Friday, June 17, 2011
Tips and Blabbing
Just want to share some times and lessons I have learned in my short time of prospecting. I hope it can help others and I invite comments The will share your lessons.
1) Always look where your walking and whats around you. Poison ivy is a great way to make a week longer waiting to go out again. but also other people rocks deal tree's and thing around you that may harm you or your items. Myself Poison ivy got my my first week reel bad where I was digger had it all over. I was not paying attention and the plants fell into the water of my whole. Well the oils was onto the water and ever time I went in for more it layered my arm. it's all gone now but I lesson none the less.
2) Always do a proper clean up. I was digging a while for 3 weeks and every week it gave gold. On week 3 it gave the first bucket full of nice gold I was happy. I did my clean up of my sluice box and got back to work well 2 buckets later NOTHING in my black matting. It was late and i was disappointed so i did not even clean it up just sat it in my truck and went home. 3 days later waiting for a friend I tap all the dry sands out of my sluice box and pan'ed it with a jug of water in the back of my truck. well well 2 nice flakes of gold one being the vary nice and close the the biggest i have to date. So I hope this will help you keep all your gold.
3) Hole stealing & Respecting others. This is not a to say you own the lands but i good way to keep friends and keep making new ones. The hole i had for 3 weeks and i did not full it in was because i am coming back and i like to treat all holes like that. if i fill in my hole it is then fare game for the next one to dig because i am done. If a hole is NOT filled in the just pretend the person will be back to it. there are a lot of places to dig.
Lets pretend for a minute that you got prospecting for the day. you dig you whole and spend the whole day moving big rocks and are just getting to the bottom but it's getting late. You go home and are coming back in the morning to get the goods at the bottom of your hole. so the next day you get up have your coffee thinking of what could be there waiting for you. When you get there I am in your hole digging away you look in my sluice box and it's got great gold in it. I would think your vary mad at this point (Not all would be some may walk away) depending on how you are this is bad, each of use just lost a new friend and the trust of each other you lost gold and with some people it could end in a fight. Just think of all the feelings this story could bring up on ether side.
This will NEVER be me in the hole Because of my rule. So lets make friends and all get gold.
4) Always look out for each other. If you get hurt bad and i can see you i will be there to help in any way i can. i hope you will do the same for me. when we are a lone out there a lot can happen working together to keep each other safe and save a life and family from a lot of pain. So I have your back i hope you have mine.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
little dig 2
I was there 2 days at little dig and had a great time. On day 1 I was at the new spot and was shaking roots the whole day but I did ok with it. While I was there i had a man from Maryland come join me and was interested in some help. I gave what know how i have so far and put him on some gold. hope he had a great time here in new Hampshire with his family. I also got to get together with Jim for a few on day one.
On day 2 I drove back the the river to get together with Jim and the rest of the group there for little dig 2.
I got to know a lot of great people even if I don't know all the names. It was raining all day but you don't get gold staying inside and i was going to be in the water any ways. As i got to the river i met up with an old friend of mine Jay (I Talked about him in my 1st. post, just not by name) When i got with the group we all talked had a great time and i think we all got some collar for our day in the rain.
The end of the day i got together with Jim and some others at his camp site we had a burger and talked about gold (what else) Jim's wife Heidi his daughter Liz and her boyfriend Matt. I am sorry I can not name others by name but i will remember you and do hope to get to know you all better.
Seeing Jim there with his family gave me a great idea (They are few and far between) This next weekend my Dad and I are going camping and looking for gold he has never done it but it should be a great farther and some weekend. But that's another post.
On day 2 I drove back the the river to get together with Jim and the rest of the group there for little dig 2.
I got to know a lot of great people even if I don't know all the names. It was raining all day but you don't get gold staying inside and i was going to be in the water any ways. As i got to the river i met up with an old friend of mine Jay (I Talked about him in my 1st. post, just not by name) When i got with the group we all talked had a great time and i think we all got some collar for our day in the rain.
The end of the day i got together with Jim and some others at his camp site we had a burger and talked about gold (what else) Jim's wife Heidi his daughter Liz and her boyfriend Matt. I am sorry I can not name others by name but i will remember you and do hope to get to know you all better.
