TWO SIGNS LEFT TO I.D. MINE, AS SPANISH, FRENCH, OR JESUIT.

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

OH YEAH, I WILL BE MEASURING ALL OF THE MEASUREMENTS WITH A SPANISH BURGOS LAW VARA TAPE AND STAFF. THE BURGOS LAW SENT THE MEASUREMENTS FOR THE VARA TO THE NEW WORLD TO KEEP EVERYTHING REGULATED. EACH VARA HAD THREE FEET CALLED PIES... EACH PIE HAD 16 DEDOS (FINGER WIDTHS) THESE MEASUREMENTS ADD UP VERY CLOSE TO THE MEASUREMENTS MADE WITH PULGATTOS WHICH WAS THE THUMB'S WIDTH. THE PROBLEM WITH THEM IS THAT THERE TOO MANY DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS FOR THE WIDTH OF THE THUMB. I WILL HAVE TO LOOK UP THE WEB SITE THAT EXPLAINS THIS, BUT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO TO ARGUE ABOUT. ( ABOUT THE THICKNESS OF A THUMBNAIL PER PIE.

WEB PAGE IS:
drbronsontours.com/bronsonspanishmeasurements.html

I MADE A STAFF TO MATCH THE MEASUREMENTS AND ADDED A RIBBON TAPE AND MOUNTED IT ON AN OLDER FLY FISHING REEL, FOR EASE OF USE. I'LL TRY TO POST THE PICS IF I CAN FIND THEM THIS LATE AT NIGHT.

, HANDY AS A ROPE AT A HANGIN'!

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

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[mannings]

OKAY FOLKS. USING OLD DOG'S INFO ABOUT TRIANGLES, I HAVE REVERSE ENGINEERED THE CREATION OF A FICTIONAL SCENARIO, I SET THE CACHE AND MEASURED OUT THIRTY UNITS OF MEASURE TO THE MOTHERLY STONE STACK. THEN I MEASURED BACK UP THE LINE AND PLACED MY SECOND STONE AT ONE UNIT. THAT LEFT ME NEEDING 9 UNITS, SO I SWUNG AN ARCH AT 4.5 FROM THE SECOND STONE(THAT SET THE DIRECTION)THE SECOND STONE THAT IS. THE THIRD STONE NEEDED TO BE 4.5 UNITS FROM THE MOTHER STONE THAT MADE THE PERIMETER OF THE TRIANGLE 10 UNITS X 3 EQUALS THE ORIGINAL 30 UNITS AND SENDS YOU BACK TO THE CACHE.
I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DOUBLE STACKED STONES IS TELLING ME FOR SURE, YET. I HAVE A LITTLE TIME... MY OLD FRIEND SAM CALLED ME A FEW DAYS AGO AND HE WANTS TO GET TOGETHER SOON TO CATCH UP AND TO FILL ME IN ABOUT WHAT HE WAS FEELING THAT LAST TIME THAT WE WERE UP THERE DUE TO ALL OF THE BEAR SIGNS THAT WE SAW.
HE AND HIS SON, ELI, WERE LOOKING AT BEAR WALLOWS AND SCRATCHES EIGHT FEET UP THE POLE. I AM AT THAT POINT IN THE BOOK SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HIM, SOON.
IF ANY ONE HAS ANY MORE INFO ON THE DOUBLE STACKED STONES, PLEASE POST IT.

THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU FOLKS CAN COME UP WITH.
MIKEL
#/;0)~

Where was this written?

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

HEY MANNINGS,
I GOT IT OFF OF THE OLD EXILED ANGEL SITE BEFORE IT CRASHED. BUT I THINK HE HAS IT POSTED HERE ON TN AS WELL. HE WASN'T TRYING TO REVERSE ENGINEER THE FORMULA, HE JUST STATED THE FORMULA. I TRIED IT ON PAPER AND IT WORKED FOR ME. IT WAS A FLUKE THAT THE NUMBERS CAME IN THE WAY THAT THEY DID.
#/;0)~

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

OKAY, I SAID THAT I WOULD GET BACK TO THE SKULL AT THE TOP OF THE BLUFF. AS I STATED EARLIER, I SAT ON THE EDGE OF THIS TO TAKE PHOTOS ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO. IT TOOK IT THAT LONG TO SOAK IN, BECAUSE I WAS SITTING ON MY THINKER, I THINK. MY MIND SIMPLY WAS CLOSED AND COULD NOT SEE THE SIGNS FROM WHERE I SAT.


