School is back in... Time to work!!!!!

[Sample Pan Dan]

Jeff, that's why we don't swing the detectors much in the areas we are digging.... No nuggets in the area, but lots and lots of lead and brass... Hmm, maybe I should start recycling brass ;-)

 

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[goldenIrishman]

I could tell you some "War Stories" about brass recycling practices I saw while over in Korea with the Army back in the mid-70s. Next time we talk as it's not something that I'd post on a forum like this.

 

[goldenIrishman]

OK... I really NEED to get back out in the field and start moving dirt again! My case of "The Fever" had me dreaming last night about working out in the gulch. I woke up more sore and tired than when I went to bed. Now..If my dreams from last night were prophetic in the least then we should hit a really nice pocket on our next trip.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

I hope you fund that sweet sweet pocket

 

[AzViper]

Jeff I had thought of going out tomorrow with a few of my buddies but not in the mood of getting out. I have decided my time is better spent staying home and finishing up some projects around the house. Until the trommel is done I most likely not going out as I want move some earth and the hauling of buckets is hard on my shoulders that need to be replace. My brother appears to be doing better but with cancer your never in the clear. The good thing is is eating and getting his strength back slowly. Chemo and Radiation can mess the body up.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Trust me in that I know what you're talking about Keith. My father has had to undergo Chemo at least three different times over the years. We used to call him "Slim" (because he was anything but) and the chemo caused him to loose so much weight that now he really IS slim.

Don't worry about not getting out there if ya can't man. Family comes first! Well that and I want to see that trommel in action soon! I'll hold onto your share of the gold out there for ya if you want.

 

[goldenIrishman]

Back at it with a vengence!

Well it's been awhile since I posted anything here but only because there's been nothing new to report. That is changing this coming week though.

I'm heading out to the gulch tomorrow for a full week of digging and running the re-circ system. This is going to be a solo trip and I plan on moving some major materials while I'm out there. Since I'll be solo, I'll only be taking the small tent so I'll be able to set up right next to the work area for a change. I'm going to take the tailings from our last couple of trips out there and start filling in some of the old test holes that were left by others that have worked the area. This is going to do two things that I can see. First it will get them out of the way and second I will be building up better areas to pitch the tents at in the future.

My goal for this trip is to move and process enough materials to fill up a couple of 5 gallon buckets with cons to process back here at the homestead as well as have another 1/2 yard worth of materials ready to haul back with us when Robi picks me up in a week. BTW... Robi isn't liking the thought of me being out there for a week solo so I have to show her that it's not as bad as she thinks it will be. While I'm out there I will also be checking out some other areas and MAYBE do some sampling if I find some choice looking ground. I don't plan on spending a lot of time doing this as I know there's gold in the areas we've been working so far and I'd like to be able to bring home close to an ounce which will mean moving materials, not looking at them.

I will also be meeting up with a friend of a friend out there on Tuesday and helping him to get on the gold. He's coming all the way from Houston, TX and is a friend of Clay Digguns who first turned me on to this area. I figure it's the least I can do to repay Clay for sharing his knowledge of the area with me and by Tuesday I should be ready for some company.

If any of the rest of you can make it out to Kentucky Gulch this week stop on by! Just be sure to bring a couple of Guinness Stouts with ya! I'm not taking anything that needs to be kept cold so I don't have to worry about ice. I'll post a full report on how everything goes upon my return and I expect the regulars on this thread to keep everything running smooth while I'm gone. See ya'll in a week or so!

Jeff

 

[Jeff95531]

Good luck Jeff! I'll give you a call today.

 

[Clay Diggins]

Good luck Jeff. Sounds like a great adventure! Wish I could be digging instead of moving this week.

Thanks for helping out with my friend from Texas. He's pretty excited to prospect where there is actually gold to be had.

Heavy Pans

 

[KevinInColorado]

Be safe, have fun, get some great gold and I do hope someone shows up with a cold Guinness along the way!

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Hope you have a great trip Jeff! Sorry I missed your call earlier. I'll talk to ya in a week.

 

[goldenIrishman]

***POOF*** I'm on the way! See ya'll with a report next week!

 

[AzViper]

Jeff had some of his buckets blow out of his truck on the way to the gulch. Everything is going ok for him. I had my buddy swing by and drop off a few buckets, if I can get away on Wednesday I will take Jeff more buckets. Here is a little token of his work today that he sent me.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

That's great that you got him some buckets.. That's some damn fine looking gold.

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Just got of the phone with Jeff aka GoldenIrishman. He's been busting his butt, but he's on the gold. He says the friend of a friend from Tx. is doing well too.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Great to hear, give him our best wishes!

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Won't hear from him again, Kevin, until after he returns home this weekend. He made comment that he tested cons from the first 10 gallons of dirt to make sure he was still on the gold, and then had done 3 more clean outs of his mats, But was going to wait till he gets home to clean all the cons.

 

[goldenIrishman]

"My eyes would not close.....

... because they too wanted to know what had hit them!!!"

I am sore, exhausted, and have to keep this short for now because my hands are so chapped that I can hardly move them. It was a great trip and I learned quite a few things. Most importantly, that Robi and I make a great team out there and how much easier she makes my job on this effort. Trying to do everything on your own is tough!

I was up before sunrise every day out there and on some nights worked as late as 10:30 before calling it quits. I still didn't get quite as much dirt moved as I wanted to because of my hands pretty much becoming unusable on me towards the end of the trip. Woke a couple of morning to frozen water on the tops of buckets as well as frozen canteens. I did manage to get about 2/3 of a bucket filled with cons as well as another 4 buckets of classified brought home. I had wanted to bring home 65 gallons worth but the hands made that impossible.

Made some new friends while I was out there this trip as well. Fred and Elenore who are the caretakers out there this month were great and allowed me to charge my batteries so I could keep running almost non-stop. Fred is very interested in prospecting and was down at the camp several times to learn and help all he could. I also met up with Chris H. out of the Houston area who turned out to be one of the best guys you could ever want on a dig site in several ways. For a "Tenderfoot" to this style of mining he did a great job and when he found that first little nugget in his sluice he did his "Happy Dance". This got him some strange looks from his dog Earl Skruggs but he knew his dad was nutz before this anyway. Also out of Texas was Mickey and his crew. They showed me their Gold Cube as I had never seen one in person and were happy to explain how it worked to me. I'm not sure it was the wisest choice of equipment to be using in that area but I still wish them luck in their efforts. Seemed like a LOT of classifying required (down to 1/8") as well as water to run it. There were also a couple of "locals" that stopped by, Ted and Troy out of Tucson. They provided me more info on the area as well as a much needed diversion from all this back breaking work!

I'll post a much more detailed accounting of the trip after I've recovered and my hands start working like they're are supposed to..

 

[Sample Pan Dan]

Glad you made it home safe and sound. Sounds like it was a great trip. I'm sure Robi and the Munchkin are glad to have to home. Can't wait to see some clean up pics, Jeff.

 

[AzViper]

Jeff sorry I did not make it down. I have been in a great deal of pain with my right should. I see the Orthopedic Surgeon on Tuesday. So my days of getting out may be numbered very soon. Whatever happens the surgery needs to be this year as the health insurance premiums are going through the roof come January. Recovery is 6 weeks to return to work but I am sure lifting will be out of the question for months. Could not come at a worse time as the trommel may not get completed.