The Many Lost Treasures of Mariposa, CA (Photos Added)

[ranger11]

Hey Eagle, everything you have put down for us, is a great work of art, keep it up. Happy belated b'day (1-27-14 ?) Mine was yesterday. By the way, i did sign that petition of 2-18-14 . Have a good day.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[chupacabra]

Welp speaking of old age yesterday whilst trying to remove a quite large boulder that the youngster were trying to move and couldn't I , the old man of the crew gave heave ho and SNAP, the bicep tendon up by my should broke loose, im just glad it wasnt down by my elbow I think i can live with this one.
Pendol looks insanely delicous love to metal detect in there

Yesterday with the youngsters, oakviews son and his friend who is now a new addicted gold prosector and both good hard working young men

 

[calisdad]

Welp speaking of old age yesterday whilst trying to remove a quite large boulder that the youngster were trying to move and couldn't I , the old man of the crew gave heave ho and SNAP, the bicep tendon up by my should broke loose, im just glad it wasnt down by my elbow I think i can live with this one.
Pendol looks insanely delicous love to metal detect in there

Yesterday with the youngsters, oakviews son and his friend who is now a new addicted gold prosector and both good hard working young men

View attachment 964294

View attachment 964295

Dang! I popped my back in September. 'They' say with proper therapy you can do ok. When they went in to fix mine 2 weeks ago they found a mess and I'll be in a sling for 3 1/2 more weeks. Good luck with it.

 

[EagleDown]

Hey Eagle, everything you have put down for us, is a great work of art, keep it up. Happy belated b'day (1-27-14 ?) Mine was yesterday. By the way, i did sign that petition of 2-18-14 . Have a good day.

Thank you for those kind words. I'll keep it up as long as I can. And a happy birthday to you too my friend!!

