Day 2, Route 3, Wine Country Baja, Xecue and Clos de 3 Cantos

We woke up in such a lovely spot (at the Posada Inn) we decided to hang around till check out, which was basically any time that day. I made one more visit to the petting zoo (burrow and horse branch) then we headed down the road.

Our first stop was Xecue vineyard. Now we are getting into some fine small producers. On the Ruta del Vino map, it shows this vineyard slightly off the main drag. It is actually a bit of an off- road excursion. We almost turned back twice. The road, due to a recent rain is a little sketchy. Fortunately there were signs along the way and we eventually arrived at their lovely vineyard. Picture; golden hills, rolling vineyards, exceptional cactus gardens, beautiful tasting room, delicious wines and delightful host. Like paring a good wine; this vineyard is paired by a husband and wife team. He is an agronomist and she is a chemist. Their wines are accumulating awards and notoriety.

We had a short tour of the winery, and tasted a special fall harvest sample (deliciously sweet), but what I liked was the tour of his cactus garden exhibiting many varieties of cacti, yucca, agaves and spices. He had a hedge of rosemary and sage suitable for tea. He also had a “research” garden which he experimented with different varieties of plants suitable for their location. As we circled round back to our car we bought a couple bottles or wine and waved good-by to Jose Luis Hernández, his cactus and his winery.

Our next stop strikes me more as an architectural find. It is the Clos de 3 Cantos. You can see this one from the road. Architecturally speaking it is stunning. It looks like stone pyramids with their tops cut off, clutching then balancing on a ridge overlooking, yes, vineyards on both sides.

The structures are built of local stone with wine bottles for windows. The tasting room itself is small and way beyond cool. There are cement easy chairs and couches in the court yard, the views again are beautiful. We sat outside in the sun, sampled 3 nice reds, bought a bottle and bounced down the hill.

By this time (afternoon) we both declared ourselves “wined out”. Understand we are not wine coinsures. I love the landscape, the architecture of these wild little places, the efforts and strength of entrepreneurs and the growth of small industries. Talent, hard work, success. It’s great to see.

For anyone interested in touring a “different” wine country. Make the trip, and stay a while.

Northern Baja, Mexico and the wine country

On our trailer trip 10 years ago we did not stop in the wine country. Back then we were driving a giant Suburban and dragging a 28ft travel trailer. Not the easiest vehicle to navigate on this slim Mexican roadway. Back then our concern was to stay on the road and not venture off onto the dirt. This trip we were looking forward to exploring a little of this beautiful olive-tree-rich area with acres and acres of vineyards. We were not disappointed. The first valley which we spent most of our time in was the Valle de Guadalupe. The offerings were vast and we visited a variety of vineyards. On the northern end of route 3 we started with a tour of L.A. Cetto. It is Italian owned and the largest winery in Latin America. I was thinking… kind of like visiting the Budweiser plant in Fort Collins. The difference was, Mike and I and another couple from main land Mexico were the only visitors. Our tour guide was a charming kid who switched back and forth between Spanish and English at an alarming rate. L.A. Cetto has it all together with a lovely tasting room, gift shop, grounds and gardens. We bought a couple of bottles of very affordable wine and moved on.

I can’t recall the name of the second place we stopped, it was very small, possibly a combination of several vineyards who opened a very hip outside restaurant and tasting room. We sat under white sails, looked over the vineyards, ate excellent snacks, tasted excellent wine and played Frisbee with one of the smartest dogs I have ever met.

That evening we stayed the Posada Inn, (Mision de Guadalupe, Rancho Maria Teresa). It was a great little place, it had a petting zoo. We had the whole place to ourselves, swimming pools, BBQ’s, and lovely gardens. The Posada Inn is right on Route 3 and not expensive (around $60 USD).

While Mike was inspecting the grounds he met an engaging fellow who ran the breakfast shop next door. He explained that Birrieria’s La Guadalajara (since 1972) served up traditional Mexican breakfast and lunch. The menu says “Conozca nuestro Asadero de Carnes Selectas” Translates to something like grilled select meats. Anyway we got some. We had our choice of beef head, beef tongue, lamb, or pork. I kind of wanted the beef head but went for the pork, Mike got the lamb. It was delicious.