I ADDED THE DIFFERENT S/S. THEY ARE SELF EXPLANATORY. THE BLUFF IS 200 FEET TALL AND IT DROPS ANOTHER 100 PLUS FEET AT A STEEP ANGLE THEN DROPS ABOUT ANOTHER 100 FEET, TO THE VALLEY BELOW. THE SPOT THAT IT POINTS TO IS IN CLEAR SIGHT OF A COUNTY ROAD, SO I HAD TO CROP IT OUT OF THE PHOTO BEFORE POSTING.

AS ALWAYS THIS IS IMHO AND IS OPEN TO TRANSLATION.
ANY QUESTIONS THAT CROSS OVER THE LIMIT FOR OPEN DISCUSSION WILL BE ANSWERED IN A P.M.

THANKS
MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

NEW SIGN ON AN OLD PHOTO

I HAVE MY MINE SITE PHOTOS AS A SCREEN SAVER, SO I SEE THEM IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE SEVERAL HOURS A DAY.
THIS HAS PAID OFF TWO TIMES SO FAR. WHEN MY MIND IS DOING OTHER THINGS IT IS OPEN FOR HIDDEN SUBLIMINAL S/S. THIS ONE IS ON A STONE NEAR A CREEK ON THE MINE SITE. IT WAS A PHOTO OF A SMALL, BUT DISTINCT TURKEY TRACK. LAST WEEK I NOTICED ANOTHER IMAGE IN THE PHOTO. AND THAT CAUSED ME TO TAKE A MUCH CLOSER LOOK AT THE REST OF THE PIC.

BELOW THE TURKEY TRACK THERE IS A VERY CLEAR IMAGE OF A DUCK/GOOSE HEAD AND NECK. IT IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIC AND DOES NOT SHOW ENOUGH TO KNOW WHERE THE BODY IS IN CONJUNCTION TO THE HEAD. MOST OF THE ONES THAT I HAVE SEEN ELSEWHERE SHOW THE HEAD ROLLED BACK OVER THE BODY.

IT ALSO HAS A CROWN SHAPED STONE OVER THE HEAD. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT IT IS A CROWN, BUT I CAN'T RULE IT OUT.

THE IMAGE THAT I SEE IS OF SMALLER STONES, JOINED WITH CLAY OR MUD, THEN COATED WITH THE SAME CLAY AND THE IMAGES DRAWN/SCULPTED WHILE THE CLAY IS STILL MOIST, THEN FIRE HARDENED.

I HAVE SEEN MANY IMAGES LIKE THIS ON TREASURE SITES ON OTHER FORUMS.



LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

I'M NOT AN ARTIST. HERE IS PROOF. I PAINTED AROUND THE GOOSE AND THE TURKEY TRACK. I CAN'T FAULT ANYONE FOR NOT SEEING IT, AS IT TOOK ME ABOUT TEN YEARS TO SEE IT, AND I, AT ONE TIME, HAD MY HANDS ON THE ROCK.
I GUESS IT IS ABOUT ALLOWING MY MIND OUT OF IT'S CAGE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.

SO, COMPARE THIS TO THE PHOTO IN THE LAST POST. THEN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU SEE.

