DC distribution and 4-port USB adapter.  I like that it has a power on/off switch.



The tweaked entry door was easily aligned again with a few select wraps with a ball pein hammer. 

I did not take any pics of replacing the hinges on the upper bunk.  It was pretty straight forward, 9 of the 12 screws holding the bunk in place had been pulled loose.  After finding all 9 of the missing screws I simply replaced all 12 screws.  Time will tell if they will hold, if not I’ll borrow from Bill and Kelly's American Odyssey for a reinforced anchor point which might work just fine.

My last project was to again drop the combo oven, it as been making an operational rattle since I replaced the turntable motor last year.  There is nothing easy about this!  Nothing!  I used a jack to hold and transfer the weight.  While Fran and I lifted it off the anchor points.


With the cover removed I found nothing amiss, nor did Fran.  After I put is back together and it ran perfectly on the work bench.  Raised it back into place and it still ran fine.  ARG!

With these tweaks Rufus is ready for another adventure.

Time to celebrate!  Being on the road all summer we have neglected our dental hygiene!  Monday was a good day to return to Tijuana for a cleaning.  As I’ve mentioned before an FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is required to be in Mexico.  WHOOT WHOOT the form can now be filled out in English HERE!

Crossing the border on foot we are usually assaulted by taxi drivers.  TJ has now taken action on that with organized stands and posted prices.  Sorry no picture it was a bit of a shock!

With our teeth clean and bright we walked over to Hotel Caesars to finally celebrate with the original Caesar’s salad.  Opened in 1927 there is a lot of history portrayed on the walls.


Speaking of walls there is a TV in the restroom!  OK now that’s a first …


The salad is prepared at the table.


Yum! 

Tijuana Airport - HowTo: Cross Border Express (CBX)

I need to pick up my kid brother at the Tijuana Airport as his Snowbird season has come to an end.  Marty is a retired postal worker living in Tacoma, but has a home in Mazatlan as  his winter residence.  It’s much less expensive to fly in/out of the Tijuana and using the Cross Border Express (CBX) footbridge that connects Otay Mesa to the TJ airport.  

From home it’s easy to hop on I-5 south to exit 3, CA-905 East.


Follow CA-905 East 6 miles to Britannia Blvd.



The route is well marked with directional arrows on the light poles.


The CBX is not a free service - it is a toll bridge!, at this time it is $16 US one way!   Be sure to have enough US Dollars to cover that expense.  Or purchase your ticket, up to a year in advance online HERE.  To use the CBX bridge you must have a CBX ticket AND an airline boarding pass for a flight either departing Tijuana Airport within 24 hours, or having arrived within 2 hours.

There is ample parking, but the main lot is $18 per day!  Ouch!!! that’s out of line for a pick up, and there is no cell phone lot, as is available at Lindbergh Field.   The left lane is for long term parking $18 per day.  The right is for pick up and drop off.


However, there is a short term lot $5 for up to 2 hours , but better still street parking is readily available.  The best bet is to park on the street and wait for a text/call from the person you’ll be picking up and then circle the pickup area.


Once you’ve done this once it’s so very easy, much easier than the TJ or Otay pedestrian pick up.  I hope a reader might find this HowTo useful.  

A Google map showing the CBX can be found HERE.