For breakfast you got the bowl of meat, and on the side; broth, tortillas, radishes, onions, cilantro and several bowls of salsa. Next time I’m getting the beef head, you can’t go wrong at this place. It’s right before Posada Inn on Route 3.

Crossing the Border at Tecate

It’s a little nerve racking crossing the border in a car. We’re transporting a bunch of stuff in the back of the Jeep and all I can picture is having to unload the whole shebang at some kind of inspection. We proceed with caution. Nobody stops us, nobody looks at us, Mike doesn’t even put on the breaks. A few moments later we’re in Tecate, Mexico.

Aren’t we supposed to get a tourist visa? OK, yes. We park the Jeep on a side street and try to figure out how the tourist visa thing works. We end up walking back thru a one-way gate and follow the yellow brick road which is actually giant yellow arrows. We’re not in Kansas anymore and we’re defiantly not the first gringo’s wandering around trying to get a visa. We end up in the emigration office, no line, no one else there. The officer looks at our passport and has us fill out the usual form. It presently costs $ 23 USD for the visa. If you are traveling by plane this is included in your ticket. For those of us in a car (or on foot), we are directed to “the bank” next door to leave the money and get a receipt. The bank looks like a place to buy carnival tickets and does not look open. But sure enough here comes a pretty girl with pretty red lipstick. She takes our money and disappears. She eventually comes back with an official looking receipt, we go back to the emigration office, stamp, stamp, stamp and we are on our way. I’m pretty sure Tecate beer is named after the town and the town is not named after the beer.

What an idea! When we were traveling thru the desert in very far south California we could actually picture the Camel efforts once instituted by the US Army.  In 1856-7 The United States Army imported 68 camels and 10 drivers to transport supplies from Texas to California.  The transport system worked well west from Albuquerque on  Route 66. Of course there was no Route 66, but these guys were blazing the trail.  Unfortunately the army abandoned the experiment three years later because Congress laughed at them. The camels were sold to circuses and released on the desert. This sounds very rude to me. They roamed for the next 30 years. Hi Jolly the last of the camel drivers died in the desert near Quartzsite, Arizona in 1902. His tomb and memorial stand in Quartzsite beside 1-8.

The Desert View Tower and Boulder Park has a long history dating back to 1923. It was built as a monument to the pioneers who first traveled thru this area. It is now the last functioning roadside  attraction on the San Diego to Yuma corridor. The road itself has a long history. Mike and I love roadside attractions, and this one is on a very old road.

This is a picture of John and his dog Sneakers. He is the grandson of the present owner. Along with a few other folks, he runs the tower. He takes your $ 6.50 admission and will tell you a little about his family, the history of the tower and his favorite spots in the boulder field. The tower is an amazing little place; a museum, a holder of family secrets, gift shop and book store. The newly added circular room with fireplace (1950) features an enlarged photo of a very pretty woman with her hair in pigtails. This is John’s grandmother. He told me “she was one of the finest persons to ever walk the earth”. You gotta love a guy like him, really. After a tour of the tower

we moved on to the boulder field. At first I thought I was wasn’t going to like any transformation of the natural landscape, but in the end, I loved this folk art masterpiece created by Merle Ratcliff. He was an unemployed engineer in 1933 who sculpted all this crazy stuff, threw on a little paint and boom. I loved it.

I give Michael full credit for finding this place. We stayed at the Jucumba Hot Springs Spa and Resort. Jucumba Springs is a tiny town located on Old Highway 80. You need to exit at the In-Ko-Pah exit going up the hill from Ocitillo. We passed the Desert Tower and Boulder fields, then UFO guy who drives around in a golf cart with a flying saucer welded to the top, and then we followed the fence that separates the US from Mexico. This whole area falls in the “hard to describe territory”. By the time we rolled out of there 2 days later we had met half the town, spent an afternoon at the Desert Tower and boulder field, and had several “Shining” moments exploring the burnt ruins of the first hot springs hotel. We rinsed off the trail dust in the natural hot spring pool and tub and at times were the only guests. Our room was recently re-decorated, nice furniture, linens, all the trimmings, we had a private patio. This makes it sound kind of fancy but it was not. The outside gardens needed a little work, but there is a great restaurant and bar that pulls a small local and passing thru crowd in the evening. All very entertaining. A very comfortable place to spend a couple of days.