THANKS.
MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

LAST MONDAY I MADE A TRIP BACK TO THE MINE SITE, NOT UP THE MOUNTAIN TOP, BUT ON A PARALLEL HILLSIDE THAT I WORKED ALMOST TO THE DAY BUT, TEN YEARS AGO. I HAD MARKED THE TWO SPOTS WITH MY GPS. THE BATTERIES WERE DEAD IN MY CAMERA AND I FAILED TO CHECK MY SPARES. A ROOKIE MISTAKE THAT I WILL NOT MAKE AGAIN. I'M CHANGING ALL OF MY BATTERIES OVER TO RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, A FEW EACH MONTH SO THEY DON'T ALL DIE AT ONCE.
I COULD HAVE MOVED THE GPS BATTERIES AND MOVE THEM BACK AND FORTH, BUT I DIDN'T WANT TO RISK LOSING ANY OF MY DATA.
SO, LAST MONDAY ME AND A YOUNG MAN THAT I HAVE SPENT SOME TIME WITH OVER THE SUMMER, WHO WANTED LEARN ABOUT TREASURE HUNTING AND HISTORY MADE OUR FIRST OUTING. HE SHOWED A LOT OF INTEREST IN HISTORY AND HE WAS TAUGHT A GREAT DEAL ABOUT GETTING AROUND IN THE WOODS, DOWN TO HOW TO SURVIVE OFF OF THE FOREST.
IT WAS TIME TO TAKE HIM UNDER MY WING. WE DROVE UP THE MOUNTAIN AS HIGH AS IT WAS SAFE. WITH NEW BATTERIES IN MY CAMERA AND EXTRA BATTERIES FOR THE GPS, WE SET OUT WITH AS LITTLE WEIGHT AS WE COULD GET BY WITH. WE MADE OUR WAY BACK TO THE SPOT WHERE I HAD FOUND A THIRTY TO FORTY YEAR OLD TREE THAT HAD A HOLE THRU IT, JUST ABOUT THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF A SMALL FOOTBALL. IT LOOKED LIKE THE TREE HAD SPLIT AND THEN GROWN BACK TOGETHER ABOUT TEN INCHES ABOVE THE SPLIT. WE HAD TAKEN A HEADING BY SHOOTING THRU THE HOLE AND IT POINTED BACK TO THE KEYSTONE THAT STARTED THE SEARCH. LAST MONDAY, WHEN WE RETURNED, WE FOUND THAT THE SPLIT HAD GROWN IN LENGTH OF ABOUT THREE FEET. I WILL BE POSTING THE PHOTOS AS SOON AS I GET THE WORK DONE ON MY TOPO MAP.

