Hello from Phoenix, Arizona

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Everyone,
I just want to jump in and say Hi to everyone and say that this is a great forum with some fantastic TTT's. If I loaded my photo to the left correctly, you can see why I am looking at a TTT. I spend several days a month in the desert and mountains of Arizona prospecting for elusive gold nuggets with a metal detector and after trekking over the rough stuff all day, crawling into the back of a very small (and hard) sleeping area of an old K-5 Blazer makes for a sore back to go with the sore feet (and I am getting too old for that)! Anyway, I have decided to use a 6 X 10 X 6-1/2 foot Enclosed Cargo trailer for the foundation of my rugged sleeper. I have spent several trips to my local LOOK manufacturer and should order the trailer within the next couple of weeks. I am going to let them stick in two windows and swap the axle to give me 20 – 22 inches of ground clearance, allowing me to pull my new wilderness rig to places a trailer is not supposed to go! I’ll go ahead and do the roof vents, electrical, insulation, cabinets, bunks, and interior finish work. Your information about the electrical for different TTT's has been very interesting and I will go ahead and build the master panels mysel – mostly 12vdc with minimal 120vac supplied by a small generator and a simple 30amp shore feed while it is parked at home. Cooking will be accomplished by a rebuilt, vintage (60's era) pick-up camper 3-burner stove
Thanks for maintaining such a great site!
John (JC)

[milliejohn]

If you haven't hunted the backside of YPG out of Yuma. try searching out of Cibola, AZ and talk to Dale at :
Kinney's Rocks & Gems
Address: 11 Ben Hulse Hwy
Phone number: 760 854-3362
Zip code: 92266
City: Palo Verde, California (CA)

I bet since the fires that Crown King is gonna be worth a look as well, I spent a lot of time looking for color all over AZ, now I live on the Comstock Lode in Virginia City, NV and sell my finds to the tourist's.

Hope your build works out just the way you want, do you dry wash as well as nugget shoot?

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Milliejohn,
Thanks for the reply and tips!
I have not been to the Yuma area, but it is on my list of places to hit! I grew up south of Tucson and like that area, but do not get down there as much as I would like. I currently live in Phoenix and I see to spend more time in the Wickenburg Mts. (east of Wickenburg); I find a few smaller nuggets and fines ... yes, I am an opportunist and use the tool needed to bring home color. I prefer the metal detector, but have and use a drywahser and vacuum when needed. I need to get back up around Crown King and areas in the Bradshaws that were cleared by the fires; the manzanita was the tallest and thickest I ever saw!!!

I have been wanting to get up to Nevada and do a little prospecting (so be the trailer for those extended trips) hopefully before too long, thanks for the reply and I hope to talk again!!
JC

[Junkboy999]

Hey I even have a good name for your TD when you build it. “Gold Nugget”

Welcome to the forums.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Junkboy999,
Great name ... I may have to hang on to that.
I was looking through the photos and modeling of your TD and you have done a great job, love the wood!!!

There are tons of great ideas on this site, it is a great place to "window shop" for ideas!!

[milliejohn]

We lived in Tubac and Nogales for awhile in the 70's, know the southern Az area very well, high school in Yuma class of 57, too bad the border is the way it has become, I know a lot of places to search but not today.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Milliejohn,
If you lived in that area for a while, you may be familiar with a little town called Arivaca about 23 miles west of the Tucson/Nogales highway. I grew up in the town and enjoy prospecting that area, but as you say, the border traffic can be dangerous. Two out of three trips down there in the last two years, I have spotted illegal backpackers toting their drugs north . Not too safe as many of the "mules" are with one of the many cartels and carrying automatic weapons ... I prefer to go with several buddies; it may not be much safer, but you feel better. I still go that way about twice a year though.

[milliejohn]

Fished in the lake many times, as well as the ponds at Ruby, La Gitana Cantina still open? I know the Longhorn Grill in Amado closed. My first wife was Tohono O'odham, when she died in 1977 I left the area behind,did you ever explore Agua Caliente cave, or the Glove Mine east of Amado? I found great wulfenite out there in the Santa Ritas, and learned a lot about mining from the old timers that were still around.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Milliejohn,
As a matterfact, I made several trips to the Agua Caliente cave some 40 years ago ... what a place, but I never went to the Glove mine. I have fished the ponds at Ruby and Pena Blanca when I was a kid ... caught some nice bass out of those little ponds. You may have even fihed the little pond behind the Oro Blanco ranch house.

During the during 40's to the late 50's (I think about that time) The La Gitana in Arivaca used to belong to grand parents and my folks owned the store across the street. The La Gitana is still there, but it is not the same as it was years ago. I found a couple nice wulfenite specimens on the west side of the highway earlier this year while I was down there prospecting; I'll have to load some photos one these days.

I know this is a TD & TT forum,I hope it is okay to get a little off track; I have not talked this much on a forum, I usually just read? I am going to order my CT Friday and will start a thread on it with a photo log for the other CT folks ... maybe I have an idea that will help others or post something that others can comment on for my gain. My concern right now is putting the battery, small generator, and propane bottle on the tongue ... it will kick the tongue weight up a bit, but I think it will be okay. I'll post those questions and layout on a separate thread under the CT main thread.

BTY, it is interesting to "talk" to someone that has spent time in and around my old stomping grounds ... good "talking" to you...

[milliejohn]

If you use an AGM battery you can keep it inside the trailer, build a cage around your generator and propane tank to prevent theft, and the way you load the trailer will change the tongue weight more than gen and bottle will for the most part.

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Milliejohn,
That's a good idea and will look into it as I continue to plan the build. I have not been too worried about the weight either, but do not want to get too nose heavy! I have some cabinets to go inside and am trying to maintain the correct balance, so to speak. The axle is placed a ways back and as you know, everything placed inside will affect the tongue weight!

I am going to start getting a few photos over the next few weeks and hopefully I can post them.

Haqve a great weekend and holiday!!!