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Hello Eagle and all others that frequent Eagle's fine parlor. My name is Dennis, from central Az. Took me awhile but been here reading these 105 pages for days, along with Lanny's fine stories. I just had to sign up so I could add my 2 cents here and there. Super fine stories Eagle, kudos sir. A little about myself.....I've been prospecting a few years now. Mostly metal detecting as I have found that works best for me. Got a little experience under my belt mostly with my Minelab SD2100 V-2. Took awhile to get consistent with it but I have been successful and seem to be getting better all the time. While reading through this parlor of fine posting I can't help but feel a need to offer some assistance to a particular poster here, GarrettDiggingAz. Sir, I know what you are going through as I have been there in similar situation myself. I am self taught with my metal detectors and a very persistent individual. I feel that I can offer some advice that might shorten your learning curve here in Az. Of course others here might benefit from my way of looking at things as well. By the way, I don't mean to hijack this fabulous thread, but I think what I have to say might be appreciated by others as well. Be patient with me as sometimes I am a little long winded even when typing, lol. Ok, to the point......Garrett Digger, no offense, but you are doing too much work for too little reward. I think I can help. First of all don't waste your money buying yet another metal detector to collect dust. You have a fine machine already you just need to take it for a walk more often. If you have a need to spend some money on more gear I suggest maybe get a second coil for the machine you have. If you don't have the smallest coil already, that is the 1 you should concentrate on getting and using to locate at least your 1st Az. nugget, and I will help you refine your tactics to do so. What I mean by refining your tactics. Instead of going out doing all that digging for little return, try a different approach. I suggest you concentrate your efforts on swinging your metal detector. Get them kids to dig your targets to save on all the bending over. Concentrate your efforts on dry washes with either exposed bedrock or at least shallow bedrock. Remember gold is heavy and nuggets out here are mostly found on bedrock, and often down inside cracks and crevices. Don't get in a hurry. You must be patient and pace yourself. Be very thorough and make sure to overlap your coil swings and keep the coil flat to the surface. Being thorough and taking your time is more important than covering a lot of ground. Always run in all metal mode, dig all targets, especially faint questionable signals as those are the signals that most people miss that are often nuggets. As you scrape overburden off questionable signals, a valid target will become more positive. It is very important to read your manual cover to cover multiple times and doesn't hurt to reread to the point that you pretty much have it memorized. Now a few tools will also help you. I recommend a good metal detecting pick, you know the ones you see with the triangular shaped head. IE, sharp point on one end and wide blade at the other. I also recommend a plastic bristle brush, like a large tooth brush looking brush, with good stiff plastic bristles......plastic because wire brushes just make more junk targets. Three more tools I recommend are a plastic garden trowel, crevicing tool, which could be as simple as a flat blade screw driver or like the ones sold at prospecting shops with a sharp pointed end and a small scoop end......the type I use....and a straw. I prefer a more durable straw than the typical disposable type. The thicker expandable straws like what come with the really large, like 64oz mugs. Now I think most can figure out what to do with these tools. All of them help with recovery. Oh, by the way, your pick should have a few super magnets as well. Some models come with them already installed. Never hurts to have 3-4, I have 3 on mine.....2 on the blade and 1 on the top.....this helps get iron targets out of the way faster. Because I use a PI my pick has the 36'' handle so digging deeper holes when using the larger coils is easier. Not necessary to carry the extra weight of the larger pick when using a VLF. Ok, I'll get on with my method that I think might help you. Instead of digging willie nillie sample holes all over creation, try metal detecting first. As you go along and detect targets you want to find gold of course. Don't concern yourself so much with typical iron junk, but when you dig a lead slug, old bullet or even a larger heavy chunk of iron on bedrock, then I suggest take a sample of the dirt on bedrock around the slug. You can just carry a small bucket with some ziplock freezer bags or something similar. Clean the bedrock real good using the brush and trowel and just bag that dirt up for later. You should mark the bag or you can put the slug in with the dirt. I myself remember which targets came from which hole, but do what works best for you so you can relate what bag of dirt came from whichever hole. Give it some time and be patient. By doing this you will accomplish a few things at the same time. First of all you will become more accustomed to using your metal detector and the more you use it the better you will get with it and the better your chances of realizing that nugget you desire. Second, this is a much more methodical way to sample. Third, as an individual looking for gold you will actually increase your chances of finding a nice pocket as gold will often land where lead does. After cleaning off the area use the straw to gently blow off any left over dust and such and if a crevice exists with material wedged in it use the crevicing tool to scrape that material out and save that too. Pay attention when blowing off the fluff as often small flakes will be revealed in this process. Of course this technic applies if the soil is dry. If there are multiple cracks and crevices and you see some flakes, by all means this is possibly a good place to scrape the fluff off and clean the bedrock nooks, cracks, and crevices. With the exception of using the straw, this method of detecting and sampling works well in wet places like Lynx too. You will find pockets of lead with your metal detector up there and may not immediately detect a nugget. But certainly metal detect, find lead pockets and clean them up, bag that stuff and process later at home or at camp after supper. I assure you if you try this method, some day soon you will be pleasantly surprised when you start finding pickers, then nuggets, and then you might even just straight up detect a nugget in the process. A little more about me.....I detected my 1st nugget in about 35 hours of actually sweeping my coil.....not typical.... Never used a metal detector in my life and taught myself. My second, third, fourth, and fifth nuggets detected took another 14 months....more typical. However with the method I described I dug out many pickers and 3 nuggets around 1 gram or so in size that I never heard on the detector. This let me know I needed to try harder and listen better to my machine. I am sure my machine saw those missed by me nuggets, but I didn't know what it was telling me. Now I have been doing this long enough that I find nuggets often. I am sure I don't get them all, but I miss fewer that is for sure. Oh, by the way be diligent about ground balance, do it often as ground changes often. Also wear headphones. I'll throw a couple pics of my most recent Az. nugget. 10.9 gram, as Lanny would say, sassy gold nugget. I've taken enough space on this thread for now. Nice to meet all of you here in advance and I hope some of you, especially Garrett Digger are able to benefit from this post. Good GOLD to all......Dennis<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=961911"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=961912"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=961913"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=961914"/>

