Cal_Cobra

On 12/18/2022 at 8:01 AM, PSPR said:

... The two things that turn me off to the 900 aren't even performance issues.  First, that red screen backlight would drive me crazy.  I don't see the TID and other indicators as clearly (judging from the videos) and I don't like it. 

I've used a red LCD detector screen and it works great.  The military uses red during their ops missions.

32 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

I can't say for sure, but it seemed the Equinox 800 had trouble with coins-on-edge.

 

The EQX800 has been good at sniffing out old silver on edge for me.

5 hours ago, strick said:

Chase the spoon was about 8 inches deep and oriented up right at a steep angle. It was a tough target due to the shape.  There are a lot of low to mid conductive targets in the area... shot gun caps every where. I have been digging everything in this old ghost town since I started going there in the hopes of a small gold coin. I walked over that spoon with the Nox Deus Ctx and have had other guys here that were experienced walk over it with theirs like @Cal_Cobra but for some reason the Manticore said to dig... it but it's probably just that I have new toy and am moving about slowly and learning how to use it. I really want that small coil. The third pic down was a  very deep washer...about 10 feet from the spoon. It really started singing in the hi 80's as I was getting closer to it...I asked the lord to please not let it be another rivet..and he listened lol. had to work all day yesterday so did not get to detect and found myself thinking about the Manticore in the middle of the night...it's like a cute girl with an ugly name 🙂

The site is late 1800's 

strick 

This is a good test site for you as you know it well from years of detecting it.  Almost as if it's a controlled environment, great to test new machines, you know the ground, EMI, iron, etc.  I have some sites like that, well beaten, you know there's more there, will a different detector take it to the next level?

TomCA's been using those old surveyor map cabinets for storing and displaying his notable finds, it is a perfect setup for RIker case storage and display. 

22 hours ago, SeabeeRon said:

You and Tom always have the best "roadtrips"!!

 

Really enjoy reading about all your adventures.  If you get a chance there are a bunch of guys on another "Friendly" metal detecting forum that would would love to see what you all found!

Thanks Ron!

7 hours ago, George Kinsey said:

Oh no Cobra. Don't make me go gold coins on🙃 yah!

Well done!  Love the Spanish ones, those are [oddly] rarely found out here.  Given the reales that are found, you'd think they'd turn up more.

2 hours ago, Tom_in_CA said:

You east coast guys make me sick, with all those LC's and Colonial coppers !  Sick sick sick  🤬

I think those largies are in every tot-lot and sand box on the east coast 😅   More gold coins are found out west than large cents. 

3 hours ago, PSPR said:

You guys seem to be forgetting that Mr. Ebay also can deduct his cost of the Manticore and expenses like shipping and the eBay fee.  So, he isn't going to be taxed on his entire sales price.

He'll get a 1099 on the entire amount, up to him to do the accounting on his 1040 when the IRS come calling.  Still a tidy profit if he plays his cards right, and the buyer doesn't flake out.

19 minutes ago, Tom_in_CA said:

Once every 100 yrs, you are right and I'm wrong.   This was one-such rare occurrence   🙄

One thing the school of hard knocks has thought me, is not to take someones "kill-joy" antics too seriously 🧐

4 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

If they really wanted to squeeze every last dime out of us, I think a better plan would have been to keep the Manticore quiet and release the 700&900 first.  They could simultaneously (as they actually have done) discount the 600&800.  Those without an Equinox might choose the discounted models; those who owned and liked the 600/800 would buy into the new models.  Finally after that wave passed they could announce the Manticore.  Sure, that would p.o. a lot of people but as they (and more appropriately WE) have shown repeatedly, we'll grumble, bitch, moan, and pony up for the latest and greatest.  That's the power of monopolies.

You're exactly correct.  Had I no idea that the Manticore was coming, and they announced the Equinox 900, I'd be perfectly happy to upgrade from the Equinox 800 to the 900.  I'm still considering selling my tried and true EQX800 and buying both the EQX900 and Manticore.  I already have all the coils available for the Equinox line which will work on the EQX900, and it would make a great backup machine to the Manticore. 

On 12/13/2022 at 1:22 PM, frozen_north said:

Bold move on the Ebay listing given that Ebay takes 13%.

Yes and the seller will also have the "privilege" of paying Uncle Sam taxes on his sale.   For 2022 tax season eBay will 1099 any sale over $600, and for the 2023 tax season eBay will 1099 cumulative sales over $600.

23 minutes ago, canslawhero said:

Cal, iPhone 14 with the satellite text feature might be a good thing to have on that sort of trip if you're out of cell phone service...

I'm going to upgrade to the iPhone 14 over the holidays, but I currently have the iPhone 8+ and had downloaded Google offline maps in case we'd lost cell service.  It was helpful, but the old satellite view didn't prepare us for what the previous days flash floods had left behind.  The old dirt road we were trying to take to get back to our vehicle had been washed out, was literally a 15' wide river and the other side of the road was a 15' tall 90 degree angled ascend, so we were unable to get across that and had to cross country around to find a new route out. 

Tom and I definitely need to get better acquainted with using GPS/mapping tools on our phones. 

What is the "satellite text feature" ?

2 hours ago, rvpopeye said:

 

Good story and finds ,That dime was primo , half dime , well escaped back to the wild possible find on another trip. No doubt you'll go back,,,when it's dry.

The trip was a little gnarly . But you both made it back from it all. With the goods  !

Weight IS a problem with those e-bikes. 

I used to go back country on my old 10 speed a lot..

On the rough stuff , I'd just toss it over my shoulder and hike it to solid ground...

