There are thousands of miles of dirt roads in California’s gold country, and quartz outcroppings are a common sight. This can be exciting for the prospector who recognizes that quartz and gold sometimes hang out together. And, it is possible – if you spend enough time and are willing to sort through several thousand empty .22 casings — to find gold right there in that road cut. But, the tiny portion of the vein you see on the road is just that — a tiny portion.