Travel Talk With Slow Baja Meet Raul And Caroline Of Rancho La Bellota
Raul Aguiar and Caroline Kane are the affable owners of Rancho La Bellota, a 2800-acre guest ranch located in Tecate Baja, California.
Rancho La Bellota is a portal to another era. Free from cell service and wifi, guests quickly adapt to the rhythms of ranch life. The coffee is ready at 6:30 AM, and after a cup on the porch, the guests gather in the sun-washed dining room for a hearty breakfast.
Following breakfast, it's time for a ride. I select a cowboy hat from the rack and make my way to the saddled horses. Jan, a La Bellota regular, knows the hat's owner (he leaves it at the ranch) and says it looks good on me. It's been forty years since I've ridden a horse, so I'll take the compliment. The horses at Rancho La Bellota are retired from a life of working cattle. Hence, as I mount my handsome palomino, Raul gestures to the horse and says, "it's an automatic with power steering and power brakes," letting me know with a wry smile that it's an easy horse to ride.
In addition to being an expert horseman, Raul is a devoted overlander and drives a pop-top 1969 Chevrolet Suburban that he designed. He regularly hosts overlanders on their way up and down the Baja peninsula. He's quick to stress that he's not running a free campground; he's a proud native of Baja California who gladly shares his knowledge and experience to help travelers enjoy their time in Baja.
Rancho La Bellota is Slow Baja Approved
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