G LD NUGGETS is a new blog for and by GPOC members. Our intent is for Gold

Nuggets to become an informational hub for members to keep up to date with GPOC news and events. We encourage you to email your news items and information to the webmaster at

www.gpoc.com. The webmaster, Stacey Smith, will ensure they get onto the blog.

Join GPOC on FACEBOOK! You need your own Facebook accountAccess GPOC on FACEBOOK through a link on the GPOC website

2011february

quill THE

PROSPECTOR’S

official publication of The Gold Prospectors of Colorado volume 38 no.2 PO Box 1593, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901

insideMembership Minutes! 2Contacts! 2February Calendar! 3President’s letter, cont.! 3Colorado Surface Water! 4Colorado Surface Water! 5Colorado Surface Water! 6Winterize Your Equipment! 6Winterize Your Equipment! 7Request for Mailed Quill! 7

www.gpoc.com

Calling all Prospectors;

Our organization is starting out on the right foot this year. The plans of operations for the club claims are now in the works with the bonds for the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management being the last of our hurdles.

Aside from a $5000+ expenditure for the Arkansas River and Beaver Creek claims we will need to set aside a large bond for the reclamation that is required at the end of each season.

The benefits from these plans of operations are exceedingly great as we will have the opportunity to utilize our claims in a manner that they were meant to be all along.

The primary problem that I foresee is the need to fill prospecting holes and meet the obligations and guidelines set upon us by both the Federal Regulations for Mining that were revised on January 6th, 2011 and rules and regulations with standards and guidelines from the Department of Mining, Reclamation and Safety which were revised on September 11th, 2010.

continued on page 3

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 2

PresidentBen Higley president@gpoc.com

Vice PresidentWayne Wittkopp vicepresident@gpoc.com

SecretaryElise Pearce secretary@gpoc.com

TreasurerBill Smith treasure@gpoc.com

WebmasterStacey Smith webmaster@gpoc.com

EditorLin Smithquill@gpoc.com

Contact Info for all club activitiesBob Hale (719)213-3383

School EventsPhil Vigil (719) 391-9975

Membershipmembership@gpoc.com

TrusteesOne YearGary BeaderstadtTwo YearDiane Anderson

Three YearJim Blakenship

ClaimsMarty Witcherclaims@gpoc.com

GPOC contacts

The Prospector’s Quill is the official newsletter of the Gold Prospectors of Colorado. The opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the club or its members. The editor, club, officers, and contributors do not assume any liability for damages resulting from use of information in the Prospector’s Quill. Articles of interest are welcomed. All articles submitted for publication are subject to editing.Submission of articles must be received before the 20th of the month. Unless noted, non-profits may reprint or quote from articles, provided credit is given to the author’s and publication and a copy of the newsletter the article appears in is sent to the editor of The Prospectorʼs Quill at PO Box 1593, CS CO 80913. All pictures are the property of the photographer and are not to be copied or reproduced

quill@gpoc.com

Quill Advertising Rates CONTACT OVER 1,000 GPOC MEMBERS

quill@gpoc.comAllow for a 3/8” margin on all sides of your advertisement.

Payment must be received before placement. Send advertisement with check to: GPOC Quill Editor, PO Box 1593,

CS, CO 80901Deadline for placement 20th of the month

Sizes are approximatePrices Per Issue

Business Card Size $ 6.00 4” x 5” (1/4 page) $12.00 5” x 8” (half page) $24.00

GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADOGENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES

12 JANUARY 2011

7:15 p.m.! Meeting called to order by President Ben Higley with the Pledge of Allegiance.

7:18 p.m.! President Ben Higley welcomed all new members, and asked that they introduce themselves.

7:21 p.m.! Gold closing price for today was $1,388 per oz.7:23 p.m.! President Ben Higley introduced the new GPOC

Board members.7:25 p.m.! President Ben Higley said that member Robert

Smith had open-heart surgery and was doing fine.

