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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3824
Registered: 2-9-2004
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Doing it with mules (Jan. 3-18 trip)
Always up for an adventure, Mike Younghusband (of Tecate to Cabo trek fame) and I went on a 6-day mule trip to San Jose de Comondu.
Day One:
Day Two (the Mex. 1 snarl south of Jesus Maria – I waited there 2 ˝ hours while a brigade offloaded tomatoes from the stricken semi::
We started our mule journey near Rancho Viejo where I rented a mule from Bule (sp?) (ph: Boo Lay). There was a lot of water in this area – less so as
we progressed west.
Mike with his new sombrero:
I had a crash course in muleskinning 101:
We made it as far as Palo Chino, where Taquel and Rosa made us welcome on their ranch, allowing us to camp. They couldn’t have been more hospitable,
helping unsaddle the mules, bringing fire wood, a rake to smooth my tent site, alfalfa and water for the animals.
Rosa does beautiful work making these 2-litre bottle covers:
Taquel shows us an old set of spurs:
Found this guy while clearing my tent space:
On the road again; the landscape is some of Baja’s best:
Mike’s mule, Mula-Hey, spooked occasionally when approaching unfamiliar forms, such as these scarecrow type figures which (we determined) were meant
to keep the owner’s own mules from straying:
At the end of the day we found this abandoned rancho (might be El Chipi) which had an adjacent reservoir with water for the animals. All the comforts
of home:
Approaching Comondu the third day about 1:00 pm. We lucked out – Chamo found us on main street, and offered his spacious lot to camp. We spent 2
nights there. Chamo is the local penache maker, using the sugar cane he grows. The area had a kitchen, well water with hose, a coral for the animals,
and supplied alfalfa.
This was home, under the grape arbor:
Mike prepares potatoes and onions for breakfast:
On our layover day, we walked to San Miguel in search of specialty wines. We found the furniture maker/vintner, Filiberto Gastelum. What a remarkable
experience.
Back in town we explored the mission buildings:
We had an opportunity to see the indigenous pictographs, a short hike from main street, Comondu:
In Comondu, the police truck is also the local school bus:
More “in the saddle” time:
It was a wonderful time, experiencing the ranch life and small town hospitality of the Sierra Gigante.
On my 5-day trip home, I stayed at El Requeson (80 pesos to camp), some ranch property north of Mulege (where I ended up after looking for pinturas),
two nights at Ojo de Liebre, and Los Olivos campground.
This erosion on the adjacent cove revealed a fascinating strata of midden:
Although cold and windy, I’m comfortable:
Very windy at Santa Rosalia, and then headed to Ojo de Liebre where I knew there were those nice palapas to shelter out of the wind:
What’s this guy?
One of the best camping spots in all of Baja:
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13048
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
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Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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What a wonderful trip you two had...I'm so envious. I bet your sides hurt from laughing with Mike too. Don Kay looks radiant as always! Don Gastelum
looks great too...I'm gonna get me one of those kegs of his wine....in the name of recycling of course...less bottles and all. He has the sweetest
wine of all! Thanks so much for your trip report.
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Curt63
Super Nomad
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Location: San Diego, Ca.
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Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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What a wonderful trip. Great pics. Thanks for sharing.
[Edited on 1-24-2013 by Curt63]
No worries
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
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Mood: groovy
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Thank you for sharing this adventure. I think I may have just added another item to my growing Baja 'bucket list'.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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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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Great trip, you guys !!!! Thanks for the info and pics. 
Don't believe everything you think....
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motoged
Elite Nomad
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Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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Could you please let us know where is Rancho Viejo ?
Is it west on the road to Comondu from the road up to San Javier from Loreto ??
[Edited on 1-23-2013 by motoged]
Don't believe everything you think....
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Graham
Senior Nomad
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Registered: 6-16-2006
Location: San Diego and DeTour, MI
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Wonderful trip report. Thanks for including all those fascinating photos.
Good to know that Mike and Don-Kay are still hoofing it over the hills.
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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Excellent post. Sounded like I was reading from a Graham book......
