Only Joe for the gold would understand


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I may have posted this before, but just throught it should read again

Doc and I started out in 2004 checking for placer sites that would be closer to home. Well after all was said and done we returned to our placer claims and started working. We openned up 3 areas which produced some nice gold but we centered all our efforts on the west hole. The summer floods did there normal damage and we had to dig out our west hole 4 times. By the end of the year Doc and I both had done very well in the gold department. We got some very heavy rains in January which damaged our road up the side of the mountain to almost beyond repair by hand. A tractor was going to be needed.

We started 2005 off by doing a lot of research on Google Earth. Doc had decided to work a small area which was about a 10 minute drive from his house. The bad news was that there was room for 1 person. This was fine with me since I had my eye on 2 other places which looked good. Mat, one of our other partners, and I hooked up and went prospecting the 2 mining districts in our area. After much disapointment and very little gold we decided to try one of the 2 areas that I had mapped out. This is what this story is about.

It’s mid-October and the weather is perfect for prospecting. I’m sitting at the table going over my check list for a 3 day mining trip. As I’m checking everything, I look at my bottle of gold and realized that I could count the pieces of gold there was so little. Talking to no ome except myself, I say “well this is going to change come tomorrow. I was packed and ready to leave when Mat pulls up. We went over the maps and the pictures one last time and headed out to the area where we planned to fine a few gold nuggets. After getting camp set up we spent about 5 hours metal detecting the 2 side of the ridges that fed our wash we wanted to work. We found 2 small dinks of gold and about 10 pounds of lead. It was getting late so we called it a day and went back to camp and had dinner. After dinner, we kicked back and watched the sunset and discussed our plan of sttack for tomorrow. All of this in the shadows of the 4th largest producer in the district.

As the morning sun rises with its multi-colored sky, we prepared a pot of coffee and discussed why and where the gold could be, We mapped out the wash and 20 foot sections and began digging. We found a little bit of gold but nothing that would say stay here. What gold we did get was very rough looking which indicated that it had not traveled very far. It was getting close to supper time so we cleaned up the area and headed back to camp.

We fixed dinner and cleaned up our mess.We put our eating table away and our 2 chairs we folded up and leaned them against the table. We walked the ridge line trying to get some kind of feel for the area. Everything came back to us that we were in the right spot but maybe there was just no big amounts of gold. We got back to camp and hit the beds, we were both tired from moving overburden, rocks and processing 25 buckets each of material.

Now I’ve been known to see or experience some strange things in my life but this night was about to get down right strange, almost over the edge even for me. I woke up about 3am having to go to the bathroom. So I put my boots on and out I go to the bush that we decided needed some water. I happened to be looking south towards the Gold Crown Mine when all of a sudden the area lite up and proceeded to start working. I saw the crew getting into the the car to go down into the mine, I saw the 4 ore inspectors that checked the material as its dumped into the trucks. I was frozen, in awe of what was going on. I yelled for my partner, but nothing came out. I went over to the table and set it up, made a pot of coffee opened the chair up and proceeded to watch as the mine went thru its nightly rountune.

The next thing I know, my partner is shaking me to get up. As I’m waking up, he asked me if I always slept with my boots on? He says to me to get up, get dressed and come outside he had something to show me. Well after getting dressed I go outside the tent and he ask me if I was the one who set up the table, made a pot of coffee and sat the chair facing south. I just looked at him with the dumbest look on my face and said, “well if you didn’t do it , let leaves only meâ€. He looks at me and says “dud your loosing it.†I answered him with a comment of ya your probably right. We fixed a big breakfast and cleaned up camp and put everything away. After we finished we went back down to the wash and finished the last 2 20 foot sections and got skunked. We called it a day and headed home. Both of us still wondering who put the table out and made the coffee. As for the mine visions, all I can say is it sure looked real to me.

Some think I'm nuts, others think I've spent to much time in the desert alone but I like my father's advice on these things. " Listen to the hills because from them we have come and to them we will return". My father whose picture I've attached, taught me right up til his death. To him I will always be gratefull.

29 Prospector (aka Bob)

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Bob

I've found that after you have been out alone for a month are more by yourself its okay to talk to your self as long you have got good answers.

Don't think nothing about what happen. You and I are okay its the rest of this bunch thats fallen out of their tree. :D:rolleyes:

Just keep posting because I like what you got to say!

Chuck

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That was a heck of a story Bob. I think maybe you do hear and see things the rest of us don't get to. Here is the way I see it either those visions and voices lead you to gold or Pal I'm thinking it might be time to give up those car keys. I am sure hoping it leads you to gold and either way it would be a lot of fun to be there to see it.