7:26 p.m.! Bill Smith gave the treasurerʼs report7:30 p.m.! President Ben Higley introduced Marty Witcher

as the Claims Committee Chairman. 7:34 p.m.! President Ben Higley spoke about the BLM and

the Forest Service. The club has an approved plan of operation with the U.S.F.S. for the GPOC claims on Beaver Creek pending signatures and a bond.

7:40 p.m.! President Ben Higley asked if there was anyone who lives in Park County that would volunteer their time to oversee the clubʼs claims at Beaver Creek.

7:49 p.m.! Web Master Stacey Smith talked about the interactive calendar on the GPOC web site and reiterated the GPOC facebook account.

7:53 p.m.! Vice President Wayne Wittkopp discussed the clubs needs to replace 3 large troughs and make 6 small troughs at a cost of not more than $2,000. The 3 large troughs are to be donated to the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Ron Yamiokoski made the motion and Trish Barr seconded the motion with club approval.

8:18 p.m.! President Ben Higley mentioned that we need volunteers for a show in Old Colorado City for Ice on the Avenue. The show is Jan 15-16 in Bancroft Park.

8:20 p.m.! Break8:53 p.m.! Bill and Linda Smith spoke on fine gold recovery

and how to make a hand suction dredge.9:25 p.m.! Meeting adjourned.

Can you guess

where this gold

dome is? It is one

of two in

Colorado.

photo by Lin

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 3

Februarycalendar

For further information contact:

Bob Hale (719) 213-3383

www.gpoc.com

meetings events volunteer opportunitiesFebruarycalendar

For further information contact:

Bob Hale (719) 213-3383

www.gpoc.com

3rdBoard MeetingGold Hill Police Station

7:00 PM

955 Moreno Avenue, CS, COpresident@gpoc.com

12th & 13thThe West That WasGreen CenterColorado School of MinesGolden, Coloradopreregisterwesternpaleo.orgsee info below

Claims Committee

Ben Higley is working on Plans of Operations for the club claims. This is a time consuming process and if you have any time or talent he would appreciate your help. Contact: president@gpoc.com

Februarycalendar

For further information contact:

Bob Hale (719) 213-3383

www.gpoc.com

9thGeneral Member Meeting7:00 PM

3400 N.Nevada CS, CO

Bob Hale(719) 213-3383

11thGPS Map & Compass Classes

9-11 AM & 12-4 PMDenver Federal Center Building 810Lakewood, CO(303) 202-4689see info below

GPOC will be building gold panning troughs for the club. They will be used in our club gold panning demonstrations and the Gold Panning Championships. If you have any talents and time you would be willing to donate contact:

Wayne Wittkopp at

vicepresident@gpoc.com

USGS Free GPS Map, and Compass Classes

The second Friday of each month. The sessions are held in Building 810 at the Denver Federal Center, Lakewood; Map and Compass sessions are in the morning, 9-11 a.m., and "Using GPS with Topo Maps" in the afternoon, 12-4 p.m. You may sign up for either or both classes. Call for reservations: (303) 202-4689 or send an e-mail to gpsworkshops@usgs.gov.

The West That Was: Exploring Colorado’s Fossil Past

Presentations from scientists with dust still on their boots, including Vince Matthews (Colorado geology), Jim Kirkland (Jurassic ecosystems), Bruce Schumacher (Cretaceous marine vertebrates) and Ian Miller (Snowmass Ice Age fossils). Exhibits and displays and natural science artwork that will spin your spurs. Preregister at westernpaleo.org. Western Interior Paleontological Society. February 12th-13th

President’s letter, continuedWe really need to card others on our claims as it is my belief

that the holes that are being left in inconspicuous areas, are

most likely being left by individuals who are not GPOC members

and have no right to be on our claims to being with.

These are our claims, people, and it’s everyone’s job to hold up

your card and inform claim jumpers where the open prospecting

areas are and how to get to them. People that don’t comply with

the rules simply need to call Mr. Bob Hale at (719) 213-3383 the

GPOC New Member Coordinator or a board member to have us

contact the Sheriffs Department.

The United States Department of Agriculture and the

Department of the Interior Guidelines as well as the GPOC

Prospector’s Code of Ethics need to be read and understood by

every individual utilizing U.S. Forest Service lands and BLM

properties, as negligence will not be acceptable.

