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Post by helens on Dec 30, 2012 21:59:25 GMT -5
My mom is going to her 200th year (ok, this is exaggeration, but I don't know how many years:P) reunion that will be in Las Vegas at the end of April. I'm going with her, but I don't want to hang out reminiscing with her friends for days on end...
Are there hounding spots near Vegas? Any great rock shops? I remember someone asking about Vegas over the last few months, but I can't find the thread. What would you do if you were going to Vegas for a week and wanted to do something rock related:)?
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Geoff
spending too much on rocks
Please add 1074 to my post number.
Member since December 2012
Posts: 446
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Post by Geoff on Dec 30, 2012 22:23:08 GMT -5
My first thought when I see Las Vegas is "Psh. Las Vigas is better."
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Post by helens on Dec 30, 2012 22:39:32 GMT -5
I don't get it... what is Las Vigas??
Well, I just googled and the only thing there I can get to (the mines are too far away and I am stuck at the MGM without a car) is a big rock shop... hope it's a good rock shop:).
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Post by susand24224 on Dec 31, 2012 0:43:17 GMT -5
Absolutely, Helen. Head to the airport, get on Allegiant, and come to Tri-Cities in WA. There's an extra bedroom and bathroom here, and I will be happy to take you to a few spots. If collecting is a bust, there is the wonderful Ellensberg rock shop less than an hour away. Book ahead of time and it is $99 round trip, and TNTMom and I will meet you at the airport.
While waiting for your flight out of Vegas, stop by Cactus Joe's. The last time I was there, they had bins and bins full of rough, and a little shed full of slabs. You really have to dig around to find the good stuff, but there is some, and the prices are pretty good.
As for actual collecting, unless you want to make a field trip to Utah (or here) I'm sure there are others who know a lot more than me.
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Post by helens on Dec 31, 2012 3:09:44 GMT -5
Hi Susan:). I'll pm you:).
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cherdarock
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2012
Posts: 140
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Post by cherdarock on Jan 20, 2013 0:41:08 GMT -5
This place got "rockin" in VIGAS...   It was the HardROCK Cafe. If you don't got no wheels, you might be walkin some, but try for: Jewelry & Minerals of Las Vegas 410 E Sahara Ave Las Vegas, NV 89104 Neighborhood: Downtown There isn't a whole lot in the vegas strip area. Vegas is a really depressed town, and the economy really knocked alot of businesses out of commision. AnYwAy... From the MGM, head towards downtown on Las Vigas Blvd make a right on Sahara Blvd. and they will be a couple blocks up, (down?) on your left. IF you choose to take a CAB, WRITE: East Flamingo to Paradise rd. LEFT on paradise rd. to Sahara blvd. Make a RIGHT on Sahara. REASON? Cabs will take you on "The Tour"! These directions are the most direct route OFF the strip. SOME Cabs combine time with mileage, so the strip gets EXPENSIVE due to the stop and go CRAWL. ENJOY!!!! |
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Post by helens on Jan 20, 2013 1:38:41 GMT -5
Thanks Cherdarock:). Will check it out:).
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chassroc
Cave Dweller 
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on Jan 20, 2013 12:12:03 GMT -5
No collecting real close by that I know of, but the RedRock area outside of Vegas is a great nature tour type of place.
If you have time, fly into Vegas and rent a car and go to Southern Utah. For sights and rockhounding it is about as good as it gets. Five National Parks, Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, etal. , agates, jasper, PW, septarian Nodules and it doesn't get any better.
Vegas is still a place where you can find gambling to fit any pocketbook and dress code. It seems to me that the odds, especially on slots, is so much better Downtown than the strip. The strip has many attractions and there is Ricks Gold and silver pawn shop too.
Driving South, you can go to the Hoover Dam, You can go to the Grand Canyon without guard rails except on the skywalk (but its is probably better to go with a tour). You can look for Turquoise around Kingman Az- i've never found any- but go to Chloride, see the artists, talk to them and explore the hills...Its a trip.
YET...It seems that Vegas was so much better in the good old days.
Years ago Casino owners were happy get people into the town and the entertainment and the hotels were relatively inexpensive. Dinners shows at Caesars, the Sands, etc were so cheap. I can remember $25 dinner shows at Caesars and $15 shows; late shows were even less. You even got a drink or two at that price. I suppose the costs were lower for the owners in the good old days too. Wynn and Caesears and the sands and the stations are big business with stockholders that demand a profit increase every year
It does get more seedy every time I go. I was there a few years ago but really just used Vegas to stage my flights around rockhounding and sight seeing. It was starting to remind me a little of New York City before Bloomberg cleaned it up. Nice place to do gross Boy things but I wouldn't want to walk around with a date.
