Gold Rush's Freddy Dodge And Juan Ibarra Use Their Experience To Create Their Own Equipment Parts
Setting up gold mining operations in incredibly remote locations requires a great deal of effort in planning, logistics, equipment, and staff. No amount of planning always goes without a hitch, which often sees skilled gold miners utilizing their resources in order to deal with broken equipment, inclement weather, and other unforeseen events that threaten their collections of precious and valuable minerals. Luckily, Freddy Dodge and Juan Ibarra from "Gold Rush" know a thing or two about how to make do with whatever is around.
Speaking with Monsters and Critics, Dodge explained that he and Ibarra are almost always prepared, and the trailer Ibarra usually has with him has a CNC burn table, which is used for manipulating steel. At this point in the conversation, the interviewer pointed out that there are no stores where Ibarra and Dodge set up, and they wondered how the duo were able to figure out how to craft equipment on the fly.
"I've been around the block and doing this for a long time," Dodge said. "It's easier for Juan and myself sometimes to look at something and figure out what works and doesn't work, as we've been there before. We've made things that don't work, and we don't want to do that again."
Dodge and Ibarra have a tremendous knowledge base born from years of experience
Within the world of gold mining and the "Gold Rush" franchise, Freddy Dodge and Juan Ibarra are legends. This fact is highlighted by their very own spin-off, "Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge's Mine Rescue," which sees the two travel to different gold mining operations in order to lend their skills and professional acumen in hopes of aiding struggling miners.
Both Ibarra and Dodge have over 40 years of experience. Some even call Dodge "Gold Guru" while Ibarra is known for his ability to fabricate almost anything a gold mining operation would need in a pinch.
In a phone interview with Hollywood Soapbox, Dodge explained why he was enthusiastic about "Gold Rush: Freddy Dodge's Mine Rescue."
"I've helped miners out for years, and when this opportunity came about, especially with Juan Ibarra, we work great together, it was just go," Dodge said. "It's not only trust with Juan. He's an excellent mechanic, and he's an excellent person. Of all the people I've worked with over the years, Juan Ibarra is the one I would choose over anybody else. He's just a definite good person, and he's very good at what he does."
Considering the wealth of knowledge between Dodge and Ibarra, it makes perfect sense as to why the two are able to come up with novel solutions, and it definitely sounds like they have learned through years of trial and error.