On January 15th-16th the GPOC had a show in Old Colorado

City. There were 25 volunteers on Saturday and 20 volunteers

on Sunday. The weather was beautiful only adding to an

extraordinary show with excellent sales at the store and super

news coverage!

The GPOC interests are in providing local shows so our

members don’t have to travel too far. For GPOC members that

live in the Cripple Creek and Victor areas the club would

appreciate help with any contacts you might have.

The GPOC website will be posting updates to keep you

informed. Sincerely, Your Public Servant and President,

Big Ben

Ice carving at Bancroft Park

January 16th

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 4

Colorado Surface Water ConditionsSafety Tips When Prospecting by Lin

Knowing the proper safety rules, equipment and Arkansas River levels and flows will help you have a safer and more enjoyable prospecting experience. The level of water in Coloradoʼs rivers and streams can change dramatically and the following resources may help avert a disaster should you be prospecting in Coloradoʼs waterways, washes, or gulches. Snow melting, run off from rains, flash floods, ice dams and water releases from dams or reservoirs occur in the State on a regular basis. Higher water also flows faster and you could get caught in a strong current. Because water levels fluctuate both seasonally and daily, the visibility of hazards in the water can vary. Sandbars continually change position as the current disturbs the riverʼs sandy bottom. In addition, our waters can be very cold and hypothermia can set in quickly. A recent prospecting trip by one of our members created a close call when water was released from a dam creating a rapid rise in the river levels. While no equipment or lives were affected this could have quickly become an emergency. Accessing current water conditions and signing up for alerts may provide you information that will prevent a tragedy. More detailed information can be accessed on our web site

Rivers, Washes, Gullies, and Creek Safety Tips• The river is powerful and always changing. Be familiar with

current conditions by using the resources provided in the on-line article to plan accordingly.

• Your skills, experience and knowledge must equal the river and its conditions. Know the area you are prospecting. Research before prospecting.

• Always tell someone where you plan on going and when you plan on being back. Prospecting alone is not recommended.

• Although cell phones are a great emergency asset, they are often unreliable in primitive areas and should never be considered a substitute for emergency preparedness and common sense!

• Know and be aware of river signs, sounds, color changes, flow, etc.

• Look for changes in the color of water you are working in. If it turns murky or changes color there may be a flash flood water release, or rainstorm upstream that is headed your way.

• While a great camping spot may be next to the water or in a dry wash this is not the best choice. Do not camp or park your vehicle along streams and washes, particularly during threatening conditions. The Big Thompson River flood occurred above a campground where little rain fell.

• You could be caught in a flash flood even though not one drop of rain fell where you are.

• Be familiar with the area you are in in case you must evacuate or “run for it.” A steep bank or hill might be slippery and too difficult to climb if you are not in shape

• Both natural and man-made holes, rocks, undercuts, rapids and trees or debris in the river may cause you to fall when operating your equipment. Even trained river guides with appropriate equipment have been caught under debris in the Arkansas River and have been lost.

• Watch your surroundings including the weather.• Be aware of your limitations, your partnerʼs limitations, and

the limitations of your equipment. •Knowing first aid and CPR could save a life.•Be prepared for self-rescue and the rescue of others should an accident occur.•Know your flood risk and the elevation above which flooding occurs. Know your evacuation routes. The road to Prospector 1 and 2 runs right along the Arkansas, sometimes on the riverbed. It wouldnʼt take very much to flood.•Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of water is not always obvious. The roadbed may be washed out and you could be stranded or trapped.

• Some GPOC club members hike into remote areas that are steep. Keep an eye out for high ground locations as you prospect that you could use for escape. Hike out only when floodwaters have receded, there could be more to come!

• If you have doubt about the safety of the river: Wait. Wait. Wait. You cannot out-run, out-swim, out-drive or out-hike flood waters. Stay put.

• If you cannot get out, help cannot get in. Do not expect a rescue. Bring provisions in case of a forced, unexpected overnight stay.

