Gold fever

So on the long weekend, I was pretty tired and decided not to do anything that required any preparation.  The Gold Panning Championships were happening not too far from us, so I decided that would be the destination for the day.  I have always wanted to try gold panning, I don't know why.  It turned out to be a lot like ice fishing.  Really. Boring. 
Anyway, we pulled up to this International event, which amounted to not more than a hundred or so people, and jumped into the action.  After a quick lesson on panning from a loud-mouthed teenager, I got my pan full of sand and rocks and went of into an old trough to try my luck.  They implant a bronze "nugget" and two flakes of real gold into the pile of dirt and it's up to you to find the treasure.  Here's the pictorial evidence.  Unlike the ice fishing, Chris didn't have to step in to take over...

At this point I was not having a good time.

I found my gold!  It took me about 45 mins.  I wouldn't have won any awards.

 

 

 After the gold was found, we went looking around.  Not much to see, but they did have mini doughnuts!  I was so happy to get some, but decided after a couple they were no good so Chris finished them and felt gross for the rest of the night.