Well that is really cool, your first ever pan. I remember my first pan of gold ever. Heck I was 27 years old, had tried it so many times before and never got a thing. Then some passer by one day on the creek, older fella stopped and informed me that I would never have any luck doing it that way. She showed me how, he messed around for about 30 minutes with my pan and there he had a nice picker. He showed it to me in the pan, then grilled me on questions about do I remember everything, then he dumped that picker out into the creek, handed me my pan and said good luck.
I was so determined to find that picker, never did but I got some really good pans that day, then pretty much since then have always corrected my self based on what he showed me. When I got my first pan I had no one to share it with until I got back to the barracks. Even then my room mate was like yeah so what.
So here you get to share your first gold with tons of folks, who love gold as much as you and will encourage your success. Now if you can get some pointers from the old times, then I would say that is worth its weight in gold, as they have been there many of times, done that, felt that, failed at it, succeeded at it and then did it all again many times over.
Thanks for sharing, I think it is pretty cool of you to share it with us. I hope you get back out there soon and find plenty more. Heck you should take up Wasatchau on that offer too, nothing wrong with having some gear that was in the hands of the experienced.
