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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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DAVAD K
GOOD MORN I JUST GOT UP TO LET LIL TASHA OUT!! CKECK THE WEB AND OF COURSE BN.....GREAT FOTOS LOOKS LIKE IT WAS A ROUGH TRIP...K&T
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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10-4, and rough is the way to go!
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Ged, your great photos should be in their own thread and not lost in this one, which has hundreds more photos coming...  |
David,
I only hope those photos encourage you to do that road. There is a small settlement at the top at "the pass". I have never stopped to converse, but
know that they have "Excellente ubicacion".
Don't believe everything you think....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Your photos are great and anyone seeking them will not be able to find them here as easily as if they were in their own thread: 'The Naranjas Road'...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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DAY 6: El Triunfo, San Antonio, Real de Santa Ana, San Bartolo, East Cape North
Thursday, July19th (Day 6): Today Bajatripper drives (I can use a break) and our first stop is to pick up some burritos for breakfast
on the road. We pull up in the village of San Pedro, about 15 miles south of La Paz and Zully orders several yummy treats for us. This seems to be a
popular item as others are doing the same for a meal on the go.
In a few more miles we climb into the tropical hills and arrive at El Triunfo, a gold and silver mine town born in 1862. The town grew to 10,000
inhabitants and was the largest town in Lower California for a short time. When a hurricane flooded the mines in 1918, activity had all but died here.
The Boleo Company (of Santa Rosalia copper mine fame) tried to get operations going again, but gave up in 1926.
The ore mill ruins and railroad bridges are interesting as well as the cobblestone streets in a now quiet town. We spend a lot of time looking around
and taking photos (see them below). It is sure great to have Steve as a historic travel guide! Too many things are missed unless you slow down and
take a closer look.
About 4-5 miles from El Triunfo is the older mine town of San Antonio, started in 1756 by a Spaniard named Gaspar Pison. He was a rival to California
first commercial mine operator, Manuel de Ocio who got a special permit to mine silver beginning in 1748, in an otherwise Jesuit controlled area.
Ocio’s ore mill was called the ‘Real de Santa Ana’ and is about 7 miles south of San Antonio. The church in San Antonio was built around 1825 and is
regarded as one of the best-looking colonial style church in Baja.
The Real de Santa Ana was shown to me by the late Jimmy Smith of Los Barriles, San Ignacio, Baja racing, and flying fame. Jimmy told me back in 2001
that the Real de Santa Ana was one of his favorite places to visit. It is special in that it is the oldest mining operation in all of California and
it took special efforts to get the Spanish Viceroy to over-ride the Jesuits’ power-hold over any foreign activity on the peninsula. Bajatripper had
attempted to find it in the past, so I was happy to give something special to him.
The access side road is only a couple miles down another dirt road off Highway 1, but a locked gate was soon reached, that wasn’t there 11 years ago
at my last visit. We found someone nearby with a key, and thanks to Steve’s fluent Spanish and sincere desire to visit the site only for its historic
importance, we gained entry and drove to the trailhead.
Located in a tropical arroyo with mango, plum and flowering trees, it wasn’t long before we arrived at the first mill structure, continued to the
second, then finally found the horno (oven) in which the silver was melted into ingots. While there, the sky darkened, and thunder and lightning
entertained us. Steve found a small pitahaya fruit and Elizabeth got to taste one for the first time.
Next stop, was San Bartolo which is perhaps the mango capital of Baja California! Mangos everywhere for sale and being dried and candied. We went
across the arroyo to a spring fed swimming pool, very popular in the warm days. Fresh water pours out of the mountain here and it is all put to good
use for the town and for recreation.
Next stop is Los Barriles, and we have lunch at a BBQ place called Smokey’s . This was the first time on our trip we saw more than one American family
in the same day, at the same place! Sadly, American tourism has dropped due to a combination of fear and economics. While I cannot do anything about
our lack of income, I will tell you that Baja California is not a place where any foreign tourists need to fear. Crime and violence are typically near
the border, on the mainland of Mexico, and between drug traffickers and law enforcement. Tourists are not a target, and you have a lot more to fear in
your own city, north of the border.
We now turn north, and follow the coastline on a dirt road, passing many beautiful homes (most for sale) and the Punta Pescadero Resort and airstrip.
The road deteriorates the further north we go. One stop to look at the beach we find a sea turtle nest and her track to/from the water, very cool!
We leave the coast and climb over a mountain and drop to the agricultural region of San Juan de los Planes. It is now dark, but we have a paved
highway all the way back to La Paz (BCS #286).
What a great day! More to come…
Now, the photos:
EL TRIUNFO:
Railroad bridge
Mine shaft… deep!
SAN ANTONIO:
REAL DE SANTA ANA:
Walking from the road down the arroyo to the 1748 ruins.
