One Sane Man Among Us

[klunker]

  I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to go do a little detecting between storms so I pushed the Jeep out of the shed, aired up the leaky tire, topped off the brake fluid and rolled it down the driveway and got it started. I tossed in the GPZ and off I went. Then came back for my pick. Our rainfall here is now about 250% above normal and I came to a mud hole where there has never been one before. I eased the Jeep in, not knowing how deep it might be, and the  left side sunk in past the floor board. I would have been ok but I hadn't yet turned my hubs in. I crawled out over the hood and turned the right hub in but since the jeep was listing about 35 degrees to starboard the down hill side was a different story. Needless to say I slid off of the hood head first into the mud pit. As I traveled on around the North side of the mountain I started encountering snow drifts and I finally came to one that slightly detained me but after about an hours worth of digging with my pick I was on my way. And then went back and got my pick. I arrived at where I normally park and started wading through the snow to the gulch that I wanted to detect in. This gulch is quite deep with vertical sides and normally runs very little water. Not this year. It looked like a major contributor to the problems at the Oroville dam. I figured that if I was careful I could stay on top of the boulders and work my way down the gulch and detect the freshly scoured bedrock between the snow drifts. That worked for about two steps. I wound up wading in snow melt water up past my knees. The sun and the temperature were both going down fast but I started finding little nuggets one after another. My fingers, toes and brain were becoming numb so I knew it was time to quit but I did find 7 nuggets for just over 3dwt.

  I got to thinking about all my friends at Detector Prospector. All you wimps that go to Arizona, Florida and southern California deserts for the winter. And the ones that are at home watching TV and sitting at their computers and those that are south of the equator that have no challenges whatsoever when nugget hunting. YOU ARE ALL CRAZY!

 In fact,as soon as this storm is over I going right back!       to get my pick.

Foot Note: Chris Ralph has posted a photo of a pretty nugget he found between the storms. He may exempt himself from my harsh judgement.

[Digger Jones]

I like your version of sanity!!!

[Steve Herschbach]

Well Norm, not wanting to be subjected to your harsh judgement, I submit for your approval this monster 4 grain gold nugget I found two weeks ago while out doing some detector testing. However, I drove to a dry and relatively warm location with no snow, and found the nugget within short walking distance of my truck. Your adventure sounds more, well, adventury, and you found more gold. Good going!

[LuckyLundy]

Norm,

This wet Winter, I've sat home thinking about all the places I'd rather be!  And I'm still sitting here today, lol.  Great story

Rick

[vanursepaul]

Cabin Fever has struck another NorCal miner....

I would never be out in that jeep in inclement weather..... (

 

unless I lost my pick)

[Reno Chris]

Klunker, you chose poorly. Like Steve, I selected a location well below the snow line. I had to walk maybe 100 yards to my nugget (also roughly 4 grains). I walked around a bunch after that  and dug a bunch of lead, but no more gold. It was muddy in spots, but I locked my hubs. You did pretty good on the gold though.

[whitebutler]

Klunker, 

 I have been out almost twenty times even in the freezing rain and sleet. I did how not learn that a quad should have good tires and be in good repair. I took two sunny days to put on new tires and do a full tune up. I've only been forgetting things for almost two years. It's also how long I've been detecting. Maybe we should get together and go bowling!

John

[mn90403]

You had a double picker (lost your pick twice).  So many things on your mind you forgot to take pictures for us?

I want the one when you slid off the hood ...

Great writing.

Mitchel

[goldbrick]

Klunker, the other evening I was out lounging under the awning of my RV watching an Arizona sunset. Between sips of a chilled, fruit based cocktail I thought of my old friend far and away to the North. As I languidly stirred my beverage with a little umbrella I realized that your travails are of your own manufacture and therefore unworthy of intruding on my enjoyment of this idyllic locale. With that subject settled I went back to thinking only of myself.....

[Aussieau]

surely you jest with you 'no challenges south of the equator' comment ? even the bloody mozzies down here will lay you up for months let alone the fact I'll be swinging in 115 degree heat next week ..... Yeah the fun never stops ????