I guess the song I was singing last night - Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Feel Lucky" at Karaoke got me going this morning and just made me feel like today was the day to do a little metal detecting.
There's an old wagon road across the road from my place and I haven't really spent that much time detecting on it. I've been told by old timers and have some old maps that show the road in the mid 1700's. Prior to being a wagon road, it was believed to be a footpath that was used by the Cherokees and early settlers to make their way around the mountains and up towards Asheville, North Carolina.
The road is both interesting and beautiful. I want to share it with you and will. My camera's broken right now and I'll make sure to take a picture and add it to this post when it's fixed. You can easily see the deep ruts and the way the old road winds through the woods. There's a paved road in place now and in some places it rests on part of the old wagon road. It's so interesting how we stick to old paths and ways. What was once a footpath graduated to a wagon trail and now to a paved road.
I took my White's MXT out for a stroll and it wasn't long before I had several good hits. The first two items that I found were pretty shallow and were odd looking random globs of iron.
Next I found a shed rifle cartridge that was new and then hit on something that showed as a bullet. My detector pin-pointed the spot and I dug up a round ball. It looks like a musket ball of some sort. I have no clue of it's age and really don't know how to tell. If you know something about musket balls, please pass it over to treasureholic@gmail.com Again, when the camera's fixed, I'll post a pix of the ball.
At first I thought it might be a "bomb bullet" which is what we call the lead balls that we find around here. Take a look at my earlier post about Camp Wadsworth and you can read about the bomb bullets and the shelling that went on around here during WWI. Go to the old posts link at the bottom right of this blog - it's small print so you really have to look for it.
The ball I found is much smaller than the bomb bullets so I feel sure it's a musket ball. The next hit I had delivered a small horse shoe that had a really deep heel on it. I find a lot of horse shoes.
If you know anything about metal detecting, that's a great thing 'cause where there are horse shoes, there were people. Where there were people, there were things that belonged to them that they lost. Where there are things that are lost, there is treasure to be found!
As I walk along, I imagine the sounds and sights of a wagon creaking and pitching as it drops down the hill. Everyone onboard is bracing and holding on as the horses find footing in the creek on the exposed granite bottom. Lurching and pitching again on the way up, something falls off as she gets dragged up the rise.
The wagon settles and moves on down the trail.
The coin that fell off of the wagon into the soft soil rests on top waiting to be pushed in deeper when the next wheel hits it where it will stay until I come along years later to find it.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Panning for GOLD at a New Creek Site
Today I braved the cold to get out and try my luck panning for gold in a new spot. I've done some internet homework over the last few months and have researched the old gold mine permits in North and South Carolina that are not too far from my home.
It was a bit nippy here to get my hands in the water at first, but three pans later, I was either pretty used to it, or my hands were frozen and I just didn't know.
I'd say that I'm a beginning panner and I've been panning for about a year. I found that panning with someone who knows how to do it and can show you shortcuts helps a ton and ensures that you are not making simple mistakes.
If you've never panned and would like to try, here are some simple instructions:
Things You’ll Need:
Pans For Gold Panning
Plastic Pill Vials
Detailed Local Maps or knowledge of gold bearing streams
Metal Detectors - Optional
Medicine Dropper - Optional
Tweezers
Magnets - Optional
Magnifying Glasses - If you're over 45, definately!
Step 1 - Buy a gold pan from a mining supply store or you can purchase one from me on ebay.
You will need one that has riffles - bars or slats - and a catch hole in the bottom, since these help the gold to separate from other particles more easily. Plastic pans are generally preferred over metal pans because they are lighter, have shallower angles (which reduces the risk of gold's being tossed out of the pan), and because gold is easier to spot against plastic than against shiny metal.
Step 2 - Before you begin, familiarize yourself with the recreational prospecting regulations of the area in which you wish to pan for gold.
Step 3 - Choose a location along a river or creek to pan. Places where the water slows down noticeably, such as behind sandbars or large rocks, are usually good spots for panning. You can also ask park officials or local prospecting organizations for recommendations about the best places to pan.
Step 4 - Fill the pan almost to the top with sand from the edge of the creek or river. Try sand from various depths. Use a shovel to dig deeper.
Step 5 - Dip the pan's edge into the stream and fill it with water.
