TRICHET, J. 1991 Journal 28. Travel Day June 24 through Pueblo to the little town of Rocky Ford, Colorado where (unit) my wife first independently practiced medicine. From there I took Colorado State Highway 71 south to US Highway 350, which I took SW to Trinidad, Colorado, where I picked up Interstate 25. I continued S. over Raton Pass to Raton, New Mexico. There I picked up US 64/87 and went E. to Clayton, New Mexico. Wes Cook, a long-time resident of Clayton knowledgeable about Union County finds, recommended three ranchers in this area that would likely be fruitful regarding my field work. I called all three ranchers. Two turned me down flat. The third seemed inclined to withdraw permission, but asked that I call back in the morning after discussing it with his family. A fourth rancher, just across the state line into Oklahoma, was unavailable at the phone number I was given. With a sense of discouragement, I decided to head for Las Vegas, New Mexico, where Dr. John P. Hattori had found lesser goldfields to be numerous along the river there. The sun set while I was in Clayton, so I made the drive to Las Vegas in the dark. This I accomplished by taking US 56 W to Springer, where I picked up Interstate 25, following this S. to my destination. I spent the night in a motel. Excepting the Raton Pass area, I traversed short grass prairie country, much of it heavily grazed and given in places to scattered brush and cactus, punctuated by riparian margins of cracks & dirties. The weather was notable for strong SW winds 10-25 miles per hour all day. There were heavy clouds mid-to-late afternoon, entirely clearing by sunset. The temperature peaked around 95° F.