Day 1. Left Santa Fe to set up basecamp in Taos. Real pretty drive! Stopped at the Rio Grand Gorge Visitor Center. Spoke to Seth, who has never heard of FF or his treasure. VERY HELPFUL! (Thanks dude, today was fun cause of you).
Got a room for 5 nights for just ove $200, which was kinda reasonable. Drop off my stuff and head for checkpoint #1, John Dunn Bridge!
Ol Seth tells me theres hot springs and caves there. COOL! I'm looking for these things!
From Taos, take 64 N to 522. Look for the sign and look at your odometer. Turn in 1 mile, cause it's not marked. Follow it all the way down. Real pretty, watch for the speedbumps.
You will find 2 bridges there.
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The first one has a dirt road to the left, just before the bridge. I took it down to the rivers edge and turned back, checking out the rocks for signs (blaze). Found some cool markings, but I dont think FF had anything to do with it.
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About 1/2 way back, i see an old garbage pit by the rocks that I have to check out.
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Grabbing my MD shovel, I check it out. Just a bunch of rusty beer cans opened with a church ket. Cool, old, but too trashy for me to keep. I got better at home. So I go back out to the main road and cross the small bridge.
My personal opinion, I dont think the treasure is in any danger of being swept away by a flood, so I'm not looking in low water areas.
The second bridge!
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Was advised by others here to check under a couple bridges. So I check this one. Nope, ain't here, dont bother.
Now we get to the interesting part.
Seth says that after you pass the bridge, go up to where the cutback is and park. Follow the trail to caves and a hot spring. Cool.
Just like he said, theres the cutback to the right and a parking area. Here I met a couple from S. Carolina on their honeymoon. Dont know about the treasure, so we talk about it. Told em if I find the hot spring, I would let them know. So I start down the trail and, not to far I see a cave above me!
There's a trail and I take it. I can see smoke coming out and can hear a guitar playing. I announce my arrival and I am greeted by 2 HIPPYS!
Spent about 20 minuites with them, had a good time and checked out the cave. Not here. They say that there's a hot spring and cave just down the trial. Groovy!
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So I go down the trail, getting closer to the water and have to traverse the rocks in places. Then about 15 feet from me a naked man pops up!
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775944"/>I really hate talking to naked men in any situation, or take there picture, so I get to the point. "Seen any caves around here?" Naked guy says "Right behind you"
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Small cave. But easy enough to get into. With flashlight in hand, I go in. Keep in mind that the temps are in the mid 40's at best. 5 ft. in the cave, it's about 100 degrees F.
Sweating heavy, I keep going in. Not tall enough to stand, but you dont have to crawl on your knees. Some water in places, but I didn't get wet. Goes back maybe 20-25 yrd? Branches off in 2 places, but not far. Reach the end and there is a shallow pool (2 ft?) of water. Maybe at the bottom of the pool? No sticks to probe with, didn't want to get wet, so I did NOT check the pool. It is, however, a pontencial treasure spot. If anyone wants to check it out, help yourself. If it is there, remember me please. Personally, I dont think FF would carrie the load this far, or this deep into the cave. Just my opinion.
Hears the best shot of inside the cave.
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You can see that some ol pioneers had used wood fenceposts for shoring in places, but it's not nessasary. Some calcite on the rocks, but nothing worth taking home.
I climb back out and naked guy is dressed and leaving. Says the waters great, about 100 degrees. I go past the pool cause there's a group of trees close by. Hmmmm, lets check it out.
The only thing I find is some big boob girls bra. Hung it in a tree for all to see.
Going back out I talk again to the hippys. They say a couple miles downstream, on the other side, is another hot spring and caves. Groovy! Just what I want to hear.
Cause it matches what Seth told me earlier.
So going back to the main road, I see the honeymooners and tell em about the hot spring and I think I talked them into going to it. They turned around and headed right towards it.
So now the plan is to get back on 522 and backtrack back to 64 and turn right to go to the Rio Grand Gorge Bridge.
Seth says theres another hot spring to the right, just past the airport. First I want to check out the bridge itself. Been advised to do so.
Nice view, nice bridge, Cant go anywhere under it tho, It's all fenced off and posted everywhere.
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So with tears in my eyes I head back to find Mamby Hot Springs. It's just passed the airport. There are a couple roads on the North side of the road, with the first one FROM the bridge, is a good maintained gravel road. No signs, so I take it. I find a working gravel pit, but the road goes on along a fence line. It gets bumpy but I continue to the edge of the canyon. Nice view, nothing there tho. Wouldn't mind metel detecting, but I dont have the time. It's after 4 pm.
going back out I see a trash pit. I stop and walk down to find many beer bottles, and just common toss out stuff. Found a cool bike that I'll be taking home. If you find this spot, let me know if the duck and Mrs. Butterworth are still on the lawn mower, lol.
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I got back out and go to the next road, which happens to be the one I'm looking for.
Do NOT turn at the candle factory. Wrong road.
Find Tune Rd, and take it all the way down. This is a kinda residential area and they are proud of there speed limit of 25. The road sucks enough that you dont want to do over 30.
Took a little while to get there but I find the parking lot and an elderly gentleman walking a couple German Shepperds and talk to him. He's never heard of FF either. Says the trail starts right there. Says the trail is long and steep in places. Gonna take awhile to get there, watch out for the snow. Seeing I'm at the top of the canyon, I believe him. I wont be going all the way down. Just about 100 yards to look for areas that someone could hide a box, but there aint much there. Time for dinner.
So now I'm in my cheap room writing this. Learn from my experiance if you wish. Today was fun. Doing research next. Seth has a couple more areas that sound good for tomorrow. I'll keep ya posted.
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=775874"/>
I really hate talking to naked men in any situation, or take there picture, so I get to the point. "Seen any caves around here?" Naked guy says "Right behind you"
once it warms up you'll really might consider carrying a long stick with you, when you venture into the caves', these guys will be coming out pretty soon
