tres vaqueras

For some time I have wanted to ride a horse again and got my chance on a day trip to Rancho La Venta. J, T and I jumped into T's little red truck with T's pup Rosie riding shot gun. RL is a historic ranch located about 30 minutes to the north of Los Barriles:
http://www.rancholaventa.com/RanchoLaVenta/Home.html

We saddled up for a guided tour lead by Liz and followed by Emily. Rosie stayed behind and hung out with the other dogs. We had a 2-hour trail ride on rocky single track through beautiful cactus-lined landscapes.

Afterward, we sampled the produce of the vineyard and enjoyed a tour of the gardens, art studio, orchard and new construction. We then perched on Bob & Liz' patio high up on the edge of a cliff. With a spectacular view that drops away to the arroyo below and sweeps up the green hills and to the deep lavender-blue mountains beyond, we chatted and visited with all the dogs.

We then drove abut 20 minutes to the El Triunfo Cafe for lunch. El Triunfo is a lovely old mining town which was once the largest centre in Baja with a population of 10,000.
 http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/baja-destinations/el-triunfo/history-piano-museum.htm
There is little mining in the area now, but pending approval, other areas in Baja may be mined by large Canadian companies for gold and copper once again.The view from the cafe is of the brick buildings and bridge of an old smelter. We enjoyed a salad, pizza from a wood-fired oven and lattes, then drove back along the winding roads to Los Barriles before the sun set.