Happy Camp 98
It has been my happy experience to combine an introduction to gold prospecting and the acquaintance of many fellow chatters of the metal detecting group.
All my life I have wanted to look for gold in its natural state. This get together in the beautiful Siskiyou area of northern California was my chance.
Upon arrival to the area I found fellow chatters...........Susan and Laura........a pair of sweethearts if there ever was......We went to the 49ners store and picked up the necessary equipment to get started. So many things to choose from.........but stick to the basics........gold pan........sniffer bottle...hammer pick...folding shovel.... In the days to come ......items would be added to the list........crowbar......turkey baster......classifiers....5gal bucket.
Then on to the camp site. Bill Stumpf of the New 49ers graciously drove us to the site of a stream amid the trees and mountains. Thanks Bill.......we would not have found it otherwise. WOW!! It was so quiet I had to get used to it. The stream was crystal clear and COLD (65¡f)....least for this island boy. There was a wide deep spot that was perfect for a swim..........albeit a wee bit on the cold side. Later several of us would use water detectors here to find a few coins BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!
In the days to follow there would be many experiences. The best were getting to know the people that were previously only known via keyboard. Hopefully in the future we will be able to meet those who were not able to make it to this first and not last gathering. The Barbecue we had was fabulous......... Moose burgers.....chili......ribs........Salmon oh my, now I'm hungry.........again.
I never knew there were scorpions so far north. I thought they only lived in Oklahoma and Texas..........When Jesse brought back one of the blackest critters on earth........I thought to myself..........holy cow......I have been turning over rocks for days and he turns over one rock and bingo........a creature. Glad it was him and not me........I would have freaked big time. Then there was the slug........Oh my......but this thing was ......what 6 or 8 inches. I thought it was an alien.........grins.......never had I seen such a critter. Here on Guam we have slugs 2 to 3 inches. Then there were the snakes........I live on an island that is renowned for the snake population........but bet your bippy I saw more snakes in N. Ca. than back home. Susan Ca. went after one and you bet she caught it. Susan.........in my book you are Ms. Fearless.
GOLD!!! The stuff of dreams...........yep it was there and we found some. Laura had a battery operated spiral pan.......really cool to watch as it sifted the material down to black sand ........OH! but those lil flakes are so beautiful in the sun. MERCY!!!...... I found panning to be very enjoyable........every pan has a surprise. The rocks I found to be very heavy and hard.......my posterior still has a few dents. Susan AZ gave me my first lessons on panning and I practiced , practiced , practiced........for me it was a struggle.......to get coordinated..........Several days later a lovely Korean lady helped me refine my technique. THANK YOU MAME. This lady and her companion had been there for a few days and had been successful in recovering excellent specimens of GOLD..........encouragement......... Then there was the couple (in their 70s) who drove up one day and dawned wet suits and snorkels..........my kind of people.......They spent an afternoon in the water and came up with a VERY nice collection of nuggets. Kudos and thanks for the knowledge passed on to this neophyte.
Besides panning there were other opportunities to find gold by different methodology.....mainly metal detectors. Jim Ca. came up with a sluice........really nice contraption .. my but what a labor savor. Then there was the MAC Vac.....such a cool lil contraption........just suck up all the loose dirt into a 5 gal bucket and take it down to the sluice. RC had quite a few detectors in his collection........the GM4 was quite a machine. If just I had more time and experience behind the meter. Thanks RC for letting me use it.
There are others that weren't mentioned..........mainly to keep this brief......but lemme tell ya.........I'm looking forward to the next get together .........
Havin Fun
Q