Rick Ness Has a Shiny New Excavator That He Says He Would Live In if He Could

It's been a tough end of 2024 for Gold Rush's Rick Ness. On October 19 he announced the passing of his beloved dog Rubi, by sharing a message from his longtime partner, Leese Mae Arie, on Instagram.

Two months prior, sweet Rubi had been diagnosed with advanced kidney disease which can "worsen quickly," Leesa wrote.

Together she and Rick gave Rubi the best two months a fur baby can have before she finally had to trot on over the Rainbow Bridge.

"It hurts, but I am so grateful for the 19 years that she was here," wrote Rick beneath the post.

He hasn't been very active on social media since, but perhaps Rick is about to get a burst of joy in the form of a glorious reminder of what he already has. In a thrilling episode of Gold Rush, Rick shows off a shiny new toy that cost him a cool $1.4 million.

Let's take a look at his new excavator. We're doing this for Rubi!

Getting a new excavator must be a lot like getting a new car, times 100. Is there a new excavator smell? Maybe Rick agonized over which air freshener scent to use. All of that aside, it's clear he digs his enormous new toy. In a clip from the show, Rick introduces the world to his Volvo EC750EL as if it were a new lady in his life. "It's a big a-- digging machine," says Rick,

This sweet ride will be able to fill up their 40-ton rock trucks with just three easy scoops. "I actually pulled the plastic off this thing when it showed up," Rick explains while gesturing to its ultra-comfortable seat. Hopefully, he was able to tear all of it off.

Who among us hasn't looked down at their cell phone and realized they've been living with one of those weird plastic strips on the side? Rick has probably never done that.

"This is one of the happiest days of my life," he said while smiling. In terms of safety, this thing is covered in cameras which he can access via a screen in the cab. He'll have 360 view which is very helpful.

And because we know an excavator can be just as vain as the rest of us, this beauty has fake taillights. Obviously, you can't tell they're fake.

In our unprofessional opinion, the best part of the tour is inside the cab that has a fully adjustable seat. It's also climate-controlled which means Rick can dig almost all year long. The seat reclines all the way back, just in case the mood to nap should strike you.

As a reminder, one should never operate heavy machinery when they don't feel up to snuff. "If it was just a tiny bit bigger, I'd probably move into it, as an apartment," said Rick.

There is very little this machine can't do. We know it can't heal the Rubi-shaped hole in Rick's heart, but maybe it can fill it with gold.