Seeing Jim there with his family gave me a great idea (They are few and far between) This next weekend my Dad and I are going camping and looking for gold he has never done it but it should be a great farther and some weekend. But that's another post.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
A new spot
Well we are one week away from Little Dig 2 as posted on Jim's Blog. This sounds like great fun for a new guy looking for know more about the hobby I now love. Or the sickness Known as Gold Fever. But that's still a week from now so I have to go.
I set up in the same hole I have been working for 2 other weeks and the first bucket is great I dare say it doubled all gold given to date. Then as with every thing else it must come to and end. 2 buckets of nothing in the black mat. It's getting late so I decide to pack it up and pan some spots looking for some thing new. I say good bye to yet another man I got to know that day John and go off to a place i walked over my first time ever there. I only bring my little shovel and my pan. I dig a little hole fill my pan , clean the roots out good and pan it down. Wow 10 to 15 collars looking back at me. mainly flower gold but some small flakes and in my brain I am already foaming out the mouth waiting for next week so i get a hole day not just 5 min. The Bugs are getting to me and no time to play all day so off i go to home and try to pass the time with life till next week.
I hope to get to know more prospectors this coming week see you all at little dig 2 6/10/2011 to 6/12/2011. But here is my take to date not much but it makes me smile to know I got it my self.
I set up in the same hole I have been working for 2 other weeks and the first bucket is great I dare say it doubled all gold given to date. Then as with every thing else it must come to and end. 2 buckets of nothing in the black mat. It's getting late so I decide to pack it up and pan some spots looking for some thing new. I say good bye to yet another man I got to know that day John and go off to a place i walked over my first time ever there. I only bring my little shovel and my pan. I dig a little hole fill my pan , clean the roots out good and pan it down. Wow 10 to 15 collars looking back at me. mainly flower gold but some small flakes and in my brain I am already foaming out the mouth waiting for next week so i get a hole day not just 5 min. The Bugs are getting to me and no time to play all day so off i go to home and try to pass the time with life till next week.
I hope to get to know more prospectors this coming week see you all at little dig 2 6/10/2011 to 6/12/2011. But here is my take to date not much but it makes me smile to know I got it my self.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
New sluice box
This was a good week for me, I made some good cash this week and was in a spot to get a sluice box this week and stay over for some extra time prospecting. Got to know some great people at the twin river camp ground.
Thursday night i drove to Bath, N.H. and got myself a 36 inch sluice box from the twin river store and a camp site for the night. It was late in the afternoon so I decided to wait and get started in the am. I set my tent up grabbed my pillow and blanket and then was thinking about the air bed I forgot at home. I have to say that by 4 am with thunderstorms a lot of rain, it was some thing I was thinking about a lot. Well no sleep this night and as soon as light was good to take my tent down i was on the way for a coffee at Dunkin Donuts in town, I got 2 large coffee's and on the way to the water.
The water level was down this week and I could get to the same spot I was at weeks before. I was not getting rich but it was a steady giver of small gold. and as a new prospector I was willing to be happy with that. This week would be more of the same the first bucket gave gold in the sluice box black mat so now the drive to dig more comes. No sleep worked it's way in a few hours later and 3 more buckets. i did my clean up and was happy to go home again with some gold.
The day Doug had also shown up with his dredge and I stayed a while as he did a clean up to see how my friend did. I think he did ok but not as well as the first week we met up there. I also got to know some others from the camp ground that were at the water. One man and his child from CT. was there to get some gold Great to talk to I Hope he did well. He has the sluice box rented for Sunday from the camp ground so He should of get some thing.
So more friends and collar in the vile even with the restless night i still had a great time and cant wait to do it again.
Thursday night i drove to Bath, N.H. and got myself a 36 inch sluice box from the twin river store and a camp site for the night. It was late in the afternoon so I decided to wait and get started in the am. I set my tent up grabbed my pillow and blanket and then was thinking about the air bed I forgot at home. I have to say that by 4 am with thunderstorms a lot of rain, it was some thing I was thinking about a lot. Well no sleep this night and as soon as light was good to take my tent down i was on the way for a coffee at Dunkin Donuts in town, I got 2 large coffee's and on the way to the water.
