One Man's Junk ...

Looking for gold with a metal detector can be a fun and rewarding experience. It can also try one's patience and lead to frustration.. In the desert, even far away from cities and towns, the evidence of man can be found in abundance. Below are a few photos of finds that probably caused a few skipped heartbeats thinking that a big nugget of gold was about to be unearthed.

Detecting Wish

                                        - T.E

With my trusty metal detector in hand

I go in search of that piece of land,

a little patch of dirt that will,

hold the promise of a gold-find thrill.

I've studied the manual, ground balanced twice,

practiced with test nuggets as small as rice.

Its with hope eternal I begin to swing,

intently listening for the sound "zing-zing".

"Gold is where you find it" it has been said,

But it seems all I'm destined to find is lead.

But no matter how much of that gray metal I find,

there's a thought that sticks in the back of my mind,

The next thing I dig won't be rusty or old,

Just bright and shiny and nothing but gold.

Bullets, bullets everywhere.

Good luck or not? I guess it depends.

What story do these recent finds tell?

I've been working on the railroad ...

One man's junk ...

A lifetime supply of luck ?

Notice the nugget in the middle of the junk.

Some times it takes a lot of patience.

The legend has it that an old prospector was working in Ora Fina Wash, East of Weaver Creek and South of Rich Hill, when he was suprised by a claim jumper. When shot at, he put his shovel up to protect himself, only to have the bullet go through the shovel (1), causing his death. The cartridge (2) shell was found nearby as was the smashed bullet (3). His faithful Ox stayed around until his shoes (4) fell off, then wondered away.

The corner trim (5) from the prospector's wooden box, along with the hasp (6) and key (7) were also recovered, but no trace of his gold.

Within close proximity of these finds, a late 1800's medicine bottle full of gold was found by another RRPC member. Was that the gold from the dead prospector? We will never know, will we...

.

Bullets, bullets everywhere.