• Always be careful when approaching a wash, even if itʼs not raining where you are. A wash can become flooded by a thunderstorm that is occurring several miles away.

• Watch out for snakes in areas that were flooded. Floodwaters flush snakes from their homes.

• Stay away from creek and stream banks in flooded and recently flooded areas. The soaked banks often become unstable and can suddenly give way, tossing you into rapidly moving water or down a steep slope.

• Even very small streams, gullies, creeks, culverts (how many of us have gone into a culvert to prospect?), dry stream-beds, or low-lying ground that appear harmless in dry weather can flood.

• Flood-producing rains can also trigger catastrophic debris slides. Many of Coloradoʼs forests have beetle kill or may have been damaged by fire. If you are prospecting in these areas be aware of sudden flooding because the ground is not capable of holding the water.

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 5

• Mountains and steep hills produce rapid runoff and quick stream response. Rocks and clay soils do not allow much water to infiltrate the ground. Steep narrow valleys generate rapid flowing waters that can rise quickly to a considerable depth. Saturated soil also can lead rapidly to flash flooding.

• Very intense rainfall can produce flooding even on dry soil. In the West, most canyons and "small streams" are not easily recognizable as a source of danger. Canyons can be scoured with sudden walls of water 10-15 feet high. Just take the road up to Manitou – if flooding occurs seek higher ground signs.

• Almost half of all flash flood fatalities occur in vehicles. Contrary to popular belief, many people don't realize two feet of water on a bridge or highway can float most vehicles. If the water is moving rapidly, the car, truck, or SUV can be swept off the bridge and into the creek.

• Water can erode the roadbed, creating unsafe driving conditions. Underpasses can fill rapidly with water, while the adjacent roadway remains clear. Driving into a flooded underpass can quickly put you in five to six feet of water. Many flash floods occur at night when flooded roads are difficult to see.

• When you approach a flooded road, TURN AROUND, DON'T DROWN!

• Consider wearing a US Coast Guard approved life jacket when spending time at the water's edge or in it. Especially if you have young children with you.

• Shuffle your feet or use a pole to probe for holes you might not see hidden underwater.

• Wear appropriate footwear. Waterways can be slippery. Wear wading shoes or boot-foot waders with soles that grip the type of bottom you're on. Rubber cleat soles are best for sand, fine gravel, soft silt or mud. Felt soles are best for bottoms made up of irregular-size rocks and algae-covered bedrock. Cleated or studded felt soles work well in swift water with a slick rock bottom

• Wear polarized glasses – you'll see more of what might be under the water.

• Don't rely exclusively on official warnings. If flash floods are possible move to higher ground as soon as possible.

• Incoming storms + An unusually high river = DO NOT PROSPECT OR HIKE in the area

• Overhanging banks are dangerous and should be avoided. Spring run-offs can change the landscape you may have been familiar with last year. Rock and soil move and disappear, holes open up, banks become undercut, rocks and gravel may have been loosened

• Be aware of flood hazards. Floods can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings and bridges, and scour out new channels. Floodwaters can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet and often carry a deadly cargo of debris. Flood-producing rains can also trigger catastrophic debris slides.

• Carrying a rope in your supply kit may prove handy when following the REACH-THROW-GO RULES. GO (swim) to the person ONLY as a last resort and only if you have had

life-saving training. People who are drowning often panic and injure or drown someone trying to rescue them. REACH-THROW-GO in this order.•Lightning can create hazardous conditions. If there is lightning move away from the water. Anything wet can conduct electricity. Do not work your sluice, highbanker or any other equipment in a storm •Watch your footing. Look out for drop-offs, deep holes, slippery rocks, soft mud and quicksand. Always test the footing ahead and keep most of your

weight on the foot already on safe ground.• Regardless of how a flood or flash flood occurs, the rule for

being safe is simple: head for higher ground and stay away from flood waters. Even a shallow depth of fast moving floodwater produces more force than most people imagine. The most dangerous thing you can do is to try walking, swimming, or driving through floodwaters. Two feet of water will carry away most automobiles.

