'19 Misadventures In Baja

[Condor]

My prospecting buddy in San Diego and I decided to take a run down to Baja to see if this summer's hurricane event had moved any gold around.  This particular Baja placer has been pretty popular over the past 20 years and we've pretty much hunted out all the easy stuff so we had high hopes for a new bonanza.

We left on Monday crossing the border at Calexico.  I was waved through after a cursory examination by the Mexican border officials.  My friend was in a different lane and he was subjected to a much more thorough examination.  I think it was end of shift and the border officials needed to make some quick money.  Four of them pulling everything out of his truck.  They ultimately came to his 7000 detector.  He explained its use and then they asked what it was worth.  He lied and told them $4000.00.  They saw dollar signs because according to them he would need to pay an import duty on the equipment, $420.00 US dollars cash.  I guess 100 bucks apiece is a good nights work.  He refused and told them that he would just return to the US.  After that the price came down to $240.00.  He still refused and we used the turnaround lane back to the US side of the border.  It's hard to argue their notion of justice.

We spent the night at my house in sunny Yuma and decided to cross at Algodones the next morning.  That crossing was going well as far as inspection, but then the immigration officer inquired as to our Mexican Visas.  We've never needed a Visa in Baja unless crossing the states of Baja Norte to Baja Sur.  So, we bought some much needed $35.00  cash only Visas and continued on our way. 

The summer hurricane wiped out most of the paved highway just outside of San Felipe.  They were working on replacing the highway but in the meantime you're restricted to a rough one lane dirt road over about 40 miles.  From my house to the Placer is abut 240 miles and we arrived in the early afternoon. The prime ground is another 3 miles by ATV.  We spent the rest of the afternoon building some ramps and filling big holes to run the my Rokon and his Yamaha Big Wheel up the canyon.  The hurricane had run water about 20 ft high through the canyon so all our improvements from last year were washed away.  It was tough sledding all the way but I didn't get unhorsed this year.  My friend took a nasty fall after his bike slid down a too smooth rock wall.  He was hobbled and we ended up cutting our trip short.

Nevertheless, I got one good day of detecting in.  I found a stretch of bedrock that last year had a foot of overburden on it.  It was now swept clean and I found these small nuggets in bedrock cracks.  I intended to check some promising ground about a 2 mile hike away, but I just couldn't justify leaving gold to find gold.  Maybe next trip.

The weather was great and the gold available, just not enough time after our border mishap and my friend's banged up knee. 

[vanursepaul]

Good job with the time you had available----

Maybe next year------ MAYBE this year in a different locale...hmmmmmm.....

[Condor]

30 minutes ago, vanursepaul said:

Good job with the time you had available----

Maybe next year------ MAYBE this year in a different locale...hmmmmmm.....

If I only had a good Tennessee guide all things are possible.

[klunker]

7 minutes ago, Condor said:

If I only had a good Tennessee guide all things are possible.

 You would the have to learn to speak Tennessian with a bit of pidgin Australian mixed in.

[phoenix]

Condor what an amazing story.  Do you ever have any drama getting back into the states? My entire knowledge of crossing the US-Mexico border is from watching Sicario and Sicario II.

By the way, very nice gold ?

[fredmason]

nice gold..

too much trouble from the policia for me...

fred

[alaskaseeker]

Well said Fred,  Mexico is a dangerous place, corruption is rampant, you couldn't drag me down there for anything.. Nice gold too. Well done Condor..

[alaskaseeker]

5 hours ago, Condor said:

If I only had a good Tennessee guide all things are possible.

I have a home in Bristol, when will you be there?

[Lanny]

Loved the story, and the adventure with the border guards too, quite puzzling, or maybe not if it's only about making some extra coin outside of official duties.

Thanks for taking the time to write the story and post the picture, loved it.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[deathray]

Always love your stories...although I think your crazy? You got guts my friend, stay safe so we can enjoy more of your adventures.