Many years ago, I told two rockhounds from Texas, Kurt and Kitty, that I had discovered a place in the middle of nowhere abundant with blue obsidian. (Rockhounds are people who search for geodes and other rocks to trade or sell at gem and mineral shows.)
Kurt and Kitty were thrilled. “Let’s go this Sunday!” they urged me.
My friend Chris Lloyd agreed to join the expedition, so we were fortunate to have a geologist with us to explain what we were looking at.
After a late start, we arrived at the tiny pueblo of La Mazata, population 700, passing the hacienda of the Ayllones family, the landowners in the area.
Twenty years earlier, we had visited the Ayllones with obsidian expert Rodrigo Esparza, who had shown us some great spots to find rare types of obsidian. This time, no one was home, so we continued on a rough dirt road. The landscape on either side was mostly agave fields as far as the eye could see.
After bouncing along the road for nearly an hour, we came upon two people on foot, each wearing a backpack.
We stopped and asked where they were headed, as, to our knowledge, this road led only to the middle of nowhere.
“We’re going to the opal mine,” they replied.
“Is it on this road?” we asked.
“Sí!”
“Okay, jump in the back, but it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”
Please login or subscribe to view the complete article.