elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by elementary on Jul 13, 2013 20:56:22 GMT -5
I got up this morning, started putting together the boxes of cr*p boxes I needed to finish up, when the phone rang. It was a heads up on the local sale here in Ventura of an old-time member from our club. So I set aside those boxes and headed over to the sale. The backyard was stacked with tables of misc california stuff. Much of this stuff was self-collected but was from all throughout the southwest. What was nice about the wood was that much of it was labeled, which is often rare at these events. $1 a pound for rough. $4 if it had been cut. I purchased a pile of chapinite, a small pile of wood for the Index (yes - I'm still working on the latest volume and it should be out in two weeks -really..), some reddish fire agate(?), and one or two misc. pieces. Oh - and a maybe Fairburn.... Chapinite - Rainbow Ridge Reddish Chalcedony Whalebone Cut Wood Misc Wood Pieces Scale: And the Fairburn? (it cost $5 so if it isn't, well, I'm not out much...) (Ah....meant for this to be in members section.....well, I ain't changing it now.....) Thanks for looking (and any comments on the mystery stone?) Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 6, 2013 14:18:19 GMT -5
Always love seeing what you pull from your neck of the woods, or side of the river, or gravel pile, or railroad crossing, or whereever you get your stuff...
Thanks for sharing.
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 6, 2013 14:15:59 GMT -5
Well, for Riverbend and Drummond Island Rocks, I'll send you out each a box of cr*p rocks. I had two responses in my PM box and tho separated by a couple hours, I'm not going to deprive either of you of owning cr*ppy Cdy rocks.....But only the first earliest will get the super secret box I was going to mail out with the cr*ppy box - which is filled with less than cr*ppy rocks from the Mojave region (as you are on the far side of the Cont. Divide I thought you'd like to see some random stuff ....)
I'll let you know who posted first.
Thanks for volunteering.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 5, 2013 15:49:29 GMT -5
Sold!!!!!!!! er Given away!!!!!!!
Seriously - if you're wondering what other, smarter people leave behind, then this box will sate your curiosity!
And I'm bummed I didn't think of that use for these things....
Just PM your address and it'll be off by week's end. (Depending on when I get my honeydo list down to a level that I can actually have my to do list actually on my radar.)
Thanks,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 5, 2013 12:14:53 GMT -5
With all the talk of the Northern Cady's I've been drawn back into the buckets of stuff I've collected there. So, in doing so, I've discovered I have collected quite a pile of cr*p rock from this location. Sure, they're fragments and slivers splashed with bits of color, but they ain't big enough to do much with - or they're nodules broken in a way that I can't work them, or they are smaller chunks with material that's been cracked, or just bits of cr*p rock.
And I want to GIVE away a Medium FR box of this junky stuff. Yep...I'll ship it to you free of charge. That's how bad I want to purge myself of this ballast.
Really. It's cr*p rock. Like last time - you do not want this stuff. You cannot do anything with this stuff. You must be in desperate need of rock garden reseeding material if you respond to this.
Truthfully, you could find better rock stuck between the treads of your car or scattered around the place where that cat sits behind your house and yowls all night.
I tried to take of picture of it and it broke me camera.....it's that bad!
But.... if are seriously curious about what cr*p rock looks like, well, I will send it to you.
CRITERIA #1- you must live on the eastern side of the rocky mountains. WHY? You ask. Well, if you live on the western side then you can collect your own cr*p agate whenever the mood shifts you, but people on the other side don't have that luxury. Just state your home town in your post.
CRITERIA #2 - You must not send it back to me when you find out how cr*ppy this rock is. Don't even think about it. Give it to the paperboy as a tip. Dump it in the woods to confuse future geologists. Stick it in your bratty boy's Christmas stocking instead of coal. Encase the lot in concrete and drop it off a bridge. I don't care.
So, first to respond with those 2 criteria in mind will get the box.
Lowell
PS - Don't expect a pony in this box or cr*p. Just expect the cr*p.
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 3, 2013 1:09:34 GMT -5
Stunning material.
Thanks for sharing.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 3, 2013 1:04:15 GMT -5
Love the two colors the first cab possesses - lots of character.
And I see what you mean by the second one, but still, it has a more organic, less 'structured' look to it.
Glad you cut the block. Looking forward to seeing other finished pieces from it.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 2, 2013 17:48:53 GMT -5
Welcome - and wonderful fire agate you're showing!
