To mark the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in 1948 and the gold rush of 1849 SF Chronicle reporter Carl Nolte and photographer Brant Ward are traveling the Gold Rush trail from St. Joseph MO to California. Reports will appear Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. If you aren't a Chronicle subscriber, you can check out today's articles at www.sfgate.com/news/special/pages/1998/08/goldtrail/ which includes entries from a journal by a D. JAGGER and an article on a man in Highland KS who 40 years ago bull dozed wagon ruts that were from the Oregon Trail so he could plant corn! There are also pictures and illustrations. Should be an interesting series. Colleen Norby