• Our Colorado water can be cold! Remember a lot comes from the melting of snow. There have been stories of unwary prospectors slipping into the river and suffering hypothermia. If your equipment starts to float downstream think before you leap. It could get into deep water that you cannot get yourself out of. Having a line tied to your pan, sluice, etc. would be a safer way of retrieving it.

• Select areas where the surface is not slippery or steep. These sites can be dangerous because they are difficult to climb should you accidentally fall

• You are responsible for being informed, being trained, and being aware.

Colorado Surface Water Conditionshttp://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/Default.aspxThe Colorado Division of Water Resources administers water rights and interstate compact agreements throughout the state.

My StationsCreate one or more custom station lists, view the most current stream or reservoir value, a 10-day graph of historic values and arrange the stations in any order. For more information, see the

photo by Lin

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 6

Water Talkhttp://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/watertalk.aspx

To call WaterTalk, dial (303 ) 831 -7135 . The Colorado Division of Water Resources' Water Talk phone system can be used to access specific stream flow information at stream gages located throughout Colorado.

USGS Water Data for Coloradohttp://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwisSign up at http://water.usgs.gov/wateralertNow you can receive instant, customized updates about water conditions by subscribing to WaterAlert,

COLORADO STATE MAPS at geology.comhttp://geology.com/state-map/colorado.shtml#elevationCounties, Cites, Elevations, roads and rivers

NATIONAL WATER SYSTEM INFORMATION SYSTEM WEB INTERFACEhttp://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis

R e a l - T i m e D a t a f o r C o l o r a d o _ S t r e a m fl o w http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/rt

THE YELLOW PAGES FOR RIVER RUNNERShttp://stream-flow.allaboutrivers.com/Colorado/river_flow-sCO.html

WATER FLOW REPORTS COLORADO RIVER INFO.COMhttp://www.coloradoriverinfo.com/waterflowreports/

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICEhttp://www.nws.noaa.gov/

Stay InformedListen to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio All Hazards, commercial radio, or television; or go to the internet for the latest flash flood and flood watches, warnings, and weather advisories at: http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/nationalwarnings.html

The Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)Additional AHPS information can be obtained at: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/water/Ahps.shtmI

WINTERIZING YOUR EQUIPMENTGold Prospectors of the Rockies The Gold Nugget newsletter Volume 2 Number 11 November/December 1997 .

Winter affords you the time to look over your prosepecting equipment for damaged parts, think about modifications, and a spare parts kit. Winter you say? Hello, this is Colorado and our winter season can be loooong….it can still snow in May!GOLD PANS - Wash them off, do not leave them to sit all winter caked with dirt. The dirt will pull moisture from the pan overtime causing the pan to become hard, brittle, and eventfully crack. Who knows? You may find some hidden gold in that dirt! Next summer, when you get out your gold pan, take a piece of 60 grit sand paper, and sand the bottom of the pan in a circular motion. The fresh scratches will grab the flour gold.SLUICE BOXES - This applies to the sluice box that you throw down in the river, and sluice boxes that are on high-bankers, and dredges. Open it up, check all the riffles for damage, and repair as needed.If you have the standard blue ribbed carpet, usually covered with expanded metal, carefully take out the carpet. it should be dry by now, hold it over a wheel barrow box, or plastic, and beat it. You wouldn't believe all the fine facial powder gold that will come out. The gripping power of the water previously held it in place. Now that it is dry the gold will come out with no need to burn the carpet.Now is also a good time to think about replacing it with “miners moss“, 3M Nomad carpeting. The miners moss will capture the finest gold and it washes out every time with incredible ease. It holds more material than the standard ribbed carpet and you will not need the expanded metal anymore. Miners Moss cost about twenty bucks for a piece to fit a large sluice box. The winter is a good time to look your equipment over and decide what modifications to make on your dredge or high-banker. As you have figured out by now, when you buy one of these pieces of equipment, they are ready to run, but they are the bare minimum. So you need to modify, or improve them. You have been using it all summer, you know what is wrong, or what could be improved. So pull out your machine, set it up and look. HIGH BANKERS - What about that grizzly that has every other wire wielded, sometimes not at all, on the bottom edge. I recommend welding them all. It keeps the bigger rocks from clogging up the sluice and it rarely jams up the grizzly. O.K., weld you say, I donʼt have any resource! (There are several liquid weld products which can be used. A good place to start is at the car parts store. There is a nifty material which is used for sealing a radiator, that according to one of our memberʼs did a pretty good job. Lin )

