Man gold is an addiction of all addictions.. AND I'M A TOTALLY ADDICTIVE PERSONALITY TO THE MAX. Everything I do is 110%. From that first grain of gold I picked from the day,,, till today. I don't like to sound like all that been there done that,, but a good friend I first mined with,,, we had 2 6" dredges on a good claim of pay. I was 20-21yr old,,, was Dave McCracken. The dude rote more books on dredging than anyone.. He's outta Happy Creek I think. I'll dig up the link.. But he had a deal in Gianna? processing black sands for some major production dredge. He wanted me to go. But my "Old Lady' of that time didn't want me too. Gold mining takes ALOT of time... And some women want men home?? I don't know why but....
So I stayed weekend warrior.... But I did get afew years in that I stayed in the hills for acouple-3 months,, if lucky.. Depends of how loud the woman wood complain... I'd make a trip in,, or better yet,,, meet her on the freeway, 80 and run into Reno for a good shower, food, alittle gaming and some pussy... And drop me off on he way back home? Works sometimes.....
But I had this Volkswagon Rabbit Desiel Truck. Fucker got almost 50 miles to a gallon.. I ran it wheels off prospecting. Had this map of north Cali,, opened and together.was 13' tall 6' wide. Topo and geology specific maps. I vowed to look at every audit every shaft on that map. Did 60-70% of them from the mother lode to the Trinty alps. Chucked a pan in most of them. Was a sluice and a pan, and a fishing pole behind my seat anywhere I went.. The map was only the northern half...... I'd put 6 bucks in it at SF and deseil was under a buck, and run to Shata for the weekend,, come home and still have fuel.... Loved that minitruck... Cept it was 1000% guttless.. Never try to get on a freeway with a hill against ya... It was a dog.. But flatland,, like the Sacramento area... Run forever.. I had some major airbrush work done to it.. Till some toad scratched it down in Oakland. Didn't like the confederate flags on it? Oh well. It got retired from there and I got bailed.