Misc data and adventures of a Tayopa treasure hunter

[aussco999]

Don Jose:

I've been away for awhile working on a mining project in the southern part of Mexico, and it's taking me the better part of my back-home-again time to catch up on the enjoyable reading of your memoir. I just got to the part were you are talking about the use of a cow horn as a panning tool in Mexico, and remembered taking photos of our senior miner testing some hard rock ore samples.

I didn't think you wouldn't mind too much if I attached some of the photos of him in action. I never could get the hang of using the horn as well he did, but he could consistently work the fine gold down to the no-see-ems, and laugh at us for needing an eye-loupe to see his handy work.

Keep up the good work on your writings and I'll try doing a better job of staying in touch.


Take care,

John

 

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[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Buesna noches Don Juan: Loved the photos my friend. Can you imagine the dirt that would fill one of those containing 50 grams of gold? I can't.

For the information of anyone that is curious, the horn is built in layers, as it is worn the surface is formed in thin overlaping layers which are exposed form a slighty rough surface which is perfect for catching fine gold. See extremely crude attach.. the laminations lie almost flat.

If it is not a secret, where are you working in southern Mexico?

Gracias por la post.

Don Jose de La Mancha

p.s err about that coffee, no sugar please -----E (_)P

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

AUSSCO AND DON JOSE,

GREAT PHOTOS AND CRUDE EXPLAINATION.
ALL OF US MODERN PROSPECTORS FAIL TO SEE HOW SIMPLE PROSPECTING CAN BE.
FOR THOSE WHO LEARNED FROM THEIR ANCESTORS KNOW MORE ABOUT PROSPECTING THAN MOST OF THE MODERN PROSPECTORS.
THEY HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RECOVERING GOLD FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS WITH CRUDE AND HANDMADE TOOLS.
NOT TO MENTION THE "PASSED DOWN" KNOWLEDGE, FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

WE TEND TO THINK THAT WE KNOW IT ALL JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE BOOKS AND VIDEOS, ETC..
THOSE FOLKS ARE JUST PLAIN OL' SMART.

WE WILL ALWAYS NEED OUR LINK TO THE PAST, TO HUMBLE US AND EDUCATE US.
THANKS, TO BOTH OF YOU FOR REMINDING US.


(NO SUGAR)

MIKEL

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI GALS, guys: Will be through with the next phase with Hernandez shortly, will post it then. Apol and Patience for dragging it out, but business comes first..

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[aussco999]

Hola Don Jose:

I’m also still playing catch-up, but I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. I know you have seen or used the cow horn process numerous times in all of the years you’ve stomped around in Mexico. And, I also know how well you appreciate that rural form of “mortar & pestle” (hammer & rock) he’s using to pulverize the ore. Simple, but effective. It’s hard to see in the close up photo of the cow horn, but there is a small line of fine gold he had panned (horned) out of a baseball size rock sample. This project has some serious potential.

The photos also show how far back in the boonies this mining project is by the house’s dirt floor and the new adobe “horno” (oven) to his left. It comes complete with a metal plate on top for cooking tortillas, while a cast iron cooking pot sets directly in the fire. The good people of this house invited us to a join them in a meal, and I don’t know if there was the something special in the country air or from the fresh well water, but everyone asked for seconds.

Regarding the project, I’m bound by a non-disclosure agreement and there is a fair amount of security surrounding this project as the investors are foreign and want to keep a low profile against any of the bad elements in Mexico. They’ve been very meticulous with the government permits and are working closely with the locals to keep in good standings. We office near Cuernavaca and our head geologist is out of Taxco, but the project is still further to the southwest.

Maybe if the investors knew of your nearly saintly status, they would gladly invite you over for a fresh cup of sugar-free coffee. I agree with you 100%, sugar will rot your brains out.

Mikel; Speaking of primitive, maybe you and Don Jose would enjoy my series of photos of how they dug a new water well, 18 meters (60’) deep, by hand. They hit a hard rock layer at 11 meters and the military guys came by to watch us drill and shoot it. (The military issues permits and sell explosives to you in Mexico). Work often gets done a little slower there, but it’s still interesting.

