From Lurker to Member - Residing in South Dakota
Jul 2, 2020 22:07:19 GMT -5
RickB, Pat, and 4 more like this
Post by jasoninsd on Jul 2, 2020 22:07:19 GMT -5
My name is Jason and I happen to reside in Rapid City, SD - not really in the city - more out by the airport out of town. My fascination with rocks (agates per se) came originally from a friend who is into rock hounding. He was constantly talking about finding agates. When we would hang out, I would pick up rocks and constantly ask if they were agates - more to annoy him than anything. He would just shake his head as I had no clue what to look for when it came to agates.
Fast forward a couple years and I started searching the web for what agates really look like. To be completely honest about it, my real fascination in finding them came from the delivery of 8 tons of river rock that I put around the back deck. I began picking through them on hands and knees and found quite a few prairie agates and one potential Fairburn Agate. I'll post pictures of that one pretty soon.
Well, after catching the bug in an unconventional way, I found this website. I knew my friend had talked about agate hunting around the area and had pointed out Railroad Buttes several years ago, but I had no real interest at the time and really kind of blew it off. Well, this website kept talking about the different locations for hunting Fairburns in the area, including RR Buttes, so I took the plunge.
I left my driveway at 6:40am this morning and arrived at the parking area for Railraod Buttes at 7:05...a very short 25 minute drive! I spent the next seven hours sheepishly searching the Buttes for agates (I say sheepishly as I was PRETTY sure I was in the right area - thankfully I was!). I had so much fun! I was all alone except for the antelope that snorted at me on the next ridge before bounding away! I found numerous prairie agates and one potential unbroken/whole Fairburn. I'll post pictures of that one pretty soon as well.
I've already started looking at tumblers and tools for cutting, but I'm going to have to do a LOT more reading on here before I pull the trigger on any equipment...but it IS going to happen.
My wife's family has property down towards Fairburn, but I'm staying away from that area right now as I've heard the ticks are really bad down in that area right now...
I talked the wife into going with me back out to the Buttes tomorrow. Now that I know it is that close to where I live, it will likely become my new hangout for days when I need those "mental health" days...
I look forward to the wealth of information on this site, and hope to be a positive contributor myself as time and my own knowledge progresses.
Jason
Fast forward a couple years and I started searching the web for what agates really look like. To be completely honest about it, my real fascination in finding them came from the delivery of 8 tons of river rock that I put around the back deck. I began picking through them on hands and knees and found quite a few prairie agates and one potential Fairburn Agate. I'll post pictures of that one pretty soon.
Well, after catching the bug in an unconventional way, I found this website. I knew my friend had talked about agate hunting around the area and had pointed out Railroad Buttes several years ago, but I had no real interest at the time and really kind of blew it off. Well, this website kept talking about the different locations for hunting Fairburns in the area, including RR Buttes, so I took the plunge.
I left my driveway at 6:40am this morning and arrived at the parking area for Railraod Buttes at 7:05...a very short 25 minute drive! I spent the next seven hours sheepishly searching the Buttes for agates (I say sheepishly as I was PRETTY sure I was in the right area - thankfully I was!). I had so much fun! I was all alone except for the antelope that snorted at me on the next ridge before bounding away! I found numerous prairie agates and one potential unbroken/whole Fairburn. I'll post pictures of that one pretty soon as well.
I've already started looking at tumblers and tools for cutting, but I'm going to have to do a LOT more reading on here before I pull the trigger on any equipment...but it IS going to happen.
My wife's family has property down towards Fairburn, but I'm staying away from that area right now as I've heard the ticks are really bad down in that area right now...
I talked the wife into going with me back out to the Buttes tomorrow. Now that I know it is that close to where I live, it will likely become my new hangout for days when I need those "mental health" days...
I look forward to the wealth of information on this site, and hope to be a positive contributor myself as time and my own knowledge progresses.
Jason