Pyledriver

I finally made it back to the Big Az the weekend of the 18th! This time we were in prospecting mode for new areas and as usual, we hit it hard and took advantage of the time I was there. We did drop in on one of the Big Bug Mining District claims and that’s where I pulled these three from ‘eddy spots’ where bedrock crosses the wash. These came from places that started with no signal whatsoever, I just felt that gold would stop there when the wash was flowing, so I dug a bit with my pick, then detected again with my 2300 and was rewarded!

Just preordered mine...

That area is still giving it up! Depending on which claim you hit you might be needing that gold to cap some teeth! ROUGH road back to at least one of the RR claims!

Here are a few from a trip last year. I call the top one ‘the mask’. Can’t wait to get back! Soon...

Got any in CAMO?

I like Jeff and have watched that video several times. My wife however...usually I hear ‘that guy is annoying! You actually like that?’ Lol. I just say ‘you’re dang right, Sonny Jim!’

Awesome, and how you found them encourages me because that's how we've been finding gold lately too. Those areas that have been hit 'hard' in the 90's and early 00's are beginning to produce through working a little harder than those that came through there, at top speed, straight down the middle of the wash, before us!

Luke, how much to make adapters for me? I have a ton of 18650's lying around for my high powered flashlight addiction..

Doc, that post is solid gold! As a noob, I wholeheartedly agree that I would not be as successful as I am today without mentors training me! I have definitely been the 'owned 5 planes and crashed them all' guy in the past. I guess it's because I learn fast and some things come easy, but I do tend to think I can figure it out on my own. HOWEVER, gold, and the desert, will humble you quickly, lol! My friends and mentors are worth more than any gold I will ever find, but they're helping me to find more gold than I ever thought I would for sure! Each successive trip gets better. Lessons learned about likely areas, techniques, and even self examination-such as knowing that I have adult A.D.D. and just have to see what's over the next ridge sometimes-all help to keep focused on what I'm after.

The whole Viagra thing makes me wonder what you're using to dig...but nice gold! BTW-I don't want to know!

So far I'm at around $3500.00+/- for the sub grammers I've found. That's probably a little short actually since I haven't added up airfare on paper (don't want to!). I'm spoiled though and I know it. I first visited the gold fields of Az. two years ago after lurking this and other forums for over 10 years! I was lucky enough to make a local connection here in Texas that referred me to some of his friends, who took me under their wing(s) and have helped me to learn the joys and the pain of electronic prospecting. I found a screamin' deal on an SDC2300 and last January I actually got my first 5 gold nuggets (all sub grammers). As I type this I'm on a countdown clock to my next visit, in two weeks, to hopefully add to the poke! But the money...hmm..yes. My future plans are to buy an ATV and store it there. A couple road trips will be upcoming as well because my 11yo daughter wants to come and see the desert now that she has seen how it has captivated 'daddy'! So the money will never stop flowing and I can only hope to find enough gold to defer a few expenses along the way! Is it worth it? Well...HELL YEAH!

Thanks! I almost bought a 4500 instead of this machine, and I do wonder about that evolution coil! I'm happy so far with the SDC and hope to get in a backpacking adventure or two with it at some point. I do have a trip in the planning stages that involves dirt bike access so we'll see!

That's a nickname given to me years ago because of an incident where I lost my temper, lol! I'm not like that anymore but the name just stuck! I actually am somewhat familiar with dirtwork on a small scale since I have a landscaping business where I do lots of stonework, concrete and retaining walls...but no piles have to be driven. I hope to get back out to Az and maybe find some bigger gold soon!

I hope to get back out within the next couple months! I'll definitely be working the bedrock again but also hope to try a couple new things I've been reading about. I have google earth images, topo maps and geologic maps that will hopefully help finding new or out of the way spots in some of the areas we go! So much to learn..

I just got back from central Az after my first hunt with the SDC2300. Weather was bad and we didn't get to hunt as much as we wanted to but the SDC still produced! Our first hunt was 1.5hrs and I found my first nugget with a detector! The next day we went to a buddy's claim north of Rich Hill where I found 5 more! The last hunt was a few hours in the sleet and snow and I squeaked out one more nugget from bedrock on another claim. I'd say the SDC is a definite keeper! This was my fourth trip to Arizona and hopefully I'm getting the hang of things. All nuggets were small, but maybe a lunker is in my future at some point! Six muddy little nuggets for now!