A series of weekly columns Larry wrote for the Colfax Record
February 1982
Some of my acquaintances and friends who live in the nearby communities of Auburn and Colfax, upon learning that we live up on the Iowa Hill Divide, react with varying degrees of repulsion - ranging from mild amusement to downright horror. For example, one Sunday after church, a kind lady exclaimed, "Do you really live up there where they carry guns and shoot people?" Over the next few weeks it is my privilege to dispel such negative images that the Iowa Hill community may have by sharing some of the beauty of these hills with you - the beauty of the folks who choose to live on this side of the North Fork of the American River and the beauty of our mountain that I call "God's front yard".
Transformation of a Flatlander - Part I:
Anticipation of the delicious smells of freshly brewing coffee and a new fire in the Franklin stove lure me from my warm nest each morning. Never before have I been so eager to greet each new "fireball" as my other half, Charlotte, calls sunrise. This eagerness is one of many symptoms resulting from my new life on King's Hill, a wilderness suburb of Iowa Hill.
From the vista up here, one wouldn't suspect that over 50 families reside in the canyons and on the hilltops within a 20-mile radius. The hydraulic mining scars on the hillsides are the only sign that man has ever been near. Unspoiled forests of pine, fir and cedar stretch to the horizon to contrast the blue sky and soothe the eyes. This pristine view belies the fact that the human drama of life continues albeit at a much slower pace than I am accustomed to.
For the past 20 years, most of my adult life, I "marched to the sound of a different drummer" as the saying goes. My lifestyle was complete with house payments, community fences, work commutes and job worries. The weekend was my goal each Monday morning. Then due to terminal mid-life crisis, I walked away from all of it on July 1, 1981. I was determined to live somewhere in the Sierra mountains by whatever effort was required.
Along the way, I married someone who shared all of my crazy dreams and our choice of a new home on King's Hill, though not randomly made, has been one of the nicest happenings in our lives. Without exception, the Iowa Hill area residents have welcomed us with warmth, offers of help, and most importantly - their friendship. Now don't get me wrong - we have many good friends in town whom we value, but these hill-folk with whom we number ourselves possess certain qualities that I hope to chronicle for you.
A most startling contrast in my life is the natural history of these mountains. The first surprise awaiting a newcomer's senses is the utter silence. The absence of sound kept me awake for a few nights. Then as I began to relearn my sense of hearing, (I used to live on the frontage road of a freeway where the noise was unbelievable). My ears picked up sounds - the distant song of a coyote, the rustle of browsing deer near the house, the soft hoot of an owl. I was not used to the wonderful myriad of birds and their songs. Days spent working on firewood or harvesting walnuts became days of vacation accompanied by a Disney-like symphony of sights and sounds.
My first reaction to all of this was one of guilt. Was one supposed to enjoy oneself this much? Suddenly, my life was filled with relevance - all of my wildest dreams seemed attainable - I had been freed from the life patterns that we all inherit. I felt the ecstasy of weightlessness and knew that I was home at last.
Next week I'll introduce you to some interesting people who live up here, my friends.
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Transformation of a Flatlander - Part II
This week's column is an up-with-people column though by no means will I be able to mention everyone who contributes a lift to my day with a visit or a smile and a wave. Neighbors and friends are important of course on humanitarian terms, but in this country, in times of need they are essential.
Getting stuck in the mud or snow doesn't appear upon first thought to be an occasion for socializing. However, such normal hair-pulling events have led to meeting and/or visiting with some mighty pleasant folk.
Just last Sunday our "weekender neighbor", John Pappa, a professor at UCD, came looking for help. John and his wife, Merideth, had come up from Davis to unwind for the weekend. His brother, Elmo, had taken John's advice and had driven down a snowy road to get firewood. You guessed it - he was stuck to the rims. After hauling him out, we had the nicest visit with four newfound friends including, Evelyn, Elmo's wife, that extended through dinner. John's grandfather owned businesses in Iowa Hill including the saloon - the front wall and iron doors survived the big Iowa Hill fire and still stand.
Speaking of getting stuck, one Saturday, after being snowbound for over a week, we became anxious for mail and besides, I was tired of winning at gin rummy and scrabble. Therefore, we ventured out assured by Don Bird that we could make it. You guessed it - stuck to the rims! Our dearest neighbors, Don and Mattie, are two of the more gracious people in this man's world. Always ready with warm welcomes to soften the intimidating confrontation with their dogs, the mile hike from our stranded truck seemed a small payment indeed for their hospitality. Mattie's smile and hot tea warmed us, and thus fortified, we ferried back with Don in his usual attire - field jacket and Australian bush hat. After being pulled out, I immediately slid right back into the same ditch - luckily, Don had waited to see us out safely.
Driving the rest of the way to the metropolis of Iowa Hill, we were greeted by Mo and Fay Parker, perhaps the most widely known Iowa Hillians. They operate the saloon-general store-post office, Iowa Hill's only claim to a commercial building. Fay dispenses cold drinks and sharp wit with equal flair. You'll note the sign on the wall outside the bar, "No, side arms allowed" and they mean it! Quick with a smile and a greeting, she welcomes friend and stranger alike from behind the bar, the walls and ceiling of which are covered with relics and memorabilia from the past. Mo would rather stay behind the scenes, working to provide firewood for the huge stone fireplace. He is a man accustomed to hard work but his warm handshake disguises the calluses on his rough hands. With side-long glances, Mo regales the eager listener with tales of old Iowa Hill or his latest outing with his dogs.
Occasionally, when we stop by for mail, I catch a few moments with a special friend. Jay is a young man, old beyond his years, yet full of boyish enthusiasm. His ready smile and gentle ways remind me of a wild deer, indeed, he is a man of the hills. Always generous with his time or labors, he is a welcome addition to the Iowa Hill population.
I have been trying to get a handle on some of the reasons people choose to live here without some of modern society's conveniences. You see the folks out here have no electricity unless from a generator and a few like us have no running water. Lori Baker, of whom I'll tell you more next week, gave me some insight to my quest when she related the story of Dempsey, an honorary mayor of Iowa Hill, chasing her as a child with threats of biting. See you next week.....
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Why do we live in Iowa Hill??? And Dempsey
March 1982
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Thus Thoreau succinctly explained his sojourn at Walden's Pond. Americans have always romanticized their history, times when men challenged life and their very existence with basic survival skills - all related to living close to the earth and in harmony with nature. Iowa Hill is just one example of a time capsule with many doors. Depending on your finances and/or the degree of modern comfort you want, you may step back in time to the middle 1800's or just 20 or 30 years ago. Beneath all the various reasons for living in the Iowa Hill country lies an appreciation for the history of the area and an adventurous pursuit of times past.
