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Post by Bob on Jan 16, 2022 16:27:07 GMT -5
Can most vendors accept credit cards?
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Post by Bob on Jan 17, 2022 14:40:21 GMT -5
Well, my friend had a cough this morning, just tested for COVID, got a positive result so we have to cancel the whole thing. Will try again next year...
Were due to fly out Amer Airlines in the morning. Someone told me I will get refund on his ticket, if a call and explain why, though they might require proof of positive COVID. And, they said a decent chance of me getting a refund on my ticket also since I bought them both together under my name and record locator. Will try.
I think the rooms in Blythe I booked way back in Sep have more then doubled in price, so that motel/hotel will likely be happy when I cancel.
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rewdownunder
spending too much on rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 357
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Post by rewdownunder on Jan 17, 2022 16:04:43 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that. Two friends just came back from Quartzite and tested positive. One is very sick the other just feels like he has a bad cold. Hope you are doing Ok
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 17, 2022 18:24:11 GMT -5
That sucks, Bob. Sorry you're going to miss it. Hopefully next year we'll see you there. You and your friend take care of yourself.
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Post by Bob on Jan 17, 2022 20:27:56 GMT -5
Yes, we will try again next year.
I was studying rockhounding papers about sites and known materials found not far from Blythe and actually got as excited about that as the Show.
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Post by Bob on Jan 18, 2022 11:25:01 GMT -5
I just heard from owner of MLS in Desert Gardens. Aussies and many other foreign dealers aren't coming, causing a shortage of rough, both types and amount. So maybe I had picked wrong year.
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,215
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Post by quartzilla on Jan 18, 2022 16:06:16 GMT -5
Sorry you can’t make it, was looking forward to meeting ya. Wife and I are still good to go but the other couple with us bowed out.Thursday can’t come fast enough lol. Bob were you referring to the sites around the Wiley Wells area for hunting? Can confirm lots to find in a few square miles of area. We may do a couple hours out by the Potato Patch on the way back Saturday.
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Post by Peruano on Jan 18, 2022 18:26:02 GMT -5
I go to Quartzite to look and talk as much as to buy rocks. And when I hear that some of the regulars are not there and certainly that includes some of the diversity from down under, I take that into account but . . . when there are too many venders to deal with on regular years, I'm sure that a covid year would still be an interesting rock adventure. There are a lot of folks who store material from year to year at the Q area, and hence don't need to arrive on a big boat from downunder. All I'm really trying to say is, yes the Q at Desert Gardens is probably different, but not a bust; and the PowWow may be less likely to be significantly altered, and hey. . . one good score at a rock show in the way of rough, cabs, or equipment can justify the day invested. This is coming from someone like most of us who is not trying to make a fortune in lapidary, or maybe not even a profit, but just enjoying the community of folks of a like mind and those who support or attempts in that direction by gathering, processing, and selling the things that bring smiles to our faces. Thanks Tony and all the others that are there even in the face of a diminished crowd.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 18, 2022 18:34:07 GMT -5
I go to Quartzite to look and talk as much as to buy rocks. And when I hear that some of the regulars are not there and certainly that includes some of the diversity from down under, I take that into account but . . . when there are too many venders to deal with on regular years, I'm sure that a covid year would still be an interesting rock adventure. There are a lot of folks who store material from year to year at the Q area, and hence don't need to arrive on a big boat from downunder. All I'm really trying to say is, yes the Q at Desert Gardens is probably different, but not a bust; and the PowWow may be less likely to be significantly altered, and hey. . . one good score at a rock show in the way of rough, cabs, or equipment can justify the day invested. This is coming from someone like most of us who is not trying to make a fortune in lapidary, or maybe not even a profit, but just enjoying the community of folks of a like mind and those who support or attempts in that direction by gathering, processing, and selling the things that bring smiles to our faces. Thanks Tony and all the others that are there even in the face of a diminished crowd. Well said!