Check your hoses. Intake on the pump - is it dry rotting, is it cracking? Pressure hose, the blue lay-flat hose, wears out fast. If it needs replacing, replace it with gray lay-flat. It's a few cents more, but you get two, three, four times the life. Did you have enough lay-flat hose? 200 to 300 feet is a good length to have. Cut into 50 foot lengths. Anything over 50' is too hard to roll and manage. Do you still have the old lug-n-pin type connectors? You might want to think about cam-lock, quick release connectors. They can knock a half hour off your setup and take-down times.DREDGES - Check those hoses as above. If your suction hose has a crack in it, it will be breaking through soon. Duck tape will make for a quick repair, but replacement time is here. 15' is a good length. Do you have a swivel nozzle? Do you have a crevice suction tip?

photo by Lin

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 7

THE PROSPECTOR’S QUILLAfter February, 2011 The Quill will be available online only UNLESS you wish to receive it by mail.. If you

wish to receive The Prospector’s Quill in print your yearly subscription fee will be $15.00 for a mailed copy. Look at your mailing label and it will have when you need to renew your membership. Take the number of

months left on your membership and multiply it by $1.25. That will be your cost for the rest of your CURRENT membership.

THE PROSPECTOR’S QUILLAfter February, 2011 The Quill will be available online only UNLESS you wish to receive it by mail.. If you

wish to receive The Prospector’s Quill in print your yearly subscription fee will be $15.00 for a mailed copy. Look at your mailing label and it will have when you need to renew your membership. Take the number of

months left on your membership and multiply it by $1.25. That will be your cost for the rest of your CURRENT membership.

DATE

NAME

STREET ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIP

EMAIL

MEMBERSHIP EXPIRES

AMOUNT BASED ON MEMBERSHIP

PAYMENT

MONTHS LEFT IN MEMBERSHIP YEAR X $1.25 =

CHECK AMOUNT CHECK NUMBER

MAIL YOUR PAYMENT AND THIS FORM TO: MEMBERSHIP GPOC PO BOX 1593 COLORADO SPINGS, COLORADO 80901

MAIL YOUR PAYMENT AND THIS FORM TO: MEMBERSHIP GPOC PO BOX 1593 COLORADO SPINGS, COLORADO 80901

Winterize your equipment, continued

How about a quick release on the power jet, or on the pressure hose. What about replacing all those cheap screwdriver hose clamps with real hose clamps that take a wrench to tighten down. Weld a tee handle on the hose clamp for the dredge box/power jet connection. A small 1/2" boat plug works great in the pontoons to help drain them. So there's a few ideas to get you started. HAND DREDGE – If your hand dredge has a metal plunger pull it out and let it dry completely. They can rust and this may weaken them. THE ENGINE - The most important thing to winterize! This is what its all about. Without that engine, youʼre through. I have seen people come out and go home because of an engine that they did not maintain properly. Some of you are not so mechanically inclined. If this is the case, take your engine to Golden Small Engine 25th & Kipling, 237-5680 and have them winterize it for you. The good prospector will let his engine run out of gas the last time he goes out and leave it that way. Now the gas tank, hoses, and carburetor are all clear. If you didn't do that, you can pull the hose from the gas tank and drain the gas. Reattach the hose. Take your garden hose and run water through the pump. Start the engine. It will run only a short time, and the garden hose will cool the seals in the pump. Gas will start to break down after 3 months of above-ground storage, so do not leave gas in your engine over the winter! Drain the pump of water. Drain the oil and fill it with a straight 30 weight good grade oil. Pull your spark plug and replace it with a new one. Be sure to gap the new plug. Pour 1/2 ounce oil for a 3.5 hp, 3/4 ounce oil for a 5 hp, and 1 ounce for a 8 hp engine through the spark plug hole. Wait a minute, then pull the cord two times. That will coat the piston head and cylinder with oil. Put in the new plug. Take off