Step 6 - Hold the pan with both hands and shake it from side to side right to left. I like this method when you first start out because it seems to force the heavier material to the bottom of the pan quickly and pulls the rocks and sand up to the top. Dip your pan back into the water and start moving your pan in a swirling motion.
Step 7 - Keep dipping and swirling your pan in the water. You can start off slowly and then begin to swirl the pan faster. You will lose some of the water, along with lighter particles of sand, as you go.
Step 8 - Begin scraping the top sand out of the pan with your free hand.
Step 9 - Continue until much of the pan is empty. What you are trying to accomplish is to eliminate all of the rocks and sand from the pan and you will start to see black sand in your pan. That's what you want! The black sand that you see is heavier than regular stream sand and that's where the gold will be found. Gold is heavier than the black sand so it will go to the bottom when you shake it again. Make sure to leave a little water in your pan and this process will go faster.
Step 10 - Use tweezers or a pipette to retrieve tiny gold particles and pick out larger samples with your fingers. You can lick your finger, pick up the gold and dip your finger in the water filled vial. The gold will drop off and fall to the bottom of the vial.
Step 11 - Keep all gold samples in plastic vials or sample bottles. Lick your finger and touch the gold in the pan. An old timer told me to be careful with this finger licking good thing because you can loose some gold. I guess you better make sure you have sticky spit.
Step 12 - The most important thing is to have fun!
Back to my new site. I found some flakes in one of the pans of material that I was working. When it warms up, I'm heading back and plan on hitting my friend's place at Gold Mine Creek.
Happy Hunting!
It was a bit nippy here to get my hands in the water at first, but three pans later, I was either pretty used to it, or my hands were frozen and I just didn't know.
I'd say that I'm a beginning panner and I've been panning for about a year. I found that panning with someone who knows how to do it and can show you shortcuts helps a ton and ensures that you are not making simple mistakes.
If you've never panned and would like to try, here are some simple instructions:
Things You’ll Need:
Pans For Gold Panning
Plastic Pill Vials
Detailed Local Maps or knowledge of gold bearing streams
Metal Detectors - Optional
Medicine Dropper - Optional
Tweezers
Magnets - Optional
Magnifying Glasses - If you're over 45, definately!
Step 1 - Buy a gold pan from a mining supply store or you can purchase one from me on ebay.
You will need one that has riffles - bars or slats - and a catch hole in the bottom, since these help the gold to separate from other particles more easily. Plastic pans are generally preferred over metal pans because they are lighter, have shallower angles (which reduces the risk of gold's being tossed out of the pan), and because gold is easier to spot against plastic than against shiny metal.
Step 2 - Before you begin, familiarize yourself with the recreational prospecting regulations of the area in which you wish to pan for gold.
Step 3 - Choose a location along a river or creek to pan. Places where the water slows down noticeably, such as behind sandbars or large rocks, are usually good spots for panning. You can also ask park officials or local prospecting organizations for recommendations about the best places to pan.
Step 4 - Fill the pan almost to the top with sand from the edge of the creek or river. Try sand from various depths. Use a shovel to dig deeper.
Step 5 - Dip the pan's edge into the stream and fill it with water.
Step 6 - Hold the pan with both hands and shake it from side to side right to left. I like this method when you first start out because it seems to force the heavier material to the bottom of the pan quickly and pulls the rocks and sand up to the top. Dip your pan back into the water and start moving your pan in a swirling motion.
Step 7 - Keep dipping and swirling your pan in the water. You can start off slowly and then begin to swirl the pan faster. You will lose some of the water, along with lighter particles of sand, as you go.
Step 8 - Begin scraping the top sand out of the pan with your free hand.
Step 9 - Continue until much of the pan is empty. What you are trying to accomplish is to eliminate all of the rocks and sand from the pan and you will start to see black sand in your pan. That's what you want! The black sand that you see is heavier than regular stream sand and that's where the gold will be found. Gold is heavier than the black sand so it will go to the bottom when you shake it again. Make sure to leave a little water in your pan and this process will go faster.
Step 10 - Use tweezers or a pipette to retrieve tiny gold particles and pick out larger samples with your fingers. You can lick your finger, pick up the gold and dip your finger in the water filled vial. The gold will drop off and fall to the bottom of the vial.