WE MOVED ON TO THE NEXT GPS POINT AT THE TREE THAT WAS SHAPED LIKE A LARGE "N" SHAPE. IT GREW UP, TO ABOUT THREE FEET AND DOWN ALMOST TO THE GROUND, THEN BACK STRAIGHT UP. IT WAS POINTING DOWN THE HILL STRAIGHT AT THE BIG STONE WITH THE TURKEY TRACK. WHEN WE FOUND THE SPOT WHERE THE GPS LED US, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF IT. I KNEW THAT IT HAD TO BE VERY CLOSE TO US, SO WE LOOKED FOR IT IN THE WORST CASE THAT IT COULD BE AND WE FOUND IT, DEAD AND ROTTING ON THE GROUND AND GROWN OVER BY WEEDS. WE PUSHED THE WEEDS BACK TO GET THE PHOTO, ONLY TO SEE THAT THE MIDDLE PART HAD BROKEN NEAR THE MIDDLE. I PHOTOGRAPHED IT JUST THE WAY WE FOUND IT. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ICE AND SNOW STORMS IN THE AREA OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.
AS I STOOD, LOOKING AT THE REMAINS OF THE TREE, MY HELPER SAT DOWN TO REST. HE WAS LOOKING AT A ROCK, STANDING ON IT'S EDGE. HE ASKED ME IF IT WAS A COINCIDENCE THAT THE ROCK SHOWED THE PROFILE OF THE HILL GOING DOWN. I TOLD HIM "THERE ARE NO COINCIDENCES ANYWHERE ON THE SITE." HE LOOKED DOWN THE ROCK AND SAID "IT POINTS TO THOSE TWO SQUARE ROCKS NEAR YOUR FOOT?" I STEPPED ON THE SECOND ROCK AND TURNED AROUND AND THERE WAS A PATH OF ROCKS GOING DOWN THE HILL. I TOLD HIM THAT IT COULD BE GOING EITHER DIRECTION AND THERE SHOULD BE A POINTER ON OR NEAR THE STONE AND HE GOT UP TO LOOK FOR A POINTER ON THAT ROCK, AND WHEN HE GOT UP HE UNCOVERED A LARGE POINTER THAT HE WAS LEANING ON. THE TIP HAD BEEN CHIPPED OFF AND WE FOUND IT A FEW INCHES FROM THE TIP AND UNDER SOME LEAVES. I SET THE GPS FOR THE TURKEY TRACK ROCK AND WE STARTED DOWN THE PATH. IT LED US DOWN TWO SMALL WATER FALLS, THEN THE TERRAIN DROPPED ALMOST STRAIGHT DOWN. WE HAD TO GET OFF OF THE PATH AND CRAWL ACROSS ANOTHER WATERFALL (ALL OF THEM, DRY, EXCEPT ONE SMALL ROCK) I MANAGE TO STEP ON THE ONLY WET SPOT AND SLIP ABOUT SIX INCHES AND REGAINED MY STEP JUST AS HE REACHED TO GRAB ME. FORTUNATELY I HAD REGAINED MY BALANCE BEFORE I PULLED HIM OFF OF THE LEDGE. THE SUDDEN JERK TO STOP THE DOWNHILL MOVEMENT RATTLED ALL OF MY BONES. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT WAS TIME TO START IN TAKING MY PAIN MEDICINE. I HAVE BEEN MAXING OUT MY DAILY AMOUNT EVERY DAY SINCE.
WE WENT NEARLY A QUARTER OF A MILE OUT OF THE WAY TO GET DOWN TO THE CREEK BED AND WORKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR TRYING TO LOCATE THE TURKEY TRACK STONE. THE WALLS OF THE VALLEY ARE STEEP IN THE AREA, AND APPARENTLY THE WALLS WERE CAUSING SOME KIND OF SIGNAL SKIP. I FOLLOWED THE LINES AND DISTANCES FROM THE GPS, BUT EACH TIME IT PICKED UP A NEW DISTANCE AND DIRECTION. WE FAILED TO FIND IT.
THAT WAS THE BIGGEST PART OF THE TRIP, BECAUSE I WANTED TO VERIFY THE EXISTENCE OF A GOOSE HEAD AND NECK CARVED INTO IT AND A FEW OTHER TESTS ON THE SURFACE. THEY WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR NOW. WE HAD TO GET BACK TO THE TRUCK. I NEEDED MORE WATER AND MEDICINE, NOT TO MENTION REST AND EAT. I DROVE THE TRUCK UP THE VALLEY TOWARD THE AREA OF THE STONE AND TRIED AGAIN TO FIND IT WITHOUT USING THE GPS. WE STILL HAD NO LUCK. AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE, WE HAD TO GET MY OLD BONES BACK HOME FOR A HOT SHOWER AND A LONG NAP.

WE WILL BE BACK. THIS YOUNG MAN HAS A GREAT EYE FOR SEEING THINGS THAT DON'T LOOK NATURAL IN THE FOREST. HE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT HELP TO ME AND I WILL TEACH HIM EVERYTHING THAT I CAN ABOUT TREASURE HUNTING. MY SONS HAVE NOT FOLLOWED MY PATH AND IT WILL BE THEIR LOSS, AND HIS GAIN. WHEN I AM LONG GONE, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE MY PLACE. THAT MEANS A GREAT DEAL TO THIS OLD MUTT.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

THIS IS AN ADD ON EDITING TO GET THE PHOTOS ON BOARD.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE SPLIT TREE THAT HAS ELONGATED AND NARROWED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS.


