payaso

Enjoy yourself down there! I never got the chance to climb down there but I have had lots of experience driving around the Mexico City area. The first time I drove through that city I was truly left with an adrenaline rush comparable to that of climbing. The police will always be a factor for you, especially if you have US plates or a rental car from DF. The person who paid $100 for a bribe is an idiot though. Way too much. Here's what you do. When you get pulled over (and you will) politely say you are very sorry for any infraction you may have incurred. Do not get pissed off, remain friendly no matter what. Also do not immediately offer $. They will want to have your drivers llicense. Normal procedure for an infraction in Mexico is to retain the license to ensure that you come down to the station some day to settle up. Since you will not be doing this, make sure to buy an international drivers license from AAA that you can leave with them. Also try giving them photocopies of the license. This has worked for me in the past even though they're not usually happy about it. Unlike a police encounter in America, you can completely take control of the situation in your favor down there. Eventually say you are once again very sorry and ask if you can possibly pay the fine right now. Try offering a small amount of money, no more than $10 US. After you agree on a price, act confused and lost (which you will be) and ask if he can show you out of the city in the direction you're going. I did this once and found it to be well worth the ten bucks to find my way out of that place. If you don't speak any spanish, just skip right ahead to the confused and lost bit and speak gibberish to the cop. Try a spoken word version of "Mary had a little lamb" or something like that over and over. They will eventually just get frustrated and let you go. Also have a copy of the bible highly visible by the dashboard. Whatever you do, don't give them your license, just give them a copy, or better yet the AAA disposable one. Good luck! I'm kicking myself for never getting around to going up Popo before it became active. Also the little town of Cholula would be a real nice place to base yourself.

Yes, I'm sure our trail fees are wisely being invested in the maintenance of these roads as we speak.

Just got back from a trip to Montana and had to post this. I was in the Glacier NP parking lot and couldn't find where the cartographers had hidden the magnetic declination for that area on the map. I asked one of the rangers nearby what the magnetic declination was and he said that "It's all about the same anyway." Not knowing and saying so is acceptable, but not knowing that it matters is not. What part of DC do these people come from?

I took WFR back in 93 in Bellingham through the ARC. Kelly Turner was the instructor and now it looks like he runs the show for AAI up there. This was a real first rate program and I would highly recommend it! I recently took MOFA from the Mountaineers and it didn't hold a candle to WFR training. Kelly was very knowledgeable and even trains you in the use of homeopathic rememdies as well. I would personally love to go back up there and take the refresher they offer.

I was just up there on monday and there are quite a few opening up on the field. With so many day hikers going up there, it's only a matter of time before one of them goes into one. Most people don't know what they're getting into. I had to jump one that was at least 3 feet wide. There are wands placed strategically near the best places to cross, but there is still potential to fall in.

One good way to get a pass is to volunteer 2 days of trail maintenance. No revenue is generated and everyone benefits from trails being maintained.

This article today seems very similar to the forest pass. How can they prove that the owner of the vehicle committed the crime?http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/local/34715_photo10.shtml

These tickets seem unenforceable because they are given to the vehicle, not the driver. The only reason you pay parking tickets is because you'll be going through that city again. Therefore I always pay them in Seattle, but probably wouldn't in say, San Francisco. Since the jurisdiction for the Forest Service is Federal, normal police will not know anything about these violations. Any lawyers out there know what the legal liabilities are between you and your vehicle? What if your roommate drives it up to Alpental and doesn't pay? Are you really responsible?

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