Step 11 - Keep all gold samples in plastic vials or sample bottles. Lick your finger and touch the gold in the pan. An old timer told me to be careful with this finger licking good thing because you can loose some gold. I guess you better make sure you have sticky spit.
Step 12 - The most important thing is to have fun!
Back to my new site. I found some flakes in one of the pans of material that I was working. When it warms up, I'm heading back and plan on hitting my friend's place at Gold Mine Creek.
Happy Hunting!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
New Orlean's TREASURE And GOLD!
You know you can find GOLD ANYWHERE if you just look. I was invited to participate in a "junket" trip sponsored by Harrah's Casino and Hotel in New Orleans this past weekend. A junket trip is offered by the casino to people who have gaming play history at thier sites. (Yes, I've been known to play the slots.) The trip covered two free airline tickets from Charlote to New Orleans and the hotel for 4 days and 3 nights. Plus they threw in $200 in cash and $150 in meal vouchers. I asked my sister and a friend to go and we had the ultimate girlie weekend. Nothing like you see on Girl's Gone Wild, but we did have a marvelous time. So back to the GOLD. You know me, I'm looking for treasure everywhere and guess what? When we touched down on the runway in Charlotte, I was coming back home with GOLD in my purse! Here's the deal: I found two seperate 14K GOLD earrings on the ground in two seperate places while I was in New Orleans! One was quite heavy and the other one was loaded with nice sized pearls. I'm adding them to my stash of old gold that I'll be cashing in soon. I'd love to know how many people loose jewelry while in New Orleans. I'd bet you there are a bunch. A true treasure hunter knows that a key element of the hunt involves hunting in areas where people have been because people loose things and some of them are valuable!
The next time you're somewhere where there are a lot of people, keep your eye's open and you never know what you might find!
The next time you're somewhere where there are a lot of people, keep your eye's open and you never know what you might find!
Monday, December 29, 2008
iGoogle Treasure
Don't know if you've tried the new iGoogle "cockpit" http://www.google.com/help/ig/tour/ offering but it's GREAT!
I'm using it and just love the access to all of the detail that I need and information at my fingertips. I've got my email, maps, driving directions, blog access and more. Check it out it's a true treasure!
I'm using it and just love the access to all of the detail that I need and information at my fingertips. I've got my email, maps, driving directions, blog access and more. Check it out it's a true treasure!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Back at the Crater Again...
Diamonds are a girls best friend. But why are so many men interested in finding them? For their girls?
Hummmmmm. Curious to know. OK boys, what's the real deal here? Is your pursuit of the shiny glitz really to show off and present your treasure to the girl of your dreams?
I hit the trail two weekends ago and caught a reasonable flight out of my town to Little Rock. My mission was to get off of the plane and be digging in the dirt at the Crater of Diamonds State Park about two hours south of Little Rock before noon.
If you're not familiar with the park or the only diamond mine in North America that's open to the public, then you really need to check it out.
The Crater of Diamonds State park http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/ is one of my favorite treasure hunting spots. Anyone can find a diamond at the park. Well, let's clarify that. If you're in the right spot at the right time doing the right thing then you can find a diamond. Most folks don't even know that they have to meet the criteria. They just find one as they are walking along in between the furrowed rows.
Other folks work pretty hard at it and some take it up as a full time occupation. While I was there this time I had the privilege of meeting Diamond Jim and he was kind enough to give me some pointers.
Diamond Jim has found quite a few diamonds in his relatively short time at the mine. He's had some pretty good odds but he's down in hole every day working hard at it.
Check out the site and the Crater of Diamonds. It's a great place to go and try your luck sifting or surface mining for diamonds. Maybe you will be the one to find the next "Strawn Wagoner".
The "Strawn-Wagner Diamond" is the most perfect diamond the American Gem Society (AGS) ever certified. Graded the perfect grade of O/O/O (Ideal cut/D color/ Flawless), or "Triple Zero," it is the highest grade a diamond can achieve. This is the most perfect a cut diamond can be. A diamond this perfect is so rare than most jewelers and gemologists will never see one during their entire career. And it's so rare that it's one in a billion based on color and clarity.
