Have you had a busy winter? I certainly have! It has been tough finding time to blog, even though there is a LOT to tell you.
We went to Tucson and visited friends in Arizona while we were there. We traveld around the Superstitions, Wickenburg and the Vulture Mine, but missed the Bradshaws and Links Creek this time.
Gold was selling high in Tucson, so we did not indulge in a buying spree as we have in past years. Many of the old gold dealers have gotten out of the business as the face of selling gold to the public is changing. We did visit the big show downtown one day and took a few pictures of the gold that was there. You did get to see the one big Aussie nugget.
What brought me to the blog today is the spot price of gold hoovering just under $1500.00 right now. I saw it was $1496 a few mintes ago and silver is at $43. Silver has really been jumping in the past couple of weeks!
What has kept me so busy the past few months has been health issues with my Mother. She has decided to quit her wandering ways and will share a permanent address with Larry and myself where she will be closer to family and can get the help she needs with the small things like getting to the hospital if she needs to. She is 81, so it's about time. She can fly out a visit whomever she wants to for as long as she wants to, but mov ing her every 6 months to 2 years is becoming hard on her, and I'm getting too old to want to do it anymore.
I spent some time this last weekend doing some information updates on the site. There are a LOT of new regulations for the Arkansa River in 2011 coming out of the BLM this spring and I will have some time to tell you some of it in May before we take off for prospecting season.
I have many questions coming at me about the GPAA claim on the Arkansas above Elephant Rock, so I will address that now. The BLM is requiring a plan of operation and a bond for any claim that wishes to allow motorized equipment on the Arkansas River. The GPAA has elected NOT to file the required plan nor to put up the bond necessary for reclamation of the area, so be aware that those claims will be restricted to panning and sluice boxes. Recirculation equipment can be used as well as metal detectors and dry washers, but anything that requires water being pumped from the river will not be allowed in those areas. You will have two agencies watching, so if you are out there with your dredging equipment they WILL find you.
Along with this restriction on the GPAA claims, be aware that all claims in the dam site area south of there have been dissallowed and there will be no public prospecting at Elephant Rock, the last I heard. If that changes I will let you know. Propsecting for gold in Colorado is a challenge every year. This one is no different.
Gotta run! May is coming up fast and I have a million things to do before Memorial Day weekend. I think of all of you often. I just do not have the time right now to talk to you very often. I'm sure you all understand. I WILL be writing to you as often as I can, and if you have any questions you know where to find me. hookedongold@gmail.com. As always,
Good Prospecting to You,
Shirley
http://www.hookedongold.com/
hookedongold@gmail.com
