LukeJ

Nice gold Andy. Some times you just gotta search for the crumbs. It definitely helps to keep the skunk away. Congrats !! Luke ...yeah, and what Tom said !!

Here's some facts about the ozone layer: https://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/science/basics.htm There's a paragraph in there that might explain why '2 miles up' is noticeably harsher. "There is also widespread scientific and public interest and concern about losses of ozone in the stratosphere. Ground-based and satellite instruments have measured decreases in the amount of stratospheric ozone in our atmosphere. Over some parts of Antarctica, up to 60% of the total overhead amount of ozone (known as the column ozone) is depleted during Antarctic spring (September-November). This phenomenon is known as the Antarctic ozone hole. In the Arctic polar regions, similar processes occur that have also led to significant chemical depletion of the column ozone during late winter and spring in 7 out of the last 11 years. The ozone loss from January through late March has been typically 20-25%, and shorter-period losses have been higher, depending on the meteorological conditions encountered in the Arctic stratosphere. Smaller, but still significant, stratospheric decreases have been seen at other, more-populated regions of the Earth. Increases in surface UV-B radiation have been observed in association with local decreases in stratospheric ozone, from both ground-based and satellite-borne instruments." Luke

That's gotta make you feel proud. Congratulations !!

While I find it difficult to disagree with you on some statements, others are just incorrect. I spent five minutes on Google and came up with this: https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2018.html When you report things that aren't true, how can we be expected to take anything else you say seriously? Where do you get your 'information'? Luke

Welcome back Saul.

Well Bob.... I've come to the conclusion, that if I'm ever in New Mexico, I'll buy the first round. Luke

Dang Homefire…. I watched that video, then went down the rabbit hole for a couple hours. Next year, you should stop by and see my DIY power wall fed by solar and wind. Gotta start looking for those used lap top batteries at the thrift store. Luke

Welcome back Swamp !! Hopefully this message finds you well, or at least better than before. I'm sure many of us (more than just myself) had wondered about your absence.

Save some time, buy the Gold Monster 1000 from someone who includes training so you and your wife can learn how to use it together. It may cost more upfront, but the value of the time saved will make it more enjoyable going forward. If your wife finds a nugget with a detector, you'll probably be going detecting fairly often. The Gold Bug 2 is still a very capable detector. If you decide to go that route, find someone who is already successful with it, to teach you how to use it. Ideally it would be the person who sells it to you. 'Old School' VLFs can still be very effective in the right conditions. I think the main problem these days is that there just aren't a bunch of guys still running around who know how to use one properly. The newer, 'convenient' technology is tough to beat when you're just starting out. Welcome and Good Luck Luke

Good luck this weekend, Bill. You too Tammy

Heck of a topic here when all the participants are either admin, moderator, or forum supporter. Thanks guys !! Luke

Nice finds Gary. The desert is an interesting place, especially after a rain. I crossed paths with a rattler last Sunday. He was pretty much doing the same thing as 'yours'. Those little horny toads are the best.

Cool find !! I hope I'll cross paths with something like that one of these days. Congrats

Eleven targets to be exact. Had a few hours this morning, so I made a quick trip up the hill and once again visited the 'ol Thrashed and Hammered club claim. I started off in a gully that I've worked thoroughly in the past. It's narrow and steep on the sides and a lot of the dirt I've shoveled out, has made it's way back in via the monsoon storms. I found a little rusty piece of tin and was getting ready to move on when I got a signal at the base of someone else's old throw pile. It turned out to be a little skunk buster I poked around there for a few more minutes and then moved on so I could stop into another spot before I had to head home. When I got to the other spot... which has also been beat to death over the years.... I figured I would just take a walk and see if I could spot any 'changes' since I'd last been there. Right off, I noticed someone had raked/moved some material into the center of the gully. The material caused the water to flow to the left and had scrubbed the bedrock clean. So I fired up the SDC again and went at it. Turned out, there were no targets in the little run of exposed bedrock. But when I reached the 'end', I found a signal up on the side where the bank material was sloughing off and into the gully. A scrape with my pick and now crumbly bedrock was showing and the target was more pronounced. I ended up finding three little dinks there in about the next 15 minutes. I decided I would leave whatever might still be under the 'bank' for another time and went upstream to another area of bedrock that's been exposed for years. It's the same location where I had my 'first 5 in one day' a couple years back. I've been over this ground many times with different detectors. Most of the loose material has been long ago washed away. To my surprise, I got a clear signal on the bedrock over a little pocket that was about 3-4 inches deep. After scraping out the gravels and blowing out the leaves and stuff, I was still getting a strong signal but wasn't seeing anything. I picked up a little twig and started scraping along the cracks and then I saw it. Since I was already having a good day, I wasn't in such a hurry and decided to go back and grab my phone to take some in-situ pics. It looked more obvious in person than it turned out in the picture. Next time, I'll dribble some water on it so it will stand out a little more. So after that, I had a few more minutes and I continued up another 15 feet and got another signal right in the gut of the gully. That signal was actually three targets and they were all gold !! I wasn't expecting much today. Mostly just went to get out of the house and stretch my legs some. It's been awhile since I've had an eight nugget day. Looking forward to the next. Luke The long skinny nugget is in the center of the above picture to the right of the little pebble and the shadow is pointing to it.

Very nice work Tom. Retirement suits you well. Luke