the air cleaner. If it is a paper cartridge, replace it. If it is the oiled foam type, take it to the sink, and wash it by hand with a

good liquid soap in warm water. Ring it out and let thoroughly dry overnight. You can pour the same oil through the foam filter

that you put in the engine. Wrap the foam with paper towel and squeeze out the excess oil. Then put it back on your engine. You've just done a major tune up on your engine, and you've winterized it too. Store it in a dry place. Next year, fill it up with a good, mid-grade gas, 87 octane. Change that oil every 25 hours and you'll have a good running engine all summer long!METAL DETECTORS - Many coin detectorist can go out all winter long because the snow comes and melts. The gold detectorist usually has to go to the high country and that is snowed in. So pull those batteries out of your detector. Even ni-cads leak. Take out those batteries and put new ones in next year. Howʼs your coil cover? If its ready to wear through, replace it. Only this time, put some silicone on the top crack. This will keep dirt and black-sands from working in between the coil and the coil cover.

My family to this day will echo: “Did you remember the tent poles?” When we went to set-up our tent on one of our rockhounding trips we discovered that the tent poles were back at home! When you have a family of 5, 1 cat, and 1 dog all not happy, you never forget the tent poles. A spare part kit would be a great item to assemble during the winter. Washers, screws, nuts, bolts, duct tape,spare parts for your dredge – you name it there is nothing more disappointing that being far from town and not having a spare part to get your equipment up and running. “PROSPECTORS START YOUR ENGINES!” Lin

SPECIAL NOTICE: THE PROSPECTOR’S QUILL IS GOING ELECTRONIC

On the first of March, the Quill will be going electronic. It will be published on our GPOC website. The GPOC spends $8,000 to $10,000 annually publishing and mailing The Prospector’s Quill. With the rising cost of club expenses, the Board determined it would be better to cut

publishing costs rather than raise membership dues. If you wish to continue receiving a paper copy of The Prospector’s Quill, please complete the form on page 8 and return it with a check to cover publishing and mailing costs. If you don’t have a computer, you can access the GPOC

website at any public library location, and the first 10 printed pages are free at CS libraries.

GPOC The Prospector’s Quill Vol. 38 No. 2 WE ARE GOING ELECTRONIC 8

The

Prosp

ecto

r’s

qui

ll

GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADOPO BOX 1593COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80901

Gold Panning & Prospecting For Fun

GPOC Meets the 2nd Wednesday

of every Month at the Elk’s Club

3400 N. Nevada

Colorado Springs, Colorado

FREE Gold Panning Tips Informative!

Read our equipment reviews and Prospectors Blog.

Answers to your questions: Finding Gold, Metal Detecting,

Dredging.

Site changes weekly! Visit often!

www.hookedongold.com

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADOAPPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE GOLD PROSPECTORS OF COLORADO

MEMBERSHIP

FAMILY

REMINDER

PAYMENT

NAME

SPOUSES NAME

ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIP

EMAIL

NAME OF CHILD

NAME OF CHILD

NAME OF CHILD

NAME OF CHILD

EQUIPMENT OWNED

INTERESTSINTERESTSINTERESTS

The Prospector’s Quill

( ) INDIVIDUAL $25 (18 years and over) ( ) FAMILY $30 (Includes members under age 18)

A family membership covers a parent or parents with children under the age of 18 in one household in a domestic situation.

Please look at your Prospector’s Quill mailing label. The month and year on it tells you when you need to renew your membership dues

( ) Cash ( ) Check CHECK # TODAY’S DATE

PHONE NUMBER

BIRTH DATE

BIRTH DATE

BIRTH DATE

BIRTH DATE

( ) SLUICE ( ) HIGH BANKER ( ) DREDGE ( ) DRY WASHER

( ) Yes ( ) No In order to save postage I will access the monthly Quill from www.gpoc.com,

Mail Application to: GPOC Membership, PO Box 1593, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901Mail Application to: GPOC Membership, PO Box 1593, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80901