Rarerocksandgems

I was curious and logged in immediately when the sale started. Most everything was sold within 3 seconds. I wonder if some people get early entry.

I wasn't disappointed.

I was a few minutes late and saw lots of SOLD. There were only a few of the Dead Camel I wanted this time, sort a a new pattern. But, all sold.

My two cents ...

This is not sour grapes - or maybe it is - who knows. Eva and I have zero respect for people who place claims on known locations (especially book published locations) then act like they are the sh*t as if they put in the time prospecting or discovering it.

There is an article on the rare rocks site in which the owner (who is a member here btw) talks about learning about the area from the advice of an old man at a closed and decrepit rock shop on the highway into Fallon from the west. This hit home for me because we had talked to this same old man a few years earlier, a visit during which he happily pointed to a place up on the mountains that he called Molly's Nipple and eagerly told us where to find the original Lahontanite material - claiming to have discovered it himself 30 years previously. His rock yard which is badly overgrown with weeds is littered with large pieces of Lahontanite which he is trying to take to his grave based on the prices being asked. When I dared to make what I thought was a decent counter offer on a so-so looking 50lb boulder, the charming old fellow turned beet red with steam coming out his years and stormed into his house, never to be seen again so we showed ourselves out of the yard.

What he didn't know was, and before anyone had heard of "dead camel" or "red falcon" or "dead ringer" or "mescalero" or "fire ridge" or whatever other claims have been placed on the area (all located in basically the same location btw...), we were already paying homage to the TRUE discoverers and patrons John and Terry Gaumer, founders of Gaumer's Jewelry Museum and rock shop in Red Bluff CA, by visiting it often, taking only what we needed to make a few pretty cabochons for showing off on RTH and selling on Etsy, ignoring the advice of many well-meaning friends that we should claim it and profit from it.

It was an old faded copy of John Gaumer's hand drawn map dated 1966, that guided us to the location. Much had changed since he drew it, the town of Fallon has overtaken many of the roads and canals he spoke of but the heart of the map which guided us to "Eagle Peak" (not Molly's Nipple) was intact and true. Based on all the changes, it took us many many trips to locate the specific area but it was a labor of love and we had a lot of fun doing it. In contrast, what I now see being done to the area and the intense hatred and fighting (greed) between the guys who are slapping down claims up there is not fun anymore.

Anyway, what caused me to start waxing nostalgic is a few days ago I stumbled on a Facebook post by Gaumers Jewelry Museum with a photo from 1966 showing John and Terry Gaumer rock hounding the original Lahontanite which then apparently faded into obscurity again for almost fifty years.

If there is material still to be recovered, a new claim can be filed on a lapsed claim or someone else's discovery. The government and public make little or nothing off locking up these resources, but that's the way it works.

I wish more claim owners would consider following the example of some of the old civic-minded miners like Hoot Elkins who deeded their claims to local organizations with a view of preserving public access. Maury Mt. and other sources have been kept open to rockhounds by such folks.

Well that thread took a major left turn, should it be moved to the cave?
Things like profit and enterprise are the reason we have cars to drive to our hounding sites and tools to mine with that aren't also made from stone. I tend to agree with the notion that credit should be given to our forbears, I know Jeffery has brought it up in our conversations. Don't know about Philip, I've only had a conversation with him once when ordering rock over the phone.
I think I'll leave it at that, we all have our little things we pat ourselves on the back excessively for, and I definitely would feel hypocritical to point it out in another.

Left turn?  How so, and why?  I'm pretty much uneducated when it comes to claims and such, so I'd love to see why you've taken this stance.  If, after your reply, a move to the cave is appropriate, it will be done.  In the meantime, I'm still kind of in the dark over this matter.

Lee I respect you and I respect your opinion and hope you won't paint what I said with too broad of a brush please. I was very specific about the circumstance in which I feel like placing a claim is a complete dick move. One day average rockhounds are able to go there and they next day they are not.

I also have friends who are miners and hold the utmost respect for those miners who are putting in the time and money and legwork and finding and bringing to market new materials for use to buy and enjoy. The hobby would be deplete without them.

Yeah, I suppose if it happened to a site I frequented I'd be miffed as well. Sorry for the over reaction.

It's all good - I kind of got carried away