The water level was down this week and I could get to the same spot I was at weeks before. I was not getting rich but it was a steady giver of small gold. and as a new prospector I was willing to be happy with that. This week would be more of the same the first bucket gave gold in the sluice box black mat so now the drive to dig more comes. No sleep worked it's way in a few hours later and 3 more buckets. i did my clean up and was happy to go home again with some gold.
The day Doug had also shown up with his dredge and I stayed a while as he did a clean up to see how my friend did. I think he did ok but not as well as the first week we met up there. I also got to know some others from the camp ground that were at the water. One man and his child from CT. was there to get some gold Great to talk to I Hope he did well. He has the sluice box rented for Sunday from the camp ground so He should of get some thing.
So more friends and collar in the vile even with the restless night i still had a great time and cant wait to do it again.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
just a pan
Its Thursday I had to go because Saturday is my child's collage graduation and that cant be mist. I do only have my pan and screen so not much happen today. I was flooded out of my spot because of the high rains the last week so I had to hit some new ground. In all it was a 6 little flower gold day but collar is collar and I did not get skunked.
This week made me decide more than ever that a sluice box is a must.
This week made me decide more than ever that a sluice box is a must.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
gold and friends
This Saturday will be my first real whole day up on the river. I was up at 5 am made my lunch , kissed the wife and on my way. I grabbed a coffee at Circle K and got on my way. Its about a 60 min. drive for me , I had a lot of time to dream of what my day will bring.
I got to the pull off where I was told i could start but after more videos online i decided to walk upstream a little and see if there was any place that would jump out at me. I rounded the first bend and see a man setting up a dredge. I said hi and introduced myself, He introduced himself as Doug. I was in hopes that the people here would be as friendly and help full as I have read about online, and I was not disappointed. I was telling Doug this will be my first real time doing this and was unsure about what I was doing. At this time he pulled out his sniffer bottle dumped it into his pan to show me just what I was looking for, the collar of the gold in this river and just how heavy it is in water. This info gave me a whole new rush of confidence and to make it even better he offered me his sluice box to use for the day. It was an offer I could not say no to and I started my day I picked my spot with great care, And started digging. Armed with my 5 gallon pail and a new number 16 screen. (I only planned on panning)
I filled my first bucket and started scoop by scoop and in no time I had my first flake of gold then more and more. after 2 more not full buckets I had enough and could take no more. my back was killing me my but from sitting on rocks. I gathered my tools and headed over to Doug's area he was just getting out of the water himself. he showed me how to clean the sluice box out was also willing to show me how to pan a small hand full in my con's. as he got down to the gold I was pumped this was real gold and it was mine. wow the fever hit me like a run away truck that did not even try to stop. i user one of his pans as a safety pan and panned out the rest of my con's with a smile and vary slow at it. Doug told me speed will come for now just get to know what I was doing. after my gold was in my sniffer bottle i asked him if he would not mine panning the safety pan to see how I did and he did so. I am happy to say he found nothing and praised me for a job well done. I stayed to watch his clean up and he had a great deal more gold than I and we had a fun time talking.
It was time to call it a day I Thanked him for all his help, Made a joke about my gold fever being his falt and I was on my way home to show my wife the take for the day.
Well this is not much or as my wife said "Thats It!" but i had a great time made a new friend and i am now on the way to being in better shape maybe next time i can dig more faster.
I got to the pull off where I was told i could start but after more videos online i decided to walk upstream a little and see if there was any place that would jump out at me. I rounded the first bend and see a man setting up a dredge. I said hi and introduced myself, He introduced himself as Doug. I was in hopes that the people here would be as friendly and help full as I have read about online, and I was not disappointed. I was telling Doug this will be my first real time doing this and was unsure about what I was doing. At this time he pulled out his sniffer bottle dumped it into his pan to show me just what I was looking for, the collar of the gold in this river and just how heavy it is in water. This info gave me a whole new rush of confidence and to make it even better he offered me his sluice box to use for the day. It was an offer I could not say no to and I started my day I picked my spot with great care, And started digging. Armed with my 5 gallon pail and a new number 16 screen. (I only planned on panning)
I filled my first bucket and started scoop by scoop and in no time I had my first flake of gold then more and more. after 2 more not full buckets I had enough and could take no more. my back was killing me my but from sitting on rocks. I gathered my tools and headed over to Doug's area he was just getting out of the water himself. he showed me how to clean the sluice box out was also willing to show me how to pan a small hand full in my con's. as he got down to the gold I was pumped this was real gold and it was mine. wow the fever hit me like a run away truck that did not even try to stop. i user one of his pans as a safety pan and panned out the rest of my con's with a smile and vary slow at it. Doug told me speed will come for now just get to know what I was doing. after my gold was in my sniffer bottle i asked him if he would not mine panning the safety pan to see how I did and he did so. I am happy to say he found nothing and praised me for a job well done. I stayed to watch his clean up and he had a great deal more gold than I and we had a fun time talking.
