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Post by Tonyterner on Dec 15, 2008 22:53:49 GMT -5
Most of you have had me bemoan the sad state of lapidary materials here in Pennsylvania so I was excited to see Naturenut's posts about her local material. It turns out she lives about 40 minutes south of my home so I was really excited when Bejewelme arraigned for us to meet with Jo and her boyfriend. Saturday afternoon we met at their house, talked rocks for a bit then the four of headed out to Jo's collection spot. The general area is near a rather large stream but and the spots she finds the rocks are along two small feeder streams. According to Jo the area had been mined for different minerals but not for a long long time. The stream we followed had "glory holes" along both banks but we concentrated our collecting to the first stream bed. We followed the stream for maybe 100 yards before heading back. We also made a side trip to a small "mine" that people have been digging in the hillside of a serpentine cliff. I'm not sure what people are digging out of there but they seem to be taking clay that had some very sparkly flakes in it. Well we collected for about 90 minutes and Amber and I came away with about 30 pounds of rocks. Afterwards we went and had a well earned glass of wine, hung out a bit and talked more rocks. Oh and Jo made some delicious pepperoni bread and cookies to satiate our hunger. It was a really fun afternoon. The stream. Another of the stream. Jo and Amber. Some of the sparkly green clay. Some was pretty darn hard but not hard enough to be considered a rock. Some pictures of the rocks we collected. This one has some gemmy crystals. Jo found this one on a previous trip. This might be serpentine. Notice the dendtites. Some kind of slag. Probably from the area's industrial past.
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SteveHolmes
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2009
Posts: 1,900
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Post by SteveHolmes on Dec 15, 2008 23:13:50 GMT -5
Tony, It looks like you and Amber found some new hunting grounds and more importantly...some new friends! It looks like pretty country with lots of good rock potential. I really like that 1st one...it looks sliced. The slag is very curious. Did they have a smelter in the area?? I'll bet if you looked around you'd be able to find some old bottles as well. Glad you all had a fun day! Thanks for sharing the finds and the pictures. Steve
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Post by Bejewelme on Dec 15, 2008 23:16:09 GMT -5
Well it was a great day. Jo is a sweetheart, and she drug my butt all over that woods, and she shleps rock like a little llama. Don't forget Angie her cute little golden retreiver, what a doll she is. It is a really beautiful area with great colors even in the dead of winter, the one area of the stream is just green with the rocks, and green everywhere you look, the ground, banks, stream bed, etc very unusual for this part of PA. There are so many different types of material out there, we wish we knew what it all was. The AZ dirt bag held 30 pounds of rock, WTG Maryann, thank you. Jo and her BF have the rock fever, I can see it in them, crazed and amazed. Jo-Thanks for making my first rock hounding experience so much fun!!!You are making the next cab with this material!! Amber
Steve: Jo found a garden digger, I kept finding red rocks that Tony said was bricks, and a vodka bottle!!!People are certainly nosing around in there, so next time we might pan some of that sparkly soil and see if there is anything in there.
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 15, 2008 23:34:07 GMT -5
Angie wants to know when you're coming back to pile rocks on her llama again! LOL. We found a little rock hounding paradise in PA- hooray! You and Tony were energizer bunnies- it was hard to keep up with you- I needed the pepperoni bread just to regain my strength! My pleasure to show you around. As far as cabs go, I've got a LONG way to even compare with yours and Tony's work. Ok, I'll try, but I'm not sure I can even compare... (maybe we should fill Maryann's Dirt Bag up again so we can be sure to have enough material...)
I wonder about the smelter too. Not that I know of... I'll do some more research.
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CUL-Ann
spending too much on rocks
rock lover~
Member since September 2008
Posts: 380
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Post by CUL-Ann on Dec 15, 2008 23:35:46 GMT -5
Sounds and looks like a fun time;-))) We are under so much snow up here could never find the ground or stones!!