Thx for the info Dennis. I really do appreciate the help. I know part of my problem is that lately I've been working my couple holes. Happy to dig and run material. The kids are happier doing that than running around detecting. Go figure. So lots of the time I'm out by myself. My last outing, I was totally looking forward to detecting my buddy's claim. I pulled up and realized I forgot my detector. That's a first. Normally goes in my truck the same time my duffle bag does. That sure upset me. I do plan on being more aggressive detector wise. I do have some spots picked out and know I'll find something soon. I've got a good understanding of the detector. Thanks for the info on other items to take. I know I should've had some of them. Like the brush. My pick lost it's magnet. So I've been wanting to get another pick that's sturdier. I'll make sure I've got the long screw driver with the bent end (for spoon). I've got small dental picks plus hammer and chisel. So prepared for most situations. Even got a suction nozzle with a plastic hose on it. That way can suck up those deeper items in the cracks.
I'm hoping to actually hit my spot I panned four flakes this coming week.
I've been debating on the sniper coil, but just haven't done the purchase yet. Funds are tighter than ever. So I just work slow and dig. I've definitely had enough practice now on the detector. Now it's just time to put more practice at where I know the gold can be. I never did think about collecting samples from where I've picked up lead. I know I've cleaned out some of those areas. Just never saw a nugget. Then again. I could've passed up some fine gold by not test panning the dirt.
Thx for the input and I'll definitely be putting it to use.
One of my other reasons for why another detector was for my kids to have a detector to use that I'd feel would have a better chance at picking up a nugget. Plus I wouldn't mind a backup one in case mine decided to take a rest.

 

[IMPDLN]

Garret, Finding gold with a detector.....hard to explain, but you really have to take it to another level. It takes devotion and more than just getting familiar. You really need that detector to be like an extension of you. I certainly would recommend getting the small coil before getting another detector. Get the kids to help dig your targets and you can always let them detect and dig their targets. Make it a group effort and switch off.

It is actually much easier to miss nuggets than you would imagine. You can be right on top of a nugget and never know it very easily. You could dig a piece of lead from a hole and have a nugget 2 inches away and still miss it. Gold is elusive, especially nuggets.

On a budget side of getting a second detector, I recommend the Gold Bug Cabelas sells. If you go in there once in awhile and just check the bargain cave in the back of the store you might get one on the cheap. I bought two of them in there for $275 each. What happens is they get bought and returned. The two I bought had never even had the coils on the ground. Returns or open box stuff goes into the bargain cave at a reduced price, but never comes up on the internet, so you have to physically check in the store. Good luck with your ventures and I hope my suggestions will be of some help. Dennis

 

[EagleDown]

The kids are happier doing that than running around detecting. Go figure.

Halito Brother GarretD,......If I may, I feel the need to tell you something about the psychology of 'kids'; If you take them fishing three or four times and nobody even gets a bite, the fifth time you go out, they will be a bit reluctant to go with you. The excuse? = "Why? We never catch anything"!! So, in this case, you haven't found any nuggets with your detector, but you've found a little gold through digging holes. Now, they're happy with these results because (at least) they're seeing gold, while having (valid) hopes of one of them being the FIRST to find that big piece. Even if it hasn't been said aloud, the sibling rivalry is there. Anytime you have 2 or more kids together, you'll also have the desire of being the "Alpha Dog". (lol)

Your job my Friend is to channel that rivalry in such a way that they will prefer going out metal detecting with you.

What I would try, would be to let one volunteer to dig in the college fund hole, while the other goes with you to dig while you metal detect. Have them take turns with the metal detecting. Once you have found a nugget with the detector, I guarantee you that you'll not only have them agueing about who gets to go detecting with you, but by the time you find your second nugget, they will be clamoring for their own metal detectors. (Basically, so that they can outdo dad). (lol)

 

[Oakview2]

Chup is headed downhill and gaining speed.

Welp speaking of old age yesterday whilst trying to remove a quite large boulder that the youngster were trying to move and couldn't I , the old man of the crew gave heave ho and SNAP, the bicep tendon up by my should broke loose, im just glad it wasnt down by my elbow I think i can live with this one.
Pendol looks insanely delicous love to metal detect in there

Yesterday with the youngsters, oakviews son and his friend who is now a new addicted gold prosector and both good hard working young men

View attachment 964294

View attachment 964295

 

[Lanny in AB]

Garret,

Eagle is on the money about the sibling rivalry thing.

I'd try out what he's outlined and see what happens.

Even if you're in an area where there's lots of trash, some of those finds can be very interesting. I see people post finds all the time, finds they're not sure of exactly what they've found. Moreover, that might motivate them to get out to detect and dig more. It's always interesting to post a find on treasurenet and have a bunch of people give input as to what it is.

