Aug 6

Written by:
8/6/2006 12:00 AM 

Greetings from the Cripple River Gold Camp! Today the weather is great, warm and sunny, with just a slight breeze. Adventuresome folks wanting to get away from the camp for a day, maybe to rest up from prospecting---which is hard work, took to their rental ATV’s and zipped off on other prospecting pursuits or to visit interesting places. Several ATV’s rode to the Sinuk River. At least three quads carrying small sluices, shovels and gold pans left to visit Arctic Creek and the dredge camp. Several small groups headed to Nome for sightseeing and a visit to the East Beach to hunt for smoothly tumbled beach/sea glass re-designed by Mother Nature and the Bering Sea. Colored Sea Glass has been collected by beach combers the world over for centuries! It looks great displayed in a clear interesting shaped bottle, makes unique and truly one-of-a-kind jewelry, and can even be further polished and used in various craft projects. Several people have told me they have made colorful marbles with their glass, and one artistic person even made a stained glass window! Not everyone took today off to play, as there were quite a few hard working beach gold miners feeding black sand to their hungry beach boxes, or checking out interesting spots on their claim looking for a red or black ‘pay layer’ rich in fine flour sized gold. I really respect these dedicated prospectors, as the real purpose of this camp is to learn to run different equipment and discover how to find and work gold in a real gold camp. Unfortunately, since there are so many other easier (and fun) things to see and do here in Alaska, it is easy to get ‘seduced’ away from mining and prospecting! Whatever you do, our gold camp is a great place to do it. Even have a traditional Tennessee ‘shotgun’wedding!

The Cripple River Non-denomination Chapel hosted a wedding this year. The bride and groom were childhood sweethearts who went to the same high school in the 1950’s, in Piney Flats Tn. Then, as often happens, they lost touch with each other. Years and life marched on, but love and destiny would not be denied. Lynn Nidiffor found herself working for a Condominium Sales Company, calling back prospective buyers who changed their minds. When she saw the name Weldon Webb, a bell went off in her head, but “No.” she thought to herself, “It can’t be the same man.” When she finally called the telephone number and talked to him it was the same Weldon she knew back when. Many happy conversations ensued and they decided to get married. Lynn admitted to being asked, “Honey, are you in a delicate way? (Or with child)?” by one of her friends. Lynn, a sexy senior citizen thought long and hard as she is a mature woman, then she said, “Uhhh, no, I don’t think so. Well, I’m not exactly sure. Maybe? Yes! Yes I think I am!” So a shotgun wedding was planned. Later she admitted she really was mistaken. The happy couple being deeply in love decided to get married anyway. Still better yet---hold the joyous event here in our gold camp among friends. The bride was a vision of loveliness, tastefully dressed in blue denim pants, with a navy blue sweatshirt, denim jacket and camouflaged hiking boots, carrying a bouquet of wild Purple Iris. Her maid of honor was her good friend Shirley Dromi from Anaheim Ca., (who Lynn met for the first time on the airplane on the trip out here). Shirley was attractively dressed in mining camp denims. The groom wore traditional Levis and denim jacket. Brian Gilligan from Washougal Wa, also in denim served as Best Man and carried a formal black 12 gage shotgun. The happy blushing bride and her Prince Charming groom were joined in loving wedlock by John Handeland, an official for the city of Nome. John is a proud Nomeite born and raised here. This is the second time he has performed a wedding in our camp. Lynn reminiscing about high school remembers that Weldon was the best person she knew, and today after all these years “he is still the best person I have ever known. He is manly, yet a true gentleman.” To my mind, at least, there is no higher accolade. Weldon remembers Lynn as a very pretty girl, gorgeous both inside and out, and “she is still that same beautiful person I remember, only more so.” Rings were exchanged along with vows of love and affection, a tender kiss was shared as many prospectors in the audience shed silent tears of genuine joy, that this loving couple found each other again and will share the rest of their life. Days like this are Pure Gold!

Every year people in our camp find their tummies falling in love with Chip Yorde, and her great food. Wanting to take back to the lower forty-eight the ‘down home flavor’ of the chow hall, Chip is constantly asked for copies of her recipes. Now as Chip is the hardest working person in camp, the two most requested this year are printed here, for you to try. (Now I will warn you all right now, eating Chip’s food will cause your jeans to shrink! But it is well worth it!) Here are two of Chip’s and the camps favorites:

Cheese Hash brown Potato Bake ala “Chip Yorde”

2 pkgs # 2 hash browns 2 cans cream of potato soup

2 cans cream of celery soup 1 can cheddar cheese soup

8 oz sour cream 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix well in a baking dish Bake at 350 degrees 1-1 ½ hour (or you can make this ahead of time, refrigerate it and bake it the next day)

Pistachio Ambrosia ala “Chip”

2 cans (17 oz) fruit cocktail---drained 2 cans (20 oz) pineapple chunks---save 3 cups juice

2 cans (11 oz) mandarin oranges---drained 4 pks instant pistachio pudding

2 cups (16 oz) sour cream 1 (12 oz) cool whip

In a 4 quart bowl add juice and the pudding mix, stir until blended

Add sour cream, and stir add cool whip and fold in fruit. Refrigerate and serve cold.

