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Created by CassandraD
Gem mining in Franklin, NC
Tue 06/10/08 (day 1)
Directions: Prior to Day 1
The Carolina Motel is very clean and small so there isn't a lot of traffic coming through. There is free continental breakfast and the pool area is very clean and inviting.
We started the day at Mason Mountain Mine there were enriched buckets available that gauranteed a find of something shiny, but we went the native way and spent $15 for 4 hours each digging our own buckets and use of the flume. We did 4 bukets each in that time and found 3 good rubies, 2 good saphirres and a coulpe of other nice treasures. Its not a gauranteed find, but everyone there that day seemed to be finding sometihng. We were told by a motel employee that jewelers come and stay there often and they all use Mason Mountain mine regulary.
Our next stop was at Sheffield Mine we started out with two buckets each (included when you pay the entry fee of $15 per person) you have a choice of native buckets or rainbow buckets. I did the rainbow buckets and found it a waist of money because though I found many pretty stones and crystals, they just fell out of the dirt and it felt like I was cheating. My partner got thre native buckets and didn't find anything. Two buckets and not even a little ruby! Althuogh while we were there we did here them honk their horn three times declaring finds of rubies over 20 carats. It was cool to hear about what people were finding, but to find nothing your self is dissapointing. We decided not to go back to this mine.
The Bolier Room Restaurant is located in the FUN FACTORY. We had buffalo chicken, the chicken sandwich and onion rings and it was great! We highly suggest the Coconut cake!!! and you could always relax with a game of mini golf for $2.50 a person afterwards. The atmosphere was family oriented and casual.