Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Apr 6, 2014 22:34:27 GMT -5
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Post by Peruano on Apr 7, 2014 7:38:24 GMT -5
Wow, a wonderful trip with rewards of solitude, rocks, and company. What more is there is life? tom
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Post by kk on Apr 7, 2014 8:37:22 GMT -5
Looks like you two had a blast and where rewarded with some really good looking material. Looking forward to the slabs and cabs coming out of the last stone pictured.
Nice trip overall and thank you for the time taken to take us along.
One question though: Any idea as to why there is no vegetation on some of the hills? Somehow looks odd as it certainly excludes land-slips.
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Tommy
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 8:47:50 GMT -5
One question though: Any idea as to why there is no vegetation on some of the hills? Somehow looks odd as it certainly excludes land-slips. Thanks Kurt - yes it was explained to us by a ranger that the serpentine soil is too soft to support "normal" vegetation - what is there is highly adapted to live in that environment. I walked up a bare hill to get a look at an outcropping and I can tell you first-hand that it's like walking in snow literally. All day long both days as we searched the creek we would step somewhere that looked solid and suddenly find our foot sunk in up to the ankle in soft mud. That's also why it was such a popular dirt-bike riding park for so long - if you fall riding in that stuff it's a pretty soft landing (again, ranger wisdom imparted upon us).
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Post by roy on Apr 7, 2014 9:30:24 GMT -5
cool stuff tommy! you shouldnt have left that big one behind
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 9:38:46 GMT -5
cool stuff tommy! you shouldnt have left that big one behind Haha I know...The green one or the plasma boulder...not worth a hernia or groin pull though.
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 7, 2014 10:41:37 GMT -5
Enjoyed your trip report, Tommy! Very nice haul you brought home. The serpentine and plasma agate is beautiful. Is the location where the Clear Creek agates were once found?
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,881
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 12:39:40 GMT -5
Enjoyed your trip report, Tommy! Very nice haul you brought home. The serpentine and plasma agate is beautiful. Is the location where the Clear Creek agates were once found? Thanks! I really don't know the answer to your question – I found a few small agate nodules with really cool pockets of druzy and tube-like structures – most looked of poor quality but I was hoping I could whack an end off and cab it but the two I cut were pretty ugly and pitted inside. Reminded me of mal-formed tubes inside.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 7, 2014 16:16:00 GMT -5
Completely awesome pictures! I have to get up there. Bitchin' car too! Where is that, in general terms? I see an Oak Flat campground east of Fresno -- is that the area?
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,881
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 16:19:58 GMT -5
Completely awesome pictures! I have to get up there. Bitchin' car too! Where is that, in general terms? I see an Oak Flat campground east of Fresno -- is that the area? Thanks! Not really near Fresno - it's about 40 miles west of Coalinga.
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Post by Bluesky78987 on Apr 7, 2014 16:23:56 GMT -5
Cool. I gotta get up there. Found the link for permits. That plasma agate is soooo beautiful! I got a couple slabs at Q and now I drool every time I see it.
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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 Apr 7, 2014 18:11:09 GMT -5
Awesome trip report! You really found some beautiful plasma agate. Find any jadeite? I used to have a big boulder of jadeite jade from the creek there. Not real gemmy , just kind of gray green so I left it on our rock wall up at the old Hunters Valley place. Too bad it's not colorful as it's super hard solid material. Overall though, I think plasma is awesome stuff and the best stuff I've seen from up there. Glad to see you scored some really colorful chunks and can't wait to see the slabs.....Mel
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Post by Pat on Apr 7, 2014 18:21:10 GMT -5
Great report and photos! We've been there several times. Lovely place.
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Deleted
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Member since January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 19:16:47 GMT -5
dang..... I cant wait to meet you there next time.
nice trip report thx.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Apr 7, 2014 20:13:14 GMT -5
Nice trip report! Love the colors in that last pic you posted. Hmmm, it's not so very far from me! Wonder if I can talk the SO into a small camping trip??
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Post by paulshiroma on Apr 7, 2014 22:12:33 GMT -5
Looks like you had a great time, Tommy! I've often looked at the maps for that area and wished I could get out there. Thanks for virtually taking me along! Paul
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,881
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 22:18:49 GMT -5
Awesome trip report! You really found some beautiful plasma agate. Find any jadeite? I used to have a big boulder of jadeite jade from the creek there. Not real gemmy , just kind of gray green so I left it on our rock wall up at the old Hunters Valley place. Too bad it's not colorful as it's super hard solid material. Overall though, I think plasma is awesome stuff and the best stuff I've seen from up there. Glad to see you scored some really colorful chunks and can't wait to see the slabs.....Mel Thanks Mel! No unfortunately I wouldn't know what jadeite looked like if it rose up and bit me in the ass. The whole time we were walking up and down various parts of the creek we were "pinging" rocks with our hammers but never heard anything like what I've been told jade will sound like.
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Tommy
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Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,881
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Post by Tommy on Apr 7, 2014 22:22:07 GMT -5
dang..... I cant wait to meet you there next time. nice trip report thx. I wasn't going to say this in public but DAMN too bad you weren't able to go Scott haha. That would have been a lot of fun and your eyes would have been bulging all days looking at all those cube-able boulders haha.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2014 22:24:46 GMT -5
My plan is to buy a gas powered core drill. The REALLY big ones can be cored in the field to yield spheres without as much work. Tommy you can rib me about not going anytime! My ego aint so weak your gonna hurt me feelings over that!
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
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Post by quartz on Apr 7, 2014 23:09:07 GMT -5
Thanks for the tour, nice looking country; and some very nice finds.
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