Cool beans. It was found by Shirley Strawn and it's on exhibition at the Crater. Congrats Shirley! Wish I could have been there to share in the excitement!
Hummmmmm. Curious to know. OK boys, what's the real deal here? Is your pursuit of the shiny glitz really to show off and present your treasure to the girl of your dreams?
I hit the trail two weekends ago and caught a reasonable flight out of my town to Little Rock. My mission was to get off of the plane and be digging in the dirt at the Crater of Diamonds State Park about two hours south of Little Rock before noon.
If you're not familiar with the park or the only diamond mine in North America that's open to the public, then you really need to check it out.
The Crater of Diamonds State park http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/ is one of my favorite treasure hunting spots. Anyone can find a diamond at the park. Well, let's clarify that. If you're in the right spot at the right time doing the right thing then you can find a diamond. Most folks don't even know that they have to meet the criteria. They just find one as they are walking along in between the furrowed rows.
Other folks work pretty hard at it and some take it up as a full time occupation. While I was there this time I had the privilege of meeting Diamond Jim and he was kind enough to give me some pointers.
Diamond Jim has found quite a few diamonds in his relatively short time at the mine. He's had some pretty good odds but he's down in hole every day working hard at it.
Check out the site and the Crater of Diamonds. It's a great place to go and try your luck sifting or surface mining for diamonds. Maybe you will be the one to find the next "Strawn Wagoner".
The "Strawn-Wagner Diamond" is the most perfect diamond the American Gem Society (AGS) ever certified. Graded the perfect grade of O/O/O (Ideal cut/D color/ Flawless), or "Triple Zero," it is the highest grade a diamond can achieve. This is the most perfect a cut diamond can be. A diamond this perfect is so rare than most jewelers and gemologists will never see one during their entire career. And it's so rare that it's one in a billion based on color and clarity.
Cool beans. It was found by Shirley Strawn and it's on exhibition at the Crater. Congrats Shirley! Wish I could have been there to share in the excitement!
Oak Tree Treasure
Today I stopped by a friend's house to ask if I could harvest the wild oyster mushrooms that were growing on the side of a dead oak tree on his property.
Not the kind of treasure that you'd expect here but there's one thing about being a treasure hunter, treasure comes in many forms and it all boils down to the hunt.
I've thought long and hard about what drives a person who is a born treasure hunter or at least is driven to be a hunter. As a woman, it's an odd thing for me to have the hunter gatherer desire. My sister tells me all of the time that I'm the hunter gatherer for our immediate family and it drives her crazy. Especially when we are fishing. She finally gives up and goes home after we've been out there for hours and I'm not ready to leave. It's not that she hasn't caught fish, she's just bored and has had enough so back down the dock she goes headed back to the house leaving the rest of the sea trout, crabs, shrimp and red fish for me to catch.
There's something to her comments; she's right. I feel the urge to find the prize and it's not specific. It's the hunt. I love it and I seem drawn to hunt all types of things.
Today it was 20 lbs of wild oyster mushrooms. I've cleaned them and have 5 plastic bags lightly filled with sauteed oyster mushroom and they are headed to the freezer. I'm dehydrating two pans of shrooms that will end up in some dish in my kitchen. Yummy!
Check out this link http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct98.html it shows great pix of oyster mushrooms and gives quite a bit of detail about them. If you're thinking about heading out there yourself, or trying some wild mushrooms, BE CAREFUL. Some types can kill and it's not a hobby that you try and see if you like it. Please be cautious when consuming wild food especially mushrooms! I want you to be around to keep reading my blogs.
It's a true treasure as long as you know what you're consuming. Happy Hunting!
Not the kind of treasure that you'd expect here but there's one thing about being a treasure hunter, treasure comes in many forms and it all boils down to the hunt.
I've thought long and hard about what drives a person who is a born treasure hunter or at least is driven to be a hunter. As a woman, it's an odd thing for me to have the hunter gatherer desire. My sister tells me all of the time that I'm the hunter gatherer for our immediate family and it drives her crazy. Especially when we are fishing. She finally gives up and goes home after we've been out there for hours and I'm not ready to leave. It's not that she hasn't caught fish, she's just bored and has had enough so back down the dock she goes headed back to the house leaving the rest of the sea trout, crabs, shrimp and red fish for me to catch.
