San Antonio and El Trufino are two small neighbouring towns that bloomed in the 19th century during Bajas short silver and gold rush. A newly paved shortcut takes us from San Juán de los Planes back to MEX 1. Today, there is not much mining to see, even the ruins nearly disappeared. At least El Trufino has got a chimney that besides the fact that Gustave Eiffel is said to have designed it looks pretty ordinary. The village was Bajas first settlement that was built without a mission, but has got an old church nevertheless. The piano or music museum is famous in the area where besides old pianos other music instruments are exhibited. The actual attraction is the odd museum attendant who has to be called most of the time, and who might give a private concert. A donation is expected.
Further south the highway leads to San Bartolo, a good spot for a lunch or coffee break. Not only restaurants and coffee shops line the street but candy shops and market stands offering mangoes, papayas, grapefruits, avocados, and other fruit. When MEX 1 meets the sea again we are in Los Barilles. There are some Mexicans around, but the image is coined by American early retirees roaming around on their ATVs. Dieter and Cherisse, the two kite boarders from yesterday, very early retirees below 50, have their house at the beach where they survive the harsh American winter. There is no quad, but other toys to bear the long Mexican days.