That’s all I have for now. Take good care of yourself and stay in touch.

John

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

John, for a hill country house, that is rather elegant. I noticed a nice little one burner propane tank stove.

Hint, never volunteer to grind the tortilla flour .

I saw a little 13 year old girl jumping up and down swinging the handle of a commercial grinder - food, corn meal, tortilla masa , and coffee bean grinding - so being of the gentlemanly type, I volunteered to grind the masa. Needless to say, I almost was embarrased and glad to finally finish. I was beat, yet that little gal was jumping up and down rotating the handle of the grinder.

Incidentally, many use those grinders as a fine grinder for testing of ores. Action and adjustment is very similar to a normal assay ore grinder.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

AUSSCO, BRING ON THE PICTURES!
I'VE NEVER BEEN IN ONE OVER 30 FEET DEEP. 60 FEET SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF DIGGING.
MY OLDER BROTHER AND I CLEARED THE LAST 3 FEET OF THE 30 FOOTER AND OUR DAD RAN THE BUCKET. (HE HAD IT TIED TO THE TRUCK AND DROVE BACK AND FORTH) THAT WAS OK
IT WAS HOT UP THERE ANY WAY AND WE STAYED COOL AND TOOK TURNS FILLING THE BUCKET.
NOBODY BOTHERED TO TAKE PICTURES. IT WAS JUST WORK THAT HAD TO BE DONE.
I WISH I HAD A WELL TO DIG WHEN MY BOYS WERE GROWING UP. THAT BUILDS SELF ESTEEM.

OH YEAH, I LIKE SUGAR IN MY COFFEE.

MIKEL

 

[birdman]

Just got my internet back up after a month. Glad the camp fire is still going.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

WELCOME BACK, BIRDMAN. IT WILL TAKE YOU A MONTH JUST TO CATCH UP.

HOPE YOU BROUGHT COFFEE, SOME OF THESE GUYS KEEP OFFERING SOCK COFFEE.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD DRINK THAT, EVEN IF THE SOCK WAS FULL OF GOLD!!


PROSPECTORMIKEL

 

[truckinbutch]

WELCOME BACK, BIRDMAN. IT WILL TAKE YOU A MONTH JUST TO CATCH UP.

HOPE YOU BROUGHT COFFEE, SOME OF THESE GUYS KEEP OFFERING SOCK COFFEE.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD DRINK THAT, EVEN IF THE SOCK WAS FULL OF GOLD!!


PROSPECTORMIKEL

It is a trail trick . You wash a dirty sock while boiling the coffee . Part of the laundry gets done while you are brewing a beverage that can never be replicated by a machine . Not so many grounds left in the bottom of your cup , neither . Distinct flavor ...........

 

[Oroblanco]

WELCOME BACK, BIRDMAN. IT WILL TAKE YOU A MONTH JUST TO CATCH UP.

HOPE YOU BROUGHT COFFEE, SOME OF THESE GUYS KEEP OFFERING SOCK COFFEE.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD DRINK THAT, EVEN IF THE SOCK WAS FULL OF GOLD!!


PROSPECTORMIKEL

It is a trail trick . You wash a dirty sock while boiling the coffee . Part of the laundry gets done while you are brewing a beverage that can never be replicated by a machine . Not so many grounds left in the bottom of your cup , neither . Distinct flavor ...........

Don't forget to toss in a handful of old egg shells to help camouflage the bugs, bark, leaves, ashes and dirt that gets in the pot too, so you can tell yourself that any crunchy bits are "eggshells".

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

NOW THAT I HAVE THE RECIPE..... IT DOES SOUND A LITTLE BETTER THAN INSTANT DECAF!

I'LL BRING THE EGG SHELLS. #/;0P~

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Now, just to be perfectly clear.


The "sock coffee" was born out of necessity - and it was a brand-new, never been worn before, sock, out of my back pack. (we always make sure that we have good socks for hiking).

