desertdigger Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hello Everyone,I have an opportunity to pick up a decent utility ATV. How many of you out there use an ATV to "go where no one has gone before"? Has your ATV improved your chances of finding "good" spots? With the rain here in Southern California over the last week or so, it's time to put the drywasher away and pull out the gp 3000.PS....Dutch John....hope you are doing well.....haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while.Jeff from WEPC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Desert digger. I resisted for years. I didn't mind walking, but it got to where I couldn't find anywhere the atvs hadn't gotten to. It was time to get with the modern world. I credit a lot of the gold I found last year to the ATV. It allows me to check out new ground that I wouldn't have bothered walking to. It saves wear and tear on my pickup too. If the road gets a little rough, I unload the RZR and continue on at a much faster speed and a lot smoother too. Don't let it make you lazy though. I've seen lots of guys just give their detector a ride.----Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Ill tell ya desertdigger if you really want to go were no one has been get a parachute and hope you can find your way out. Im just kiddin ya, I prefer two wheels but they are harder to hang onto. Actually the old timers had it right its hard to beat a good horse or mule. The unfortunate thing is the tree huggers are locking everything up these days to gas engines so your going to have get something with four legs or do some walking if your looking for totally virgin ground. Take care and good luck, AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Your right Bob, a good mule and a couple of burro's to pack stuff in on. Been thinking of that myself, Except the only horse I have ever been on, was on a Boardwalk at santa Cruz and it just went in circles, and I fell off the darn thing! just kiddin, used to have two horse's when I lived in Texas, they cost too! much to feed. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pondmn Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Actually Grubstake is kidding. He now uses Shoedubakers (not sure if that is spelled right) Size 10 works good for him. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 All right Jerry, you got me on this one. What the hell is Shoedubakers. Why do I feel like Im being sucked in on this one. AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 An ATV is the bomb. I had neverfound a virgin patch until I got an ATV. A few nuggets here and there. And then I got an ATV, and I started finding virgin ground. Patches with 17 to 25 nuggets totaling from 1.5 to 2 ounces from a patch.There is nothing so amazing as finding a virgin patch where every target is a nugget, no trash, just gold.ATV's are the modern day prospector's mule. Sometimes I just go exploring and mark places on my GPS that look like they have great potential for a later closer look.I like to do this because if you stop at the first good looking place and spend half a day and find two nuggets, right over the ridge may be a place that looks much better that produces 20 nuggets in a couple hours.When you have 10 likely spots you can rankk them as to which you want to check out first, second, third. It's not foolproof as sometimes you find out the best looking spot produces nothing and a less likely place has a good patch.Take care!Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 BOB, it my own two feet! thats what shoe-da-bakers are. no wheels. Ha! Ha! Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Doc Im not kidding Ive found nuggets in the road in several places over looked in plain sight. Everyones in a mad dash to get to get out to the known area. I drove over them my self. sometimes right off the highway. It happens. Ive found nuggets in the road that were black on one side from the tire marks. Not kidding. Some how the phrase gold rush comes to mind. AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Thanks for the reply Gary, never heard that phrase?? AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 BOB, don't let DOC worry you, when he came up here, he got lost, and had two GPS units on him, but only one when he finally found the Quads. Ha! Ha! True. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubstake Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Well its a saying mostly between my uncle and I, but Studebaker started out making wagons, then wheel barrows in the goldrush areas of Calif. then they made cars, the Golden Hawk, was the fastest off the show room floor, it would do 160MPH right off the showroom. There in high demand for collectors. Grubstake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZNuggetBob Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Gary its always nice to have a spare GPS in case you loose one or watch the sun set or rise if it takes that long. AzNuggetBob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Grubstake . Studebaker also made the first RV., the sheep wagon. Sheepherders in the west all lived in these as they moved the sheep around to new pasture. They had a small woodstove in them for heat and cooking . The original models were pulled by mules , then as cars came on the scene they were towed from place to place . My grandpa kept one behind the house and would take his naps in there away from us kids. They have become collectors items in Montana and Nevada and are being restored. ----Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 AZ nugget Bob. I agree about those next to the road patches. Sometimes if it's too obvious people tend to think it's already been done. When all is said and done , you still have to get off and walk to find the gold . ATVs are another tool , but like any other tool they have to be used properly to get the job done. ----Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bflyr2 Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hello Everyone,I have an opportunity to pick up a decent utility ATV. How many of you out there use an ATV to "go where no one has gone before"? Has your ATV improved your chances of finding "good" spots? With the rain here in Southern California over the last week or so, it's time to put the drywasher away and pull out the gp 3000.PS....Dutch John....hope you are doing well.....haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while.Jeff from WEPC.I have a Suzuki Kingquad that I have put 10,000 mi. on it in less than 3 years. I can cover alot of ground and go after the gold. Have made a bed to fit the back and carry my drywasher and gear. Great way to search but be careful. I also do ATV tests and tire tests for companies and there are alot of junk out there that can nickel and dime you and also leave you stranded. Also service ATVs here in Az so if I can help you with any questions I will try. Good luck. bflyr2@yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montana Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 blfyr2. You say there is a lot of junk out there that can strand you. I know what you are talking about. This didn't strand me but it sure flattened a new Bighorn Maxi on my RZR. What tires do you recomend for our rocky, thorny, desert terrain. Are the new 8 plies any good ? If so what brand ?----Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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