After three days of watching each other work and sharing stories we had the beginnings of a nice relationship. The next month there was going to be another common "dig" at the LDMA camp at Stanton, AZ. We decided to meet a month later and have our own common "dig" between ourselves.

We arrived at Stanton and had a wonderful three days of association with each other. As the "dig" was winding down, Bob and I still had another week of vacation left. Bob asked me if I would like to go to another area and do some prospecting. I told him that would be great. 

We left that evening and headed to an area that Bob knew well.

The next morning we got up and talked about where we should set up our operation. Bob suggested that we all should have input into the location and we should get to know the area first. Bob took us on a walking, hiking and climbing tour of the area for about three hours.

Showing and telling us about the mining history of the area. As we were walking down this one wash, Bob said that there was something he wanted to show us up ahead. It was a large boulder sitting in the middle of an adjoining wash. It had petroglyph signs and symbols on it. Since I had my camera with me, I took several pictures of it.

I took more pictures of the area as the week went by, much to quickly I may add. We had to get back home and go back to our real jobs. We exchanged numbers and said our goodbyes.

After I returned home I had the pictures of the boulder and the surrounding area developed. After many hours of looking at boulder and the pictures of the surrounding area, I found out that the glyphs on the boulder were "sun shadow" depictions on a nearby mountain. I then began more research into what I had found. And what I found, was that this could be a very important find.

Now, I could have kept this information to myself. I could have gotten friends/relatives to help investigate these glyphs further. My friends and relatives questioned me as to how could I trust him, with such important information? This was a good question that I had to answer. I could keep the knowledge and not tell him about it. Or I could tell him and maybe he would take the information and try to figure out the puzzle. I had the pictures, the research and the knowledge of what these signs & symbols represented.

I had to make a decision. Would it be the right decision? Was my judgment flawed about my new found friend? Could I trust him with the information? Could I trust him with my "LIFE"? Here are some of the questions that everyone should ask themselves about the selection of their partners:

1. Can I trust them with my life? I know people that I wouldn't trust with anything I possess, let alone my life. You want people that won't "Freak Out". if something goes horribly wrong. I want people that will act on a given situation and not react to it.

2. Their "Word" is their bond. Allowing nothing to interfere with their honesty, integrity and character of the partnership.

3. They have to be of a similar mindset as myself. Having a particular goal and striving to do the absolute best they can to get the job done. Rugged individuals, men or women, that can handle the task.

4. They have to be secure with their abilities and not afraid to tell others of their limitations. (Fear of heights, closed in spaces, etc...)

5. They have to handle themselves professionally, when they are working. Joking
around is after the day's work is done.

6. They must understand that "Safety" has to be the #1 priority, when you have people and equipment moving about.

7. They must know CPR, first aid, and have common sense.

This is just part of my list, to select my partners wisely and have confidence in them. The select group of people that I call my partners, are my friends. So when you go about your selection process, choose wisely "Grasshopper", for it's only your life in their hands. I know that finding good partners, are rare indeed. I looked for years, to find the partners that I have today. I would not trade any one of them for any amount of treasure.

"Be Safe Out There"

"Hawkeye"