There are many off-setting factors that living in the "boonies" entails. Electricity without running a generator is unavailable, but there are no double-rate PG&E bills either. It's a one hour drive to town for business and groceries, but door-to-door salesmen don't knock on the door. Our roads are passable at best, but the delightful quiet is not marred by traffic noises.
The absence of conventional niceties, considered to be necessary by many, is not a predominant reason for choosing to live here - it is just the price that these folks pay to do so. Although, to some, it serves to challenge one's ingenuity by devising ways to circumvent the absence of modern utilities.
Some of the traits that I have observed in the residents in this country may serve to partially answer the question, why? Independence or self-sufficiency is one of the trademarks up here. A person who chooses to turn their back on the regulated, comfortable lifestyle and to confront their own challenges of providing creature comfort and living on less is a person who owns their life instead of their comforts and conveniences owning them. Linked with independence is an isolationism - an absence of fear of being alone. However, the aloneness leads to animated conversation at the occasional dinner party as folks vent their pent-up vocabularies. There are no status seekers in these hills, most people being very accepting. Mode of dress, year of car or choice of lifestyle makes no difference. Both monied and poor relate on equal terms.
One last note and as promised, the story of Dempsey. A majority of Iowa Hillians are perhaps typified by Lori Baker, a young woman whose childhood memories serve as part of her reasons for living up here. Dempsey was a mule, a sort of town pet-nuisance, depending on which direction you were taking - to or from the store for candy. Duly appointed as Iowa Hill's honorary mayor and being a connoisseur of candy, he would waylay Lori and her sister as they returned from the store. Threatened with the candy pirate's teeth, they raced for home, the mayor hot on their heels. Lori has many such fond memories of her childhood in Iowa Hill and as a result, introduced her husband, Roy, and daughter Rachel to life in the slow lane up here.
From a Mormon hymnal dated 1862:
I heard of gold at Sutter's mill
At Michigan Bluff and Iowa Hill
But never thought it was rich until,
I started off to prospect.
At Yankee Jim's I bought a purse,
Inquired for Iowa Hill, of course,
And traveled on, but what was worse,
Fetched up in Shirt-tail Canyon.
At Iowa Hill they buried me,
In the Catholic cemetery,
Underneath an old pine tree,
Now I no longer prospect.
Yet from below the gravestone cold,
I think about the days of old,
Still yearning for the days of gold,
When I went off to prospect.
Next week I'll tell you about the aerodynamics of an oak leaf or how to slow down and smell the roses. Remember, we are human BEINGS not human DOINGS.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Thus Thoreau succinctly explained his sojourn at Walden's Pond. Americans have always romanticized their history, times when men challenged life and their very existence with basic survival skills - all related to living close to the earth and in harmony with nature. Iowa Hill is just one example of a time capsule with many doors. Depending on your finances and/or the degree of modern comfort you want, you may step back in time to the middle 1800's or just 20 or 30 years ago. Beneath all the various reasons for living in the Iowa Hill country lies an appreciation for the history of the area and an adventurous pursuit of times past.
There are many off-setting factors that living in the "boonies" entails. Electricity without running a generator is unavailable, but there are no double-rate PG&E bills either. It's a one hour drive to town for business and groceries, but door-to-door salesmen don't knock on the door. Our roads are passable at best, but the delightful quiet is not marred by traffic noises.
The absence of conventional niceties, considered to be necessary by many, is not a predominant reason for choosing to live here - it is just the price that these folks pay to do so. Although, to some, it serves to challenge one's ingenuity by devising ways to circumvent the absence of modern utilities.
Some of the traits that I have observed in the residents in this country may serve to partially answer the question, why? Independence or self-sufficiency is one of the trademarks up here. A person who chooses to turn their back on the regulated, comfortable lifestyle and to confront their own challenges of providing creature comfort and living on less is a person who owns their life instead of their comforts and conveniences owning them. Linked with independence is an isolationism - an absence of fear of being alone. However, the aloneness leads to animated conversation at the occasional dinner party as folks vent their pent-up vocabularies. There are no status seekers in these hills, most people being very accepting. Mode of dress, year of car or choice of lifestyle makes no difference. Both monied and poor relate on equal terms.
One last note and as promised, the story of Dempsey. A majority of Iowa Hillians are perhaps typified by Lori Baker, a young woman whose childhood memories serve as part of her reasons for living up here. Dempsey was a mule, a sort of town pet-nuisance, depending on which direction you were taking - to or from the store for candy. Duly appointed as Iowa Hill's honorary mayor and being a connoisseur of candy, he would waylay Lori and her sister as they returned from the store. Threatened with the candy pirate's teeth, they raced for home, the mayor hot on their heels. Lori has many such fond memories of her childhood in Iowa Hill and as a result, introduced her husband, Roy, and daughter Rachel to life in the slow lane up here.
From a Mormon hymnal dated 1862:
I heard of gold at Sutter's mill
At Michigan Bluff and Iowa Hill
But never thought it was rich until,
I started off to prospect.
At Yankee Jim's I bought a purse,
Inquired for Iowa Hill, of course,
And traveled on, but what was worse,
Fetched up in Shirt-tail Canyon.
At Iowa Hill they buried me,
In the Catholic cemetery,
Underneath an old pine tree,
Now I no longer prospect.
Yet from below the gravestone cold,
I think about the days of old,
Still yearning for the days of gold,
When I went off to prospect.
Next week I'll tell you about the aerodynamics of an oak leaf or how to slow down and smell the roses. Remember, we are human BEINGS not human DOINGS.
The Aerodynamics of An Oak Leaf
March 1982
Deer bound into the forest, quail scurry for cover, the crunch of our feet on the hoar frost alerting them to danger. The brisk early morning air tingles our ears and braces our lungs as my wife and I go on our run - one of the ways in which we infill our spirits for the coming day. Coupled with our morning journaling, reading and quiet time, the day beckons us with promises of adventure and accomplishment. What a celebration life can be!
I want to share a momentous discovery with you as promised. Late one autumn afternoon, after sawing and splitting firewood for a few hours, I was sitting in the middle of a grove of oak trees. Periodically, gusts of wind would loose a blizzard of leaves from above. At first all that I saw was a cloud of leaves fluttering to the ground. Then an overwhelming awareness pervaded me. Each leaf, as it dries and curls on the stem, assumes a unique shape. On their flight to earth, each one takes a different path; one does a pirouette, another becomes a glider, yet another takes a roller coaster ride to the ground. It was as if I had discovered fire and then realized that indeed, I had slowed down enough to take note of the real world around me.
I am confident that most Iowa Hillians would agree with me that by living up here away from the bustling freeway of life, it is much easier to make such inward discoveries. However, I realize that we don't have a monopoly on such freedoms. Indeed, the bottom line of this week's column is to point out the beauty and inward peace available to all, given the quiet moments needed for the discovery.
