Take a quad or side by side (or rent one for a day) so the little lady can enjoy the sights: the desert is flat-out beautiful in its own haunting way. And, by having her in an all terrain vehicle, if you drive carefully, you won't have to worry near as much about things that bite, stick, or poke.
If you have a personal connection that knows of good ground or is willing to let you work some ground, that's a fantastic in. If not, join a club as you will often have the chance to meet great people and maybe get in on an outing, group presentation/lecture or meal or two. Plus, you won't have to worry about trespassing, and you'll have the opportunity of meeting someone that's very familiar with the local conditions that can provide excellent tips on where to look.
My first trip was with a metal detector, but I panned too. We had access to lots of claims (through personal connections), and we bought club passes as well. Out in the desert, those little washes had some nice gold in them, and the two friends I prospected with found some incredible quartz-gold chunks the size of your fist! Plus, they found some beautiful solid gold nuggets too. In fact, they took me to the spot where they found a one-pound patch with their detectors, and while I was there, they found some more big quartz-gold pieces to boot!
You'll always remember your first visit to the desert while chasing the gold, and if you make the trip engaging and enjoyable for both of you, it will be something you'll want to do again for sure.
All the best,
Lanny