Wild mangos…
Taste great!
Pitahaya Dulce, the native fruit so popular with all who have lived on the peninsula.
We arrive at the mill ruins.
The horno at Real de Santa Ana.
SAN BARTOLO:
COAST NORTH OF LOS BARRILES:
Punta Pescadero airstrip and resort.
View from water.
A fresh water spring on the beach?
SUNSET near SAN JUAN de los PLANES:
More to come on Day 7...
========================================
[Edited on 8-17-2012 by David K]
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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As good friends as we are , David, you and can take equal trips, same driving time and distance, and we would end up seeing, reporting and
photographing two different aspects of the trip.
it's all a matter of a different point of view, huh, buddy?
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
As good friends as we are , David, you and can take equal trips, same driving time and distance, and we would end up seeing, reporting and
photographing two different aspects of the trip.
it's all a matter of a different point of view, huh, buddy? |
Are you saying (I hope) that is a good thing?
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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freaking awesome!! thanks f/sharing
HOLA,,guess its time I get a real camara!! thanks for the baja high/rush!!! weve had a abnormal foggy moning season around the monterey bay this
spring/summer and those photos let me work 7 days a week..I know Im returning to........................................B.C.S
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Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
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I'm an really enjoying your photos and report.... fantastic stuff!
The SAME boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It's about what you are made of NOT the circumstance.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
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Looking forward to seeing photos of St. Gertrudis. They tell me that grapes are grown there. I've been curious about the place ever since.
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Eli
Super Nomad
Posts: 1471
Registered: 8-26-2003
Location: L.B. Baja Sur
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Mood: Some times Observing, sometimes Oblivious.
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Great photo-journal, thanks for posting it David.
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Marc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2802
Registered: 5-15-2010
Location: San Francisco & Palm Springs
Member Is Offline
Mood: Waiting
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Fantastic report... as usual!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Si Señor, it is a good thing.
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
As good friends as we are , David, you and can take equal trips, same driving time and distance, and we would end up seeing, reporting and
photographing two different aspects of the trip.
it's all a matter of a different point of view, huh, buddy? |
Are you saying (I hope) that is a good thing? |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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elbeau
Nomad
Posts: 256
Registered: 3-2-2011
Location: Austin, TX
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I remember reading somewhere that the tall smokestack at El Triunfo was designed by the guy who built the Eiffel Tower. Something also rings a bell
about it setting a record for height in it's day or something. I could be mistaken, I'm almost 40 and I'm pretty sure I'm already senile.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
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Mood: up on step
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story is gustav eiffel designed it and local indians and italian bricklayers built it...the story i heard was it took years and years to build then
the locals decided to celebrate it's completeness with a party and musical instruments and the like and while partying the flute music fractured it
and it fell completely down and they had to start over....a local guide told me and my party that almost 20 years ago now...anyone?...anyone?...
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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That is a great story! I need to read 'The Adventures of Stickeen in Lower California 1874' by John F. Janes. It is #28 of the Dawson Baja Traveler
Series and about El Triunfo.
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Katiejay99
Nomad
Posts: 429
Registered: 9-3-2008
Location: Todos Santos
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Mood: it is what it is
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The locals around here say that when El Triunfo was going strong, the owners brought over Chinese as slave laborers and that is where the Chinese
heritage in this area came from. Their is a separate burial ground just for the Chinese workers. Did you go to the tombs?
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13196
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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this is so fun ! almost, repeat, almost as good as taking the trip !
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Katiejay99
The locals around here say that when El Triunfo was going strong, the owners brought over Chinese as slave laborers and that is where the Chinese
heritage in this area came from. Their is a separate burial ground just for the Chinese workers. Did you go to the tombs? |
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Bajatripper
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3148
Registered: 3-20-2010
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
story is gustav eiffel designed it and local indians and italian bricklayers built it...the story i heard was it took years and years to build then
the locals decided to celebrate it's completeness with a party and musical instruments and the like and while partying the flute music fractured it
and it fell completely down and they had to start over....a local guide told me and my party that almost 20 years ago now...anyone?...anyone?...
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I've heard the Eiffel connection, too, but haven't been able to confirm it with anything official.
Not likely that local Indians had much to do with building it, though, since they were pretty much wiped out by the time El Triunfo came online in the
mid-1800s. Perhaps the "locals" were Yaquis brought over from Sonora, they've had an extensive presence in these parts dating back to the Jesuits, who
used Yaqui warriors to put down the revolts of the Pericu and Guaycura during the early 1700s.
If they don't something about it soon, it will likely come tumbling down at some point in the future, there's a wicked crack working its way down from
the top. You can see it in this photo if you look with care. That would be a real shame.
There most certainly is but one side to every story: the TRUTH. Variations of it are nothing but lies.
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