THE NEXT ONE IS THE BROKEN AND NOW ROTTING TREE THAT WAS SHAPED LIKE THE LETTER "N", IT IS DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE, AS IT DOES NOT SHOW THE MIDDLE PART OF THE LETTER. I ASSUME THAT IS WHERE IT BROKE FIRST, BUT IT MAY HAVE SNAPPED OFF AT THE GROUND AND BROKE THE MIDDLE AS IT FELL. I REALLY COULD NOT SEE ANY PROOF TO SUPPORT EITHER THEORY OVER THE OTHER.



AND THIS IS MY FELLOW TREASURE HUNTER, JESSIE, WITH THE POINTER STONE THAT POINTED TO THE TRAIL THAT WE FOLLOWED MOST OF THE WAY DOWN THE HILL.



AND IF YOU WERE WONDERING.... YES, IT IS DEER SEASON AND WE BOTH WEAR ORANGE VESTS.

FOR NOW, HAPPY HUNTING.
I WILL GO BACK AS SOON AS HEALTH WILL ALLOW.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[Shortstack]

Hey, Mikel:
Congratulations on finding a partner with sharp eyes and the willingness to learn.

That split tree sure looks like a good candidate for examples of man made grafting. Those two places down low on the split where the rough outer bark is missing, could easily be where some kind of "wedging" piece was in place to keep the sapling trunks apart for a while. Then the other part of the project was to decide where they wanted to graft the 2 little trunks back together to form the one piece upper trunk. The grafting technique would have been to cut away one half of the diameter of each sapling trunk, on the facing sides, then bring the cut areas together to where the inner bark lines would meet and tie the trunks together and wrap the new singled-out trunk with something that would eventually rot away AFTER the graft took hold. They would have then wrapped that whole section in some kind of material that holds water to keep the graft section moist while they grew together. Even today, that technique is used and the moisture holding materials are Spangum Moss, wrapped thickly around the entire grafted area. Then, plastic sheeting such as Suran Wrap is used to cover the moss and ties are used at the top and bottom of the moss area to hold the wrap in place as well as hold in the water which is used to soak the moss. Of course the Spanish, and later groups in the 19th and 20th centuries did not have Suran Wrap (well, OK, EARLY 20th century, LOL) so they would have used some sinew ties, wrapped loosely around the moss to hold it in place and keep it together. In an area where it rains fairly often, the graft cover would have been moistened pretty regularly by Mother Nature.

Anyway, that's what I think...............and I could be totally wrong, too. LOL Wouldn't be the first time, either.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

HEY SHORTSTACK,
SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T EXPECT TO SEE WHEN WE FOUND THE FIRST TREE WAS THE LENGTH OF THE SPLIT, AND MORE THAN THAT WAS THAT IT HAD ELONGATED DOWNWARD RATHER THAN MOVING UP THE TREE. WHEN WE FIRST GOT TO THE GPS SPOT I WAS LOOKING UPWARD BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT CHEST HIGH TEN YEARS AGO. I SUSPECT THAT THE TREE SWAYING BACK AND FORTH CAUSED THE BASE OF THE TREE TO GIVE MORE THAN THE REST.

THERE IS A SPOT ON THE FACE OF THE TREE THAT HAS BEEN HIT BY A FALLING TREE JUST UP THE HILL. THERE WERE TRIMMED OFF BRANCHES ALL AROUND IT THAT AREA THAT WE HAD TO MOVE SO I COULD GET A CLEAR PHOTO.

I'M GLAD TO HAVE BOTH SPOTS MAPPED OUT AND PHOTOGRAPHED, AS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THAT AREA, AND JUST ABOVE IT, CUT DOWN AND CUT INTO LOGS OR FIREWOOD.

WE WILL GO BACK TO FIND THE TURKEY TRACK AGAIN, AS SOON AS MY LEGS AND BACK LET ME WALK THE DISTANCE. NO CLIMBING PLANNED FOR THE NEXT TRIP.
I HOPE IT IS SOON. IT'S HARD TO TAKE IN THE FACT THAT A SIMPLE SIX INCH SLIP COULD KEEP ME FROM WALKING, BUT IT HAS.