As for location - I'm in Ventura - just off the 33.
Welcome!
Oh, I tried to click on your link in your profile to see your site, but it didn't work. I did reach it by the old fashioned internet search. Though you might want to know.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jul 2, 2013 17:29:55 GMT -5
That little guy comes from a small hill we nicknamed flattop. It lies in a series of hills but doesn't have a peak. Instead it's a flat spot the size of a baseball diamond. We found it while hiking and as we came up we saw what we thought was a bunch of normal desert varnished rock littering its top. We approached and saw that 90% of those rocks were agate nodules, eroded and dropped as the hilltop crumbled away. Most were small - many were broken - all showed signs of being on the surface for who knows how many years. Problem - many are not fully agatized or are so weathered they are crumbling. I filled my backpack that day and a year later another one. A good percentage of the nodules there had a lot of 'extra' features - sagenite, pseudomorphs, etc. Their colors were primarily white with some blue and hints of pink tossed in. Here's a side picture of the one you see above: And others - harder to spot the oddball features, but take a look: Here's one that shows the tectonic power of the region - the host rock with the gas bubble cracked and shifted and then the agate filled in the altered space: And this one seems to be wanting to sprout white asparagus: Eyes? And for completion's sake (tho not complete by any means): Fluorite from near Mel's Plumey Jasper: These are small pieces I gave away, but you can find some slightly larger, less fractured chunks with some digging. (bring a scream, shovel, and water bottle). Considering pulling out my buckets of rough and shooting some more Cady variety... Thanks for looking, Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 13:09:11 GMT -5
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 12:40:06 GMT -5
Wow!
Lovely colors and a nice heftly size.
I approve! That dinosaur died for a good cause!
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 12:36:28 GMT -5
What I saw was a dark pudgy little figure (like a hobbit) holding a short dagger or sword in the middle of the slab. Behind him, in the distance is a figure on a horse - either a dark rider or Aragorn. Like something out of the LoTR.
The painted slab is wonderful and I can see why you like these.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 12:28:56 GMT -5
I'm of the belief that if you cannot give away or sell something that you own, then that thing owns you.
Now, that being said, I'm obsessive and compulsive and a hoarder. I have 3000 books in storage and 50 + buckets of rocks in my garage.
Those books own me. Many are worth a good deal of money - so I can't just give them away - and some are very rare - so I can't just replace them. But they have no function right now - I can't easily read them and they are not even decorating a wall in my house. So what true value do they actually have right now? Answer - they cost me $80 a month in storage fees. Multiply that by 7 years (the age of my daughter whose room used to be the library...) and suddenly their value is a liability.....but I can't seem to get rid of the core collection. I hope to have my library back one day, but there is no guarantee... Hence "Obsession begins where common sense ends."
My rocks are my current obsession - when work allows. My core collection here are several hundred displayable pieces for the 4-5 shows I do a year. My focus is having an overview of agate regions across the US and the world. (here my babbling actually will directly relate to the subject of this post) If I only have one or two samples of a region, I have a hard time giving (hardly ever sell) away items. BUT I will often give away a finished piece as that forces me to dig into my rough and try to produce another specimen that surpasses what I currently have or had. I also like to rotate my specimens, and giving away parts of my collection forces me back to the wheels to grind out new stuff. I also know that a valued gift to an interested person can create a new rockhound from someone who had no clue about our hobby. It's always fun to see a person's face light up when they see what's hiding in this dusty ol' rocks of ours.
As for rough, that's my potential. I'll give away good pieces to good homes, and if somebody appreciates some material, I might gift them a couple pieces of uncut stuff. But again, I always want those 1-4 pieces available to work on if I give away something. For nodule specimens, I keep 100's of them per site because you're never guaranteed a perfect innard.
My only other comment is that I believe that what you give away comes back to you in greater amounts. I gave Woody a large whalebone and chunk of Stone Canyon a few years ago when I took him to the Cady's. Within two weeks I was invited to an estate sale and got a larger chunk of both items - for free... Doesn't mean you always get back the same, or that you should expect something to land in your lap (that would turn the 'gift' into a 'trade for a player to be named later.') But I get a nice feeling when I let something go, and I always say thanks when something unexpected winds up in my lap.
