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A Legend Passes


Lunk

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I didn't know Smokey Baird, but I wish I had.

What a great tribute to him in the link you provided Lunk, thank you.

Fantastic gold he found, he truly looks comfortable and able on a horse, trophy mule deer bucks we dream about and what a thoughtful poet. That poem is a thing of beauty. Oh what it must have been like to share a camp fire with Smokey and I'd sure like to see that photo with the angel.

I can't help but think he must have enjoyed life in an easy going manner.

Say hey to God for me Smokey,

Mike

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Sometime in the distant past, I lost a small plastic bottle with a couple of gold nuggets in it, out in the vast reaches northern Nevada.  I told people I knew in the area, that I had lost it.  It turns out that I learned that Smokey Baird, who knew me from earlier meetings in the desert, had found that very small bottle with the nuggets in it, and wanted to return it to me at some point.   A few months passed, and by chance Smokey found me at my camp, and stopped by to chat at bit.  We chatted about places Smokey had been and seen, as he was about to go, he handed me a couple of cards with the same poem on it, one with an angel on it, and one without.  Smokey had a dry sense of humor which he liked to use when the opportunity presented itself.  As he turned to leave, he handed my that little nugget bottle I had lost, saying, "oh yeah, I found this bottle I heard you lost out here, and you need to know we don't appreciate you littering our desert."  That was Smokey Baird.  Extraordinary in so many ways...  RIP my friend.  Happy to have met you!  

 

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Keith, I am deeply saddened to hear about Smokey. I know that you and Smokey were good friends, I am sorry for your loss. I had a great phone conversation with him last December. He sounded good and was very upbeat at the time. He told me that he had been working on a new poem, he read it to me. He told me that he would make a copy for me, and that he would give it to me in the spring when I returned to Lovelock. I have plans to be in Lovelock in a couple of weeks, so near, yet so far. This must be tough for Smokey's life long friend Don. The detecting adventures those two shared would make one heck of a book! I always looked forward to hearing about their exploits in gold country. Whether it was over breakfast at the C'Poke, or during dinner at the casino. Their stories always inspired me to get out there and find the gold. Speaking of dinner at the casino, I will always remember having dinner with you, Smokey, and my friend Ken. That was Easter Sunday 2015, entertaining and very educational! 

During the last six years, I have had the great good luck to learn from some very talented, generous, and even legendary detectorists. People who will teach you how to find gold, then take you to some of their favorite spots to find it!!

During my last trip to Nevada, I was having a tough time. I just could not get my coil over a piece of gold. Several days had passed, and by the end of that day, I was tired and more frustrated than I would care to admit. My friend Bob and I met Smokey and Don for dinner that evening. As always, it was great to hear about their good times and amazing gold they found. I didn't realize it at the time, but Smokey could tell that I was still a bit frustrated. As things wound down for the evening, Don and Bob headed for the door. I was about to get up, when Smokey stopped me. He looked me straight in the eyes, and almost as if he was apologizing, told me that if he only felt better, that he would take me out to a couple of his spots the next day!!

I hoped that one day, I would get to take Smokey up on his offer. It would have been, a truly great adventure to spend even part of a day with him, in his country. I would not have cared much at all about finding a nugget on that particular day. Just being there with Smokey, would have been.................Golden!!!!!!!

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Keith, I know from what few conversations we've had, that Smokey was a very close friend of yours.  I am only sorry I never got to meet the gentleman, because I could hear it in your voice - that respect you had for him.

Smokey was a legend there in Northern Nevada, certainly the Rye Flats area as I've run into others that have known him also, and related some of his stories.  I only wish I could have met him and gotten to know him as you and others had.  

Thank you for sharing his poetry with us, and his photos.  Take care, and best. Dave

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