I was paging through Facebook, skipping the clickbait like a little kid playing hopscotch. I ran across lots of comments on the Puerto Peñasco Friends page from folks wondering if it’s okay to bring an RV with 17 cats across, where to get the best cream cheese stuffed shrimp and who in Peñasco has a distributor cap for a 1958 Buick Roadmaster Riviera. Now, it’s possible that some of them are legitimate requests. But others are so lame they would make a Nextdoor troll blush. I asked Josh Bradley, a long-time frequent visitor, where he gets his information.

MIKE: Trial and error.

CAP’N GREG: You mean you don’t trust the Internet?

MIKE: Well, Cap’n Greg, there’s good info about border crossing times, what you can and can’t bring into Mexico, that sort of stuff. But when it comes to choosing a place to stay or eat or get a flat fixed, I shop around until I find those I like and trust.

CAP’N GREG: But what about first-time visitors who don’t have the time to experiment?

MIKE: If they are staying at a hotel or condo or renting a house somewhere, the owner’s reputation and repeat business depends on giving out reliable advice.

CAP’N GREG: So true. But what about those who say, Where’s the best place to eat or drink or stay?

MIKE: My humble opinion? In Peñasco, there is no best. It’s all good, to a certain degree. Even my favorite places in the States disappoint every once in a while, so “the best” here doesn’t make much sense. That said, consistency is the key.

CAP’N GREG: No surprises?

MIKE: Exactly.

CAP’N GREG: I’m not bashful sending my friends to the places I enjoy most, but eventually it all boils down to your strategy: Try a lot of places. Some will be stupid good. Some won’t quite measure up.

MIKE: Works for me, Cap’n Greg. Can I buy you a beer?

CAP’N GREG: Mike, that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.