I’m not tired of the mountains, buzz cut mesas or lunar landscapes of New Mexico. However you may be sick of seeing my many photos snapped out the Jeep window. So to ease the tension I’m going to take you to Hatch, New Mexico. Something’s going on in Hatch that I can’t exactly put my finger on. You’ve heard of Hatch, New Mexico; that’s where all the great chilies are grown, dried, canned and made into amazing editables. Ten years ago when Mike, Matt and I were on our trailer trip we stopped in Hatch. I called the Hatch factory and asked when we could go on a tour. They about laughed me off the phone. No one gets to go on a tour. They don’t have them. So we entertained ourselves in other ways buying chili’s at the local shops and hanging chili rasta’s allover our trailer. Today Mike and I entertained ourselves with a photo safari. I think you will understand why I say something is going on in Hatch that I can’t exactly put my finger on. These pictures were taken within ½ mile radius.

And then on to Arizona

The mountains are beautiful as we clip down I-25. Denver –Colorado Springs – Pueblo – Walsenburg – Trinidad.  All interesting in their very own way. The scenery gets open and rustic and makes you happy that Colorado is your home.

I have never been to Walsenburg or Trinidad. Both seem to be towns that development forgot. Grand old red brick structures, and I don’t get the feeling anyone has spent millions revitalizing. Has anyone ever heard of the Ludlow Massacre? A Bloody moment in our history. In April of 1914 the Colorado National Guard joined by the Fuel and Iron Company Guards, attached a tent colony of striking coal miners and their families. In that particular massacre 24 persons were killed. The miners retaliated in the following days destroying mine property throughout the 40 miles between Walsenburg and Trinidad. The death toll was between 69 to 200. Ludlow is now a National Historic Landmark and ghost town.

Next we hit Raton Pass which is beautiful. There is a small one gas-station- town of Raton, New Mexico where we stop for gas and I get to take this great picture of the Mesas Vista Motel. Unfortunately the cool sign outlasted the not so cool hotel. It looked a little dusty but they do accept personal checks.

Onto the Santa Fe Trail. We see signs warning of crossing deer, bear, elk and antelope but we only see the antelope. Not to ignore the avian population we also see prairie falcons, ret tail hawks, vultures, and one big eagle sitting in a tree waiting for road kill.

As the mountains give way to Mesas we pass the Fire and Ice Ranch which seems to go on forever. I would like to drive around the Fire and Ice Ranch, it would take a while for anyone to find you in that wonderful wilderness.

I’m not sure where Michael stashes all this great history or where he acquired it, but our next lesson is The Battle of Glorieta Pass which was a decisive battle of the New Mexico Campaign in 1862 during the American Civil War. The Union army which was made up mostly of Colorado Volunteer Militia prevented the Confederate army from marching north to the Rockies and occupying the west by burning their supply wagons. The Battle of Glorieta Pass is marked right outside the city of Santa Fe at the Pecos National Historic Place.

Santa Fe has leaked out of its terra cotta pot and become an adobe sprawl. The lovely square, art galleries, and way hip restaurants are all accessible from 5 exits off the highway.

Albuquerque is a giant big sister, but for us it served as an easy off, easy on, hotel and dinner stop. No complaints.

The car is packed, I am in it. Michael is behind the wheel. We’re off on a road trip to the Mexican Baja.  The distance from Fort Collins to the San Jose del Cabo is around 2,200 miles. We have chosen to go directly south through Colorful Colorado, then into New Mexico, the land of enchantment. Arizona, and California. We will cross the boarder in Tecate. The Mexican Baja is separated into 2 states, Northern Sur and Southern Sur.

Driving affords curtail luxuries. Not having to plan every square inch of my suitcase is one of them. Wow, we can fill the whole Jeep! This was a great thought until our pile took on the proportions of Mt Everest and then grew into a living organism (like on the Sci-Fi channel). It transformed itself into boxes and bags that marched out the newly shoveled path to THE JEEP.  It was another square inch packing puzzle, same problem, different venue.

8:30 am and we are on the road.  So much for the 5 am theory. We left Matt in charge of the Fort and hit the highway. Colorado  is a colorful state. With the Rockies on the right we were treated to clear views of snow covered peaks. I never get sick of the Rockies, they are beautiful from every angle.