South of the city of Aguascalientes, on the high plateau of central Mexico, the former hacienda of Peñuelas stands among fields and scrub, its stone and adobe buildings, chapel and courtyards a reminder of the great rural estates that once dominated the region. It was one of the stops on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the royal road from Mexico City to the silver mines of Zacatecas and beyond to New Mexico, and it is part of the UNESCO listing of sites along the road, inscribed in 2010.
Haciendas like Peñuelas were small worlds of their own, with the owner's house, a chapel, granaries, stables, workers' housing and often a store, where workers were frequently bound by debt. They produced cattle, grain and other goods for the mining towns and travellers on the road. The landscape around is open and dry, with mesquite, nopal cactus and grassland, and the sky is huge, with dramatic thunderstorms in the summer rainy season. The villages around Peñuelas are small and quiet, with churches and plazas where life moves at a slow pace.
The roads here are mostly straight and flat or gently rolling, with good surfaces on the main routes and rougher conditions on smaller roads. Watch out for topes, speed bumps at the entrance to every village, as well as livestock, slow trucks and occasional potholes. The toll roads, cuotas, are faster and generally safer, while free roads pass through more villages. Daytime riding is advisable, and it is wise to check local conditions before travelling.
Aguascalientes, a city of over seven hundred thousand people, has everything you need, from fuel to food and accommodation, and it is famous for the Feria de San Marcos, one of the largest fairs in Mexico, held in spring with bullfights, concerts and cockfights. The region is known for its guava, wine and textiles, and for dishes such as birria and enchiladas. The name of the city comes from its hot springs, and some old bathhouses are still in use, perfect after a long day in the saddle.