When I see the reality shows on TV about the Vegas Strip and the people on it, it does not seem appealing if you are older than 18. The Hard Rock reality show is equally bad. They are out to charge you a thousand or so for a bottle plus tip. Why would anyone want to be seen in a place like that?
With all the competition for your gambling dollar around this country, Vegas has had some problem retaining customers. I have not been everywhere but from what I've seen of most of the Native casinos vegas is still the best place to go. Outside of the Connecticut casinos, they have very little viable competition. Atlantic City and the Poconos if you are in the NY/ NJ/ Penn area have some appeal but most casinos in this country and the Caribbean are not that nice to go to.
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Post by drocknut on Jan 20, 2013 14:51:23 GMT -5
The rock shop Cherdarock talks about is definitely worth seeing. The prices are pretty high but he has stuff in there that is really cool. When I was there last year I even got to see the largest quartz sphere in the world (according to them) so if it isn't advertised ask the guy to see the sphere and the crystals out back (huge). Here are some pictures I took in 2011  Front of the store  Some stuff outside  The Sphere  Expensive but cool lamps. |
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Post by helens on Jan 20, 2013 15:32:31 GMT -5
Neat pix Diane:)!
But... there's nothing rock-related to do in Vegas without driving 50-100 miles besides visiting a rock shop:(?
Charlie, you are not making this trip sound very appealing... LOL!
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Post by Rockoonz on Jan 20, 2013 15:49:42 GMT -5
Only 215 miles from Quartzsite  Lee |
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Post by helens on Jan 20, 2013 15:54:18 GMT -5
*Only* he says:). Hey... IS Quartzite going on at the end of April?!
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Post by drocknut on Jan 22, 2013 13:06:05 GMT -5
Helen, Quartzsite usually goes until around February but there are a few rock shops open year round and some people linger there through March. I've been to Vegas just about every year for the past 4 years and never found a rockhounding spot. There are some neat rock shops in Boulder City which is about 26 miles from Vegas near Hoover Dam. I've picked up a few rocks from the desert near Vegas but just leaverite unfortunately. You could ask at the rock shop if he knows of any places but I think he does more buying overseas than going out himself and hounding. I just looked and there is a gem and mineral club in Vegas www.sngms.com/ so you might check with them about sites. Please do let us know if you find any. |
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Post by helens on Jan 22, 2013 22:17:48 GMT -5
Ah darn. I suspected there wasn't much there, because I have seen people ask about Vegas before. You'd think there'd be rocks that far west!!! Anyway, thanks for all the info and heads up:).
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Post by drocknut on Jan 23, 2013 11:34:40 GMT -5
Hey if I get through there before April I might be tempted to dump a few rocks out in the desert just so you could find something there...lol. With my luck though they'd be snatched up the minute I dropped them.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718 
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Post by Fossilman on Jan 23, 2013 11:58:02 GMT -5
St. George,Utah isn't far from Vegas,lots of rockhounding there.......
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Jan 23, 2013 13:36:42 GMT -5
St. George,Utah isn't far from Vegas,lots of rockhounding there....... Most of the good hounding areas are under snow right now unless you want to collect selenite at the glitter pit, or chert. There's pink chalcedony out by the valley of fire, but the location is 30 miles of rough dirt road and then hard rock mining to get pebbles of pink chalcedony out of the hillside. the vegas club has an agate claim out by lake mead but you'd need to contact them to visit it. I've heard of fire agate south of vegas on 93/95 to searchlight but don't have any specifics. There's supposed to be thundereggs out there too, but again I don't have exact locations. best bet is to contact the club and get some local knowledge. the vegas club has a huge membership. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2013 16:39:39 GMT -5
Helen; just for the sake of scale, the area mentioned by Don in searchlight is about 40 minutes south of the strip in Lost Wages, NV.
Make sure to have a meal at Mesa Grill. It is a Bobby Flay joint ansd the food is totally rockin'! I'll be there in a few weeks.
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Post by helens on Jan 24, 2013 17:06:01 GMT -5
Ahhh!! Diane, the rocks won't be there by then... I can already tell there's a lot of people around Las Vegas dying to find some rocks:P. hehehe.
Guys, I really appreciate all the info!!
There's a possibility (hopefully probability) that SusanB and SusanO may meet me out around that time, so maybe we'll all go eat at Mesa Grill, and even if we dont' find a bunch of rocks, we'll still have fun checking out Las Vegas:).
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