COWBOY COUNTRY

Really, the words do not exist to describe our trek to the mountains past San Ignacio to visit over 10 ranchos. Our destination was Rancho Las Tunas, where one of the students, Alexis, being sponsored to go to college, lives. It is one of the last ranchos, extremely remote. Getting there took us 7 rugged hours but was worth every single second.


We were going to be guided by Guero, a politician, and his wife Tuly. They were dropping off much needed provisions the gvt. was sending to these outback cowboys and their brave wives. Since we were to meet in San Ignacio, we had breakfast at Rice and Beans since we were on American time and they were, obviously, on Mexican time!



PICS FROM RICE AND BEANS IN SAN IGNACIO:








ALL MADE OUT OF TIRE. QUITE COMFORTABLE TO SIT ON. BRILLIANT IDEA:







CLAY OVEN AT THE END OF THE OUTSIDE EATING AREA:








ON THE WAY TO THE RANCHOS, REX WENT WITH US:







SAW THIS LOVELY PLANT AND PLANNED TO GRAB ONE ON THE WAY BACK (THIS IS NOT BIOSPHERE) UNTIL I WAS TOLD IT IS LIKE POISON IVY.....NO THANX:






Here are some of the pics from the ranches. They all produce cow milk cheeses that are like cream cheese and melt in your mouth. Some make leather goods by hand. Some sell goats and cattle. Some have vegetable gardens ( in my opinion, they really should expand this since they are ridiculously far from any store) and all have pretty flower gardens, sometimes with an area set aside for medicinal plants.



FRUIT TREES AND THEY GAVE US A BABY LEMON TREE:











SHOULD BE A MOVIE BUT THIS IS REAL:




















MUCHOS GOATS AND THEIR BELLS CLANG ALL NIGHT:









HOMEMADE TORTILLAS, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY. I TOOK A VIDEO AND WILL POST LATER:






ONE OF THE RANCHES HAD GRAPES THAT SHE COVERS SO THE BIRDS DON'T EAT THEM. THEY WERE SWEET.







SHE WAS BUSY COOKING UP BIRRIA AND WASHING UP, THIS WAS A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE RANCHO:

























THEY HAD BOUGHT MINIATURE COWBOY BOOTS FOR ONE OF THE LITTLE ONES!










THESE ARE THE INDIAN ARTIFACTS FOUND IN THIS AREA OF BAJA









SOME PICS ALONG THE CAMINO (WAY):

THIS TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE NOT TOO LONG AGO AND ALL THE PROVISIONS THE GUYS WERE BRINGING BACK BURNED.....NO ONE WAS HURT....I DID SAY THIS WAS A RUGGED ROAD:





COPILOTS GET TO CLOSE THEIR. EYES WHILE THEY PRAY:







ABOUT HALFWAY OR THREE AND A HALF HOURS INTO THE TRIP, AT THE TIPPITY TOP OF THE HIGHEST POINT, IF YOU HAVE A SPECIAL GUIDE TO TAKE YOU, YOU PARK AND WALK TWENTY STEPS AND THERE IS A PETROGLYPH:











Tuly and I planned a trip to EL POTRERO. This is a mountain and at the top, some 1200 meters high, the French workers from El Boleo built huge corrals and stone water pilas as well as installed a huge pump for them, all this intended for supplying water to the cattle that they were shipping to France along with the copper. Martin, Alexis's dad and our guide up the mountain (the land belongs to his family) was a history book as he told stories of his grandpa taking the cattle across the mountain into Santa Rosalia. The trail we took, on the opposite side, is the original trail the French created. They hauled all the equipment and stones on burros, very narrow trails, it was a very difficult hike and if Martin hadn't carried my backpack with water, Ipad and snacks, there is no way I would have made it!

The hike took over two hours and the trail is so steep it zigzags. The experience was exhausting and exhilarating to think that I was literally walking on history. My 30 minutes of walking the dunes every morning really paid off!


HOW DID THIS GORDITA EVER MAKE IT.??





A STONE CANAL BUILT BY THE FRENCH TO DIRECT THE WATER:








THE PUMP TO SEND WATER EVEN FURTHER UP THE MOUNTAIN:





WATER FROM THE ENORMOUS PILA EL BOLEO BUILT:






THE SPRING WHERE IT ALL BEGINS, THE WATER WAS DELICIOUS,





A CORRAL WALL, NOTICE THE PALMS IN THE BACK, SOME BIRD DROPPED SEEDLINGS AND VOILA, HERE ARE PALM TREES WAY OUT OF PLACE:






OVERSIZED CACTUS - CAN'T EVEN GUESS HOW OLD IT MIGHT BE:







THE TENNIES TELL THE STRUGGLE,









In the afternoon, everyone sat around a San Ignacio wooden table and chairs, talked and sang while Martin and one of Alexis's other brothers played the guitar. Alex's mom, Lupita, made the most delicious meals and I was too busy eating to take pics......chicken and macaroni salad and beans - all on a wood burning stove.


MARTIN ON THE GUITAR





THE WHOLE FAMILY AND SOME FRIENDS. ALEXIS IS THE TALLEST KID IN THE BACK AND TO THE LEFT IS JAVIER, WHO WILL JOIN THE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM IN 2 YEARS:







Like I said, my words don't quite describe the love these families have for each other, the silence at night ( I had a hard time sleeping because there were no waves crashing), the simplicity mixed in with the complexity of making a livelihood. I thought of the Wild West - this life they lead is not so far removed and I take my hat off to them. I also understand now, WHY, so many La Bocananas, Abreojans, Asuncionans are passionate about "Mi Rancho". Seven hours again on our return trip, rugged, very rugged terrain with danger lurking on mountainsides and huge rocks in the arroyos with seemed interminable....it has taken me three days to recuperate!


THIS PICTURE SUMS UP THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE! HOPE YOU ENJOY THE RIDE AS MUCH AS WE DID:

..and delicious when cooked properly.

Great pictures and such an enjoyable and sincere trip report.

Wow!

MAPS

The general area on the AAA map... note the mission of Guadalupe location. The rancho visited by Blanca and Les is on the west side of the Sierra San Pedro, from the mission.




On the 2003 Baja Almanac, close up showing the ranches west from Mission Guadalupe...




On the 2009 Baja Almanac, look in the lower left corner for ranchos Las Tunas and San Pedro...

Thanks for the wonderful gifts Blanca ! What a life enhancing experience
Have fun in BA and more of you beautiful pics and stories Por Favor