April - 2009 - Orange County 49er`s

the
Golden Aura
April 2009
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Membership Mee
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When:
3rd Tuesday of each month
Time:
7:30 pm
Where:
Garden Grove Woman’s Club
9501 Chapman Avenue
Garden Grove, California 92841
(Corner of Chapman and Gilbert)
gs
Check us out on the Internet
at
www.oc49ers.com
CLUB OUTINGS
Regular scheduled outings take place the last
full weekend of the month. “Regular” Club outings
in November, December and January are scheduled
around the Holidays and/or inclement weather.
Orange County 49ers
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Th
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t must be about that time of the year, Spring. The desert dirt is
getting drier, it looks like a green carpet with yellow and purple
flowers in full bloom, and there is gold out in that there desert, just
waiting to be found. In February, Bill Beddow found a small nugget
at Puppy Feet. A gram in weight would be a kind statement, but
a nugget none the less. Not to be out done, his wife, Donna was
out metal detecting on one of the Club’s Claims in March, and
her reward was a beautiful nugget that weighed in at just over 1.2
ounces. Who says, size doesn’t matter. You can see a picture of her
nugget on the 49er’s Web page at www.oc49ers.com. So recharge
the batteries on your detectors and wipe off the dust on your dry
washer and join us at the end of the month for our outing at Puppy
Feet, and prospecting our various claims in that region.
As you will read later in this edition, Skipper has spent considerable
time working with the BLM so that we may have access our claims
( justified under the 1872 mining laws) without the need for the
present permit being issued by the BLM. You will be receiving a
letter from us that the BLM will originate. You will need to carry this
letter along with your Membership Card when working the three
claims (Amazing Grace, HMC1 & HMC2). To be in compliance with
the mining laws, you need to remember that we are prospectors
and miners. When we are at our claims, we are occupying them,
not camping. Thank you Skipper for all your time and effort.
We are being told of deep holes being dug and
not backfilled on some of our desert claims. If
you would like the club to lose their rights to mine
on these particular claims, continue leaving large
holes and your wish will come true. If you are
not the one digging and leaving the holes, but
you see a fellow Member doing such, please
inform a Board Member so that we may explain
the “facts of life” and Membership in the Orange
County 49ers to those individuals.
2
The Golden Aura
A reminder, the May Outing is fast approaching and will be held in
the desert at LDMA. For those of you who are LMDA members,
you may camp anywhere. For those of you who are not LDMA
members, the 49ers will be located just to the right as you enter the
LDMA property. We will have portipotties delivered for this event.
For non-LDMA members you will need to sign in and execute a
release of liability form.
As you know, the Orange County 49ers are being offered a new
wet claim located in the lower part of the gold country. Tentatively,
we are planning on checking out this claim the weekend after our
May Outing, which would be Friday and Saturday the 29th and
30th of May. We will confirm that date later and supply you with
any pertinent details in the May edition of the Aura.
Our speaker for the month of April will be Bill Samarin. He will be
speaking to us about a plug-hole-digger he has developed along
with showing us the latest detector from Whites.
A long time member, Jim Younkers is under going serious health
issues. Please remember him in your prayers. Jim was always a
pleasure to have at the outings as he is mild mannered, has a good
sense of humor and with his mechanical background, he always
had a solution when you had problems your equipment. Jim, we
are all wishing you the best.
A reminder, the Membership Roster will be printed before summer.
Do up date us with your information if you have had any changes
to your address, phone number or email address.
We are still looking for an Editor. With the ability of the electronic
world today, one does not have to live locally to be the editor.
This issue of the Aura is being assembled by Bryan DeGhetto and
Robert Selinger is having it printed and sent. The Club thanks you
both.
Hope to you see you in the desert for our monthly Outing.
Happy Prospecting
Steve
Orange County 49ers
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ure’s Repor
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May 2009
INCOME:
50-50 Income..................................................................................$ 15.00
Membership Renewal.......................................................................650.00
New Membership.............................................................................500.00
Raffle................................................................................................195.00
Refreshments.......................................................................................7.60
Shirts, etc.............................................................................................0.00
Miscellaneous.......................................................................................0.00
May Outing Tickets........................................................................$420.00
Total Income.............................................................................$ 1,787.60
EXPENSES:
Newsletters....................................................................................$ 268.00
Postage..............................................................................................69.30
Raffle Prizes.....................................................................................121.20
Referrals.............................................................................................40.00
Refreshments.....................................................................................16.40
Rent..................................................................................................100.00
Supplies..............................................................................................00.00
May Outing Flyers..............................................................................42.87
Raffle Ticket Printing........................................................................358.27
May Outing Stamps............................................................................72.70
May Outing Labels.............................................................................12.98
Total Expenses..........................................................................$ 1,101.72
CHECKING ACCOUNT
03/01 Beginning Balance....................... 11,293.13
03/31 Ending Balance............................ 12,288.17
Outstanding Checks......................... 309.34
Checkbook Balance................... 11,978.83..............$ 11,978.83
CERT DEP
00/00 CD Balance.................................... 2,328.89................$ 2,328.89
CD Statements are sent Quarterly
TOTAL CLUB ASSETS............................................................$ 14,307.72
YTD Income..............................................................................$ 3,410.03
YTD Expenses...........................................................................$ 1,452.28
May Outing Income:.....................................................................$420.00
May Outing Expenses:.................................................................$486.82
4
The Golden Aura
OUTING REPO
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Well folks I have some great news for some and some bad
news for most.
