Something weird happened during PCSC's Dale outing May 14th and 15th. But first, the nugget highlights: Prospecting Chair, Lucky Joe (Chmiel), nailed 5 little ones at and near the Orange Peel Patch (on open ground near the Blackjack claim) with his modded GB2; Keith McBride borrowed my modded GB2 and hit two right away; Chuck Brand employed his GPZ 7000 to sleuth out three shiny nuggs (this was Chuck's first visit to the Dale!!); but for me, I uncharacteristically wound up with skunk stripes. 

Okay, so here's the spooky part: The Dale can be a harsh place.  The mortality rate amongst the early seekers ran high.  There are stories of ghosts that haunt this remote desert.  I think I may have had just such an encounter.

Chuck and I were the only ones who camped overnight out on the flats (the rest either called it quits Saturday night or drove back to 29 Palms for a comfy motel bed for the night).  I decided to do some night detecting.  By 10PM Chuck was fast asleep a 100 yards away in the bed of his pickup.  That is when I saw it -- errr, "them."  Two luminous eyes staring at me from behind a creosote bush.  At first I thought it was something caused by my headlamp.  But upon shutting it off the eyes continued to glower at me -- big round icey blue eyes widely spaced!!!!  Then, as I cautiously inched around the greasewood branches for a better vantage, the eyes blinked a few times and then suddenly vanished without a sound!!

WEIRD!!!