Gold is Where you find it

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A lot of people have told me that they would like to try prospecting for gold, but know nothing about it, or where to go. Most, when they finally decide to make the big move, usually go back to where someone has found it before. If you retrace the steps of countless, previous Prospectors, back to a known area, there is no guarantee that you find anything; The area has been picked over so often your chances are slim to none that there is anything left. Try something different. Before you leave home, take a close look at your own back yard. I lived in Michigan for years, but never thought for a moment to look there for that elusive, beautiful, shining gold. I was a truck driver and always carried my pan with me where ever I went. If I had time and happened across a new stream I checked it out; Never know, but I would always hope I might find a new spot. Every where, but where I lived. A couple of years after I left Michigan I happened to read an article in one of my gold prospecting magazines, entitled: "Gold in Michigan." What? Needless to say I felt really foolish for never considering the possibility. Gold had been discovered in Michigan years ago, but not in the area where I lived. When I returned home, I stopped to see my buddy George and was telling him about the article. "Never heard of any gold around here," he told me. Later that day we were out looking at a new pond he had dug in his back yard. Nice pond, but then I noticed something that immediately caught my eye. One thing you look for when prospecting for "placer" gold(in a steam), is the presence of black, magnetic sand (Magnetite)...and there is was; A very noticible stream of black sand running down the bank. Hummm, I thought to myself; Naaw...couldn't be, but out of curiosity I ran to the truck and got my pan. I panned out a couple of pans of gravel from the edge of the new pond and there it was: Small, but there it was...Gold! Lord, My heart was beating so fast, and I was having a hard time breathing. Sure enough, a small piece about the size of a pencil lead, but it was real gold. I showed it to George and immediately he looked around to see if anyone was looking; Natural defense when you have just made a big strike, I guess. We both laughed. There was no record of gold ever being discovered in that part of Michigan, but no doubt it is there. Nobody had yet discovered it so nobody even considered the possiblity. I was willing, but George decided not to let me dig out the rest of his pond, so as far as I know, all the gold is still there; In the back yard.