LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 3, 2013 6:55:20 GMT -5
We have some rocks we'll trade you for your Harley?!?! We'll be in Q this morning. Hope it warms up!
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sheltie
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2012
Posts: 982
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Post by sheltie on Jan 3, 2013 9:28:26 GMT -5
I made it out to Brenda this evening safe and sound. I am looking forward to this seasons hunt!! Which RV park are you staying at?
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Post by johnjsgems on Jan 3, 2013 10:38:25 GMT -5
His trailer may be in Brenda but from what I've seen Christopher is staying in Desert Gardens.
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 4, 2013 10:34:49 GMT -5
Headed out to Q early Thursday morning to beat the crowds and to gather up all the prime slabs! As we do every year, we stop at Chiriaco Summit and go behind the really nice George Patton Museum so Goober can water the bushes. We also enjoy having breakfast at the Chiriaco Cafe. Trying to figure out how I can mount one of these turrets on top of my Jeep. Yes, I'm a member of the NRA and proud of it. I dare you to try and take my guns away! Weather was nice at Q. Bit cool in the AM but was fine as long as you were in the sunlight. About 90% of the vendors were set up. From a distance I saw this old chap just standing there looking at stuff. I yelled at him stop standing there and buy something! Yep, it was good old John of JSGems. Had fun looking through all the supplies John and Susanna carries and we filled up on much needed supplies. John gave us a great deal and had everything we needed. John even added a flat bed trailer to his fleet to haul the big stuff around. Told him to haul the nice used 24" saw he had directly to Bluesky Susan's house and to give her the bill when she arrives in a week or two. Glad to see this vendor was here this year. Had to buy my 87 year old aunt some of her favorite Lapis Luzuli. She's dying of cancer and need to cheer her up. Her sister, my mom just died this Thanksgiving and both were born and raised in a gold mine & Alberta Canada and are hard core rock hounds. So that's what happened to me, it's in the blood! This guy from Afghanistan was so fun to deal with, a real character. He said the Lapis is mined in Afghanistan, trucked to Pakistan where it's ground, polished and shipped to the states. Picked up a big cab set in silver and a full size egg for $40, plus he threw in a small cab! What a deal! My aunt will be happy. Glad to see one of our favorite vendors was there, J2B2 from Oregon and we stocked up on some interesting slabs. These giant faceted monsters were so cool. Of course all throughout Q there is truck loads of rough from all over the world. Also visited famous board member Tony Catmandewe. I purchased some awesome graveyard point and one of his cool slab grabbers. Tony also has nice used equipment for sale, including one super nice HP 24" saw. If we only had a place to run it. While inside the Diamond Pacific building, noticed they had new cab templates made by a new company, "Slabstocabs.com". There's about 10 sets of 8"x10" plexiglass boards with just about every pattern imaginable. Bought some of those and I'm sure they'll sell out quick. Can't wait to hear from Christopher on all his local rock hounding trips. He'll be spending this whole month hitting tons of areas. He might end up with more material than the total at Desert Gardens! Larry, Diane & Goober
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 4, 2013 10:49:21 GMT -5
Thanks for the preview, Larry. You know that everyone is chomping at the bit to get out there. Hey, save some rocks for the rest of us!
We are hoping to leave (from San Diego area) two weeks from today, arriving around 10 pm. Get a good nights sleep, breakfast in the morning, and off we go! We'll stay for all the next week. We'll be doing some hounding out there, and I'm looking forward to meeting everyone. Will be doing a lot of looking, not so much buying, as I am broke before even going there - lol! Jean
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Post by drocknut on Jan 4, 2013 11:51:29 GMT -5
I hear ya there Jean, broke but chomping at the bit to see and do. Heck, I even sometimes look around where I park for scraps...lol. Larry, where's the picture evidence of Goober watering? LOL. Ah, don't want any evidence so you can deny deny deny...LOL. Thanks for sharing all the great pics. I didn't take any when Sheri and I were there earlier this month but then again I had my new puppy and Sheri to look after...lol. I also forgot my camera, such as it is. I'm sure I'll be back in Q again soon so will try to get some pics then. Look forward to seeing as many RTH'ers as possible. I just hope Christopher leaves a few rocks for the rest of us...LOL.
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Jan 4, 2013 13:11:27 GMT -5
thanks for the pictures.
