MINING "GOLD' IN A GOLD MINING TOWN

"GOLD" for me is interesting people, ideas and experiences.  Come walk around with me in Pioche Nevada and I will show you how to mine "gold".

I roll into town and find it's heart----that is the place to start.

Park my rig, get out and walk-- activating my "noticer".

The first thing I notice is this---town pride in their softball team.

Then this!  I'm guessing it's the buggy whip trading post.  

Inside a very large room filled with junk on the left---

junk on the right--

and junk down the middle.

This damaged player piano catches my eye and stirs memories---we had a functioning one of these in our home.  You pump the pedals and the thing would play---surprisingly well.

Songs are encoded on paper rolls.  We had that song:  Bill Bailey and about 50 others.

Lots of fun playing it.

And we had one of these.  It's an ironing machine---supposedly speeds up the task--don't remember it working very well.

And then I found the owner--far in the back---80 plus years old and obviously a gun enthusiast.

I introduced myself and asked a seminal question:  Do you enjoy owning all this stuff?  Immediately he responded: "I HATE IT!! I HATE ALL OF IT!!"  I let that soak into me---then said:  Why then??......He said: "because I'm too old to do anything else----and I can't live off my social security."  He said it amazed him that people would actually buy this stuff---but they do.

Because he was hard of hearing, I resisted the urge to give him a pep talk.  I left with a heavy heart--a living being chained to dead stuff.

Continuing my walk I notice these dilapidated steps leading to a second layer of this town.

At the top of the steps, this quirky structure---did not learn its secrets.

But up top were the better houses and maybe the towns' "sweller" folks.  I walked the street--left and right.

Till I happened across these busy fellows---very serious about their digging.  The larger one's pants slipping down.  When they noticed me, I asked (of course). They said they were looking for old bottles.  I didn't believe them.  I think they were looking for treasure---likely inspired by a recent find of gold coins buried in a coffee can---worth 4 million.

Someone in this building is a friend to us RV travelers---and for countless years has provided something wonderful for us behind it.

Here it is---A FREE RV PARK--with water, trash service and electricity for 2 full weeks.  Don't know why---didn't find out.

Noticed this!  Can you guess what its about?  It is the result of a hole drilling contest.  Not surprising, when you think about it-- for a mining town amusement.

I was leaving town---feeling complete---when this fellow---literally yelled at me in his muley way--to come over and say hi.  I gathered up some carrots and had a nice visit with him.

Then headed off to a different town---a real doozy-- you will find hard to believe till I show you proof.

RANDY PHILOSOPHIZES:  The most glittering "gold" I gleaned in this town was from the junk shop:  Dead things holding a live man prisoner.  Now that I think about it--It's perhaps the most common type of imprisonment.  And when I think about it more deeply it is almost always dead things that imprison us:  MEMORIES-----THE PAST. ( I can almost hear my friends Wayne and 

Brad say to me: Amen Randy---by jove I believe you've GOT IT)