Tuesday off, a few errands, thrift shops, then head out - the 11:30 Ferry to the East Shore, meeting up with Chris to do some prospecting.
I eat a big breakfast. I've taken this intermittent fasting to an extreme, 5 days of work I eat nothing, I'm the starving waiter, but on days off I'm ravenous, eat everything I can get my hands on. And as I'm not made of money I eat before we head out.
This is not the ideal, I like cooking for myself but I'm craving oysters, steak tartare, carpaccio, steamed mussels and clams, spicy papaya salads, beets, everything I don't get to eat...
Still, economy prevails.
First off we're looking for Brad's garnets. And I have the place now, the exact place, and we show up, it's less a beach than a shoreline, I find an exposure that might be what Brad was speaking of, not sure. But his description - the abundance of them, the size of them, it's at odds with what we're finding. Maybe the water's too high and they're down lower, maybe?
We try a few other beaches on the way south towards Creston.
One, a driveway down to a pier, we're accosted as we park buy a Kootenay Karen, she tells us it's all private property, not allowed, and then stays in her truck to see us off. Pulls off on the side of the road to ensure we're heading out.
Now - they're everywhere, we're getting overrun with these entitled bitches who think they own the beaches, the air, the right of way, talking to a friend she says "Probably an Albertan...".
We head on down to the smoky quartz digs, then, on a sudden whim I pull off on Tungsten Creek FSR, a few spurs and 12 KM later and we're at the top.
A little more eventful than that - the jeep, getting warm, decides (as it's prerogative) to not start, we're stuck halfway up for half an hour while it makes up it's mind...
To the top. And here there's giant quartz seam, given way by a few boulders on the overburden, we get out, dig, and - exactly the same material as we found at the Crystal Mountain, big, blocky decaying quartz, and dig a little, dig a lot, and finally we're rewarded with a couple of small crystals.
It's strange this, given the material I'd expect to bust into a great big pocket, find dozens, hundreds, clusters, but no. Just a couple of small points.
But there's a lot of digging to be done up here, and we're high enough up there's boulder fields to be walked over, looked at, and there's a dozen other undriven spurs to be explored, I'll be back...
(Boulder with pockets of citrine crystals)
From here to Wyndel, I've a lottomax ticket to buy. I have given up on winning, personally, anyone could win it, take the jackpot, I'm resenting the ongoing playing of "My chosen numbers", I'm beginning to suspect Uncles Flim and Flam of swindling me...
Wyndel gas, a farmers sausage, coffee, soft drink, a large ice cream that begins immediately melting, pouring down my arm, sleeve, into my lap as I'm driving towards Creston, sticky on the wheel, suspicious on my jeans, damn, but sooooo tasty...
From Creston up the pass, stop at the Mica place where I banged out the beryl, dig some more, looking for more.
It's boring work, this digging, and Chris conceals his boredom poorly. I've spoiled him with the finding, and I'm resenting that I have to compromise and pack it in early.
Tuesday's prospecting is done.
****
Wednesday, up and at-em, off thrifting. Castlegar, Rossland, Salmo - a complete shutout, not a nickel spent. Nada of interest. Back to Nelson, check the thrift shops here - nothing as well, but I note the angry huntsman is back at ... - a longstanding employee, always gave off the impression that he was trying to be "efficient", only he comes off as angry, he dresses - well, formerly like a huntsman - hard to describe, a D&D character, leather vest, gloves, there's a "style" going on there but now he seems to have changed his look to more of an angry Wizard...
Evening, take Stormy for Ice Cream down at lakeside park, chat, catch up, then home to sleep - it's back to work Thursday and there's easily another 10 weeks before I can eat or relax...