bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 11, 2004 21:39:57 GMT -5
And anyone else who may be in the area. I just got back from this months Rocl Club meeting and we will be going on a rock hunt on May 22nd to a ranch in Falls City to hunt for Pet wood. The man who arranged it said he has been hunting on the prorerty since the 60s and it has a lot of good material including Golden Palm wood. Most of the specimens are perfect tumbling size some are fist size. The recent rains should have a lot of rocks exposed. Access to the ranch is $5.00 with no limit on what you can take out. It will be a nice little short day trip. If interested send me a message and I'll give you all the details.
Bob
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 11, 2004 22:07:38 GMT -5
I haven't talked to Llana, but I know I'm interested and I'm pretty darn sure she will be, too!
One question...........where is Falls City?
Can't wait to hear the details!
Thanks, Barbara
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 11, 2004 22:29:05 GMT -5
You mean get out in the heat and get dirty looking for ROCKS? ? Of course, I want to go!! ;D llana
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 12, 2004 9:31:04 GMT -5
Falls City is about 35-40 miles outside San Antonio city limits toward Floresville on US 181S. Not that far really. Bring some good shoes,a hat, water, something to carry rocks in, something for poking around in the dirt if they need to be coaxed from there hiding place of if they are around brush (rattle snakes). I don't know how much walking will be required. Hopefully we will be able to drive around the ranch but that remains to be seen. We are supposed to meet at the first filling station on the right as you enter Falls City at 9 AM. I'll keep you posted at the date gets nearer. Of course this time of year the trip could have to be postponed at the last minute due to flooding. Just hope for decent weather that day. If you have any other questions just let me know.
Bob
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Post by Noosh9057 on May 12, 2004 9:49:28 GMT -5
Hi there I can not make it this time. But if you do it agen some time please let us know. I would love to go some time. I live in Houston and it would be a great little trip.
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 12, 2004 12:45:04 GMT -5
Sorry you can't make it Roger. Hopefully we'll get one more hunt in before it gets to hot. I'll be sure and post it if we do.
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 14, 2004 9:31:48 GMT -5
It flooded in Falls City last night. If the water recedes by next weekend it should make for good rock hunting. If not, you might want to add a snorkel onto your list of equipment to bring.
Bob
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 14, 2004 9:46:44 GMT -5
Barbara has a canoe so we'll be ready. I was over at her place yesterday - we were cutting rocks - and we are looking forward to going rockhounding. And after all this rain, the huntin' should be good. I looked up in my Gem Trails of Texas and Rockhounding Texas what kind of rocks can be found in that area and it says agate, pet. wood and onyx. I hope we make a haul!
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 15, 2004 22:52:52 GMT -5
Bob, Thanks for offering us this opportunity. I am SO looking forward to huntin' rocks next weekend.....can't wait!
Barbara
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Post by rockyraccoon on May 16, 2004 1:46:54 GMT -5
well i am so jealous of this rock hunting trip! i can't wait to see what all you get - be sure to take a camera so we can see your hauls.
i sympathize with you on the rain. y'all have gotten much worse than us. today it stopped just as i was considering building an ark.
kim
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 16, 2004 18:37:45 GMT -5
I gotta tell ya' that after today I'm not sure if I ever want to bend over and pick up another rock! I have been doing a bit of landscaping using river rock of all sizes. I didn't have to go to the river and get them, I stole them (me bad!) ;D away from other sites in the RV park. But since the ones I took had already been knocked over and out of place, I figure nobody will notice I took 'em! After I finished turning the dirt - with a pitch fork, hoe and shovel - and lining the flowerbed with the river rock, I dug holes and planted a couple of native plants and 4 cacti. Finished it up with a couple of neat pieces of driftwood and a few really cool fist size and larger pieces of flint with a lot of bands running thru it. One piece has a mass a crystal formations on the top that just sparkle in the sunlight. Wonder how long it will be before someone comes along and steals it from me My back is killin' me and I am so tired I can hardly type. I may never recover!! But, quite pleased with my handiwork! If I had enough energy I would go outside, plop down in my lawn recliner with a cold one and do nothing! But whatever energy I can muster up needs to be used cleaning my messy house! I sure wish I had a clone to do all the backbreaking work and I could just hang around and do neat stuff.