All the best

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I do have my youngest and oldest into detecting.
I do agree with doing detecting while others are digging. Plus that allows the one on one time. My middle boy just wants to dig targets. My youngest daughter likes to do all of these activities. Partly to be by me. Though she's going on 14. So times fleeting. We so enjoy getting relics as well. We've found old horseshoes and boot tacks and coins. Not much in the old coins though. Plus my mother has my bounty hunter 505 pro in payson. She loves doing this. We just haven't done much lately. So hopefully Wednesday I can get out either around payson or down the hill a bit.
The bad news for me is that on the days I do pools. The next day is shot. Or if I do a long drive, it really saps my energy out.
Hard to believe I can actually say this, because I used to be a big time outdoorsman. Plus at 43 I feel I should be able to run up the hills still. So when I get my kids out with me, they try to make sure I don't over do it. Or they'll detect a spot I can't get into. I'd love to see them find a nugget. Me first though. Lol.
So I'm thinking I'll be showing my first nugget soon. Detecting wise. I've got my spots picked out. Pretty certain both spots have probably never been detected and I know it's there. Lol. So when I get back Wednesday maybe I'll have that pic for ya.

 

[Lanny in AB]

I do have my youngest and oldest into detecting.
I do agree with doing detecting while others are digging. Plus that allows the one on one time. My middle boy just wants to dig targets. My youngest daughter likes to do all of these activities. Partly to be by me. Though she's going on 14. So times fleeting. We so enjoy getting relics as well. We've found old horseshoes and boot tacks and coins. Not much in the old coins though. Plus my mother has my bounty hunter 505 pro in payson. She loves doing this. We just haven't done much lately. So hopefully Wednesday I can get out either around payson or down the hill a bit.
The bad news for me is that on the days I do pools. The next day is shot. Or if I do a long drive, it really saps my energy out.
Hard to believe I can actually say this, because I used to be a big time outdoorsman. Plus at 43 I feel I should be able to run up the hills still. So when I get my kids out with me, they try to make sure I don't over do it. Or they'll detect a spot I can't get into. I'd love to see them find a nugget. Me first though. Lol.
So I'm thinking I'll be showing my first nugget soon. Detecting wise. I've got my spots picked out. Pretty certain both spots have probably never been detected and I know it's there. Lol. So when I get back Wednesday maybe I'll have that pic for ya.

Those sound like great ideas, and the fresh spots you've got chosen sound prime as well.

I'm glad you're enjoying your time with the kids; there's nothing better, nothing.

I hope they find a nugget too, but I'm with you, it would be sweet if you found one first.

Sometimes it's a mathematical thing. At least, it was for me. I'd dug so many non-nugget targets before I found any gold that I was wondering if it would ever happen, and this was after I'd watched my buggy dig several right in front of me!

So, maybe think of things in reverse: every non-nugget target you dig is one more step closer (mathematically) to digging a nugget. Eventually the odds will turn in your favor, but it may not be for a while. However, all of those non-nuggets that you dig will keep you refining your detecting skills so that when you finally get a nugget in the crosshairs, you'll know enough of the subtle differences in target sounds to dig it.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[EagleDown]

Those sound like great ideas, and the fresh spots you've got chosen sound prime as well.

I'm glad you're enjoying your time with the kids; there's nothing better, nothing.

I hope they find a nugget too, but I'm with you, it would be sweet if you found one first.

Sometimes it's a mathematical thing. At least, it was for me. I'd dug so many non-nugget targets before I found any gold that I was wondering if it would ever happen, and this was after I'd watched my buggy dig several right in front of me!

So, maybe think of things in reverse: every non-nugget target you dig is one more step closer (mathematically) to digging a nugget. Eventually the odds will turn in your favor, but it may not be for a while. However, all of those non-nuggets that you dig will keep you refining your detecting skills so that when you finally get a nugget in the crosshairs, you'll know enough of the subtle differences in target sounds to dig it.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

You watched your >buggy<?? I can't help but wonder what the horse was doing while the buggy was digging. (lol)