Donna Beddow found a 1.25oz Nugget!!!!!
That’s great news for her and bad news for us. You will have
to ask her where she found it, But I don’t know if she will be
telling. For all you Miners out there let’s make this clear Donna
found the Nugget, All her husband did was lick off the dirt.
As for the outing , you could not have asked for a better
weekend. I went around for most of the day Saturday just
saying hello and doing some prospecting. I shoveled a little
with Perry and Chuck. Found a few little flakes. I spotted a
few locations where I will be setting up the Dry Washer next
time I go out.
The April outing will be again at Puppy feet.
Please email me a note on some of your last finds, I sure
would like to put them in the next Aura.
Bryan
Orange County 49ers
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burg Facts
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In the late 1800s, the Rand Mountains hadn't been named yet. They'd
been prospected a little, but passed over by most Rainbow Chasers. In
the early '90s, 3 gold hunters discovered that one of the peaks in this
small mountain range was a mountain of gold.
These 3 prospectors -- John Singleton, F. M. Mooers and Charlie Burcham
-- were down on their luck. They barely had enough food and supplies to
keep them alive while they established their claim, and each day they used
the gold they found to finance another day's digging. They were almost
to the point of selling their claim to a developer when Rose Burcham,
Charlie's wife, arrived and saved the day -- and their fortune. She wouldn't
allow the sale, and found a way to finance the mine's development.
To her husband and his partners, this was a woman who was worth far
more than her weight in gold. The Yellow Aster became one of the biggest
gold mines on the Mojave.
The prospectors called their discovery the Rand. The town that sprung
up became Rand Camp, then Randsburg. The mountains they were in
became the Rand Mountains, and the owners changed the name of the
mine to the Yellow Aster. The town and the area boomed. Soon over 2,500
people inhabited Randsburg making it a beehive of activity. Gold mines
blossomed on the hillsides, and the boom was on.
The boom faded, as they do around here; but the town would not die.
Both silver and tungsten were discovered in the nearby hills, just as the
area was beginning to die. Today, a few hundred hardy souls remain and
keep the spirit of Randsburg alive. The town survives off a little mining,
and a little tourism, as do the nearby communities of Red Mountain and
Johannesburg.
The heart of the town hasn't changed much since the first solid buildings
went up. It's a little desert community built on the side of the mountain,
a few strings of false-fronted buildings, lackadaisical sidewalks and
collages of old cars, trucks and mining equipment. There isn't a straight
street or right-angle corner in the entire town; built on the hillside, the
roads meander with the lay of the land.
History is important here. A museum, open only on weekends, houses a
surprising amount of mining artifacts and memorabilia. The general store
has a long counter and malt machines dating from the 1930s.
Desert USA
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The Golden Aura
County 49e
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Or eral Meeting Minu rs
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Ge March 17, 2009
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The meeting was called to order by President, Steve Reid
at 7:30 pm. The flag salute followed.
Treasurer, Kathi Brown reported that forty-two members have
not renewed their memberships. The motion carried to accept
the Treasurer’s report as written. The may outing will be held
at LDMA Duisenburg. There will be a chili cook-off on Friday
and a potluck dinner on Saturday evening. Please note that
you must be a member of LDMA to mine there. Raffle tickets
will be available for pick up at the April meeting. The rest will
be mailed out.
Skip Skipper has met with the BLM and was assisted by
much research material that Stan Kinkade had collected.
Please remember that we are “miners” and we “occupy
our claims”. This not casual use. Skip will obtain a letter
of exemption from the BLM and copies will be provided in
the newsletter. Club members will need to carry a copy of
this letter along with their club membership card. Also by
September, anyone using the local roads off of the claims
will need to obtain a permit from the BLM. We need a new
Editor. If you are interested, please contact a board member.