That is a really nice picture of your Daddy, I wish my Dad was like that. My Dad thinks I am crazy for chasing gold. He may be right, but I sure enjoy it.

-Joe

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Ridge Runner,

Sometimes I think to much or to hard on something, when the basic simple answer is right in front of me. Then again, there are those nights.

Joeforthegold,

That picture of my father is the perfect descriptetion of him. No matter where we went the very first thing he when he got out of the truck was grab the looking glasses as he use to call then. Before he would start out prospecting, he would study the terian for hours with his looking glasses. Like many of the oldtimer's he found his share of gold.

29 Prospector(now where did I leave off?)

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Sounds like all and all, you are a blessed man. You are having fun, you have a good imagination, and you have fond memories of your father.

Man what I would give to have my dad back for just one day. He died in 1990. We always got along great. He took me golfing, and hunting and fishing. He taught me all those good things that many men forget to teach their sons these days.

Be polite to women. Working hard and working honest is a good thing, and it is good for your heart and soul. Do one good deed for a stranger every day. They're called the 10 commandments for a reason, they are commands, they are not negotiable. Treat everyone even better than you would want to be treated. Deal with other people's reality, not yours. If someone thinks you said something offensive, it doesn't matter what you meant, it's what they perceived you meant. SO, suck it up and apologize, don't rationalize. What a very smart man he was.

Take care, thanks for a great story.

DOC

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Bob,

Cool story.When some of us spend a lot of time out in the gold country...sometimes...we are visited with links from the past in some ways.One season I started WHILE the winters last snows were falling...and I left with 8 inches of early snow on the ground!Luckily I had the dredge already packed and ready to go.I'm not into the supernatural.......but I have gotten some wierd vibes while out on the old trails...What a rush!A flashback to the past!Keeps the blood flowing.

BIGFOOT

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Doc,

One of the most important things I've learned from prospecting and mining; hardrock, placer and metal detecting; is the beautiy and stilllness of the desert. It does allow one's mind to wonder and think of many things from the past.

Bigfoot,

I don't know about that snow thing, of course I do the same in the dead of summer and wonder why. My father said that he felt that the true prospector had a feel and love for the earth and complexists. I guess I'm the same way. All my work is cut and backfill.

29 Prospector?

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Bob,

The snow thing?Sorry Bob I know its offtrack from the main topic.That represented an ENTIRE dredge season one summer for me.I arrived durring the end of the leaving winters snows were falling and left when the next winters snows arrived...what a season!No "weekender" here...if I can get into a good stretch of river/ground and have plenty of good food,a months worth of dredge gas,occasional company in the nearby mining camps...I would only come into town maybe once a month!But my "hermit" days are fading away because of the lure of such luxurys as the "Bacon&Cheese Cibatta Burger" or a sweet smile from an old girlfreind.I'm sorry to say Bob that MORE Babes & Burgers are my downfall now...and it is getting MORE addicting than the yellow metal(I hate to admit it...but this scares the hell out of me!)From nuggies to burgers??!!I just dont know if its a healthy transition.I think if I stay active in the fields...rather than in the seductive Bacon Burger ...I "should" be OOOOOOOO K!Ya gotta be in good shape to lift those burgers!AAAAAARRRRRGH!

FATFOOT

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Bob,

The snow thing?Sorry Bob I know its offtrack from the main topic.That represented an ENTIRE dredge season one summer for me.I arrived durring the end of the leaving winters snows were falling and left when the next winters snows arrived...what a season!No "weekender" here...if I can get into a good stretch of river/ground and have plenty of good food,a months worth of dredge gas,occasional company in the nearby mining camps...I would only come into town maybe once a month!But my "hermit" days are fading away because of the lure of such luxurys as the "Bacon&Cheese Cibatta Burger" or a sweet smile from an old girlfreind.I'm sorry to say Bob that MORE Babes & Burgers are my downfall now...and it is getting MORE addicting than the yellow metal(I hate to admit it...but this scares the hell out of me!)From nuggies to burgers??!!I just dont know if its a healthy transition.I think if I stay active in the fields...rather than in the seductive Bacon Burger ...I "should" be OOOOOOOO K!Ya gotta be in good shape to lift those burgers!AAAAAARRRRRGH!

FATFOOT

You partner, I've seen this desease before, a swim in a cold river nude usually takes care of the problem. As for the sweethearts, partner there an't a man living that can deal with that one.

Bob

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