Post by Deleted on May 20, 2013 15:38:36 GMT -5
Many of you know last weekend I split SoCal for a nicer climate, Phoenix. It was very warm at home, Africa hot. Phoenix? Not so much. 80's during the day, cooler where we were hounding.
I will do a LOT of pictures. I'll do them in mostly chronological order because that makes sense in my head.
Empty Truck, the small scraps you see are jade from Victorville.
Tim (AZRockgeek) invited me out "anytime" and because I needed to get the hell outta dodge I took him up on it. FWIW, so should you. If Tim makes an invite, GO! He knows every square centimeter of AZ and will put you on the rocks.
I was also pleasantly surprised to learn Beefjello (my favorite food) Brian was meeting up with us. So fun to meet him. Hi Brian!
My first stops on the way out, were Brenda for jasper and Wenden for marble. These are Gem Trails locales so I did not expect too much. I figured they be picked over. I should have called Sheri as I had an hour to stop in Wickenburg, but I forgot I had her number. Later on the way home we could not connect. My bad Sheri! Next time.
Here is the meager haul from Brenda. Nice stuff, tumble size, about 4-5 pounds.
Next I left Brenda for Wenden, they are sorta near each other and are obvious stops to follow one another.
On the way I saw some scenery.
Cholla - nasty stuff! Angry plant.
Jumping Cholla - Nastier yet. The plant flings hunks of cactus at passersby. You can see the many small plants groing up from areas surrounding the plant. Those are pups started from the flung pieces that missed. No, I ain't kidding.
Ocotillo
Ocotillo Flowers, a little late, seeds starting already.
At lastly a female unicorn. You can tell it's female because it is lacking the signature spiral horn. Last weekend I learned that only males (stallions) have the horn.
Finally, I get to Wenden to see this.
After Wenden's slightly disappointing revelation I headed off to Phoenix to have Dinner at the Tilted Kilt with my Buddy Rick. Rick is an old reptile buddy that has quite a bit of geological experience due to some various explorations into the world of gold fever. The dinner was unforgettable. The food was between horrible and passable and the scantily clad eye-candy was not enough to make me wanna return. I'm a bit of a foody. Later you'll see proof.
Saturday morning we got up early, grabbed a bite to eat and headed over to Tim's. Tim lives 5 minutes from Rick! Awesome. We can sleep longer after a few beers Friday night.
We headed out to the site for "worm track agate" which to my surprise was a form of marble that seems to have pseudo fossils in it. Bright orange in color it is truly desirable.
On the road in I saw a horned lizard. Herein I present Phrynosoma solare, he Regal Horned Lizard.
We continued in to the site and I realized there would be no worm track for me. The deposit is a particular vein of marble in a huge mountain. The vein 100 feet up a very steep cliff. I did not wanna kill myself as we had another stop. It was a good call. By the end of the day I was beat, but I truly got to enjoy the entire trip.
Here is Tim way the frack up there. You cannot tell, but he is overseeing the work Brian is doing. Brian found a spectacular hunk and was pounding a chisel with a 3# sledge to work it out. He and Tom worked their teeth out and could not free the stone.
Rick went up also. He came down with a few chips of nice marble. Garden decor for his yard! The site is a working cattle farm. They have a huge stock tank automatically filled by windmill power. Here is Rick at the windmill.
While they were all up the hill, did a bit of exploring the base camp. I found a rattlesnake. I present to you Crotalus cerberus, the Arizona Black rattlesnake.
After this stop we headed out to a spot in the pines on a creek near an old abandoned asbestos mine. We saw lot of asbestos. It is really cool sh\t.
The stone we were after up there was Tim's purple/green serpentine, Timothite. Frackin' awesome stuff. We found a HUUUUGE boulder and Tim lifted it and started to hump it out. Wisely, he decided a sledge hammer was a better choice. Here is an image of the large half wet. We humped out the entire boulder in pieces.
Here is a pic of Rick on a huge pyrite cube. I mean huge!!
Once we were done, we headed home, to Tim's. He had some more stuff for me.
Here is what we hounded, maybe 150#.
I was wasted but Tim had his way with me. I was given a wheelbarrow and while trying too relax with a beer Tim led me around like a puppy and gave me hunks of stuff to bring home.
Here is my truck when he was done.
Tim & Brian curating the spoils.
Three Cowboys in the mountains. I am the foodie in the middle. Beef on the right, Tim, left.
Tim have me marble and onyx and absolute black jade and burro creek agate and some green comglomerate and, and, and... some, hell, I don't know. Too much to remember.
Brian always the gentleman also brought me a couple of gorgeous hunks of different types of Burro Creek agates. My guess is I brought home 800-1000# of material. Sheesh! Tim would not relent!
My most amazing rock adventure yet. Tim knows the spots. Brian & Tim were both to hang out with. True gentleman both.
