Hey Jerry,
Yep that was the vehicle he drop. He always had that thing packed full. I will always remember him for his smile and great personality. The last couple of years I thought about him, thinking where he might be camping and prospecting. I'm not sure on when he passed, or the cause, but he was always great to have around.
What I can tell anyone that is reading is this - I started searching for gold on a serious note back when I was around 20 years old. Most of all the guys that took me under their wing were in their 50-60's. Most of them are now long gone, only just a few that are still around today, but out of the nugget shooting game. Cherish the times around the campfires as one day the guys will no longer be there.