Visiting a working cattle ranch has been a popular destination for many western affecionados, especially since the price of owning one in our local area is so high. Within easy reach of San Diego is an old time working ranch called Rancho La Mentada. The name speaks of a "mentioned place". One hour south of Tijuana on the toll road to Ensenada is the village of Cantamar. Here is where your adventure begins. You can choose to ride a horse (very good horses I might add) the 28 miles to the ranch or nestle into the back seat of a van and leave the driving to them. Whichever way you get there, a visit to Rancho La Mentada is one of those experiences that you and your family are guaranteed to enjoy.
The Lopereno family, who had recently arrived from the Basque country of Spain, first established the ranch just after the turn of the century, the 20th. As did many other ranchers of the time they ran sheep as a greater profit could be realized. But it wasn't long until beef was better and they switched to cattle, which continue to graze the coastal grassland today.
The great grandson Enrique and his cousin Raul run the family operation, each in his field of expertise. Enrique handles the cattle and horses as he has done since his birth on the ranch, while Raul and his wife Carolina (of American Birth) handle the promotional and public affairs. After bringing many of their friends to visit, and from their joy and encouragement, Raul and his wife thought they could make a living doing this and so began the Baja Rancho La Mentada Cattle Ranch Adventures.
Keeping with the original adobe architecture they added to the primitive comfort and rustic charm with additional structures that blend nicely with what was already there. Kerosene lanterns, candles and outdoor tiki lamps illuminate the way for the guests that have come for a three day visit in the arms of Old California hospitality.
Riding horses and wrangling cattle is what you have come for and doing it the old fashioned way will leave you with muscles aching for more. We chose to ride the 28 miles from Cantamar, on horseback in the comfort of our own saddles. The first four hours were on what some would call dirt roads, and to 4 wheel drive vehicles they were, but for the horses they were freeways. We passed through beautiful green pastures with a view of the ocean over our shoulders and crested the coastal range at about 1000 feet to follow rolling hills deep into the interior. All the land we passed through was private, commendably in Mexico comes with a right of passage at least on horseback. Our last ranch before leaving the road was El Gato from where we would follow the Bajia water flow through over grown canyons and rolling hills.
Hot campfire coffee, strained through an old stocking coffee filter, and burritos made from fresh tortillas refreshed us at lunch alongside a cavernous waterhole. Our campfire warded of the rain and warmed our bodies from the threat thereof. Raul and Jayme and a collection of dogs joined us for the journey to the ranch. Raul had insisted that we wear chaps and if we didn't have a pair he provided them, from here in I found out why. Canyon Malo was as its name implies, rocky and brush covered, at one point he recommended that we dismount and walk, I always listen to their advice, as horsemen they are some of the best and really know their horses and their ability in the country they live.
Knowing we wanted to practice some ranch roping in the days following, Enrique had us gather what stock we found along the way, these were "fresh cattle", what we found took off at a dead run, I sure enjoyed watching him race to turn the cows with that pack mule running along behind him. With 13 of us we made pretty good work of it. As I sat there gloating, descending a canyon Snowy River style, thinking I was quite a cowboy, Jayme came racing by me on the edge of eternity, through the brush and straight down the hill to get ahead of the cows who were plotting their next break. He put the kabosh to their plans. These guys are the real cowboys (Vaqueros), California Style.
Eight hours later we enjoyed the satisfaction of a home cooked ranch meal and of doing something we might not have been sure we could do. This was a real western adventure, and we still had three more days. The hot showers, candle lit rooms and a wood stove to warm you made the rain of the evening seem miles away. Saturday was too wet to ride, so we told lies and threw our ropes at dummies and in the afternoon visited the San Jose de la Zorra Indian reservation where we ran into some friends from Vaquero Days and bought baskets and other plunder. Raul is an x-baja racer, so our off road experience in the rain was also interesting.
Sunday was filled with more adventure as we gathered more "fresh cattle" off the hillsides at a full gallop through the brush and over the creeks to home. My wife Ann didn't know she could ride so fast, and old cowboy me made easy work of it. I didn't tell her about the brown streaks in my pants. The rest of the afternoon was filled with roping those fresh cattle any way we could, what a blast, even if we didn't know what we were doing we had fun trying. All good things must come to an end and so did this adventure, but you can bet your boots that we will return. Thanks to Rancho La Mentada and everyone who made this a real Cattle Ranch Adventure. Y que le vaya bien.
Visiting a working cattle ranch has been a popular destination for many western affecionados, especially since the price of owning one in our local area is so high. Within easy reach of San Diego is an old time working ranch called Rancho La Mentada. The name speaks of a "mentioned place". One hour south of Tijuana on the toll road to Ensenada is the village of Cantamar. Here is where your adventure begins. You can choose to ride a horse (very good horses I might add) the 28 miles to the ranch or nestle into the back seat of a van and leave the driving to them. Whichever way you get there, a visit to Rancho La Mentada is one of those experiences that you and your family are guaranteed to enjoy.