There's something to her comments; she's right. I feel the urge to find the prize and it's not specific. It's the hunt. I love it and I seem drawn to hunt all types of things.
Today it was 20 lbs of wild oyster mushrooms. I've cleaned them and have 5 plastic bags lightly filled with sauteed oyster mushroom and they are headed to the freezer. I'm dehydrating two pans of shrooms that will end up in some dish in my kitchen. Yummy!
Check out this link http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct98.html it shows great pix of oyster mushrooms and gives quite a bit of detail about them. If you're thinking about heading out there yourself, or trying some wild mushrooms, BE CAREFUL. Some types can kill and it's not a hobby that you try and see if you like it. Please be cautious when consuming wild food especially mushrooms! I want you to be around to keep reading my blogs.
It's a true treasure as long as you know what you're consuming. Happy Hunting!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Spending Time at the Reed Gold Mine
I was driving not long ago to a customer site and just happened to notice a sign on the side of the road that read...
REED GOLD MINE
OK. Everyone who read's my blogs knows what that means...one of two things. Turn around now or make sure to hit the mine on the way back!
Yep, that's what happened. You know, I went to my customer site and on the way home my car just happened to turn right on the very same road where the Reed Gold Mine is located. Imagine that.
It's a pretty drive through the country to the mine past some old farms and fields. It looked like rain and it was pretty late in the afternoon so I was hoping that I would have some time to check things out and see what I could find.
Reed Gold Mine http://www.nchistoricsites.org/Reed/reed.htm is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States and in an earlier post on mine Gold Mine Creek, I cover a bit about it but I'd never had the opportunity to visit.
The mine is operated by the State of North Carolina and it's located in Midland, not far from Charlotte. No fee is charged for admission or tours of the mine. Gold panning is $2.00 per pan. A group rate of $1.50 per pan is available.
The tour of the mine was just starting and I really wanted to go on the mine tour but I had to choose. The park was closing in about two hours and I wanted to hunt for gold!
I paid the small admission fee for panning and took off in the misty rain toward to creek and panning area.
Daniel and Norman were waiting on me with dirt and a gold pan in hand. I'm still trying to learn the art of panning and while I was there they took the time to show me how to move the dirt out quickly and make sure that the gold didn't go with it. And yes, I did find gold! I had time to empty three pans before the park closed and did find two small nuggets!
There was a guy named Luke and he was telling me while we were panning that he could remember when he was a young child that some of his family members would tell stories about panning for gold in the creeks not far from his home.
Check out the site if you're in the area. I'm going back when I have time to take in the tour. Hope to see you there!
REED GOLD MINE
OK. Everyone who read's my blogs knows what that means...one of two things. Turn around now or make sure to hit the mine on the way back!
Yep, that's what happened. You know, I went to my customer site and on the way home my car just happened to turn right on the very same road where the Reed Gold Mine is located. Imagine that.
It's a pretty drive through the country to the mine past some old farms and fields. It looked like rain and it was pretty late in the afternoon so I was hoping that I would have some time to check things out and see what I could find.
Reed Gold Mine http://www.nchistoricsites.org/Reed/reed.htm is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States and in an earlier post on mine Gold Mine Creek, I cover a bit about it but I'd never had the opportunity to visit.
The mine is operated by the State of North Carolina and it's located in Midland, not far from Charlotte. No fee is charged for admission or tours of the mine. Gold panning is $2.00 per pan. A group rate of $1.50 per pan is available.
The tour of the mine was just starting and I really wanted to go on the mine tour but I had to choose. The park was closing in about two hours and I wanted to hunt for gold!
I paid the small admission fee for panning and took off in the misty rain toward to creek and panning area.
Daniel and Norman were waiting on me with dirt and a gold pan in hand. I'm still trying to learn the art of panning and while I was there they took the time to show me how to move the dirt out quickly and make sure that the gold didn't go with it. And yes, I did find gold! I had time to empty three pans before the park closed and did find two small nuggets!
There was a guy named Luke and he was telling me while we were panning that he could remember when he was a young child that some of his family members would tell stories about panning for gold in the creeks not far from his home.
Check out the site if you're in the area. I'm going back when I have time to take in the tour. Hope to see you there!
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