The 2 year plan

The 2 year plan

For the next two years George and Dave talked on the phone planning their adventure.  George bought a claim in California and went out several times to work it.  We had made several trips to Colorado and Alabama and the Cheeha Mountains.  Hard to believe, but there is even gold in Alabama.  The guys kept in touch with their adventures but Dave was busy working on something big.  He located a claim in Alaska out in the middle of nowhere.  The only way in was with a bush pilot.  He was kind enough to tell George some story of some plane crash from the previous owner; that George passed on to me.  I still remember my response, “No way, are you guys crazy.”  I insisted they make use of the California claim.  It was much closer and a heck of a lot less dangerous.  Typical men, my caution fell on deaf ears.  I suspect the gold fever had something to do with it.

 

The guys left June 29 for their first trip to their site.  They got to McGrath on Friday and met the bush pilot the next morning.  McGrath is only about 300 people and the guys were greeted with waves as they flew in.  Apparently there is not much traffic.  After getting some coffee and a few high priced odds and ends at the grocery store the guys met their bush pilot, Mike.   He was sporting an old beat up pick up and informed George he would have to hold the door shut on their short drive to his plane.    Oh yeah, you can see where this is going.  The old pick up pulls up to an old bush plane literally sporting some duct tape for extra support.  They said it took off noisy and landed rough.