Spare Time Diversions

Over the years I have done a lot of things to pass my idle time and to clear the mind. I enjoy most being outdoors to enjoy what God has created for all of us. Several years ago I was on vacation, and was shopping in an old country store. They had some gold pans, so I though I'd buy one and give it a try. I tried it several times, but never came up with anything. So the gold pan went into storage. In 1990, my son and a friend of his talked me into trying it again. So we went out to the river in April to give it a try. There was still ice and snow everywhere, but I managed to dig some dirt and slosh it around in the pan. Not much of anything there. My son had a sluice box that he put into the stream. We shoveled dirt into it and let the water wash away the rocks and sand. Low and behold we got some gold. One flake of gold was even big enough to pick up with my fingers. Well, that did it. I was hooked.

Since then I have learned a lot about prospecting. I have spent many hours moving and washing dirt, always looking for that next piece of gold in the pan. I have added a dry washer, a high banker, and even a suction dredge to my equipment in pursuit of gold.

I have traveled far and wide prospecting. I have spent time in the mountains, the desert, and even on the ocean beaches. In 2005, I spent three months dredging on the Forty-Mile river near Chicken, Alaska using a 10-inch dredge. It is one hobby that combines all my other favorite activities; camping, hiking, travel, meeting people, and just kicking back. It's not the gold you find that makes it worth while, its the search for gold that makes it so much fun. It's a blast!

Read the newsgroup alt.mining.recreational for more information.

Drop me a line to chat, or just to tell me your mining stories.

Send mail to jbev (at) jbsys.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: February 02, 2006.

You are visitor number