I hopped on over to Dictionary.com to look up "Gold Digger" when I decided on a title for this post. I didn't need my favorite dictionary site for spelling purposes, though. I simply didn't know if Gold Digger was one word or two. Turns out to be two, with two possible definitions...

1. a person who seeks or digs for gold in a gold field.
2. Informal. a woman who associates with or marries a man chiefly for material gain.

I must admit, having lived in upscale Scottsdale, Arizona for quite some time, I've encountered my fare share of Gold Diggers (definition #2) over the years. Although definition #2 is, most likely, an avid traveler, spending her hubby's fortune at exotic hot-spots around the world, definition #1 definitely involves travel, to me would be considered an adventure, and is rightly suited to our theme here at Traveluptuous.com.

Google immediately gave us some ideas for research . . .

Tools and methods were of definite interest. Hmm . . California and Australia . . We were wondering where one might find the 'gold field' mentioned in definition #1. Now, let's see if there's any gold in them there hills in our home state of Arizona!

According to wikipedia, "Arizona has produced more than 16 million troy ounces of gold. Major gold-mining districts included the Vulture mine west of Wickenburg, and Oatman in Mohave County. The last gold mine to operate in Arizona was the Gold Road mine at Oatman, which shut down in 1998."

About a 1 1/2-hour drive, Wickenburg would be the closest gold field to Scottsdale, so we dug a bit deeper, and found OutWickenburgWay.com. The next "60th Annual Gold Rush Days and Rodeo" to be held in February of 2008 would be of particular interest to a Gold Digger (definition #1).

Upon noticing a link to the right, I immediately digressed: BIRDING IN WICKENBURG. As the proud owner of a beautiful African Grey, and adopted mother of several Peach-faced lovebirds that make daily trips to the feeders in my backyard, I have a rather strong affinity to anything related to birds.

But let's get back to those nuggets. Searching for equipment related to mining or panning produced quite a few results, but we finally nestled down over at BlackCatMining.com. An appealing site that is easy on the eyes, BlackCatMining.com is a great site to visit, whether you're a newbie panner, or a seasoned Digger!

You'll find all the equipment required to find the shiny stuff through a variety of methods, along with a wealth of information in the Reference Section, including Gold Panning, Gold Sluicing, Choosing a Pan, and Equipment Info. Who knew that "Metal detectors offer a high tech approach to treasure hunting and gold prospecting with all the same excitement of finding where X marks the spot." Not I!

We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at BlackCatMining.com, and subsequently decided to join their affiliate program. Simply put, this means that if you click on the banner below, then choose to make a purchase, BlackCatMining will reward us with a small portion of the sale.

For quality gear for recreational mining, gem collecting and treasure hunting, or just plain old good information, we recommend BlackCatMining.com.