HAPPY HUNTING.
MORE TO COME.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Prospectormikel, please don't type in all caps, it violates our rules.....

 

[Shortstack]

Prospectormikel, please don't type in all caps, it violates our rules.....

Treasure Hunter:
I think Mikel has trouble reading the lower case words on his machine and uses all caps so HE can read what he writes, before "entering" the post. He doesn't do this out of disrespect. We are members on at least one other forum and he does the same thing there. No one, who knows him, is ever insulted or upset.

EDIT: And he is not doing this out of spite or to be a wise-aker.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

THANKS, SHORTSTACK, FOR HAVING MY BACK.
I WONDER HOW MANY MODERATORS THERE ARE. I THOUGHT THEY WERE ALL AWARE OF MY PROBLEM, THREE YEARS AGO.
I UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY (COLLECTIVELY) WERE OKAY WITH IT.

IF THINGS HAVE CHANGED, I GUESS I'LL KNOW SOON ENOUGH. HOPEFULLY HE WILL CHECK WITH THE ONES THAT ALLOWED ME TO DO WHAT I MUST DO, IN ORDER TO CHECK MY POSTS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR WATCHING OUT FOR ME, BILL.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[releventchair]

Ya. I need cheater glasses to read even your caps. Been used to your writing so long I didn't consider it unusual anymore too. Topic always worth it!

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

THANKS, RELEVENTCHAIR.
I HAVE TO HAVE CHEATER GLASSES TOO. AND THAT'S TO TYPE MY POSTS.
I WONDER IF I DO WHAT I DO, HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE LETTERS ON THE KEYBOARD ARE ALL CAPS.

I'M GLAD TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE ACCUSTOM TO MY TYPING.
THANKS FOR THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[dsty]

I believe everyone has a cross to bare, bear, ? mine is spelling and no brin, brain power.

 

[Shortstack]

After mulling over this "typing in all caps" thing that just popped up all of a sudden.................I'll bet the Mod got a complaint from someone and had to show a response. I don't think Jeff of Pa is so mean spirited as to make a "cold post" on Mikel's use of all caps. He's more fair than that and can also see that Mikel uses this technique as a standard in his posts.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

I THINK THAT CHANGING MY SIGNATURE MIGHT HELP THIS MATTER. NOW EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE CAUSE, NO MATTER WHERE I POST.
I HOPE THAT IT WORKS.

HAPPY HUNTING FOLKS AND THANKS AGAIN.
MIKEL #/;0)~

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE TRAIL...

THE "POINTER" THAT JESSIE IS POINTING OUT IN THIS PHOTO, HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT PAST.
EARLIER I MENTIONED THE POINT ON THE END SHOWS A BROWN SURFACE WHERE THERE IS NO MOSS GROWING. THAT IS NOT THE DAMAGE THAT I WAS WRITING ABOUT. THAT IS ONLY THE CONTACT DAMAGE FROM THE BLOW THAT DID THE REAL DAMAGE.

THE PART THAT WAS ACTUALLY FOUND IN THE LEAVES WAS MUCH LARGER. THE PIECE THAT I RETRIEVED WOULD WEIGH ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN POUNDS. IT FIT BACK IN PLACE SO WELL THAT I HAD TO ZOOM IN ON THE ORIGINAL PHOTO IN ORDER TO FIND THE SEAM FROM THE FRACTURE.
THE PIECES THAT ARE MISSING WERE FAR TOO MANY TO COUNT, AND FOR THE MOST PART ONLY CRUMBS.

THE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN HARVESTED RECENTLY IN THE AREA LEAVE ME TO WONDER IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS BEEN STUDYING THE TRAIL, AND WANTED TO COVER IT UP. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY MARKED THE SPOT ON MY GPS, THIS STONE WOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION.

IF JESSIE HAD NOT NOTICED THE STONE STANDING ON IT'S EDGE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAIL, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A REASON TO LOOK AT THE POINTER.

THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY TRAIL MARKER. THE DAMAGE IS PERMANENT. IT WILL BE DECADES BEFORE MOSS WILL GROW OVER THE BARE SPOT.

I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MYSELF ABOUT CHIPPING A VERY SMALL PIECE FROM THE EDGE OF ONE OF THE LARGER MARKERS, TO SEE HOW THICK THE PLASTER WAS APPLIED TO THE INSIDE STONES, UPON WHICH THE CARVINGS HAVE BEEN SHAPED.

I DON'T THINK THAT I COULD SLEEP AT NIGHT IF I DID IT.
I NEED TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO SEE THRU THE PLASTER, TO DETERMINE IF IT COULD BE A VAULT.

ANYONE GOT A PAIR OF "X-RAY" GLASSES?

HIGH TECH... OLD SCHOOL... ANY GOOD IDEAS?

I COULD REALLY USE A FRESH MIND ON THIS OLD PROBLEM.

THANKS, IN ADVANCE.

MIKEL
#/;0)~

 

[releventchair]

Any side area or eroded place where no plaster exists to allow "painting" with water to look for contrast/depth of plaster vs stone? Were the pointer plastered it would have been such a candidate.

 

[PROSPECTORMIKEL]

RELEVENTCHAIR, THAT'S ONE FOR MY FIELD GUIDE. I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY THE MARKERS THAT ARE DOWN NEAR THE CREEK.

THAT IS WHERE THE "TURKEY TRACK" AND THE "GOOSE/SWAN" ARE. THAT IS WHERE I HAD BEEN WRESTLING WITH MYSELF ABOUT CHIPPING THE SMALL PIECE OFF TO STUDY. I HAD GONE SO FAR AS TO INCLUDE TWO TOOLS IN MY PACK TO WORK WITH, WHICH I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED. THE FIRST WAS A DRAFTING PENCIL WITH FOUR SHARPENED PIECES OF TUNGSTEN, TO SCRATCH AROUND THE PIECE IN HOPES OF PREVENTING THE CHIP FROM CRACKING INTO THE MAIN PART OF THE PLASTERED FACE. THE SECOND TOOL WAS A HAND HELD CENTER PUNCH, WITH A LIMITED AMOUNT OF PRESSURE / SHOCK.

NOW I CAN START AT THE BOTTOM AND WORK MY WAY UP FROM THERE, NOTING ANY CHANGES IN COLOR AND THICKNESS.

THANKS YOU FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM. I WILL GO THRU MY PICTURES AND CREATE A FILE OF THE DIFFERENT MARKERS THAT I HAVE USED TO STUDY THE PRACTICE OF PLASTERING FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS. I KNOW THAT I HAVE ONE, THAT I BORROWED, THAT IS THINNER NEAR THE BOTTOM, TO THE POINT THAT A LARGE "DRAWING" ALMOST FADES OUT.

THIS WILL HELP, MORE THAN I CAN EXPRESS.

I HAVE A NEW COARSE OF STUDY, THAT WILL PREPARE ME FOR MY NEXT TRIP.

I DID NOT NOTICE ANY THINNING, NOR "PAINTING" ON THE LOWER EDGES OF THE POINTER ROCK, AND IF THAT ROCK WAS PLASTERED I DIDN'T NOTICE IT, EVEN WITH THE PIECE THAT WE FOUND AND PLACED BACK ON THE MAIN BODY. I DOUBT IF I WILL MAKE THE TRIP BACK UP THAT HILL UNLESS SOMETHING NEW POINTS ME IN THAT DIRECTION. IT WAS A ROUGH TRIP THE LAST TIME. I'M STILL RECOVERING IN HOPES OF RETURNING TO FIND THAT ONE THAT IS ALONG SIDE THE CREEK BED.

FOR NOW, I HAVE STUDYING TO DO.

THANK YOU FOR THE HELP.

MIKEL
#/;0)~