The most interesting of all the businesses on the "Country Road" was a Mexican family with a horse rental business.  When you saw Americans riding horses on the beach or along the road or along the beach, most often the horses were rented from this family.

I wanted to go for a horse ride, so I stopped on a weekday at the horse rental place about half way between the Cantu and La Jolla Camp.  The owner was there shoveling you know what, into his pickup.  He would sell it to Americans for their gardens.

"I would like to rent a horse."  I said to the owner in my very best Spanish.

"Horses not here.  You see horses?” he asked, waving around to the empty area where we stood. "No se renta!"

"When will the horses regrese (return)?" I asked.

"Viernes," the man answered, using the Spanish word for Friday.

"Thank you! Gracias!" I said and left.

Often, when Americans rent these horses it is for a one way trip from the rental area on the Country Road along the beach to the hotel area.  When too many horses are at the terminus, they are tied together and brought back to the rental area by one of the sons.

I left there heading to my friend Danny Rios' house for some Presidente brandy.  He was having some mechanical problems with the backhoe so I knew that he would be home.

I told him of my experience with the owner of the horse rental place on the Country Road.

"That was ol' Jessie Rodriguez," Danny informed me.  "Well, there are very few tourists around during the week so it would be a waste of his dinero (money) feeding them all week."

Jessie lets the horses go on Sunday evening and they graze all over the mountains during the week.  On Thursday they start heading back and by Friday, all have returned to the general area and Jessie and his sons herd them across the road and saddle them up.

Jessie doesn't have to provide food for the horses all week nor does he have to clean up behind them. He doesn't even have to provide them with water so he saves money there.

Can you think of a more perfect business?  OK, then can you think of a more perfect legitimate business?