Notwithstanding, the work ethic is alive and well up here. We don't sit around watching rocks grow all the time! Frank Colnar is a real life example. Much of life is written on his face yet the enjoyment of today and expectation of tomorrow is apparent in his smile. I asked him, had he been working much during our inclement weather? He answered, "When you are almost 80 years old, you have to stay busy and keep moving every day."
Frank had kindly picked us up on the way to town as our old faithful truck had refused to make the trip. On the way home, we walked from town to the Iowa Hill Bridge. After all the many motorized trips down that hill, that walk revealed so many worthwhile sights; a covey of quail, a waterfall, the patterns of the rock-face, a cedar tree whose top had been broken off. Plus a new friend, Win Benson, an itinerant gold miner, tale spinner, all around nice guy. He intercepted us at the bridge with his friendliness and a cup of coffee.
On the way up the grade, John Hecker, Holly and Lottie stopped and gave us a lift on up to John's house. John and Carol, his wife, feel so strongly about living up here that he commutes to work.
A day of forced slow pace in which we saw, felt, shared and thoroughly enjoyed. Happy slowness and good oak leaf watching!
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March 1982 - a week later
It has been my special privilege over the past six weeks to write about the hills and the people around Iowa Hill. I wanted to show the interested reader in the neighboring communities that the Iowa Hill area is populated with plain folk in touch with themselves and not by wild gangs of gun-totin' outlaws. Hopefully, I have inspired the people up here to re-appreciate themselves and their environs. The nature of my columns have been a bit on the "pollyannish" side on purpose. I wanted to write what I would have wanted to read, the good stuff. We have a unique opportunity up here to foster a loving, sharing community having the same problems and challenges in common. Through the diversity of people available up here, we could lend our talents to each other, building a foundation of caring.
Since this is my last column, I am going to do a little preaching. I have been up here long enough to listen to the gossip that passes for conversation. There are some folks who won't go near other folks and others who have real or imagined charges concerning events past. Now my daddy always told me, "If you can't say something good about someone, then don't say nothing." Also, he taught me to take my grudge or complaint to it's source, confront the person and either settle it or bury it. Life's too precious to waste time harboring grudges.
I love it here on King's Hill and I have found more genuine friends in the last 6 months than I have ever had. I want to make this my home and so I hope that what I have said is taken constructively. I'd like to think we can live together with love and caring, exercising tolerance and forgiveness when necessary and lace our conversations with real topics instead of back-biting gossip. Amen?
Congratulations to John and Pat on their betrothal. Pat says that they are planning a two-day town festival for the weekend of June 19-20 with lots of unique events including a street dance. Check the bulletin board at the store for further developments. Like most of us, John and Pat work at a variety of jobs including mining to make ends meet. Although they reside in Colfax, they feel at home up here, hence the site for the wedding at Iowa Hill.
We all walk through this life one day at a time, confronting each problem as it pops up with the best that we have. Too soon, in looking back, one's life strings out behind like a desert highway, littered with our successes and failures. There are only a few lingering effects once we've gone - the impact that we have made on other people's lives both good and bad - and the kind of kids we raise. God knows that I've made my share of mistakes in the past. My total goal for the rest of my life is to live it well and in doing that perhaps helping others along the way.
Deer bound into the forest, quail scurry for cover, the crunch of our feet on the hoar frost alerting them to danger. The brisk early morning air tingles our ears and braces our lungs as my wife and I go on our run - one of the ways in which we infill our spirits for the coming day. Coupled with our morning journaling, reading and quiet time, the day beckons us with promises of adventure and accomplishment. What a celebration life can be!
I want to share a momentous discovery with you as promised. Late one autumn afternoon, after sawing and splitting firewood for a few hours, I was sitting in the middle of a grove of oak trees. Periodically, gusts of wind would loose a blizzard of leaves from above. At first all that I saw was a cloud of leaves fluttering to the ground. Then an overwhelming awareness pervaded me. Each leaf, as it dries and curls on the stem, assumes a unique shape. On their flight to earth, each one takes a different path; one does a pirouette, another becomes a glider, yet another takes a roller coaster ride to the ground. It was as if I had discovered fire and then realized that indeed, I had slowed down enough to take note of the real world around me.
I am confident that most Iowa Hillians would agree with me that by living up here away from the bustling freeway of life, it is much easier to make such inward discoveries. However, I realize that we don't have a monopoly on such freedoms. Indeed, the bottom line of this week's column is to point out the beauty and inward peace available to all, given the quiet moments needed for the discovery.
Notwithstanding, the work ethic is alive and well up here. We don't sit around watching rocks grow all the time! Frank Colnar is a real life example. Much of life is written on his face yet the enjoyment of today and expectation of tomorrow is apparent in his smile. I asked him, had he been working much during our inclement weather? He answered, "When you are almost 80 years old, you have to stay busy and keep moving every day."
Frank had kindly picked us up on the way to town as our old faithful truck had refused to make the trip. On the way home, we walked from town to the Iowa Hill Bridge. After all the many motorized trips down that hill, that walk revealed so many worthwhile sights; a covey of quail, a waterfall, the patterns of the rock-face, a cedar tree whose top had been broken off. Plus a new friend, Win Benson, an itinerant gold miner, tale spinner, all around nice guy. He intercepted us at the bridge with his friendliness and a cup of coffee.
On the way up the grade, John Hecker, Holly and Lottie stopped and gave us a lift on up to John's house. John and Carol, his wife, feel so strongly about living up here that he commutes to work.
A day of forced slow pace in which we saw, felt, shared and thoroughly enjoyed. Happy slowness and good oak leaf watching!
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March 1982 - a week later
It has been my special privilege over the past six weeks to write about the hills and the people around Iowa Hill. I wanted to show the interested reader in the neighboring communities that the Iowa Hill area is populated with plain folk in touch with themselves and not by wild gangs of gun-totin' outlaws. Hopefully, I have inspired the people up here to re-appreciate themselves and their environs. The nature of my columns have been a bit on the "pollyannish" side on purpose. I wanted to write what I would have wanted to read, the good stuff. We have a unique opportunity up here to foster a loving, sharing community having the same problems and challenges in common. Through the diversity of people available up here, we could lend our talents to each other, building a foundation of caring.
Since this is my last column, I am going to do a little preaching. I have been up here long enough to listen to the gossip that passes for conversation. There are some folks who won't go near other folks and others who have real or imagined charges concerning events past. Now my daddy always told me, "If you can't say something good about someone, then don't say nothing." Also, he taught me to take my grudge or complaint to it's source, confront the person and either settle it or bury it. Life's too precious to waste time harboring grudges.