For several more recipes check out The Chronicle third edition July 2004 for Chip’s Special Veggie Delight, a salad made with cauliflower, or for Chip’s Poppy Seed Salad read week four of 2004. For Chip’s Pumpkin Desert read week five of the same year. These are Chip’s own recipes so no cheating in cooking contests by claiming them as your own.

Now as you all know, Friday in camp now is much like payday was in the old western mining towns long ago. Then the miners or cowboys would be paid and they would rush to town to eat, buy shirts, boots, and ‘makings’ for roll your owns (cigarettes were not sold pre-made or in packs back then tobacco came in a cloth draw string bag). Many men would buy “chewing towbacee” (called a chaw, as they didn’t have to stop what they were doing to roll a cigarette). Then off to the saloon to wet their whistles or ‘cut the dust outa’ their throat and play cards or watch the entertainment. Here at Cripple River on Friday nights, we enjoy some of the same things those hard working old timers did. People from our outer camps come to ‘town’ for a hot shower and clean clothes, then enjoy a big spaghetti feed. Pay day comes next, with the gold found by our common operations (the eight inch dredge at lower Arctic Creek and the trommel at upper Arctic Creek) being divided up and handed out; as each prospector draws for his or her share of the ‘pay’! Then it is off to the saloon for a beer or soda pop, peanuts or popcorn. The night’s entertainment starts with a mock trial and the hanging of the guilty. (At Cripple River you are rarely considered innocent!) The Hole in the Rock Gang meets to add new members, after which the floor show gets underway. This off Broadway show (way, way, way, off Broadway) is put together using the local talent available in camp. (We do have people from Nome who grace our stage; one of the most popular is the “unofficial mayor” of Nome Richard Beneville) This week the number one nugget was a real stunner! It was a very nice size, about a quarter-ounce, but was imbued with an over abundance of what we call character. The nugget was dubbed “The GPAA Prospector Nugget”, and rightly so! As you look at the nugget you can see a gold prospector, his hat, the features of his face, with his hands and arms holding a gold pan! This artwork was designed by Mother Nature herself, and Mr. Bill Schindel from Big Rock Il (who drew lucky number one), is the first person to ever own this one of a kind treasure since it was made centuries ago. Bill joined the GPAA five years ago, and until this two week trip to Alaska never had the time to learn about prospecting. Bill is a very nice down to earth guy who, as he was excitedly relating the story of his good fortune exclaimed, “I’m happier than a pig in poop!” Well said Bill! My mother would have said chickens, but we all get the gist. Congratulations on winning one of the most unusual nuggets ever seen in this camp!

Perry Massie, our fearless leader, reports that this year more Jade has been found on the beach than in any other year in the past. Sam Rua has found many nice large pieces, with so many people finding smaller pieces that it is impossible to list them all. This Friday Jade slabs from gemstone rocks found around Cripple River will be included on some of the gold draws. Other newsy shorts are: the Silver Salmon are really running thick, and fishing is beyond all expectations! Pink Salmon also continue to be more than plentiful. It truly is catch as many as much as you wish, but catch and release please unless you are planning to eat it yourself. Watch your bag limits, and don’tforget to purchase a license either at the trading post in camp, or in town. Wednesday’s continue to be crabby, as interested people toss ten dollars into a kitty used for the purchase of fresh caught Alaska King Crab and real creamery butter to dip it in. Crab just doesn’t get any better than this. Only eight of Tom Massies treasure boxes have been found as of yet, leaving 13 in hiding waiting to be discovered. A musk ox tooth was found on the beach this week. I have been told that musk ox teeth and bison teeth look amazing alike. A Mammoth tooth was found earlier this year and given to Perry Massie by Mike Swick from St. Louisville Oh. The weather continues to be sunny with a small breeze. Last night however, there was some moisture in the air along with sunshine. About ten p.m. the crisp and clean air near our camp attracted the sun beams, and a beautiful rainbow was born. Baby Rainbow was rather short and fat, but due to the clear air the colors were stunning. Each color was distinctive, crisp and glowing with new found life. Lindsey Rudolph, and Sam Rua were lucky enough to see this show, as well as a few other people in camp.

The gold that is just waiting to be found in the hills and valleys around camp is calling to me. I hear it whispering in the sound of each gentle breeze. As camp is almost over for this year, I better find it now, or else I will have to wait until next year, which seems much too long in the future! So bye for now.

Until Next time, may your life and the bottom of your pan be golden!

Your friend,
Arctic Annie