Sorry Brother, I'm in a good mood today for some reason.(?) Yes, the same with me. I went out many times with mgb and broken arrow, and watched them pull a couple of nuggets each in front of me. But, it was over 6 months later, when I was out by myself, before I found my first one. Coins? That's always been a different story. I put the coil on the ground while I turn the detector on, and it sounds off so loud, my ears get to ringing. Why? Because there was a coin in the middle of the coil. (lol) I've done that so many times, I now keep the coil in the air until the detector is turned on.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Lol. Both of you. I figure the gods will be with me one day. I'm only going to get a chance to go out one day (Tuesday). So I'm heading to the creek I found the flakes. It's a great drive and very scenic. Wish I could bring you both with. I will in spirit. Eagle, give me some of that medicine you've got. Mother Earth just might answer this time. Though I feel she's not wanting to share. I'm willing to trade my buckets of trinkets, bullets, and scrap iron for that first nugget. I think it's a fair trade with her.
I'm really going to start listening to the threshold. I know I've been ignoring it, most of the time, and surely didn't practice what I preached to the kids. Not all hits have a tone. But even I started to only dig the tones. I used to dig all and started to not do it, because of the amount of lead I accumulated. Not to mention casings. Lol. They're so close in the tone and id to gold I've practiced on. So I normally won't pass them up.
So off I go tomorrow, first to the docs and then back down to hit the hills. Can't wait. I hear her calling to me. Come and get me, come and get me. Lol. I've always loved that line in City Slikers.

 

[EagleDown]

Lol. Both of you. I figure the gods will be with me one day. I'm only going to get a chance to go out one day (Tuesday). So I'm heading to the creek I found the flakes. It's a great drive and very scenic. Wish I could bring you both with. I will in spirit. Eagle, give me some of that medicine you've got. Mother Earth just might answer this time. Though I feel she's not wanting to share. I'm willing to trade my buckets of trinkets, bullets, and scrap iron for that first nugget. I think it's a fair trade with her.
I'm really going to start listening to the threshold. I know I've been ignoring it, most of the time, and surely didn't practice what I preached to the kids. Not all hits have a tone. But even I started to only dig the tones. I used to dig all and started to not do it, because of the amount of lead I accumulated. Not to mention casings. Lol. They're so close in the tone and id to gold I've practiced on. So I normally won't pass them up.
So off I go tomorrow, first to the docs and then back down to hit the hills. Can't wait. I hear her calling to me. Come and get me, come and get me. Lol. I've always loved that line in City Slikers.

Mother Earth will give you anything she has to offer, but, she wants you to work for it. That way, when you recieve it, you'll really appreciate it. (lol)

Just keep plugging at it Brother, your time is near!!

 

[EagleDown]

“Just look at us. Everything is backwards; everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroys information, and religions destroy spirituality.” — Dr. Michael Ellner

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Didn't get a chance to go out today, but I did meet up with Dennis to talk and learn something. Man I learned a bit of info from him. I actually knew what I had relearned, but it was definitely put into my head of just how I possibly walked over nuggets. Being a newbie, I was always thinking I needed the solid tone and/or the ID to show me I had something real. I guess this comes from digging up coins and relics. I knew about the threshold disturbance, but I always figured it was iron from the wash. Oh how wrong I could possibly been. I've done tests from my small nugget and it would give me a solid but faint tone. Plus I'd get an ID in the low 40's. But that was directly in the coil. So I figured it just couldn't pick up the nugget being so small. Geeze! I should've learned from "that" test, but I didn't. It took Dennis to show me just what a newbie mistake I was making. LOL!!!!! I'm always thankful for knowledge from others. Especially when it makes me realize my mistakes. I'm never too old to learn. I'll be the first to say it. That's why I love talking to all of you. I'm one step away from getting my first nugget. Literally. Now I've got to wait another week to go swinging. At least I've got my dirt at home to run.
I did have to say, I was impressed with his finds. The knowledge was and will be put to use.
Thanks Dennis for meeting up with me and I look forward to meeting up with ya again.

 

[Lanny in AB]

Yup Eagle, watching my buggy dig . . . How I hate auto-correct some times. What else can I say?

I'm glad you had a good laugh. In fact I'm so happy, I won't even edit the auto-correct out. I'll leave it exactly the way it is as a classic bit of wonder.