I love it here on King's Hill and I have found more genuine friends in the last 6 months than I have ever had. I want to make this my home and so I hope that what I have said is taken constructively. I'd like to think we can live together with love and caring, exercising tolerance and forgiveness when necessary and lace our conversations with real topics instead of back-biting gossip. Amen?
Congratulations to John and Pat on their betrothal. Pat says that they are planning a two-day town festival for the weekend of June 19-20 with lots of unique events including a street dance. Check the bulletin board at the store for further developments. Like most of us, John and Pat work at a variety of jobs including mining to make ends meet. Although they reside in Colfax, they feel at home up here, hence the site for the wedding at Iowa Hill.
We all walk through this life one day at a time, confronting each problem as it pops up with the best that we have. Too soon, in looking back, one's life strings out behind like a desert highway, littered with our successes and failures. There are only a few lingering effects once we've gone - the impact that we have made on other people's lives both good and bad - and the kind of kids we raise. God knows that I've made my share of mistakes in the past. My total goal for the rest of my life is to live it well and in doing that perhaps helping others along the way.
Golden Adventures - The Beginning 1981 & 1982
(An introduction to my following journal entries: I quit my job at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory on June 30, 1981 after 20 years as a scientific computer programmer to follow my dream of living off of gold and calling my own shots. The love of my life, Charlotte, was back in Independence, Missouri taking care of my invalid father. We had spent many hours here on the North Fork of the American River on the weekends, camping, fishing and gold mining with my little 3" dredge. This area is in the northern end of the California Mother Lode.)
Larry's Sojourn - Alone on the River
Saturday, July 11, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork of the American River
So begins my sojourn - my first day alone. Alone is hardly a proper description for the crowd around the bridge. Don, Ron and Warren, Bob, Jeff and all the Trout family: Cindy, Doc and Jay. Of course then there are all the weekenders so I'm not alone but I am.
I began a very systematic approach to a big boulder jam and a long pool. I started at the foot of the pool - my plans are to go slowly and completely clean all the rocks out. I saw a few fines go up the dredge nozzle today - not much but I'm still working my way through old tailings.
I feel out of place here - almost like I should be somewhere else - like playing hookey from school. My urge is to run into town and call somebody or buy something. The hills seem so solid and tend to stabilize my mind a bit. I have thought of no one else but Charlotte today - every rock in this stream reminds me of her. Sometimes I almost expect to look up and see her smiling face walking toward me with Lady leading the way. I surely do miss that girl!
A can of clam chowder and some tuna and crackers are dinner tonight.
Friday, July 17, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork of the American River
My log keeping is obviously in need of help. My first full week up here has been so full that I haven't been free to just loaf. The first part of the week was plagued with equipment problems - mostly the misalignment of the water pump and motor. For all my work this week, I have very little gold to show. But I told myself that it's just under the next boulder. By the end of the day, I am totally wiped out. The physical labor is really taking it's toll and my hands are all dinged up. Doesn't sound like much fun but in reality, I am in my element. I found a couple of chunky pieces of gold yesterday which was encouraging.
Thursday, July 23, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork American River
Sunrise on Glory Ridge
(Charlotte was in Kansas City, Missouri during this time and this is a letter that I wrote to her about my time on the river)
Dearest C,
Everywhere I look on this river, you are there - the ridges that we named, our coffee rock, the trails. Things of nature are so stable and enduring that they are a stabilizing influence on me, reminding me of the transitory nature of our individual walk while the rocks and the river just always remain.
For sure I am getting there, honey. I know it must seem like I am taking too much time but I feel that for me to be truly free for you, I must do it in steps that feel right. I must know who I am without all the trappings of my past life. That is the purpose for this sojourn. This move up here will be one of the big steps. It is the only way I know to do this.
I do know that my life will never be right without you, dear. You are as important to me as breath itself. Without you in my life, I just go through the motions with no inspiration or feeling or excitement that you bring to me. I love you, dearest, and I am going "to get to the Pacific Ocean" come high tide or hurricanes.
I have found about 1/2 ounce of gold over the past 2 days. I found one 3 pwt. nugget and two 2 pwt. nuggets. Even that rings hollow without you here to get excited with me. My body and fingers are so sore and stiff! I am just not in shape yet for this kind of work but I love it! I will never leave these hills unless it is for something more special yet.
The people up here all seem like family in some respects but they get tiresome too and very few - Ron and Warren - are the exceptions - truly enjoy someone else finding gold.
I have found someone that I can share with - don't worry honey - he is 67 - Hubert - I think you have met him while you were living on the river. He is just delightful. He is from southern California. His partner, Al, only has one week up here and had been planning this trip for nine years. He has smashed his toe badly the first day - well to shorten the story. Hubert and Al hadn't been finding much so I suggested that they set up their little hi-banker in your spot - they pulled out 3 1/2 ounces of gold in two days! I know you will understand, sugar - huh, huh, huh? - the part about the 3 1/2 oz. is a story. They did clean your spot out but only found a few grains. I just wanted to wake you up.
I have been working very hard. Dredging is at least a 2 person operation as you would agree. No sooner am I down to my spot than I plug up or I need something and I have to struggle back up out of the water to do it. Or I will move rocks with the puller and it's a constant path back and forth to do it. I NEED you!
I will add a few lines tonight before Warren goes into town to post this letter. I will try to write to you each day instead of in my journal.
Love Always,
L
Friday, July 31, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Pre-dawn
Dearest C,
I received three more letters from you yesterday as I had to run into Auburn for parts. I sense your insecurity and self-doubts. I wish that I could help but those really are a product of your person with a little help from your friends. Just know that I love you very much and I will patiently help you find a restore your faith in yourself, good feelings about yourself and self-love, the most important of all. I think that those attributes must be given to us as very young children by the love and attention of our parents, both of which we mostly lacked. If only we as parents could realize the importance of early love and uplifting. Allow me, my love, to be your loving parent and friend for that purpose because you are worthy of my love and support.
I know that what I have been doing has affected you immensely but I have only followed the course that seemed right at the time. Despite your pain, hindsight still makes me think we are doing okay - you and me.
I want to chronicle our success here at the river by days not only for your information but to preserve it.
Saturday, July 25, 1981 ~ 11.5 pwt
Sunday, July 26, 1981 ~ 30 pwt
Monday, July 27, 1981 ~ 4.5 pwt
Tuesday, July 28, 1981 ~ 4.5 pwt
Wednesday, July 29, 1981 ~ 4.0 pwt
Thursday, July 30, 1981 ~ 17 pwt
71.5 pwt
How about that!!! I am pleased with the success from a point of security in knowing that it is doable. You and I could have easily moved anything that we have so far and I am talking about ~ $1200 to $1500 worth of gold in less than a week. Of course I realize that this success maybe spotty but even over a whole month that much is money in the bank.
