Still In Mexico, This is way too long.... Oh well Options

[andys]

QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Jul 5 2005, 07:06 PM)

badges? BADGES!!!? WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BADGES!!! k

Not to be anal, but here are the actual lines form the movie; thought you might be interested:

"Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges.
I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"

--Gold Hat, as played by Alfonso Bedoya

twystd1,

Have a great time in Mexico. The isolated areas are wonderful. The people are fantastic. Horror stories, though they do exist, are relatively few. I was married in Tulancingo, Hidalgo. Had a great time.

Andy

[skline]

How the hell did I miss this thread? I talked to you on the phone and you didnt tell me you were going to post a story. Great story by the way. You arent home yet so tomorrow is not going to be the day you come back, maybe next week? Hope all is well, take care of yourself. We will still be here.

[lagunero]

QUOTE (andys @ Jul 6 2005, 11:43 AM)

QUOTE (rhodyguy @ Jul 5 2005, 07:06 PM) badges? BADGES!!!? WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BADGES!!! k Not to be anal, but here are the actual lines form the movie; thought you might be interested: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges!" --Gold Hat, as played by Alfonso Bedoya twystd1, Have a great time in Mexico. The isolated areas are wonderful. The people are fantastic. Horror stories, though they do exist, are relatively few. I was married in Tulancingo, Hidalgo. Had a great time. Andy

The line most used is from Mel Brooks "Blazing Saddles". Great comedy!

[neo914-6]

I love going off the beaten path in Mexico but there is still a sense of insecurity you don't feel in the US. One is not to expect an ambulance for hours or that law enforcement can be extremely light or harsh.

I drove my wife round trip from San Jose to Bucerias near Puerto Vallarta and am glad to have memories of the time and circumstances that caused that trip.

twystd1,
Even if you don't find coin, you have already found treasure... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

Don't you love their internet cafes? That combines a live and cyber social environment...

[Twystd1]

From Twystd1,

Hi all,

A couple of the folks asked for an update. So here it is.


Just got back from a little pueblo called Compana about 6 hours driving time from San Miguel de Cruces, in the Sierra Madres.

OMG.. what a trip. I could write a book.

I spent 4 or 5 days days with a crew of locals trying to unearth a long gone forgotten Spanish treasure.

I have totally lost track of days and weeks. Time stands still here. I purposely have stopped trying to figure out what time it is. I simply just wake up and go with the flow.

This trip had a somewhat ominous beginning.

We were at the top of the main logging road that gets us most of the way to this pueblo. There is a turn off we take to get down to valley to our end result. Right in front of this intersection we met up about 20 federaly's with guns drawn.
Was not a feel good moment.
Mandatory strip searching of the truck. It helped that the truck was full of metal detectors, shovels, bed rolls and food and not seeds for growing funny looking stuff.

I also had a Carte Blanche pass from the Director of Mines in Durango to go pretty much anyplace I wanted without problems from the Feds.

Problem was they had never heard of the Director of mines.

then i pulled out of the glove compartment a rock that I had gotten from a mine in Las Cruces that was about 20% gold with the assay report from Durango. That just about sold them on that we were mining guys and not narco trafficantes.

Oh well... they let me and the crew pass with much aprehension.

Now think about this for a second. Mr. Gringo (ME) is going into a unknown pueblo that just happens to arrive one day after the federaly's block their road looking for Pot farmers and their wares.
That ain't a good way to start to this dig.

Question now was. Do we chance going down the hill to a hostile pueblo that in absolute terms aren't to friendly with the federal boys or turn back. Would they see me as a US based DEA agent acting as a buyer sent in to create a sting operation.

OBVIOUS ANSWER: Do exactly the opposite of any rational person. (dog, cat, whatever)

We carried on down the road for a couple of hours till we got to the Pueblo. And as providece would have it. The first guy i see helped me on a previous dig in January. Problem solved. No one was going to use us for fertilizer.

Brought a bunch of presents for kids and choclates for the women that would eventually cook our meals.

You dont give men gifts. you trade them things like mag lights and batteries and chinese pocket knives.

Thats how i say thanks for a favor given in mexico.

First day we surveyed the dig, convinced a few of the locals to help in lieu of payment if we found anything and went like hell for a couple of days. At the 14 foot mark we started to dig up clay roofing tiles that were very old. They had to be old to be down this deep.

Then the Monsoons hit. And they hit hard. Filled our hole up quick with water. CRAP..!!!!!!

The locals were stoked. Free water reservoir and mini swimming pool.

Was seriously bummed. Then i said to myself it's time to have some fun. So during this warm rain. Some locals took me on their mules down to a river to get a solid bath.
The river had risen a bunch because of the rain. But I had promised the guys i would teach them how to swim. So i did. I taught 3 guys how to swim class 2 rapids
while pretending this was normal. It was like giving body surfing for the first time in a medium surf in Cali.

Was seriously fun and elegant in it's own way. In return they threw out a net and caught 103 fish in a little over 3 hours. These little guys are about the size of your hand. (barely)

Except one particular fish. Was about a 2 pound cat fish... And it was mine as a gift. That kind of gift is overwhelming once ya understand what a prize that is.
Kinda made me quite for a while. I am not used to that kind of gift.

Add a fire, a pan, some oil, a little salt and a fistful of limes, and a few papayas for desert. Insta kick ass lunch.

Was an incredible day.

Next day:
Got rained out again... Said to myself. Time to go home. I can go back to my home made swimming pool after the rainy season and continue that particular journey.

Am back in Durango now. AND YES they will now allow me to take photos from now on. The trust has been built.

If ya ever wonder how we eat. it's easy. I trade fixing their chain saws, trucks, generators and the occasional VCR for food and home grown coffee. I have to pay for the chickens and the pigs because they are a very valuable commodity. And I have to feed 6 guys three times a day.

It's easier to trade for food than to try haul that much food with no refrigeration.

I am so used to drinking, brushing my teeth and towel bathing out of the same 55 gallon drum of water the horses and the dogs drink out of I don't even give it a second thought. Who woulda thunk?

I have to really appreciate these people. Most of the guys over 60 can take me to school on throwing a pick and shovel. They can do it for hours on end. They have been doing it all their lives. It is like watching physical art in motion. No wasted effort. The simple flow of movement is simply remarkable to watch while we wait our turn to pick or shovel.

You just have to see it to appreciate the greatness in these people.

I will screw it up if i try to use words to tell you how i see these folks. So i will quite trying to.

Yee haw. found a couple of more mines driving back from the dig.
Found out about them from people I have met since I have been here, and wanted me to check em out. Got samples and am sending them to Phoenix for assay. One looks extremely good.

Hopefully coming back this week for a hot shower and figure out what to do next.

Again, thanks for a place to use a bit "O" english.

Twystd1

PS: Hey Matt or Aaron, Should i do this as a blog so i don't waste thread space in the future?

Twystd1

[MattR]

Clayton, its good to hear from you. No pictures? You know what that means...
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/thisthreadisworthlesswithoutpics.gif)

I think a constantly updated thread is cool! No need to move to your blog. I dont have much else to say but treck on. Im sure we'll hear all about it when you're back in comfortable costa mesa (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)