All the best,

Lanny

 

[Lanny in AB]

Didn't get a chance to go out today, but I did meet up with Dennis to talk and learn something. Man I learned a bit of info from him. I actually knew what I had relearned, but it was definitely put into my head of just how I possibly walked over nuggets. Being a newbie, I was always thinking I needed the solid tone and/or the ID to show me I had something real. I guess this comes from digging up coins and relics. I knew about the threshold disturbance, but I always figured it was iron from the wash. Oh how wrong I could possibly been. I've done tests from my small nugget and it would give me a solid but faint tone. Plus I'd get an ID in the low 40's. But that was directly in the coil. So I figured it just couldn't pick up the nugget being so small. Geeze! I should've learned from "that" test, but I didn't. It took Dennis to show me just what a newbie mistake I was making. LOL!!!!! I'm always thankful for knowledge from others. Especially when it makes me realize my mistakes. I'm never too old to learn. I'll be the first to say it. That's why I love talking to all of you. I'm one step away from getting my first nugget. Literally. Now I've got to wait another week to go swinging. At least I've got my dirt at home to run.
I did have to say, I was impressed with his finds. The knowledge was and will be put to use.
Thanks Dennis for meeting up with me and I look forward to meeting up with ya again.

It really is funny how that seems to work.

That's exactly the point with hunting nuggets. It's often not a tone that sounds anything like a positive nugget response. It's often just a slight disturbance in the threshold.

I'm glad you've finally dialed in to what you're looking for.

All the best,

Lanny

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detecting-gold/69-bedrock-gold-mysteries.html

 

[EagleDown]

O....M....G...!! We're DOOMED!!

The Washington Post

"The Arctic Ocean is warming up, icebergs are growing scarcer and in some places the seals are finding the water too hot, according to a report to the Commerce Department yesterday from Consulafft, at Bergen, Norway.

Reports from fishermen, seal hunters, and explorers all point to a radical change in climate conditions and hitherto unheard-of temperatures in the Arctic zone. Exploration expeditions report that scarcely any ice has been met as far north as 81 degrees 29 minutes.

Soundings to a depth of 3,100 meters showed the gulf stream still very warm. Great masses of ice have been replaced by moraines of earth and stones, the report continued, while at many points well known glaciers have entirely disappeared.

Very few seals and no white fish are found in the eastern Arctic, while vast shoals of herring and smelts which have never before ventured so far north, are being encountered in the old seal fishing grounds.

Within a few years it is predicted that due to the ice melt the sea will rise and make most coastal cities uninhabitable."



OOOPS!!! I APOLOGIZE!! I neglected to mention that this report was from November 2, 1922, as reported by the AP and published in The Washington Post, almost 100 years ago.

Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/politics/science/globalwarming1922.asp

 

[EagleDown]

Distilled Water

I just had one of my occasional 'flashes' that I want to share before I forget about it. (A lot of my 'flashes' come to me, but I never follow up on them, due to lack of necessity). But, I believe this one is worth remembering.

Take a large container, (like the bottom half of a 55gal. steel drum, or anything else that would work). Paint it "flat-black". Then, fill it about 2-3rds full with dirt or sand. Put anything in the center of the dirt that you can sit a container on, where it will be stable. SATURATE the dirt with ANY AVAILABLE WATER. Then, place the container used to collect the water on your small 'stable' platform. Cover the top with a sheet of relitively thin plastic. (You'll need to figure out a way to seal the edge of the plastic, so air doesn't escape). Now, place a small stone or some kind of other weight in the center of the plastic, so that it will sag to the center. This way, the condensation will run down the plastic and drip into your collection "cup". (You'll have to place the whole arrangement someplace where it will get direct sunlight to heat up enough to evaporate the water).

Even if the water you saturate the dirt with is radioactive, the distilled water you're collecting won't be. Why? Water has to have particulate matter in it before it can become radioactive. The distilled water will have no particulate matter in it.

I was taught this trick for getting water out of the ground, many years ago. I see no reason why it wouldn't work with a container like I've described here.

I'll have to experiment with this a bit, to determine the quickest and easiest way to do it. But, feel free to pass this on to our friends. Who knows, it could save a few lives during an emergency.

Note: I should add here, if you entend to drink this distilled water exclusively, it would probably be worthwhile to have a supply of mineral supplements on hand, since the distilled water will not have any minerals (that we normally get while drinking 'normal' water).

Love and Respect,

Eagle