Sorry for my mutterings. Hope I said something interesting.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 11:58:00 GMT -5
To be truthful, I have no interest right now in the Southern Cady's. The material is not as varied (though the good stuff can be great - especially the newer flame agate locations - but those are being hit HARD every weekend and I'm not sure what is left.) As for Lavic - I got the stuff. It's nice and all that, but it's Lavic. Easy to reach and doesn't shiver my timbers.
It's the North Cady's that I want to explore and hunt. As for the car issue, well, if you do a one day hunt (or base yourself at the KOA in Barstow or a motel) then car pooling is the way to go. I can ask the guys at Diamond Pacific if we can use their parking lot as a 'park and ride' location. Actually, there's a good possibility one or two of them would want to go. They are some of the most active rockhounds you'll ever meet. Bill Depue also has some of the best stories you'll ever hear about hunting in that part of the desert. John (who I randomly met years ago) who works there, has roamed mile after mile looking for new dig spots. It's him and a couple others who went to Google maps and laid a line between Pisgah Crater Road and Sleeping Beauty mountain in the southern Cady's and then hiked that rise to find all that glorious flame and red moss and jasper that's been attacked now for the past 2+ years.
Anyway. North Cady's. North Cady's. North Cady's.
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 11:42:14 GMT -5
Oh - as for the weekend, I have no preference at this time. I won't have one until closer to the date, but as long as it's not on Halloween, I should be okay. We host family that day.
Also, regarding where I stay. I don't camp out there, usually I drive out late friday night- catch a motel in Barstow, then boogie out before dawn to Basin Road about when the light is coming up. I start leaving the diggin areas about an hour before nightfall as it is not a short drive and you don't want to be roaming around after dark. There are no street lamps.
It would be great to be there all weekend, but I would have no room in my truck if that was the case....... Hmmmmm, sounds intriguing.
Lowell
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elementary
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Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jul 1, 2013 11:38:13 GMT -5
Mel,
The canyon is beyond pepto hill, and is just past a place where you can turn right and head up a really steep hill that looks like a bear to navigate. It's a couple miles or so beyond the Pink hill and you cut through a small gap then descend into a wide gully before shifting right into the narrow canyon. What made it worse this last time was the sides of the canyon had dropped large boulders of rocks so even if the road was wider, you needed a shorter vehicle like a jeep to navigate through or you risked being hung up. This leads to a place I've heard called "The Dugout" where some prospector years ago dug into the side of a hill and made a room big enough for a chair and table and sleeping bag. I've never been that far back, but I want to go. Some friends dug out a large amount of gorgeous cutting material, including a multi-colored jasper with a purplish interior.
What gets me is that the place is so loaded, any road you travel down along that ridgeline is practically guaranteed to have material - and the bonus is the diversity of cutting material to be had. Unlike Lavic - jasper, or Hector Hills - oddball chalcedony/agate, Cady is a true buffet.
Wish I could have gone back there with you when you were here (well, except for the time you had to pull a gun on an approaching car in the middle of the night.......or was that somewhere else???)
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Jun 28, 2013 1:04:09 GMT -5
Wow,
Look what pops up when I'm away!!!!! School's out and I am looking for some fun and this - though a ways in the future - looks like a hoot!
I love that area. It's probably my favorite place to hunt. I guess I've been out there 6-7 times. It's been picked over but there is still stuff to be found with the right amount of foot power! I can't commit (there's no date set) but would love to go. If I can wing it, I'll be there.
Now this is the north cady's we're talking about, the Basin Road access point, I believe. The Christmas Tree Agate is outside Ludlow in the southern portion and that's a right long way to go.
Still there is much much much to be had in the northern Cady's - but to get to it - and forgive me if I missed the posting of this information, it takes a 10+ mile drive through sandy riverbottom to get to the Pepto Bismal hill. Often that sand ain't much, but if it gets churned up a bit or you leave the road, you could wind up getting stuck. There's also a place even deeper in but you need a narrower vehicle than my truck (a jeep would do) or you might lose a side mirror and some paint.
But there is so much out there - jasper, green fluorite, aragonite, sagenite, plume (lots o plume), nodules, geode nodules, banded nodules, seam agate of blue / red / green / purple / etc. Some of those seams travel 1/3 of a mile along the hills - widening out then pinching shut only to zig-zag up another direction. You gotta put sunscreen on the back of your neck and none on your nose as it's always pointing down. It drives some of my friends crazy but I love getting out of the car when you come within sight of that pink hill and roam about the sandy runoff. There's always chunks of agate to be found and I give myself 15 minutes of excitement buildup via float hunting before hopping back into the car and finally driving up to the base of those glorious hills.
I'll take some photos and post them on Mel's Cady photo exhibit.
Man - I'm all a'tingling....
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jun 6, 2013 0:57:36 GMT -5
Had a great time this past weekend. It's been a grind for the past few months and I've been preoccupied with everything from state testing to double ear infections. My class of 6th graders are warping into middle school students and quite a few have already checked out. My school leads the district with suspensions as well....and my class pushes the boundaries. In the past week I've been accused of racism and asked if i go to a church that worships the devil. It's been an interesting year... So I can't wait for summer and this past weekend was a pleasant taste of my time off. I mostly worked the silent auction during the show but I escaped often to roam, meeting with friends, RTH members, dealers, and club members from all over. What I have here is the few pieces I bought. I've fallen in love with the Argentina agates over the past couple years - mostly the condors, but these patagonian agates are looking nicer and nicer. Here's my haul. First a patagonian I picked up in April at the Conejo show. You gotta watch for fractures here. Many of these were surface collected and the husks have been sand blasted naturally for uncounted years. Some have outstanding colors but fractures mar their look a little. They range from $20 to multiple hundreds. They are not Lagunas, but they have a style of their own. Oh, I should show the agate.... Here is the pair I picked up this time. I really like everything going on in this one. I joked that it looks like my brain with a headache. A piece of Boron Wood. I've dug and hunted here and only found one small piece. It was nice finding an oak round with the orange color. There was also booth for Faultline Trading from NoCal. The dealer - Randy - said he was a member of this forum but I am blanking on his userid. Anyway, he had a selection of iris and turtleback agates for sale. I fell in love with one slab and then picked another that caught my eye. The prices were good. I now need to get some method of backlighting these things. The pattern on the first one really pops with the right light - like stormclouds. I also lucked into some rough. I picked up this at the auction. It was placed and I immediately paid the 'buy it now' price. Royal Aztec Lace: And there was a dealer from Utah. He had some self-dug Red Horn Coral from Utah. I told him that I thought this was a closed locality, but he said he goes up every year. Says it's remote and hard to get to. I bought the pieces shown below but am still a little wary about the collecting status of the site. When I get a chance, I'll post photos of many of the cases (including Bob's). It's a busy time for the next week so i'm not sure when that is going to happen. I've missed this place. I still haven't checked my messages. (And I haven't worked on the index in months - that's my first project when school's out...) Hope all is well. Thanks for looking, Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jun 6, 2013 0:20:31 GMT -5
Great specimens! I'm glad you had a chance to roam those piles. The bonus isn't the polished pieces but those rough piles of material just waiting to be picked and done yourself.
If others are interested, she always does the Conejo show in Newberry Park/Thousand Oaks each April.
Crater/patagonian/snow/condor/black river. The show prior to this they were selling polished flat boxes of Black River Agates for $50.
Lowell
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elementary
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Member since February 2006
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Post by elementary on Jun 1, 2013 12:02:17 GMT -5
I'm glad this post got bumped up. I've been either too under the weather (double ear infection recently) or too wrapped up in the year end testing to focus too much on my favorite hobby.
For those interested - I'll be working in the silent auction throughout the day, but I'll also be wandering around talking to all the vendors and guests. As for my photo - well, I carefully pick only the most flattering shots.....so in real life I'll be a little more frumpy.....
I'm wearing a brown striped shirt and jeans and will have a yellow volunteer badge around my neck.
Agate lovers should check out Thomas Wolfe Minerals - they have petrified wood and all sorts of nodules from Dryhead to Mexican.
There is the source dealer for Argentinian agates - Condor (plus rough), Puma, Snow, Crater (plus rough), Pategonian. Incredible supply of the person who brings it up from S. America. From smaller specimens to more $$$ display pieces.
Diamond Pacific
There is a newer dealer who has a large collection of iris and turtleback material for sale. I believe his business is called Faultline.
Several fossil dealers (not my thing)
Some local rough.
Lots of minerals.
Beautiful location at the fairgrounds right by the beach.
I am looking forward to actually having the time and energy to get back on this forum. It's been a while and I miss it.
Hopefully will see some of you at the show!
Lowell
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