One of our new prospecting
friends, Brian B, commented the other day that we are “living his dream”.
It made me step back and take
a good look!
Here it is, July 1, the date
we are permitted to start mechanized mining and we’re so bogged down in detail
that it’s hard to get the proper perspective on realizing our dream!
For what has been 2-1/2 years
we have struggled through the permitting process, the subsequent MSHA certification
and various setbacks with partners and equipment. Our latest problem has been
running off a contractor who moved on to the claim to help us mine (plus a bevy
of family and friends unknown to us).
We got a surprise email in
May from the US Forest Service that road damage, traffic through the creek and
in the permitted pit were way out of line. We checked into it, walking up a
muddy and rutted trail past several vehicles stranded at various points.
Needless to say, the
contractor is gone! The real irony of this situation is that after the
confrontation, threats and a shoving match, we were asked for fuel money to
leave the site!
On a subsequent visit we
discover they have not only removed themselves and their equipment, but also several
pumps, sluice boxes and miscellaneous fittings not belonging to them are also
gone!
So in some ways were are back
to Square 1, putting together this part and that fitting to re-create operating
equipment.
The good news is that a
fellow prospector is pitching in, loaning out his equipment and getting us back
on track!
So we’re back to living our
dream J and as I told Brian…
sometimes dreams have a nightmarish quality, but then nothing is worth much
unless you have to work for it!
A quick update… short test
run on equipment resulted in expected gold!