(and it still works great)

Beth

 

[poorhunter78]

WELCOME BACK, BIRDMAN. IT WILL TAKE YOU A MONTH JUST TO CATCH UP.

HOPE YOU BROUGHT COFFEE, SOME OF THESE GUYS KEEP OFFERING SOCK COFFEE.
I DON'T THINK I WOULD DRINK THAT, EVEN IF THE SOCK WAS FULL OF GOLD!!


PROSPECTORMIKEL

It is a trail trick . You wash a dirty sock while boiling the coffee . Part of the laundry gets done while you are brewing a beverage that can never be replicated by a machine . Not so many grounds left in the bottom of your cup , neither . Distinct flavor ...........

I was washing my camp skillet at few years back... It had stuff dried and baked on the inside.. So I gathered a mess of small pebbles.. Then put a little water in it, and got it a sloshing.. The pebbles took all the crusty baked whatsit off the skillet.. No SOS/Brillo pad.. Just rocks and river water.. They were hesitant to eat, The cook is usually last to eat.. I always cook, And eat first.. After they have a taste, There are never any 2nds..

So!, How about some toe Jam on a biscuit, To go with a good strong cup of sock coffee..

 

[Oroblanco]

Poorhunter78 wrote

I was washing my camp skillet at few years back... It had stuff dried and baked on the inside.. So I gathered a mess of small pebbles.. Then put a little water in it, and got it a sloshing.. The pebbles took all the crusty baked whatsit off the skillet.. No SOS/Brillo pad.. Just rocks and river water..

That is a great tip for our newbies too - I have used clean, damp sand as well with surprisingly good results. An old-timer's trick is to use a handful of ashes from the fire and just enough water to make them damp; the ashes have an alkali in them which on a warmed, greasy pan, will combine with the grease and make soap plus the grit from the ash helps remove the stubborn bits. Good to know when you are out in the tall tules as they say, though with the modern freeze dried foods available many people have no idea how things used to be.

Please do continue...
Oroblanco

 

[poorhunter78]

Poorhunter78 wrote

I was washing my camp skillet at few years back... It had stuff dried and baked on the inside.. So I gathered a mess of small pebbles.. Then put a little water in it, and got it a sloshing.. The pebbles took all the crusty baked whatsit off the skillet.. No SOS/Brillo pad.. Just rocks and river water..

That is a great tip for our newbies too - I have used clean, damp sand as well with surprisingly good results. An old-timer's trick is to use a handful of ashes from the fire and just enough water to make them damp; the ashes have an alkali in them which on a warmed, greasy pan, will combine with the grease and make soap plus the grit from the ash helps remove the stubborn bits. Good to know when you are out in the tall tules as they say, though with the modern freeze dried foods available many people have no idea how things used to be.

Please do continue...
Oroblanco

Thanks Oro!!! I make it my job to take over the cooking duties at all fish camps, and such.. Unless my momma were there then, Mom was nominated... Sometimes a man just has to take things, And do them so the job gets done right... Did that sound right?

OOps sorry.. Brain Fart..-->
Ben--Poorhunter

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

?? where is the sock damned if'n I will drink this modern colored water that they call coffee.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[rockhound]

You would like my uncles coffe. We went on a hunting trip and he offered to do the cooking, so we let him. Imagine waking up to a cup of coffee that looked more like molasses. One gulp and you were wired. He claimed that it didn't take near as much water to make coffe as some people thought it did. We alsmost quit drinking coffee because of him, at least on that trip. Good luck. rockhound

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Beth , Oro, can you believe this delicate city slicker, rock hound ?

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI, a curious happening up at Tayopa. An Indian saw Macaws flying into the cliff and diappearing. He thought that he could find the nest with some young ones to sell, instead he found a tunnel complex . Next project is to explore it in Nov. A pity that oro isn't here to set off any traps that the Jesuits may have left, sigh.

VIVA TAYOPA

Don Jose de La Mancha