Hubert came by and told me to tell you that the sun is hitting Glory Ridge. I told him our names and he uses them all the time including coffee rock. he is a delightful person, full of stories and tales. And he is a good worker. We are talking about tentative plans for wintering in Arizona but don't panic - it's just talk for now because those kinds of plans are ours and no one else's.
Well, SB, Hubert is going into town and he is posting this letter for me so I better close. I love you honey, miss you heaps, bushels and gobs and need you bunches.
Love Forever,
L
Camped out at the North Fork American River - Life is good!
Thursday Evening, August 27, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Our Home
Charlotte: Spent the day cleaning out both trucks, sorting, packing and preparing for the move upriver. A VERY hot day! We retired to the river to cool off late in the morning and wondered why we hadn't done it sooner. Cleaned up and went in to town to have dinner with the Step's. Mike will not marry us because we are both divorced. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be. We'll look elsewhere. Another night under the stars.
Friday Evening, August 28, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Our Home
Well, we went back into town today to search for a minister that will marry us and feel good about doing it. We went to the Methodist church and met with Rev. Findley. Spent the morning talking with him about why we want to be married. It seems we have found someone but he wants to see our divorce papers? Then off to Auburn to start the legal process of obtaining a license and then on to Newcastle to get our divorce papers. After much running around we got our blood tests and started the process required by law. Once at our storage units in Newcastle, Larry found his papers right away. After a long search through many boxes we never found mine. The plan is to go to Stockton on Monday to get a copy of my papers. We went across to the hardware store to buy chain for the grip hoist and then home to the river at last.
Saturday Evening, August 29, 1981
North Fork American River
Up River From The Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: Well, we finally made the move upriver today. Spent the morning hauling everything down to the river and then loaded our little 12' aluminum boat and headed up. The trip up was hard work because we were moving against the current. Thank goodness the river was low. It felt good. It feels good to be tired from hard work. We located a beautiful place to camp between two huge boulders on a sandy beach overlooking deep pools in the river with lots of fish to watch. We set up camp and fell into bed.
Sunday Evening, August 30, 1981
North Fork American River
Up River From The Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: A night all alone under the stars, isolated from everyone - reminded me of our night alone in the desert, a truly God-filled, glorious experience. Alone in the wilderness with either total silence like in the desert or the sounds of nature here on the river. Our first night up-river was unnerving what with all the animals visiting camp and some camp residents such as the pack rats. At one point during the night, I sat up in bed and turned on the flashlight because of all the racket. A family of pack rats had managed to disassemble our 3 tiered sprouter and had began to carry the parts off. We will have to get used to them.
We hiked out to the bridge and drove into Colfax. A fabulous breakfast was had at the Fruit Exchange Cookery. Then on to church to listen to our marryin' preacher's sermon.
Friday Evening, September 4, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge
Charlotte: We moved all of our personal gear back down the river using our boat. The river is much lower that it was a week ago. Managed to run over my foot with the boat and I think my toe is broken. Tomorrow is the day. Guess I might have to wear sandals.
Early Saturday Morning, September 5, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge
Coffee Rock
Well, this is the day. We have personal vows that we will say, here on coffee rock, before we head into church. We'll have 2 best men, "Movin' on" Bob (He got that moniker because he was always moving his dredge to a new location.) and Jim Roper - dear new friend, zoologist, who will meet us at the church because he is traveling from back east to Seattle area. It's supposed to be hot today. We'll head into town to get some money for our trip to the ocean for our honeymoon before heading to the church. Don't know if any family will show but "family" from the river will attend.
Sunday, September 6, 1981
Spent Saturday night in the overflow area at Salt Point State Park. It is Labor Day weekend! We arrived quite late and had to pitch our tent in a blowing gale in a patch of sticker burrs! What a wedding night!
Sunday, September 6, 1981
We have found a campground back down the road called Ocean Cove. It is more to our liking so we will move there today when someone leaves. When we arrived in Colfax yesterday morning, we discovered that it was Labor Day! and all the banks were closed. What to do for cash? We went to the little grocery market in Colfax and the owner, Rita, loaned us $200 with at least that much gold as collateral.
Monday, September 7, 1981
Ocean Cove Campground
This is an undeveloped camping area right on the beach so we could pitch our camp almost anywhere. Spent most of yesterday fishing off of the rocks after we got moved. (An update: We spent our 30th wedding anniversary at the same camp ground and it has been improved a bit. Talk about deja vu!)
Tuesday Evening, September 8, 1981
Went out in a skiff at Timber Cove Marina today. Caught two ling cod and several rock fish. Had dinner at the Cattleman's Restaurant in Petaluma and now we are settled in at a motel, showered and full and in a real bed.
Monday, September 14, 1981
North Fork American River
Happy Birthday Larry!
Larry: Age? Irrelevant to the meaning of life. Full moon tonight!
Monday, September 15, 1981
North Fork American River
Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: Well, what to say about the last two weeks. I have a new wife and a new life on the river.
I turned a year older yesterday - 41 with a new bride in tow.
Hubert left us a bouquet on the truck this morning.
Friday, September 18
Shirttail Creek (caught up in Shirttail Canyon)
Larry: This past Wednesday we moved our mining operation back to Shirttail above Angel Falls near the China Wall. It was probably the most difficult pack in I have ever done. We set up a beautiful camp right beside the place where we were dredging. Seems too good to be true - a perfect set-up. The threat of being evicted by the rangers because they don't allow overnite camping in this area, is a cloud over our heads but what the heck - the worst that can happen is a ticket and having to pack our camp back up to the truck. It justs seems like such a perfect place for a home for newlyweds. Yesterday was an easy day - flat tire tube on the dredge, short dredging time - a few fines in the box. I think we will move up one pool. Our evening was glorious. After work, as the dusk crept in, we sat and drank cold beer and talked. Then when darkness came, we cooked supper - fried squash and onions, cucumber and mayo and a can of Jack Mackerel. Very good eats. Then we retired to the tent to read from Follow the River. What a day. Heard something climbing on the ridge above the tent, Lady barked and then we heard the scream of a mountain lion.
Saturday, September 19, 1981
Shirttail Creek
We moved the trucks back down to the bridge yesterday morning. If the trucks are not parked near our camp, perhaps the rangers won't find us. Finally found bedrock where we had started........ down about 12 feet...... a very deep pool.....all smooth and clean. Lots of work to find that out. Moved up about 40 feet and did a little crevicing late in the afternoon. Managed to find about 5 grains - it paid for the gas.
Last night we hiked down to the bridge for chili - Joyce D fixed it - but we were a bit late and barely got any. We didn't mind and got to see the folks at the bridge. Of course, we had to come back and fix some supper.