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Post by Bikerrandy on Dec 15, 2008 23:39:15 GMT -5
Damn, you were in the woods with two pretty darlins and you were looking at the rocks? ;D lol Looks like a good time, so far all of my rockhounding has been on here and ebay. Yep, I know where to find all sorts of neat stuff. Great pics bud, thanks for sharing!
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Post by Bikerrandy on Dec 16, 2008 0:11:28 GMT -5
Cab pasties, damn. I'll be thinking about that all night. lol
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Post by texaswoodie on Dec 16, 2008 8:59:50 GMT -5
Hey guys! Looks like you had a great time and found some neat rocks. Can't ask for better than that! Curt
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 16, 2008 9:02:29 GMT -5
The only thing that would've made it better is if all of you had come with us! (well, maybe finding diamonds too...)
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NorthShore-Rocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,004
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Post by NorthShore-Rocks on Dec 16, 2008 9:36:08 GMT -5
Fun! Fun! Fun!
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fanatic
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since October 2007
Posts: 233
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Post by fanatic on Dec 16, 2008 9:47:07 GMT -5
Nice finds and close to home. Sure can't beat that! Guess I need to be more observant when I'm out locally.
I do have some nice pieces of pet wood I picked up in a river near Shrinestown Pa last year.
Folks may have been panning for gold where you saw the diggings. Worth a look for sure.
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Post by Bejewelme on Dec 17, 2008 7:20:24 GMT -5
Our PA rock group is growing, now we have Tony, Jo, Fanatic and Paul- out in Western Pa, we need to have a get together when Spring comes.
Amber
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Post by sitnwrap on Dec 17, 2008 8:43:35 GMT -5
You brought back some really cool stuff and you had sooo much fun looking. I look at the pic of Amber and Jo and think "RTH Hookups" it gives a good feeling for sure.
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Post by NatureNut on Dec 17, 2008 8:51:33 GMT -5
Totally agree. And for one who is learning, being able to see, touch, smell and taste finished cabs (ok maybe not smell and taste), really helps me overcome my huge learning curve!
LOL. I just noticed, if you look towards the center of the first pic, at the top of the stream, you can see Amber and Angie (our doggie mascot). Amber took a quick respit on a rock by the stream and Angie curled up between her feet- so cute! Amber even brought Angie gourmet doggie treats! Good times!
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Post by frane on Dec 17, 2008 10:42:59 GMT -5
That looked like the beginning of many great trips! It may have been cold but it looks like you all had a fantastic time! Fran
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Post by BuiltonRock on Dec 17, 2008 11:15:18 GMT -5
Mel said it! Nice find, but more important new friends made.
Seems PA is the place to be.
I love self collecting rocks.
john
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Post by Bejewelme on Dec 17, 2008 16:12:31 GMT -5
Well you know we here in PA have big arms that can embrace all our friends, so any time, you all have a place with me!!!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,487
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Post by Sabre52 on Dec 17, 2008 17:53:47 GMT -5
Boy what a nice green lush looking area to hike and neat rocks too. Sure looks like a fun place to spend a little time fossicking around for good finds. Great trip report!....Mel
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MidNight~Rocksi3
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2008
Posts: 1,716
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Post by MidNight~Rocksi3 on Dec 17, 2008 17:59:51 GMT -5
HEY THERE LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD..those rocks sure are looking good! LOL.. sorry . just being in the woods that song got stuck in my head.. LOL.. anyways That looks like sooooo much fun!!! I love playing outside! especially in the woods.. oooo skkerrrryy.. anyways you guys look like you all had fun and that's what it's all about! not to mention a great haul.. and you guys were outside! It just don't get any better than that .. well sometimes.. LOL now lets see some slabs or cabs yo!
*smiles*
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Post by Bejewelme on Dec 17, 2008 20:00:57 GMT -5
Roxy: Look at my Friends Cabs I posted in Creating Cabs, that last one I made for Jo with material from this spot, she also has it on the wire wrapping section.
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