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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BajaBlanca
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Location: La Bocana, BCS
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wonderful trip ! wonderful photos ! wow ....
and this is really even more amazing since I talked about you at the middle schooll just this morning ! amazing .....
thanks for sharing !
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3824
Registered: 2-9-2004
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" ... where is Rancho Viejo? Is it west on the road to Comondu from the road up to San Javier from Loreto?"
It is off the paved road to San Javier - it is on some maps (past Las Parras). Bule's ranch was about a mile before Rancho Viejo on the other side of
the street. He is well known in the area. This is a view of Bule’s rancho:
Rancho Viejo is immediately past this point on the paved road:
We went through Rancho Viejo to get on a dirt road heading to Comondu.
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
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Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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"It is off the paved road to San Javier - it is on some maps (past Las Parras). Bule's ranch was about a mile before Rancho Viejo on the other side of
the street. He is well known in the area."
Gracias....that's what i was guessing.
Don't believe everything you think....
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
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Great trip and report! Thank you for all the pictures and details.
It's a trip I'd like to do someday. So you rode from Bule's to Tista's and cut from there to the short (er) road
to Comondu? Did you stay on the road the whole way, or did you do some desert riding too? And it was about 2 1/2 days from Bule's to Comondu? About
how many hours did you ride in a day?
I've driven to Comondu many times, only once on that road  It's so beautiful
up there, be nice to see it from on top of a mule
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bacquito
Super Nomad
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Mood: jubilado
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Great report, I hope to make it one of these days. Was this in lieu of your proposed kayaking trip?
bacquito
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
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I wish we all could do it with mules. That looks like an epic trip. Thank you for taking the pictures and sharing with us.
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TMW
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Wonderful trip report and great pictures thanks so much for sharing.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Cindi, what a great trip report and excellent photos! What fun it was to ride between two mission sites... Mike looks healthy, too!
To help Nomads visualize your route, here is a close up map of the region...
See Rancho Viejo (on the Loreto-San Javier road).
[History note: Rancho Viejo was the first location of the San Javier mission from 1699 to 1710.
The San Jose de Comondu church that you saw was originally a 'side chapel' to the 1750's constructed mission church, torn down in the 1930's to make
room for a school, that has since also been torn down! San Jose de Comondu was the largest mission church in all of California, before it fell into
ruin.]
See also 'Palo Chino' mentioned in the report.
El Chipi is about two miles north of El Horno on the map...
Thank you Wilderone, and I hope you don't get crucified for posting photos of rock art! 
[Edited on 1-24-2013 by David K]
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
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Mike suggested this mule trip when I was trying to scare up someone to have an adventure with.
We did stay on the road the entire way - three cars passed us the first day - the busiest. We'd walk for 45 minutes or so in the middle of the day to
ease stiff knees, sore as___s. It took us 2 1/2 days to get to Comondu, and only 2 days on the way back, approx. 9 am to 4 pm. Sunset was 6 pm. A
longer day riding would have been pretty uncomfortable. It was nice having a little time to enjoy where we ended up at the end of the day too -
visiting with people, or hiking around. We camped at El Horno on the way back. Starting the day at 9:30, having to stop and re-tie the duffle on the
back of my mule 2 or 3 times, stopping to look around El Horno, a 1/2 hour lunch, taking a photo break to see the El Camino Real, stretched out the
trip at the beginning.
Our one overnight camp at El Horno – water, a corral and food for the animals:
The pinturas are signed on the road, although you need permission from the guy whose land you need to cross to get there. He guides you too - no
indication at all of this starting point at his house!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64854
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Location: San Diego County
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Any more photos... the oven (horno) or Camino Real? GRACIAS!
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Bajaboy
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Bahia Asuncion, BCS, Mexico
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Good stuff!
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
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Location: Loreto
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Thank you for the details, Wilderone. It sounds like heaven, sore butts and all. Of course more information leads to more questions-- you didn't see
any cars sayyyy--- between El Horno and San Jose?
I've driven past San Guillermo, not quite to Palo Chino not too long ago, but wouldn't have gone much farther.
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