Friday, September 25, 1981
Shirttail Creek
It's been another hectic week. Sunday, after church, we drove to Sacramento to look for a camper. After all afternoon we found one all the way back here in Meadow Vista. We went back Monday afternoon to confirm our hopes and we bought our new home for $1100.
Yesterday morning we started in on the boulder pile at the head of the pool where we are camped. Right away it seems apparent that it hasn't been worked so our hopes are running high.
Monday, July 26, 1982
Our home on King's Hill in Iowa Hill, CA
Back home to ready our little home for company. Brother, Dennis, is bringing his family out from Missouri for a visit. Wondering how they will do with this wilderness life? They have never been camping before. Readied some gear for the move to the creek in the high country. Had a real surprise visit from our pastor and his wife. It was awkward at the best and it was with some relief when they left. They brought us 5 pounds of cheese from the food give-away - a real blessing. Last night we BBQ'd deer ribs - next time they will be cat food.
Wednesday, July 28, 1982
The Creek
Well, here we are at our new diggins. We packed everything out of Shirttail yesterday - what a job in that heat! A friend helped some. It was with mixed feelings that we left the Yankee Jim Bridge. We'll miss our "family" - our shirttail relatives - but we are filled with hope as we leave for new diggins and better mining prospects. By the time we had driven up here and had a beer, we hit the sack and got ready for our big pack down to the creek this morning.
Wednesday - later, July 28, 1982
Our first day of mining in this new creek - our suit heater works great and man do we need it in this high mountain creek. The over-burden is non-existent, and we found gold! mostly in crevices. The area is beautiful - crystal clear water, unspoiled forest and a place to set up a permanent camp. C found a nice flake stuck in a vertical crevice - strange. We seem far removed from everything - we are and it's wonderful. Mark & Mike found 1/2 ounce yesterday - a 3 pwt. nugget was the biggest piece - encouragement for us all. I hiked the grip hoist down to the creek already so we can start pulling boulders - I figure the grip hoise and cable is about 150 pounds. I'm glad to have that out of the way. I'm still filled with anticipation about our gold up here - after our first good day. I'll be able to relax a bit. I need to ask God for peace and trust in Him to provide. Our take for the first day 40 grains.
Thursday, July 29, 1982
What a fabulous place this is - one of God's finest, as Hubert would say. Huge old trees tower above the crystal clear water. The creek is just one magnificent pool after another. We had a beautiful day - found lots of gold including a 2 pwt + nugget and a 1 pwt'er. We had dredged to the edge of the water and were preparing to leave the spot when Don M picked up 3 small chunkies where we had left off. Excitedly, we continued - almost out of the water. Shutting the dredge off, I spied the largest nugget in the box and let out a yell.
Later in the afternoon, I found a few hellgramites and proceeded to snag a few rainbows - 4 10" long. Then using a huge bait, I sneaked up to this deep pool and let the current carry the bait into it. I felt a light tap -tap and let out line knowing that a good fish would scare off by tension on the line. Then I set the hook and knew immediately that I had hold of supper. A 14" German brown leaped from the water, frantically trying to shake the hook. The fish tasted as good as he fought. We gave thanks for our wonderful supper. Tomorrow, we switch pools and try for our hot spot from above. Our take for today 171 grns.
Friday, July 31, 1982
Take for the day - 70 grns.
Saturday July 31, 1982
King's Hill
What a hectic day of futile scurrying about. We got up at 4:30 so as to get into my daughter's by 7 - we made it by 9 and just missed them. Then we rushed back to Roseville Auction only to strike out with Cassanova, the jeweler but he only buys chunkies. So - back up to Auburn where we settled for 70% on our amalgamated fines at the Golden Swan. Then to the bank and out to Payless and on to Weimar X-Roads. We were an hour late and no Dennis. We waited for about 3 hours in the blistering sun in front of the store to no avail. We actually drank pop.... it did not quench our thirst. So, we left a note and a map and came on home, weary from our travels. C cooked up a wonderful venison steak and we dined fine. Can't help but wonder where brother Dennis and family are. No phone can be a challenge at times.
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| After a hard day's work |
Saturday, July 11, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork of the American River
So begins my sojourn - my first day alone. Alone is hardly a proper description for the crowd around the bridge. Don, Ron and Warren, Bob, Jeff and all the Trout family: Cindy, Doc and Jay. Of course then there are all the weekenders so I'm not alone but I am.
I began a very systematic approach to a big boulder jam and a long pool. I started at the foot of the pool - my plans are to go slowly and completely clean all the rocks out. I saw a few fines go up the dredge nozzle today - not much but I'm still working my way through old tailings.
I feel out of place here - almost like I should be somewhere else - like playing hookey from school. My urge is to run into town and call somebody or buy something. The hills seem so solid and tend to stabilize my mind a bit. I have thought of no one else but Charlotte today - every rock in this stream reminds me of her. Sometimes I almost expect to look up and see her smiling face walking toward me with Lady leading the way. I surely do miss that girl!
A can of clam chowder and some tuna and crackers are dinner tonight.
Friday, July 17, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork of the American River
My log keeping is obviously in need of help. My first full week up here has been so full that I haven't been free to just loaf. The first part of the week was plagued with equipment problems - mostly the misalignment of the water pump and motor. For all my work this week, I have very little gold to show. But I told myself that it's just under the next boulder. By the end of the day, I am totally wiped out. The physical labor is really taking it's toll and my hands are all dinged up. Doesn't sound like much fun but in reality, I am in my element. I found a couple of chunky pieces of gold yesterday which was encouraging.
Yankee Jim Bridge - North Fork American River
Sunrise on Glory Ridge
(Charlotte was in Kansas City, Missouri during this time and this is a letter that I wrote to her about my time on the river)
Dearest C,
Everywhere I look on this river, you are there - the ridges that we named, our coffee rock, the trails. Things of nature are so stable and enduring that they are a stabilizing influence on me, reminding me of the transitory nature of our individual walk while the rocks and the river just always remain.
For sure I am getting there, honey. I know it must seem like I am taking too much time but I feel that for me to be truly free for you, I must do it in steps that feel right. I must know who I am without all the trappings of my past life. That is the purpose for this sojourn. This move up here will be one of the big steps. It is the only way I know to do this.
I do know that my life will never be right without you, dear. You are as important to me as breath itself. Without you in my life, I just go through the motions with no inspiration or feeling or excitement that you bring to me. I love you, dearest, and I am going "to get to the Pacific Ocean" come high tide or hurricanes.
I have found about 1/2 ounce of gold over the past 2 days. I found one 3 pwt. nugget and two 2 pwt. nuggets. Even that rings hollow without you here to get excited with me. My body and fingers are so sore and stiff! I am just not in shape yet for this kind of work but I love it! I will never leave these hills unless it is for something more special yet.
The people up here all seem like family in some respects but they get tiresome too and very few - Ron and Warren - are the exceptions - truly enjoy someone else finding gold.
