Florida RTH'ers

This could be fun. Are we talking a weekend? Baseball starts in Feb I think, so hopefully we can all get together before that. I'll find out the exact date soon. My son plays and I don't miss his games

Let's get some dates together, sounds like fun!!

T

Let's make it a weekend. We can camp, too. I'll help organize and January would be a great month.

I'm sure we can either find:
1) electricity
2) build a fire, or
3) bring you a very large bottle of something alcoholic!!!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

All of the good-find places are within easy driving distance of at least two or more of us. If you really, really want to camp out overnight you can set up a tent in our backyard. And then if it gets cold we will run safety power cords out to you or you can just sleep in one of our spare bedrooms. We even have hot water in the shower!!!

Lady B

Even better - I'll take another spare room and if I bring my kids I'll let THEM sleep in the tent!!!!!!!

Best idea ..... let them stay at their dad's for the weekend! When are we going to do it?

Here are some tidbits to consider...

Peace River and Venice Beach (Casperson Beach in actuality) both involve getting into water (could be a bit chilly) in order to search for the fossils. Accomodations at Peace River depend on where you access the river but there are Fast Food Restaurants along the nearby highway. Casperson Beach has open showers and private bathrooms. You need a long handled shovel and a Peace River screen (http://www.tampabayrockclub.com/Articles/screen.htm) to effectively search the River.

Over at Casperson Beach you need a FLorida Snow Shovel (available at the local Wal-Mart for ~$20.00).

Honeymoon Island...you can just walk along the beach and water's edge and find shells, agatized coral and chert. This is a State Park so it has set hours for entering and leaving. Has a $5.00 parking/entrance fee. Has picnic areas/bathrooms/showers. No particular tools are needed.

Rucks' Pit...sits out in the dry wide open. You need a hat and sun screen--the piles of fossils reflect the sun all day. You also need a rock hammer, some kind of small rake or pick, a 5 gallon bucket (one per adult), and $30.00 per adult (kids under 12 search free). The Rucks were building a nice bathroom/showers area which should be finished by January. There is also a covered picnic area. Rucks' Pit is essentially in the middle of nowhere. It is ~15 miles south of YeeHaw Junction, site of the World Famous "The Desert Inn" (here is a fascinating read about that Inn--once a famous brothel!!!) where you can find some really yummy food.

The Rucks limit each adult to one five gallon bucket filled with Venus Clam geodes, one piece of matrix with embedded Venus Clam geodes, and unlimited amounts of fossil shells, sharks' teeth, and mammal bones. The Pit opens ~ 8 to 9 AM, depends on the Rucks decision on any given day, and stays open until dusk.


Vulcan Mine is closed to all but organized Rock CLub outings.


Hope this helps make it a little easier to organize and coordinate the trip.

Lady B

Kev...you better watch out!

Just because I am one with Mother Earth doesn't mean that I need to sleep on the ground or do things in the trees. ;D


And for the ladies who might be going on this Florida rock hunt here is one more tidbit. January 24 through the 27th is the Gasparilla Pirate Festival in Tampa, Florida. Shiver me timbers...that is one fun celebration!!!!

One other thought, Kev...there are no trees at Casperson Beach, Honeymoon Island, or Rucks' Pit so you better have alternate plans for relief should you decide to drive down and join the ladies. ;D


Lady B

Here's a link with some great info about Rucks' Pit.

www.gamineral.org/ft_drum-pics.html