NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
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Post by NDK on Apr 4, 2010 21:50:10 GMT -5
I've been wondering how far you guys drive to do your rockhounding?
Do you make a day or weekend trip of it, or just a few hours worth?
Thanks in advance!
Nate
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brent
fully equipped rock polisher
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Member since November 2008
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Post by brent on Apr 5, 2010 6:32:35 GMT -5
Once a year I go to Arizona, thirty hour drive. Mostly I hound within half an hour frm home.
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Post by Roller on Apr 5, 2010 9:01:33 GMT -5
Both day trips and weekends ... When time allows ... Last summer I flew out for a day trip to GA ... I am looking forward to going to AZ as well in the near future ..Maybe even the end of the month ..... I forgot I had a vacation coming up .. Will also be looking to split hotel ,rental , and flight costs in future trips ... I"ll take care of the flight if you pay the hotel .. and or rental ... Anyone interested pm me ...
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Post by frane on Apr 5, 2010 10:41:01 GMT -5
I have only done day trips so far. Going to the NE roundup soon but that is mostly a show and fossil hunting(?) Sounds like it may have some rock tailing to go through. If I can find some good slabs, I will be real happy! Fran
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revco
starting to spend too much on rocks
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Another Victim Of The Rockcycle
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Post by revco on Apr 5, 2010 11:41:51 GMT -5
I usually coordinate my remote hounding with camping trips and hikes anywhere from an hour to four away. I try to camp year long, despite the Montana snow/cold, but the snow sure tends to put a damper on hounding! Other than that, I'll usually stick within a 2-3 hour distance if I'm just going out for hounding and don't intend to stay overnight. I'm fortunate that I live in a great rock state where good stuff can be found in virtually every direction!
One of these days, I want to go hounding on the east side of MT and pick up a sizable load of Montana Moss agates! That'll be about an 8 hour drive, give or take.
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elementary
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Post by elementary on Apr 5, 2010 14:55:09 GMT -5
I have done several times what we call a 'There and Back Again' trip in one day - Up at 3:00 am, drive 250 miles, hunt until dark, drive 250 miles home. Get back around midnight. Wednesday I'm heading out from Ventura at 3:30 am to drive to the North Cady Mountains (a 200+ mile one way trip) for a day hunt.
My schedule doesn't work for many overnights. I have a 4 year old so I need to coordinate time from home with my wife.
Occasionally I get an overnight which I'll spend hunting deep in the desert - which most of the time is digging geodes at the Hauser Beds, but most of my trips are one day shots during the week.
Lowell
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Post by 150FromFundy on Apr 5, 2010 19:34:31 GMT -5
I try to hit a beach every weekend in the summer. 1.5 hrs to the closest areas.
More remote areas (3 hrs to 5 hrs) usually require a night of camping, but that's not a problem.
Darryl.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 5, 2010 20:32:23 GMT -5
I usually fossil and dino hunt,so I look at 500 miles one way,usually make a five day trip...................
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colliel82
has rocks in the head
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Post by colliel82 on Apr 5, 2010 21:08:11 GMT -5
So far I have only managed day trips. I usually try to keep it down to 200 miles each way.
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Apr 5, 2010 22:31:52 GMT -5
Let's see, I hound a location on the Mississippi that is about 1/2 hr away, I may go 2-3 hours north to look for Lakers or Binghamite, 2 yrs ago I took the kids to rock hound in the Badlands (1 day away), and this year we hounded all over eastern and southern Utah (about 1.5 - 2 days drive).
I try to combine rockhounding with family vacations. My wife was very tolerant on the Utah trip and the kids got into hounding, too.
Chuck
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 5, 2010 22:42:53 GMT -5
Back when I was in California, I did mostly two or three day trips because the driving was so hard out there ( I don't like night driving) and it took so long to get anywhere. The area along old Route 66 was closer so that I'd often do in a day. Once every few years I'd get a wild hair and go on rockabout sometimes for several weeks and hit as many sites as possible plus do a lot of exploring. Then, I bought the Mariposa ranch and I was totally spoiled because I had poppy jasper all over the ranch and lots more within a fifteen minute drive. Now that I'm in Texas, I mainly hunt closer to home because all the good stuff is far away but I'm starting to get the urge to go on rockabout again *S*.....Mel
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Post by Condor on Apr 5, 2010 22:45:54 GMT -5
Anywhere from three hours to about 8 hours away. This includes going to a few rock shops to buy rough. I still count that as rock hounding. Three hours equals the Woodward Ranch. Eight hours equals Quartzite. In between equals the Tucson shows and/or the Deming shows.
Condor
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Saskrock
fully equipped rock polisher
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Post by Saskrock on Apr 6, 2010 1:03:19 GMT -5
Usually I collect about 15 min away but I also collect when on holidays. So far my record distance is 2300 miles away in Huatulco Mexico, but I'm going to China this fall and will be picking up rocks. Supposed to be some good agates in the Yangtse river. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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Post by Woodyrock on Apr 6, 2010 2:00:19 GMT -5
How far is Utah from Washington state? My wife, and I are off for a couple of weeks to Utah 'hounding. More usual I do day trips, and we do three day weekend trips. We have an off road pop up camp trailer that follows our one ton truck like a wee puppy. Woody
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Slydog
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Post by Slydog on Apr 8, 2010 11:34:09 GMT -5
Hi Nate--because we live in WI I think most everything is going to be a long drive, unlike the lucky folks in AZ, etc. I go to SD twice a year, to WY once, rockhunting. You can easily make SD in one day and rockhunt that same day. I think it's too long of a trip for little kids, but with all the stuff they have in cars now to entertain them, maybe not?
Are you going to the rock show here this weekend? Nona
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
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Post by NDK on Apr 8, 2010 20:36:35 GMT -5
Nona, I got a map of the U.P. from the show in Menasha a few weeks ago. There seems to be quite a bit of stuff available up there I was unaware of. The lower central parts of the state are a few hours away, so that's definitely doable in a day. I'd like to get up there at least once this summer. Until I find some good stuff, I'll probably go alone or most likely with a friend. Then taking the girls later will be "easy hounding" if there's ever such a thing. Abby and I are going to the show at the Neville Museum this weekend, but I don't know for sure when.
Nate
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