I have found someone that I can share with - don't worry honey - he is 67 - Hubert - I think you have met him while you were living on the river. He is just delightful. He is from southern California. His partner, Al, only has one week up here and had been planning this trip for nine years. He has smashed his toe badly the first day - well to shorten the story. Hubert and Al hadn't been finding much so I suggested that they set up their little hi-banker in your spot - they pulled out 3 1/2 ounces of gold in two days! I know you will understand, sugar - huh, huh, huh? - the part about the 3 1/2 oz. is a story. They did clean your spot out but only found a few grains. I just wanted to wake you up.
I have been working very hard. Dredging is at least a 2 person operation as you would agree. No sooner am I down to my spot than I plug up or I need something and I have to struggle back up out of the water to do it. Or I will move rocks with the puller and it's a constant path back and forth to do it. I NEED you!
I will add a few lines tonight before Warren goes into town to post this letter. I will try to write to you each day instead of in my journal.
Love Always,
L
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| North Fork American River at Shirttail Creek |
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Pre-dawn
Dearest C,
I received three more letters from you yesterday as I had to run into Auburn for parts. I sense your insecurity and self-doubts. I wish that I could help but those really are a product of your person with a little help from your friends. Just know that I love you very much and I will patiently help you find a restore your faith in yourself, good feelings about yourself and self-love, the most important of all. I think that those attributes must be given to us as very young children by the love and attention of our parents, both of which we mostly lacked. If only we as parents could realize the importance of early love and uplifting. Allow me, my love, to be your loving parent and friend for that purpose because you are worthy of my love and support.
I know that what I have been doing has affected you immensely but I have only followed the course that seemed right at the time. Despite your pain, hindsight still makes me think we are doing okay - you and me.
I want to chronicle our success here at the river by days not only for your information but to preserve it.
Saturday, July 25, 1981 ~ 11.5 pwt
Sunday, July 26, 1981 ~ 30 pwt
Monday, July 27, 1981 ~ 4.5 pwt
Tuesday, July 28, 1981 ~ 4.5 pwt
Wednesday, July 29, 1981 ~ 4.0 pwt
Thursday, July 30, 1981 ~ 17 pwt
71.5 pwt
How about that!!! I am pleased with the success from a point of security in knowing that it is doable. You and I could have easily moved anything that we have so far and I am talking about ~ $1200 to $1500 worth of gold in less than a week. Of course I realize that this success maybe spotty but even over a whole month that much is money in the bank.
Hubert came by and told me to tell you that the sun is hitting Glory Ridge. I told him our names and he uses them all the time including coffee rock. he is a delightful person, full of stories and tales. And he is a good worker. We are talking about tentative plans for wintering in Arizona but don't panic - it's just talk for now because those kinds of plans are ours and no one else's.
Well, SB, Hubert is going into town and he is posting this letter for me so I better close. I love you honey, miss you heaps, bushels and gobs and need you bunches.
Love Forever,
L
Camped out at the North Fork American River - Life is good!
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| BBQ Chicken with veggies and wine |
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| Good dinner, honey. |
 |
| And breakfast was good, too. |
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Our Home
Charlotte: Spent the day cleaning out both trucks, sorting, packing and preparing for the move upriver. A VERY hot day! We retired to the river to cool off late in the morning and wondered why we hadn't done it sooner. Cleaned up and went in to town to have dinner with the Step's. Mike will not marry us because we are both divorced. Oh well, it wasn't meant to be. We'll look elsewhere. Another night under the stars.
Friday Evening, August 28, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge, North Fork American River
Our Home
Well, we went back into town today to search for a minister that will marry us and feel good about doing it. We went to the Methodist church and met with Rev. Findley. Spent the morning talking with him about why we want to be married. It seems we have found someone but he wants to see our divorce papers? Then off to Auburn to start the legal process of obtaining a license and then on to Newcastle to get our divorce papers. After much running around we got our blood tests and started the process required by law. Once at our storage units in Newcastle, Larry found his papers right away. After a long search through many boxes we never found mine. The plan is to go to Stockton on Monday to get a copy of my papers. We went across to the hardware store to buy chain for the grip hoist and then home to the river at last.
Saturday Evening, August 29, 1981
North Fork American River
Up River From The Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: Well, we finally made the move upriver today. Spent the morning hauling everything down to the river and then loaded our little 12' aluminum boat and headed up. The trip up was hard work because we were moving against the current. Thank goodness the river was low. It felt good. It feels good to be tired from hard work. We located a beautiful place to camp between two huge boulders on a sandy beach overlooking deep pools in the river with lots of fish to watch. We set up camp and fell into bed.
Sunday Evening, August 30, 1981
North Fork American River
Up River From The Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: A night all alone under the stars, isolated from everyone - reminded me of our night alone in the desert, a truly God-filled, glorious experience. Alone in the wilderness with either total silence like in the desert or the sounds of nature here on the river. Our first night up-river was unnerving what with all the animals visiting camp and some camp residents such as the pack rats. At one point during the night, I sat up in bed and turned on the flashlight because of all the racket. A family of pack rats had managed to disassemble our 3 tiered sprouter and had began to carry the parts off. We will have to get used to them.
We hiked out to the bridge and drove into Colfax. A fabulous breakfast was had at the Fruit Exchange Cookery. Then on to church to listen to our marryin' preacher's sermon.
Friday Evening, September 4, 1981
Yankee Jim Bridge
Charlotte: We moved all of our personal gear back down the river using our boat. The river is much lower that it was a week ago. Managed to run over my foot with the boat and I think my toe is broken. Tomorrow is the day. Guess I might have to wear sandals.
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| Wedding day morning |
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| After the wedding! Mr. and Mrs. |
Yankee Jim Bridge
Coffee Rock
Well, this is the day. We have personal vows that we will say, here on coffee rock, before we head into church. We'll have 2 best men, "Movin' on" Bob (He got that moniker because he was always moving his dredge to a new location.) and Jim Roper - dear new friend, zoologist, who will meet us at the church because he is traveling from back east to Seattle area. It's supposed to be hot today. We'll head into town to get some money for our trip to the ocean for our honeymoon before heading to the church. Don't know if any family will show but "family" from the river will attend.
Sunday, September 6, 1981
Spent Saturday night in the overflow area at Salt Point State Park. It is Labor Day weekend! We arrived quite late and had to pitch our tent in a blowing gale in a patch of sticker burrs! What a wedding night!
Sunday, September 6, 1981
We have found a campground back down the road called Ocean Cove. It is more to our liking so we will move there today when someone leaves. When we arrived in Colfax yesterday morning, we discovered that it was Labor Day! and all the banks were closed. What to do for cash? We went to the little grocery market in Colfax and the owner, Rita, loaned us $200 with at least that much gold as collateral.