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bwalters
has rocks in the head
Member since March 2004
Posts: 557
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Post by bwalters on May 16, 2004 19:50:44 GMT -5
Hey LZ, your back better be better by Sat or guess you'll just hafta sit in the truck and watch. ;D I'm gonna be huntin' rocks! Just kidding. I know how your back bothers you when you bend alot, and I know you'll be good by Sat. Did I mention that I'm excited about the trip! BE
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 17, 2004 9:15:02 GMT -5
According to the weather man the weather should be nice on Saturday. I'll message one of you later in the week with more detailed plans for meeting on Saturday etc.
Bob
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 19, 2004 8:30:30 GMT -5
Bob, Barbara and I have been trying to figure out what the fastest and easiest way to get to Falls City - taking I 10 into SA and hitting 181 or 16 to 1604 to 181. Since it is Saturday we won't have to worry about too much traffic, but there is always construction going on. Do you know if and/or where there is construction along either one of these routes. Or, would you check the SA phone book for the number of the SA/Bexar county road department and send me the number and can call them and find out. Looks like we need to leave here about 6AM! Yipes, I really hate getting up early, but for a rockhounding trip, it won't be so bad! Or at least I keep telling myself that!
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 19, 2004 12:52:01 GMT -5
OK Llana, here goes. I got this from the maps and directions link on the MSN Home Page. I put in Medina Texas as the start point and Falls City Texas as the end point for driving directions and it seemed to work.
Basicly what you do is take Hwy 16 S into Helotes 1604 S to Hwy 151 S Hwy 90 E to US37 S After you go under Loop 410 on the south side of San Antonio look for US 181 S. It will be the Floresville exit. Take 181 S all the way into Falls City.
To my knowledge the is no major construction along this route, but you never know.
According to the MSN map thing the trip should be 108.4 miles with an estimated time of 2 hr and 16 mins.
Just a hop, skip and a jump in Texas.
I also ran a map from San Antonio to Falls city. Once you get on 37 S you should be about 43 miles away and 50 Minutes away.
You might want to run that yourself so that you can see and or print out the map.
Hope this helps. Be sure and check your messages via this board just in case of a late cancelation or more info.
Bob
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Post by sandsman1 on May 19, 2004 16:07:15 GMT -5
hi all ---good luck on your rock hunt wish i was goin but im in philly and my truck or my back would never make it hahahaha hope ya all get your weight in rocks and since your driving that would be the weight of the truck hahaha ok good luck ----seeya --john
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 19, 2004 17:08:20 GMT -5
Thanks John, I hope we can come back with a lot of good quality material. BTW I won that old QT66 on Ebay that you and Banjo had some early bids on. Looks like it's still in good shape. We'll see. Oh well old rock equipment is like old cars, you can always make them go a little farther, they just might not be too pretty. I'm planning on tumbling old rocks in it anyhow.
Bob
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Post by sandsman1 on May 19, 2004 18:20:01 GMT -5
bob that looked to be in great shape, i woulda bid higher but i said hell wit it few bucks more i got another model b from sue at kemph, wit ship it came to 135.00 she only charges like 12.75 for shipping so that helps im sure the qt66 will run for awile for ya, it was an older model you can tell by the color but it looked to be well kepted prob wasent used much, i like the qt66-s they hold a nice amount of rock and you can do two things at once i have two of them and a qt-12 and two new model-b-s im done for awile buyin tumblers hahahaha im gonna try runnin a 5 step run for awile see how it gos well good luck and bring plenty of water (not for drinking for cleanin rocks ) hahahaha teasin seeya-s---john
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on May 19, 2004 19:59:25 GMT -5
"I'm planning on tumbling old rocks in it anyhow." LOL! Bob, I checked Mapblast this morning. It gives the shortest route (thru downtown - I think NOT) and the quickest - 16 to 1604 to 37 to 181. It's about 8 miles longer, but I'd rather go 8 more miles than have to go through downtown! I am planning on bringing home a whole truckload of stuff! BTW, are we going to be able to drive over the ranch from spot to spot or do we park and walk/hike? It's pretty flat down that way if I remember correctly - at least pretty flat compared to here - but also real brushy. I hauled my horse down there a few years back to help round up some cattle and if I hadn't had on chaps my jeans and legs would have been shredded! I never saw so many bushes, - other than cactus - with so many stickers on them! I hope rounding up rocks will be a bit easier than rounding up those cows! llana
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on May 19, 2004 20:13:59 GMT -5
Yes the latter route is your best bet. I would be prepared to do some walking and would definatly wear some long pants and good shoes. Yes there are a lot of thorny bushes down that way. I'm hoping we will be able to drive around some so that we don't have to lug rock too far, but I don't know what the land owners policy is.
Bob
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