It weighs 19# ......I still have it. Contemplating putting an electric front wheel on ?

BUT that wheel/motor and a battery would more than double the weight of the bike  !

With all the battery research going on these days , you'd think somebody could make one out of plastic and air ? or helium , yeah sure LOL

   

Thanks!

Yeah the ebikes are like 60lbs.  They're basically electric dirt bikes, but yes they are heavy, and that's not an advantage.  They do make carbon fiber ebikes that are half the weight, but at 3-4x the cost (and these were already expensive in my book).

19lbs sounds a lot better!  I'm sure 5-10 years from now ebikes will be far better - lighter, stronger, better battery range and less expensive, at least I hope so.  These aren't bad, but they have their pros and cons.

2 hours ago, strick said:

You guys did good. Looks like rivet city over there. And a nice photo presentation by Brian..Toms dime deserves more then a paper towel 🙂 I'm into rings as you know and the older the more special they seem. I wonder how that one you found will clean up. Is it brass? Maybe you will get lucky and see gold after the clean it up lol ....what makes it a trade ring? Make sure you are wearing lace up boots that come up well past your ankles if you are not doing so already. 

strick 

Thanks Chuck!

I love finding rings too.  Funny you should ask what makes it a trade ring 🙂  Years ago Tom and I hunted a site and I found a similar ring, and when I showed it to Tom he quickly dismissed it as a "Cracker Jack toy" 🤬 I disagreed, as looking at it close it had that crude, pre-industrial revolution construction look about it.  One day I was on a fur trade forum and low and behold people were posting rings that looked identical, so I posted mine.  They confirmed it was a 1700's to early 1800's trade item.  I've since found several more at various sites.  The one I posted is from an early trading post/stage stop site, so no doubt it's a trade ring.  Unfortunately I don't think it'll clean up any better without compromising the metal.  Some areas had alkali soils, which isn't kind to a lot of metals 😞

Lace up boots above the ankles....ouch!  That's what I was wearing when I crashed, maybe that kept my ankle from getting jacked up worse?

3 hours ago, deathray said:

My motto is ' I don't always find treasure but I do find adventure'..  Looks like you 2 are the same.

Good site, love the trade items, screams western history. Heal up bud, get back out there.

Thanks!

I told Tom that we've had so many crazy adventures we should write a book some day haha

8 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

Great work on the finds and enjoyed the reading about it.

Good luck on your next outing and stay safe out there.

Thanks!  Definitely won't be ebiking through the desert like a horse with no name in the dark again 😏

Really nice buttons George!

I dug this British Officers Royal Navy cuff from 1812, out west no less:

Nice job!  Wow that is a lot of buttons, maybe a G.W. button is out there eh 🤔

That trigger looking thing looks more like an early car or tractor part to me.

1 hour ago, JCR said:

A "Memorable" hunting spree for sure. I hope you both get back soon & find those sites phenomenal. Thank you both for posting. Brian, did you use the Legend any on the trip?

 

Thanks for looking.  I know the EQX800 better than the Legend, and because this was a recon trip with time being at a premium, I decided to use what I knew best.  Honestly iron and depth weren't an issue here, heck a Bounty Hunter would do the job here, it didn't require the power of the Legend. 

2 hours ago, CPT_GhostLight said:

Great adventure and great finds! It was like reading a Hardy Boys book... The Lost E-Bike at Deadman's Gulch. 😄

I hope your leg is better, Cal. You guys are hardcore! Well done!

Thanks!  Leg's still jacked up, but it won't keep me down haha

3 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

It finds metal pretty well... 🤔

 

Okay that was funny 👏

3 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

A "riveting" story Tom, 🤣 nice dime. Shame you lost the half dime, but it happens. 😵 I wonder what all those rivets were holding together? Certainly not the terrain.

Congrats to both of you.

Ironically Tom dug the seated half dime right next to where I'd parked my bike 🤔

We find a lot of those rivets.  I think at least some of them are from horse tack as I've dug a few with leather straps still attached.  

3 hours ago, Tom_in_CA said:

Thanx for the closeup of the religious medallion.   What's the other side look like ?  Anything visible ?  I love how it was so-worn down that the image is a blur.  That is definite early-contact era (1700s ?)   Love it !

 

And the re-purposed bottle base is exactly what the fur-trade md'ing buffs cherish :   Things like glass and metal were new to the Native Americans, they would re-tool benign items into various other things, adornment, tools, etc.....   That fits in nicely with the history of this site.  Possibly dating to even prior to the westward-ho era times (ie.: to exploration era).  To a time when manufactured goods would have been a rarity, then anything was used over-&-over, and re-tooled. 

 

 

The other side of the religious medallion has a design around the edge, but the rest is plain.  The image is definitely worn down, looks like it was worn for a long time before the loop at the top finally gave way. 

I like the flint knapped bottle base too, just not something you run across. 

4 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

Nice bit of work there! Sorry about the mishaps, I'd be happy to be home, but excited to get back there. 👍 Really like the buttons and trade stuff.

There should be pipes everywhere here, but I haven't found a single piece of one in over 2 years now. I've heard some find them and supposedly there is an Indian settlement somewhere near where I live, but bupkus. 🤷‍♂️ At least I know what some of the stuff looks like now thanks to you. 🙂

Gotta be dangerous to ride bicycles in arid areas, there are a lot of surprises. 😵 Glad you're ok, looking forward to your next exploits! 

Thanks for looking.  This is only the second almost complete clay pipe I've found out here.  I've found a few stems and fragments here and there, I'm sure they're out there, but probably underground with the relics.