Monday, September 7, 1981
Ocean Cove Campground
This is an undeveloped camping area right on the beach so we could pitch our camp almost anywhere. Spent most of yesterday fishing off of the rocks after we got moved. (An update: We spent our 30th wedding anniversary at the same camp ground and it has been improved a bit. Talk about deja vu!)
Tuesday Evening, September 8, 1981
Went out in a skiff at Timber Cove Marina today. Caught two ling cod and several rock fish. Had dinner at the Cattleman's Restaurant in Petaluma and now we are settled in at a motel, showered and full and in a real bed.
Monday, September 14, 1981
North Fork American River
Happy Birthday Larry!
Larry: Age? Irrelevant to the meaning of life. Full moon tonight!
Monday, September 15, 1981
North Fork American River
Yankee Jim Bridge
Larry: Well, what to say about the last two weeks. I have a new wife and a new life on the river.
I turned a year older yesterday - 41 with a new bride in tow.
Hubert left us a bouquet on the truck this morning.
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| Home Sweet Home |
Shirttail Creek (caught up in Shirttail Canyon)
Larry: This past Wednesday we moved our mining operation back to Shirttail above Angel Falls near the China Wall. It was probably the most difficult pack in I have ever done. We set up a beautiful camp right beside the place where we were dredging. Seems too good to be true - a perfect set-up. The threat of being evicted by the rangers because they don't allow overnite camping in this area, is a cloud over our heads but what the heck - the worst that can happen is a ticket and having to pack our camp back up to the truck. It justs seems like such a perfect place for a home for newlyweds. Yesterday was an easy day - flat tire tube on the dredge, short dredging time - a few fines in the box. I think we will move up one pool. Our evening was glorious. After work, as the dusk crept in, we sat and drank cold beer and talked. Then when darkness came, we cooked supper - fried squash and onions, cucumber and mayo and a can of Jack Mackerel. Very good eats. Then we retired to the tent to read from Follow the River. What a day. Heard something climbing on the ridge above the tent, Lady barked and then we heard the scream of a mountain lion.
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| Are you sure this how to find gold? |
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| Yes! |
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| There's gold in here! |
Shirttail Creek
We moved the trucks back down to the bridge yesterday morning. If the trucks are not parked near our camp, perhaps the rangers won't find us. Finally found bedrock where we had started........ down about 12 feet...... a very deep pool.....all smooth and clean. Lots of work to find that out. Moved up about 40 feet and did a little crevicing late in the afternoon. Managed to find about 5 grains - it paid for the gas.
Last night we hiked down to the bridge for chili - Joyce D fixed it - but we were a bit late and barely got any. We didn't mind and got to see the folks at the bridge. Of course, we had to come back and fix some supper.
Friday, September 25, 1981
Shirttail Creek
It's been another hectic week. Sunday, after church, we drove to Sacramento to look for a camper. After all afternoon we found one all the way back here in Meadow Vista. We went back Monday afternoon to confirm our hopes and we bought our new home for $1100.
Yesterday morning we started in on the boulder pile at the head of the pool where we are camped. Right away it seems apparent that it hasn't been worked so our hopes are running high.
Monday, July 26, 1982
Our home on King's Hill in Iowa Hill, CA
Back home to ready our little home for company. Brother, Dennis, is bringing his family out from Missouri for a visit. Wondering how they will do with this wilderness life? They have never been camping before. Readied some gear for the move to the creek in the high country. Had a real surprise visit from our pastor and his wife. It was awkward at the best and it was with some relief when they left. They brought us 5 pounds of cheese from the food give-away - a real blessing. Last night we BBQ'd deer ribs - next time they will be cat food.
The Creek
Well, here we are at our new diggins. We packed everything out of Shirttail yesterday - what a job in that heat! A friend helped some. It was with mixed feelings that we left the Yankee Jim Bridge. We'll miss our "family" - our shirttail relatives - but we are filled with hope as we leave for new diggins and better mining prospects. By the time we had driven up here and had a beer, we hit the sack and got ready for our big pack down to the creek this morning.
Wednesday - later, July 28, 1982
Our first day of mining in this new creek - our suit heater works great and man do we need it in this high mountain creek. The over-burden is non-existent, and we found gold! mostly in crevices. The area is beautiful - crystal clear water, unspoiled forest and a place to set up a permanent camp. C found a nice flake stuck in a vertical crevice - strange. We seem far removed from everything - we are and it's wonderful. Mark & Mike found 1/2 ounce yesterday - a 3 pwt. nugget was the biggest piece - encouragement for us all. I hiked the grip hoist down to the creek already so we can start pulling boulders - I figure the grip hoise and cable is about 150 pounds. I'm glad to have that out of the way. I'm still filled with anticipation about our gold up here - after our first good day. I'll be able to relax a bit. I need to ask God for peace and trust in Him to provide. Our take for the first day 40 grains.
Thursday, July 29, 1982
What a fabulous place this is - one of God's finest, as Hubert would say. Huge old trees tower above the crystal clear water. The creek is just one magnificent pool after another. We had a beautiful day - found lots of gold including a 2 pwt + nugget and a 1 pwt'er. We had dredged to the edge of the water and were preparing to leave the spot when Don M picked up 3 small chunkies where we had left off. Excitedly, we continued - almost out of the water. Shutting the dredge off, I spied the largest nugget in the box and let out a yell.
Later in the afternoon, I found a few hellgramites and proceeded to snag a few rainbows - 4 10" long. Then using a huge bait, I sneaked up to this deep pool and let the current carry the bait into it. I felt a light tap -tap and let out line knowing that a good fish would scare off by tension on the line. Then I set the hook and knew immediately that I had hold of supper. A 14" German brown leaped from the water, frantically trying to shake the hook. The fish tasted as good as he fought. We gave thanks for our wonderful supper. Tomorrow, we switch pools and try for our hot spot from above. Our take for today 171 grns.
Friday, July 31, 1982
Take for the day - 70 grns.
Saturday July 31, 1982
King's Hill
What a hectic day of futile scurrying about. We got up at 4:30 so as to get into my daughter's by 7 - we made it by 9 and just missed them. Then we rushed back to Roseville Auction only to strike out with Cassanova, the jeweler but he only buys chunkies. So - back up to Auburn where we settled for 70% on our amalgamated fines at the Golden Swan. Then to the bank and out to Payless and on to Weimar X-Roads. We were an hour late and no Dennis. We waited for about 3 hours in the blistering sun in front of the store to no avail. We actually drank pop.... it did not quench our thirst. So, we left a note and a map and came on home, weary from our travels. C cooked up a wonderful venison steak and we dined fine. Can't help but wonder where brother Dennis and family are. No phone can be a challenge at times.
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