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Post by Bob on Jan 19, 2022 11:52:22 GMT -5
Sorry you can’t make it, was looking forward to meeting ya. Wife and I are still good to go but the other couple with us bowed out.Thursday can’t come fast enough lol. Bob were you referring to the sites around the Wiley Wells area for hunting? Can confirm lots to find in a few square miles of area. We may do a couple hours out by the Potato Patch on the way back Saturday. No, though I'm aware of those. There are miles and and miles of rock laden desert ground in southern California and close to Blyth. I have spent a lot of time in the desert but not closer to Blyth before than Danby. I'm not just into agates and see that a lot of rockhounders obsess with any location that might yield agates. It's obvious to me at times from the tire tracks at this or that intersection. I go the other way. Do I find agates and get excited when I do? Yes. But in recent years, the best for me seem to be areas where I find assorted types of colors of jasper, chalcedony, and pet wood. Perhaps from my decades of backpacking, much off trail, I seem to have a knack for predicting in a given terrain where 9 out of 10 people will go. So I go to the other part and often strike pay dirt every time. Of course, in this part of California, you would have to be blind to not find tons and tons of tumbleable rocks. Since getting that used 10" lapidary saw and doing a lot of trimming and getting better and better at it, I've been getting more and more excited by my pet wood which had been piling up for years. Often it takes sawing right through a big piece a bit off center to find out if the piece is worth keeping at all. Even with being picky in the field, it seems maybe I discard 25% because of flaws inside that can't be determined at first look without sawing. So for the keepers, I put it in rough grind for a week, then trim off more if needed (usually is) and then keep going. I'm starting to build up quite a collection of perfectly polished and fracture free pieces of pet wood that I find pretty exciting, ranging from white to black and many shades of brown and gray. Don't like the resultant flat sawn surfaces, but can't avoid either. Don't yet have any of the pretty orange or red though, but recently have been granted permission to collect on land that abuts Pet Forest Natl Park so hope to soon get some. So in the field, I'm starting to pick up a lot more pet wood knowing that I can use that saw to find the good solid part in it. In the southern California desert, I find that pet wood isn't as widely distributed as in TX, NM, or easter AZ, but now and then I run into plenty of it and will be looking for it.
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Post by Son Of Beach on Jan 19, 2022 19:04:50 GMT -5
Hope y'all have a great time this weekend.
Maybe next year or the next for me, but it's on the list now.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Jan 19, 2022 20:14:13 GMT -5
We have arrived in Blythe! We're extra excited because we actually found a dog sitter this time!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 19, 2022 20:31:17 GMT -5
We have arrived in Blythe! We're extra excited because we actually found a dog sitter this time! Tommy, please take pictures of the BBQ and post them. I need to live vicariously through pictures this time.
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Jan 19, 2022 21:16:15 GMT -5
We have arrived in Blythe! We're extra excited because we actually found a dog sitter this time! Tommy, please take pictures of the BBQ and post them. I need to live vicariously through pictures this time. Definitely photos will occur haha. I haven't been back thru thr thread but it didnt seem like we have many folks coming for the Friday event but we shall see.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 19, 2022 21:17:42 GMT -5
Thanks, Tommy.
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,215
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Post by quartzilla on Jan 20, 2022 9:35:51 GMT -5
Will be heading out the door in about 1/2 an hour. Approx. 2-1/2 drive. I will get some pics for y’all too of some of the goodies available.
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on Jan 20, 2022 10:37:48 GMT -5
It was -21° here without the wind chill this morning. Looking forward to the pics.
Some day Ali and I will get there, until then everyone please send some heat our way 🤣
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,215
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Post by quartzilla on Jan 20, 2022 22:05:09 GMT -5
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,215
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Post by quartzilla on Jan 20, 2022 22:09:51 GMT -5
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Tommy
Administrator
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,652
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Post by Tommy on Jan 20, 2022 22:35:13 GMT -5
Great pictures quartzilla! Eva and I had a great day at the PowWow and got to spend some quality time with drocknut Dianne and Russ nowyo and Frank. Bought a nice rock from them too which was a bonus Took a couple of pics at Desert Gardens - Tony - catmandewe doing his Vanna pose showing off the amazing 36" saw. This thing is crazy big! I'm on a self imposed rock buying vacation but I did find a couple of pieces I couldn't live without - a 9" wide Lucky Strike mine t-egg with seriously beautiful moss agate, and a nice Prudent Man end cut that should yield several solid slabs. I also bought a few beautiful slabs from Christopher Anthony but those are still in the truck glove box so I'll post more later.
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