Text Box: Volume 2, Issue 3 Text Box: Text Box: Text Box:                    It’s a long drive from Ohio to the Rockies, but I am starting my annual prospecting trip. In about five hours I’ll cross the Mississippi river and soon the Missouri.  After that it’s driving the seemingly endless miles of Missouri and Kansas. It takes about 24 hours of driving  from my home in Ohio to Gold Country, either Colorado or Whyoming.      Although I usually go to Colorado, this year I decided to go to Wyoming. Using the GPAA claims guide I decided to try the claims on Douglas Creek near Laramie.      Going out alone, as I usually do, I was hoping to find someone to help me run my two inch dredge. Soon after reaching Douglas Creek I met Don and Alberta Shaffer, GPAA members. After talking a few minutes Don and I struck up a partnership.      My stay had to be cut short this year, only four or five days, so Don and I decided to spend the time we had dredging Douglas Creek and divide the gold we found. Now, I have a bad back, caused by a parachuting accident while serving with Uncle Sam.  Then I find out Don also has a bad back, probably caused from the heavy work on the oil rigs, but being the kind of guy he is, Don still did most of our heavy work.      Camping near Don and Alberta was a very nice family from Minnesota, Bob and Jackie Pipenhagen and their two sons, Ryan and Gabe. All of us are GPAA members so we had a lot in common.      On the second day there I met Stan Wedlock of the  Claims Committee.It don’t take very long at all to find out Stan is a real straight shooter and darn nice guy, he is always glad to take the time to talk prospecting, he will not only tell people how to get gold he will even tell them where. I pick his brain every chance I get.       I also met Jim Webster and his partner Andy, also on the Claims Committee. Two very knowledgeable people and nice Guys, always ready to help everyone.      There also, camped near us, was Wanda, a very nice lady Who camped in her motor home. She worked the creek very Diligently and had a respectable bottle of flakes to show for It. And everywhere Wanda went, her big wolf dog was sure To go.      One of the best parts of the whole trip was sitting around The camp fire with these nice people enjoying their lively Conversation.      Most nights the sky was packed so full of stars it looked Like a beach full of sand. A couple of evenings Daryl and Tim, prospectors from Colorado, joined us at the camp fire. I really think that the GPAA is as much about people as it is            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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