Tak Honda won the gold nugget. Chuck Brand pocketed his
share of the 50/50 drawing and Tom Grogan took home the
nugget door prize.
Secretary,
Ann McFarland
Orange County 49ers
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Howdy Fellow
unty 49e
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Ora
Well it's that time of year again, Time to start thinking
and planning for the Orange County 49er's annual May
Extravaganza outing Gold Digging Pot Luck eatin thing we
do every year.
Date:
Where:
Gold:
Food:
May 22-24
LDMA's Duisenburg Camp
Puppy Feet, Broken Shovel and Cash1
or Skipper's secret location.
Friday Nights World Famous OC'S 49er's
Chili Cook-off (judging starts at 6:30pm)
Who will be the big winner this year?
Remember Grand prize is a Copper Gold pan.
Saturday Night will be our outstanding POT LUCK DINNER.
Burgers and Dogs on the grill at 6:00 The Club will provide:
meat, buns, condiments, paper plates, napkins and utensils.
Please have all the good Vittles in the club house by 6:00.
Eatin should start around 6:30 or as soon as the meat is done.
We are looking for your Pot Luck items to be able to serve 8
to 10 Hungry Miners and their Hot to Trot women. Bring some
wood and we can sit around the fire and listen to Steve sing
us some Cowboy songs.
Very important please pack out what you bring in, just like
HMC there is no trash service. We need to make sure we
leave the place cleaner then we found it. This way we will be
able to keep using Duisenburg in the future.
See y’all out there.
8
The Golden Aura
BLM Update
On Thursday March 26, I had a meeting with BLM Ranger
Randy Porter at our claims. We went over several claims
that the BLM have been looking at other than the ones in
the Rand Mountain Management Area. We discussed
the access to our claims, as well as, what it is that we
expect to do with our claims. Reclamation was a big
issue with them as was what type of mining we are doing.
After about five hours of talking and driving around the claims,
Randy Porter told me he was pleased with the condition of
our claims and that he would issue us a Letter of Exemption
for HMC-1, HMC-2, & Amazing Grace. If you drive on any of
the roads around the claim, you will need the permit. You can
get the permit at the Ridgecrest and Jawbone BLM Office. If
you have any questions or need the address, call me.
We are going to need to keep in mind what we say and
do when we are out on the claims. We are not recreational
miners and we do not camp on our claims, we OCCUPY the
claim while we work the claim. Camping depicts recreational
activity. You need to remember that we are PROSPECTORS
and MINERS. The BLM is looking for a reason to remove us
from our claims and will be checking to see that we follow all
of the 1872 Mining Laws and current regulations.
VP
Skip
Orange County 49ers
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uled Outing
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2009
Dates and Locations
are Subject to Change!
Month Meeting
Outing
Claim
Access
Rest Rooms
January 20th
24 & 25
HMC-1
Easy
Yes
February 17th
21 & 22
Puppy Feet
Easy
Yes
March 17th
28 & 29
Puppy Feet
Easy
Yes
April 21st
25 & 26
Puppy Feet
Easy
Yes
May 19th
23, 24 & 25
LDMA Duisenberg
Easy
Yes
June 16th
27 & 28
Condor or TBA
Easy
No
July 21st
25 & 26
Condor or TBA
Easy
No
August 18th
5, 6 & 7
Tailings
Med
Yes
September 15th
26 & 27
Black Gulch
Easy
Yes
October 20th
24 & 25
Condor or TBA
Easy
Yes
November 17th
Dec 5-6
Goler
4-WD
No
December 15th
Holiday Dinner
Access Easy
Good access for Passenger Car, 2 Wheel Drive, RV, and
Trailers.
Access Medium Can be accessed by 2 Wheel Drive. RV’s, Trailers and 5th
Wheels check with other members!!!
Access Tuff
Serious 4 Wheel Drive Trail/Dirt Road.
Restrooms
Are Chemical Toilets (Porta-Potties) that we rent for
specific outings.
It is highly recommended that you attend the meetings and check with other
members to discuss accessibility to these claims before going.
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The Golden Aura
Ticket
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If you have not received
or you would like to purchases more
Raffle Tickets for the May outing
Please contact
Kathi Brown
at 562-233-3022
or email
[email protected]
Remember Tickets can be purchased at
the General meetings and any tickets
remaining will be sold at the outing.
Before and after the drawing.
Orange County 49ers
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tism
AdveMremberseOnts
(49er
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The Golden Aura
nly)
tism
AdveMremberseOnts
(49er
nly)
Orange County 49ers
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Orange County 49ers, Inc.
P.O. Box 1491
Orange, CA 92856-1491
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED