Trylobyte
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 101
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Post by Trylobyte on Feb 24, 2004 16:38:15 GMT -5
I've spent the last 3 years scouring Western Washington in search of rocks, and after many miles, I found the mother load. First, the caveat. Don't ask me where it is. I'm sworn to secrecy. All I'll say is that it's in central Western Washington. I know the board says "Location...", so I'll ask you to be content, and let this be an inspiration for those who seek the true stone. Let's start with this:  Below the phone is all agate, to the left is jasper. Here's a couple closeups:     And here's some cool closeups: Nicely banded root beer agate:  Fist-sized chunk:  Average piece:   Plume chunk:   Cool smallish piece (notice the small pebbles that are opaque compared to the backlit agate):   There is a rock god, and she readily accepts offerings and sacrifices. This I know. ;D |
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Post by hermatite on Feb 24, 2004 17:22:37 GMT -5
ooooooooooooooooooo aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...what kind of offering did you make? would a slightly banged up 1994 Buick get the goddess excited, do you think? that's an especially impressive collection and thanks for backlighting them.
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 24, 2004 17:43:42 GMT -5
hey try ------- nice find there lookin mighty good i wanna see some done dont forget the pics after: nice reds seeya john
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on Feb 24, 2004 17:54:20 GMT -5
WHOA MAMMA!!!! Kind is an understatement TryB! That is one killer load of goodys my man. There is some great looking rock there, all of it. Really like that translucient agate. You got to be happy ;D
Congrats and great rock hounding, Don
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Trylobyte
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 101
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Post by Trylobyte on Feb 24, 2004 18:27:18 GMT -5
Forgot to mention...
Ms. Rock God was looking over my shoulder as two mountain lyons were eyeballing me the week before at the same location. I was way far back in the bush with only my dog and a rock hammer. Talk about feeling like a pig on a spit...
I figured I could take the one, but then the other one would bushwack me from behind... Cowardly lyons...
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Feb 24, 2004 19:06:45 GMT -5
Showing off pictures like this could get you kidnapped and made to lead other members to this spot!!!!! So you in the market to sell some of this find?
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Feb 24, 2004 20:43:47 GMT -5
I am just green with envy that you can go out and find rocks like these!
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Post by rockyraccoon on Feb 24, 2004 21:28:22 GMT -5
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh - to go out and be able to do that - now the lion thing is another story - when you go back (and we know you are) i'd be toting more than a hammer ;D but i'd enjoy seeing the lions too long as i didn't have to be a snack.
i sure do love it when y'all share pictures!
kim
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MichiganRocks
starting to spend too much on rocks
"I wasn't born to follow."
Member since April 2007
Posts: 154
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Post by MichiganRocks on Feb 24, 2004 21:46:24 GMT -5
Fantastic! I can't wait to see what these look like polished!
Ron
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Trylobyte
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 101
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Post by Trylobyte on Feb 25, 2004 0:40:29 GMT -5
Just to try and set the record straight...
This find was the culmination of a very intense and pretty well organized search. It took a couple of key hints, a sound understanding of the local geology, a good set of maps, a very recently acquired GPS, and a good pair of rubber boots that have seen many miles of rugged creek bottoms.
I basically knew that there was agate in a general region, because I had seen samples in rock shops and on the internet. I spent months driving around looking for places along the rivers to prospect (sometimes difficult due to "No Trespassing" signs), and found very small fragments, and not many at first. A good day might net me a dozen 1/2 - 1 inch stones, and maybe some jasper. I then started hiking into some very rugged areas along creeks that didn't have names. Eventually I started finding larger pieces, with more color. I kept prospecting, narrowing down the area of interest. These agates are eroding out of much more recent glacial deposits, and they are plentiful in only very short stretches of the rivers - go 50 yds up or down river, you quit finding them. I have literally walked dozens of miles of rivers and creeks with nothing to show, and I found this batch on maybe 100 yards of creek bed.
I really love the outdoors, and admit I have a little more than a passing fetish for the stones.
You'd recognize me - I'm the guy walking around the parking lot picking up jasper out of the crushed rock paving.
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Feb 25, 2004 14:14:52 GMT -5
If it was easy than everyone would be a rockhound, good things come to people with perservierance. great rocks
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Banjocreek
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2003
Posts: 1,115
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Post by Banjocreek on Feb 25, 2004 14:45:10 GMT -5
Awesome collection.
I only hope to be that lucky this weekend.
The objective is green quartz and yellow jasper.
That is a fantastic job of tracking those sources.
I wish I didn't have a job so I could just tramp around for weeks on end.
Do I hear an 'Amen'?
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Post by sandsman1 on Feb 25, 2004 15:42:27 GMT -5
AMEN i wish i had a back that worked long enuff to run around in the woods hahahaha john
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WilliamC
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2003
Posts: 416
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Post by WilliamC on Feb 27, 2004 12:57:36 GMT -5
Greetings All, Most impressive Trylobyte, what a find  And here I am thinking that rocks only come from ebay or stores or guys in foreign countries. That is a very inspirational bit of storytelling about how you took the time to track them down to their source. Someday I really want to make a find like that, to be able to actually see the rocks in the ground and know I am the first person to lay hands on them. Quite a bit more rewarding than just buying them. Fantastic bit of prospecting, and great pictures too. Thanks for sharing. WilliamC |
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Feb 28, 2004 18:43:23 GMT -5
That is some amazing Washington State Carnelian. Lucas Creek? I envy your rocks.
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Skipper
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2003
Posts: 258
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Post by Skipper on Mar 13, 2004 18:51:37 GMT -5
Great find! I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about the science you used to try and locate good spots to hunt. I don't know a lot about geological maps.
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Mazanec
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 355 
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Post by Mazanec on Apr 11, 2004 12:46:01 GMT -5
Man, oh man, what James could do with your rocks!
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Post by RockyHorror on Apr 11, 2004 20:24:51 GMT -5
No wonder people throw toast at you!  |
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Post by cookie3rocks on Apr 11, 2004 21:29:11 GMT -5
Trylobyte,
wine and blood offerings only please. Wine prefered.
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James
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since October 2003
Posts: 876
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Post by James on Apr 11, 2004 21:41:12 GMT -5
I'm sure Tyrobyte will do justice to them. He always turns out killer stones. Look on the homepage under the "visitors section."
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And here I am thinking that rocks only come from ebay or stores or guys in foreign countries. That is a very inspirational bit of storytelling about how you took the time to track them down to their source. Someday I really want to make a find like that, to be able to actually see the rocks in the ground and know I am the first person to lay hands on them. Quite a bit more rewarding than just buying them. Fantastic bit of prospecting, and great pictures too. Thanks for sharing.
