Well, the BLM is closing some more roads. This is in the West Mojave area. Evidently the Hi Desert Gold
Diggers got wind of it and had asked a BLM representative to speak at their meeting on the closures. One of our
members just happened to be at their meeting and sent me the info. The HDGD’s were worried that this may
affect some of their claims and were asked by the BLM representative to indicate which roads and claims were
used the most. Well, what about other southern California clubs? What about other gem and mineral
organizations or just the general public. Why we are not informed on all these road closures? We have a
petition going, but it may be too little too late again. Sometimes, I just think that the BLM and Fish and Game
plan it that way.

On a positive note, we had a great display at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum. There were a lot of
positive comments. Thank you Palomar Gem and Mineral Club for asking us.

We have a booth at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum on April 13, 14 & 15. Set up on the 13th and the
show on the 14th and 15th. We’ll do it just like the gold show events, but we will also have a free kids panning for
some fool’s gold. We will also have an area set up for metal detecting. Don’t plan on just coming to metal detect
and not help. We will also have dowsing rods for sale and demo.

The Lucerne Valley trip for March was postponed because of much rain on the dry lake. So, it is back on for
April. I hope everyone saved their information on this. I talked to a meteorite specialist with the gem and
mineral club and he doesn’t use anything but his eyes to look for meteorites on the dry lake surface. The pebbles
are so few and far between, that he picks up everything for a look-see. Or he just sets his magnet on every
pebble. We’ll see how that goes…….

There is also the GPAA Gold Show in April, but we won’t have a booth this year. It got to be the same volunteers
spending all their personal money to make some money for the TSS. We want to have more community events,
have fun with the locals and maybe make some funds for our organization.

Have fun everyone. Enjoy the outdoors before they close it all up.

Sourdough Chet

We had the best Thanksgiving outing ever. There was well over 50 members including those from the Imperial Valley Prospector group. We all got to prospect, metal detect and explore on the five 160 acre claims. Off and on throughout out the week, we conducted tours to all of the claims. We had many positive comments on the outing and on our meetings.

Thanks to Earl and his volunteers, they were able to post the paper documents and plant most of the corner markers. Thanks to many of our members familiar with the area, we were able to lead groups to the claims. Thanks to many of our members, we were able to share prospecting equipment and help others set up their own items. Thanks to many of our members who helped prepare and set up our wonderful potluck dinner.

The weather was perfect, day and night. When we were not kicking back and sharing stories, we were out individually trying our luck in finding those gold locations, hiking, metal detecting, walking our dogs, or exploring old mine locations. This is a new training location for us, and we can come here for many years. All in all, I believe it was the best outing we have had for years.

Like I have previously said, we are planning our next years outings and if you know of some place we should include, please let us know. These are educational events and we want to cover as much as we can. While we do a lot of prospecting and mineral identification, we want to cover a lot in metal
detecting.

Went to a last minute BLM Resource Management meeting. Anytime a government entity says that they are going to enhance my quality of life on my public lands, I get nervous and want to hear what they are up to. In short, the BLM is working on “management plans” to change how they will manage plots of BLM lands from Palmdale, down to the Mexican border. The claims they are sticking with is that they have been working on this for some time and as of August, they have been looking for input from concerned citizens. We have a 90 day input time and it is up on December 21. Wow!, where have we been and why do we seem to have just found out about this?

These management plans cover four different “Alternatives” (A, B, C, D). some good for some citizens and bad for others. Open up some areas while closing or restricting other areas. A “for instance” is while keep open some mining areas, it will restrict some access to these areas. While opening grazing, you will not have roads or paths. I may have made some distortion to the “Alternatives”, but wanted you to get the picture. It appears it is a lose-lose situation.

Where we may get to save some options, we will lose on others. When we asked when the final decision will be made, we were given the statement that they hope to be done in a year……

We will complete this year with our annual Christmas party. This will be at the Madrid Manor Mobil Home Park. December 10, from 2:00 on. Don’t forget the gift if you want to participate in the exchange. Gift price from $15 to $20.

Have a very merry Christmas you all and I hope Santa brings you the prospecting supplies, metal detecting machines and mineral identification items you have put on your wish list.

Sourdough Chet