I worked 23 years underground as a hard rock miner. I spent most of these years mining gold and silver in Republic, Washington. I had to work at other mines when the Republic unit would shut down. The mines I travelled to included the Coeur d' Alene's Con-Sil mine, a copper mine in Tooele, Utah, a cobalt mine west of Salmon, Idaho and then on to a gold mine near Lake Chandalar, Alaska which is located 80 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

When NAFTA was passed, the company in Republic moved its operation to Mexico and I chose not to follow...instead, I enrolled in a 2 year saddle making course at Spokane Falls Community College that was instructed by Jesse Smith. Many years of custom saddle making followed and has evolved into exclusively building gun leather.

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My wife and I enjoy packing into the Bob Marshall Wilderness with our 7 Norwegian Fjord ponies and our Red Heeler Lilly.