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 4, 2013 13:54:46 GMT -5
I'm unemployed and shouldn't have even spent the gas to get out there! Since day one, I've always set my goal of only cabbing local Mojave Desert material that "we" find and not work on any imported material. It took every ounce of will power we had to control our shopping while at Q. But my soft spot is graveyard point & Polish flint. Twist my arm! We only spent $300, which is much less than I thought we would. Even as we were driving out of the parking lot, I felt like turning around and buying more slabs. We were like kids in a candy store. There was just so many totally awesome rocks there and it is so hard to control yourself!
Oh, BTW, gasoline in Arizona was 50 cents cheaper than California. Bring a bunch of gas cans and stock up!
And as I'm typing this, I feel like saying to hell with it and go back! Nah, got to get a hold of myself!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 4, 2013 16:06:21 GMT -5
$300!? Is that all? I'm gonna spend at least that just in gas.
I've considered that (bringing empty gas cans and buying cheaper gas in AZ), but you'd probably come out about even, considering the amount of gas you'd burn, bringing that extra weight home. From here, it's going up to 4500' (I-8), then back down - both ways. No matter what, ya gotta haul it over the mountains.
What actually makes more sense is driving out with empty gas jugs (no extra gas), tank in the trailer empty, and just enough gas to get there. Then fill everything up out there, and use it up whilst driving around, doing the shopping and rock picking! Jean
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 4, 2013 17:03:52 GMT -5
Jean,
We went to Q on the exact same date as last year, January 3rd and by far this year has more quality material. Guaranteed you'll go nuts! A real test of will power!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jan 4, 2013 17:18:21 GMT -5
Larry, that's good to hear (about quality materials, not so good about testing my will power!). And one thing I'm sure of, people that don't appreciate rocks know that we all are already nuts!!!
Will you be making (just one more) trip out, for the RTH get-together? Looking forward to meeting up with everyone. After I win the lottery, I'll have loads of money to spend on rocks (and my friends)! Jean
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LarryS
freely admits to licking rocks
SoCal desert rats
Member since August 2010
Posts: 781
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Post by LarryS on Jan 4, 2013 22:19:19 GMT -5
Jean,
Ever since I left, I've been hearing voices in the back of my head saying "Pow Wow.....Pow Wow." Can't really afford it. Shouldn't really do it. A normal person wouldn't do it. So we'll see!
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Post by catmandewe on Jan 4, 2013 22:48:25 GMT -5
Pow wow Pow wow
Was good to see you Larry, looks like I better go get a haircut. I got a tracfone and can do a little surfing but it sure is slow.
Tony
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Post by rocklicker on Jan 5, 2013 0:24:34 GMT -5
It's nice to hear everyone is having a blast at Quartzite this year. One of these years I will make it out there, but for now I am choosing to stay home with my real prize, our 5 1/2 month old daughter. I think it would be cool to get out there, especially for Sheri's rock trips, but then I look at my daughter's eyes and know I am right where I need to be. Have fun out there everyone. Maybe someone lick a rock for me.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jan 5, 2013 1:48:21 GMT -5
Hey Steve, when she's old enough to carry her own weight in rocks, we'll have to carpool from up here and head over!! I'm jealous, surely.
Seriously, when I get a vehicle that can make the trip, I'll be there! Should be in a couple years, unless my water heater needs replacing. :/ Aargh, it's always something...
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stillalive
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since May 2011
Posts: 136
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Post by stillalive on Jan 5, 2013 5:19:43 GMT -5
Hi everyone-just trying to get my head around the Quartzite show!It adds a whole new meaning to the term "Rock festival"!A city full of rocks-my pockets would be so empty after a couple of days out there,I'd be in real trouble. Also great to put faces to some of the people who are legends on this forum,-hope you all have a great time,and some great finds/buys;-just one request-more photos,please! John.
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Post by Tonyterner on Jan 5, 2013 8:04:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the photos Larry. They are getting me juiced to go. Less than 3 weeks until I get there. Woo hoo!
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jan 5, 2013 17:24:03 GMT -5
We have some rocks we'll trade you for your Harley?!?! We'll be in Q this morning. Hope it warms up! What kind of rocks??? Diamnond?? lol See ya when you come back. I was busy digging when you came out the other day.
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Post by christopherl1234 on Jan 5, 2013 17:25:52 GMT -5
I made it out to Brenda this evening safe and sound. I am looking forward to this seasons hunt!! Which RV park are you staying at? Lol John...I am at the Brenda RV resort but I have been running around the desert for the last couple of days hunting rock and getting dug out of the sand.
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hulagrub
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2009
Posts: 256
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Post by hulagrub on Jan 5, 2013 22:44:16 GMT -5
Having been having a blast rocking with Christopher. This is FUN!
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