Last September my Son and I took a preliminary trip to a new prospect, near Quartzite AZ. We always take the first run as an observation day only, but detectors are always on board. I arrived first in my 2009 Saturn Sky to the area and found the two major landmarks we were looking for almost immediately. He arrived about an hour later in his 2007 Kia Rio. Not the equipment we usually take out, but you can't beat the mileage.
Well as luck would have it, our two day task goals were met within a couple of hours. What do you do with all that daylight left? We parked my Sky and marked a GPS reading, then got in his Kia and headed for higher ground for a better look at the landscape. We were about two miles out when we discovered that the ancient Colorado River basin is made up primarily of Talcum powder like sand with dark brown pebbles over it. Yep we got stuck, BAD! and the sun was going down. The harder we tried, the deeper we got.
With most our provisions in my car, we took inventory of the stock we had in the Kia. One GTX detector, Styrofoam Ice chest with 2 sodas and an 18 pack of Bud Light, Half a bag of Frito's, and 15 cigarettes, but no flashlight. We were not going to die.
We are not big drinkers, but when the sun is down around 6:00 we Gotta Lotta time to kill. The sodas would be breakfast (CAFFEINE), and the Frito's for dinner.
Around 10:00 the beer ran out and we were hungry.
My Son Dallas is my best friend, and I am his. We enjoy each others company and don't get to "catch up" unless we are on a hunt. We weren't ready to call it a night wet. I had food, water, and comfort gear (sleeping bags, more beer and cigarettes), and rope in my Sky two miles distant, but there was no moon out. We located my car with the GPS and used the screen illumination to guide us through the desert.
Have I mentioned yet that NONE of this is very smart?
A few hours later we were warm, fed, and heading back to the KIA in my car.
The next morning, a bit hung over perhaps, we decided to tie the rope (100 feet) to the two cars and I would pull him to harder ground. Yeah,,, you guessed it. Two cars stuck. Mine wasn't bad, so we dug it out and went for help.
Sunday morning and everyone we saw the day before had packed up and gone home.
In the distance a lone jeep threw a dust cloud in the air, as it came towards us. I raced to meet it and when I did, I asked. "Anyone wanna make some money?"
We were met with three of the toughest looking old Sourdoughs you could imagine. The oldest just kept looking at my Sky and would say "Yer gonna #%* up that Vette". They said they would look and see what they could do. I led across the desert and had to punch it through the soft stuff a couple of times but we got there.
All three got out as the oldest one shook his head and said "You must really hate that car". "Never saw a Vette out here". I told him it's not a Corvette but I don't think he believed me, Then I noticed the Mine lab detector in the back. We were in good hands.
The Youngest one took my rope and made 4 loops back and forth, then latched it to the jeep. In short time the little KIA was out of there and on high ground.
I tried to pay them, but they all simultaneously and sternly declined the money. They gave us a bottle of water and for the next hour or so we all stood around and talked prospecting and treasure hunting in general.
We met a good bunch of guys out there that day, as I believe all of us are.
So if you are ever in Quartzite Arizona, swing by Pro Mack treasure supplies and say hi to Paul and the gang (Not pimping, just thanking) and tell him Driftwood Charley, the guy in the yellow Vette says thanks again.
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IT'S NOT THE YEAR, IT'S THE MILEAGE
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