It was time to call it a day I Thanked him for all his help, Made a joke about my gold fever being his falt and I was on my way home to show my wife the take for the day.
Well this is not much or as my wife said "Thats It!" but i had a great time made a new friend and i am now on the way to being in better shape maybe next time i can dig more faster.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
first day out
Well we are at the day I get my first pan and gold. Thanks to My wife that is. How I located My spot in the stream and and how the day went.
On Saturday My Wife and I decided to go for a drive to Bath, N.H. After a lot of online reading and YouTube videos this seamed like the right place to get started. The destination was twin river camp ground for a pan and permission. This is what i read in some online blogs and videos. So off to rout 3 , 93 north then rt. 112 in Lincoln, N.H. After some great views in the White Mt. National Park We drive beside the wild Ammonoosuc River and finally the campground in site. I go in and start talking to the man at the counter I need a pan and what else do you think I need to get started I ask. So here is my starting equipment list.
14 inch gold pan (green)
1 Sniffer bottle
tweezers (not needed I just did)
1 Glass vile
1 Gold magnet (take out the black sands)
Also
1 permission slip to use there land to prospect.
Now with all the Gear in hand I go up the road to where I was told i could get started and from there 1 mile upstream. At this time my wife stays in the truck not willing to go down the bank (she just had her knee surgery) I looked for a rock to dig behind and found what I wanted, well 3 pans later I now have 6 or 7 flakes and little specs of gold (Flower gold)
My wife not being an out doors girl needed a rest room so a short day was at hand. To the Old Brick Store in town we go a great ice cream shop next door where she could use the rest room and we had a small ice cream. now the wife wants to go to the Cabot cheese factory. Well this day was great, some good time with the wife "Gold" in my vile what more could i ask for on the first trip out.
At home that night I decided to see what i had in my vile. with a white plate and a butter knife I set out to see what I have in the vile. Fools Gold (Pyrite) looks like gold but will crush and shatter when pressed with my butter knife and the real Gold will not. Well at the end I had One little Peace of flower gold in my vile. Better safe then sorry I say.
So now i wait till next week to go and prospect some more but My wife will not be going. (Her decision)
No Gold fever yet just the desire to get out there and try for more.
My wife not being an out doors girl needed a rest room so a short day was at hand. To the Old Brick Store in town we go a great ice cream shop next door where she could use the rest room and we had a small ice cream. now the wife wants to go to the Cabot cheese factory. Well this day was great, some good time with the wife "Gold" in my vile what more could i ask for on the first trip out.
At home that night I decided to see what i had in my vile. with a white plate and a butter knife I set out to see what I have in the vile. Fools Gold (Pyrite) looks like gold but will crush and shatter when pressed with my butter knife and the real Gold will not. Well at the end I had One little Peace of flower gold in my vile. Better safe then sorry I say.
So now i wait till next week to go and prospect some more but My wife will not be going. (Her decision)
No Gold fever yet just the desire to get out there and try for more.
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Start
After watching Gold Rush on TV I got the itch to get out there and go prospecting. A friend of mine 2 years back try'ed to get me to go with him. I was not able to go and moved to Florida for a while. Now I am back in Meredith New Hampshire with my Great wife and spending so fun time out doors.
Keep reading and follow my blog to see with what and how I got started. I will also bring you up to date with what I have learned so far.
Keep reading and follow my blog to see with what and how I got started. I will also bring you up to date with what I have learned so far.
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