Guys... thank you!! I am totally gracious for your friendship. We had an awesome trip that I will never forget.
I will do a LOT of pictures. I'll do them in mostly chronological order because that makes sense in my head.
Empty Truck, the small scraps you see are jade from Victorville.
Tim (AZRockgeek) invited me out "anytime" and because I needed to get the hell outta dodge I took him up on it. FWIW, so should you. If Tim makes an invite, GO! He knows every square centimeter of AZ and will put you on the rocks.
I was also pleasantly surprised to learn Beefjello (my favorite food) Brian was meeting up with us. So fun to meet him. Hi Brian!
My first stops on the way out, were Brenda for jasper and Wenden for marble. These are Gem Trails locales so I did not expect too much. I figured they be picked over. I should have called Sheri as I had an hour to stop in Wickenburg, but I forgot I had her number. Later on the way home we could not connect. My bad Sheri! Next time.
Here is the meager haul from Brenda. Nice stuff, tumble size, about 4-5 pounds.
Next I left Brenda for Wenden, they are sorta near each other and are obvious stops to follow one another.
On the way I saw some scenery.
Cholla - nasty stuff! Angry plant.
Jumping Cholla - Nastier yet. The plant flings hunks of cactus at passersby. You can see the many small plants groing up from areas surrounding the plant. Those are pups started from the flung pieces that missed. No, I ain't kidding.
Ocotillo
Ocotillo Flowers, a little late, seeds starting already.
At lastly a female unicorn. You can tell it's female because it is lacking the signature spiral horn. Last weekend I learned that only males (stallions) have the horn.
Finally, I get to Wenden to see this.
After Wenden's slightly disappointing revelation I headed off to Phoenix to have Dinner at the Tilted Kilt with my Buddy Rick. Rick is an old reptile buddy that has quite a bit of geological experience due to some various explorations into the world of gold fever. The dinner was unforgettable. The food was between horrible and passable and the scantily clad eye-candy was not enough to make me wanna return. I'm a bit of a foody. Later you'll see proof.
Saturday morning we got up early, grabbed a bite to eat and headed over to Tim's. Tim lives 5 minutes from Rick! Awesome. We can sleep longer after a few beers Friday night.
We headed out to the site for "worm track agate" which to my surprise was a form of marble that seems to have pseudo fossils in it. Bright orange in color it is truly desirable.
On the road in I saw a horned lizard. Herein I present Phrynosoma solare, he Regal Horned Lizard.
We continued in to the site and I realized there would be no worm track for me. The deposit is a particular vein of marble in a huge mountain. The vein 100 feet up a very steep cliff. I did not wanna kill myself as we had another stop. It was a good call. By the end of the day I was beat, but I truly got to enjoy the entire trip.
Here is Tim way the frack up there. You cannot tell, but he is overseeing the work Brian is doing. Brian found a spectacular hunk and was pounding a chisel with a 3# sledge to work it out. He and Tom worked their teeth out and could not free the stone.
Rick went up also. He came down with a few chips of nice marble. Garden decor for his yard! The site is a working cattle farm. They have a huge stock tank automatically filled by windmill power. Here is Rick at the windmill.
While they were all up the hill, did a bit of exploring the base camp. I found a rattlesnake. I present to you Crotalus cerberus, the Arizona Black rattlesnake.
After this stop we headed out to a spot in the pines on a creek near an old abandoned asbestos mine. We saw lot of asbestos. It is really cool sh\t.
The stone we were after up there was Tim's purple/green serpentine, Timothite. Frackin' awesome stuff. We found a HUUUUGE boulder and Tim lifted it and started to hump it out. Wisely, he decided a sledge hammer was a better choice. Here is an image of the large half wet. We humped out the entire boulder in pieces.
Here is a pic of Rick on a huge pyrite cube. I mean huge!!
Once we were done, we headed home, to Tim's. He had some more stuff for me.
Here is what we hounded, maybe 150#.
I was wasted but Tim had his way with me. I was given a wheelbarrow and while trying too relax with a beer Tim led me around like a puppy and gave me hunks of stuff to bring home.
Here is my truck when he was done.
Tim & Brian curating the spoils.
Three Cowboys in the mountains. I am the foodie in the middle. Beef on the right, Tim, left.
Tim have me marble and onyx and absolute black jade and burro creek agate and some green comglomerate and, and, and... some, hell, I don't know. Too much to remember.
Brian always the gentleman also brought me a couple of gorgeous hunks of different types of Burro Creek agates. My guess is I brought home 800-1000# of material. Sheesh! Tim would not relent!
My most amazing rock adventure yet. Tim knows the spots. Brian & Tim were both to hang out with. True gentleman both.
Guys... thank you!! I am totally gracious for your friendship. We had an awesome trip that I will never forget.
That's quite a haul of rocks too, the serpentine is sweet!! 
