The Gold Rush Lifestyle Attracted Tony Beets For An Important Reason

Some people prefer their stereotypical nine-to-five jobs. Waking up at a normal time, driving in traffic with everybody else, going to lunch around noon, and packing it up by mid to late afternoon. However, some among us prefer something a bit more on the unconventional or wild side, and these individuals often buck common conventions for the chance at something greater, more exciting, or way more profitable. This is probably why the reality television series "Gold Rush" is so popular, mainly because people can fantasy a life that isn't defined by offices, written schedules, and unnecessary meetings.

Featuring a robust cast of rugged explorers, adventurers, and life-long miners, "Gold Rush" has proven to be an overwhelming success that has led to an entire barrage of spin-off shows. One of the long-running miners on the show, Tony Beets, originally appeared in Season 2 and he quickly became one of the fan favorites for his personality and drive. As noted by Discovery, Beets is from the Netherlands and moved to Dawson City in 1984. From there, he etched out a living milking cows, but soon found himself drawn to gold mining in this remote section of the planet, and he soon became one of the most successful miners and operators in the Klondike region. So what made Beets give up a simple life of cow-milking for gold mining?

Since Tony Beets is wildly considered to be one of the most prolific miners in that arctic region of North America, one may wonder what propelled him to such lofty heights, specially knowing that he originally started off as a cow-milker. Speaking with Entrepreneur, Beets was asked how he came to gold mining, and he replied, "I hung around Alberta and BC for a bit, then I went to the Yukon for the money. They said you can make a thousand bucks a week, so I thought, 'If they get that, I'll get a little more.' And that's what happened. I guess I really like the lifestyle; that attracted me to it most. You do whatever you want, yell at people whenever you feel like it. And then there's the hunt, the treasure. I like it."

In other words, it seems like Beets' motivation simply started off as a chance at making a better life for himself, but from there, Beets realized that he really enjoyed the lifestyle. Of course one can probably imagine that being a cow-milker in 1980s Dawson City isn't exactly the most satisfying or lucrative enterprise, though gold mining surely is. Beyond the chances for riches, gold mining also represents a chance for adventure – to see the unknown and to reap the bounties of the land in the form of precious minerals. This has long been a drive for explorers in human history, and Beets and his fellow miners in "Gold Rush" just represent a fresh iteration of this primal spirit of curiosity and discovery.