elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 30, 2010 16:04:19 GMT -5
Looking at all the messages...yeah, what they said...
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 30, 2010 16:02:25 GMT -5
Every time I see your Mexican nodule posts I hear Joker's line from Batman (Burton's movie) in my head : Where does he get such wonderful toys?
Love the stuff!
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 21, 2010 4:03:34 GMT -5
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 21, 2010 3:51:26 GMT -5
Monday I woke up and stretched, looked out the window grabbed food and ice at the local quicky mart and went to Diamond Pacific to meet Ron at 8:00. We asked if I could leave my truck in the parking lot and received permission, and then we headed off to Lowe's to buy more buckets. (Never can have enough buckets.) Our first stop for the day (and it was only us on Monday - everyone else had responsibilities) was going to be the Hector Hills. Ron had never been there, but he needed a place where there was a fair amount of material and easy access. Hector fit the bill. As we drove along the I-40 I again marveled at the scenery. Soon we were getting off on Hector Road again, but this time we turned south. Here we got a view of Pisgah crater and the miners slowly stripping it down. Then it was down the pipeline road and the hills. Here we parked and made a couple excursions into the rambling hills. If you don't know the Hectors, they are filled with tons of broken pieces of agate. What makes it fun, even though most every piece has been slammed with a hammer and you need to hunt to find good stuff, are the colors. The agate here can be ruined agate with oranges and reds, yellow, black, white, purple (rarely), and some others. The tone is pastel. Nowhere else in this region can I think of a site that offers this type of material. And the view is impressive. I filled a bucket and Ron grabbed some pieces as well. It seems that this location will be used by him later for his field trips. Our next goal was the Southern Cady's. Tim the previous day had given me a tip to find some incredible moss, but we couldn't find a road into the area and had to give up. The effort cost us quite a bit of time. Still, love the mountains here. We did, though, find a place that had some trace agate in the wash. We hiked for a while (about a mile) and found only frustratingly unhelpful amounts of agate, but some of it was filled with red stringers which made us eager to find more. Finally Ron said he'd go back to the car and move it up a couple pole line spots. Below us Ludlow continued serving ice cream... While Ron got the car, I followed the trace around to a large wash and there I hit the source. Large pieces of plume agate were strewn about in the debris fallen from the cliffs, as was vugs filled with quartz crystals. We only had a bit of time and I filled my backback. Then it was time to leave. I had to get back home. Ron, lucky dude, had one more day of hunting to go. We are hoping to get back to there later this season. Finally it was time to head home. It was going to be a long drive so no dinner with Ron tonight. He drove me back to my truck and I watched the clouds gather for another bout of lightning. After picking up my truck and transferring material, I headed home and experienced quite a thrilling electrical show through the Antelope Valley. One lightning strike knocked down the grid for a few minutes because the whole valley went dark after it. Anyway, I got home Monday night and finally had a chance to clean up my stock this evening. I'll post it next. Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 21, 2010 3:24:06 GMT -5
It all began a few months ago when a friend of mine was asked to run the CFMS field trips out of Zzyzxx (an annual lapidary workshop) out in the middle of the Mojave. Ron, my friend, wanted to find some different places to go, so he called Bill Depue, owner of Diamond Pacific, which is located in Barstow. Bill said he'd take Ron out, and a few of us were lucky to tag along. Bill has been hounding the desert since the 1950's. I couldn't go Saturday, and on this day they hit a few places along I-15, which heads out of CA to Las Vegas. They roamed the dumps in the Calico Mountains where silver lace onyx can be gathered, then headed over to Mule Canyon to dig for palm root. Evidently one great, though small, piece of translucent root made jaws drop. Then they hit the road to the Northern Cadys where sagenite was procured. I left home 3:30 am Sunday morning and rolled into Barstow about 6:30. It was a beautiful sunrise. I parked in the Diamond Pacific lot and waited for 7:00 to roll around. Soon eight others arrived: Bill, Ron, his wife Jean, John, Brian, Tim, and John's son and friend pulled up within 5 minutes of each other. We exchanged basic introductions and headed out. The sun was going up and we were heading for our first stop - Hector Road for jasper. As we drove the desert slid by. It's my favorite topography, especially in the morning light. Forty minutes later we pulled off the freeway and rolled over the desert pavement. We found small chunks of jasper, but we didn't stay long. All this stop was for was showing Ron a quick and easy jasper location. We then returned to old Route 66 and drove towards a site John and Bryan and Tim had been to before. These guys have enormous energy and drive. They look at collecting sites, draw connections between them on maps, then hike the wilderness anticipating agate and jasper to follow the geology. They have hit quite a few strikes. This place was one of them. We turned off the pavement and headed towards the Cady's. It had been a long time since I'd felt that excited. After being a rockhound for a few years, you realize how special unknown sites truly are, and how special it is to visit one. We arrived and got ready for a mile hike through some sand to get there. We were going to hunt plume agate and some moss. The material was found along a jagged ridge cutting across the front of the mountains. I didn't take the camera, so sorry, no pics. I took only the necessary material needed to get there. I didn't want to have the camera cost me some extra material on the walk back. We headed out and found the exposure. I slightly pulled a muscle so sat and rested at the plume site while the others hiked over the ridge to the moss. I grabbed from a discard pile a small bucket's worth of material (see other posting for photos). I then went and followed the ridge towards the others. Along it's top I found another exposed seam that the others hadn't seen and picked up several plates of what I'm hoping to be good plume. I then saw all the others hiking back. Several were holding boulders the size of pumpkins of the mossy material. At my request, John took me over (avoiding the area where we saw sidewinder tracks) and I gathered a small sandbag's worth of material. I could have filled three, but I knew it was going to be a brutal walk back. When John and I returned to the plume site, many of the others had taken off for the trucks. Bill was thinking he'd find a way to get the truck closer to help pick up the rocks. (His rock was one of the biggest and he doesn't let them get away...) Bill was successful and we loaded up the truck bed. I took the backseat and hitched a ride back to the road. The others hoofed it back. As it was easier, I just stayed in Bill's truck and the caravan started again. I have to say, Bill is an amazing man and we swapped stories as we covered the miles. He relayed an incredible one about what he and his family did with the military armory they would occasionally find in the desert way back when. Suffice it to say, I never celebrated the 4th of July like he evidently did. Soon we were in Ludlow and everybody grabbed an ice cream. Then it was the road again. This time we were roaming by Broadwell Dry lake and turning in behind the mountains in search of Christmas Tree Agate, which has been known since the 1950's. As we approached, lightning slapped at the mountains in the distance. Didn't bother us. We drove on. The scenery was gorgeous. I say again, I love the desert. We arrived and tumbled out of the cars. This hike wasn't so bad (still I didn't take the camera) - just a couple hundred yards at most. We spread out at the site and people began scratching at the earth. A CFMS field trip had been out there the week before and it was as if a giant vacuum had come down and sucked everything up. There was little to be had. I finally had the grand idea to dig in the debris left by the earliest diggers. Bill pointed out where he had pulled out a huge piece in the 1950s. I hit the discard pile there. Evidently Christmas Tree Agate is a clear agate with red and green moss/plume that look like trees. I never found anything of any size, but I did get a bucket of small material from the place. We'll see how it turns out. We headed back to the parking area where we saw lightning dancing on the Bristol Mountains across the valley. Then the sky opened up just enough to give us the perfect finish for out day: a rainbow. We all shook hands and went on our way. Ron, Jean and I ate dinner at Jimenez's off Barstow Road (highly recommended for Mexican food -- oddly enough, the main decor is stuffed animals of all kinds. I don't know why.) I picked up a room at Best Western (recommended for cheap accommodations) and soon fell asleep thinking about the next day when Ron and I would hit some more locations.
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 23:09:50 GMT -5
ZZZZZZZZZZZ......mmmphrpp.........yawn..... Nope....It's not January yet.......Somebody wake me up when it gets to my turn..... ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 23:04:15 GMT -5
Always love to see the fruit of your labors!
I'm partial to the yellow. Don't see much of that color.
Nice work!
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 23:01:14 GMT -5
Hey Roger,
How far away is Murdo? And have you been to the Rockhound Hall of Fame? I'm curious. I'm trying to get someone inducted into the Hall and if successful, I want to visit it. And if that happens, I would part the Red Sea of my life to get out to your hills for even a day.
Thanks,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 22:52:48 GMT -5
Great specimen. I'd love to pick up another. There's a dealer out of LA who carries them occasionally. You guys are making me paranoid. I think I'll see if he still has any...
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 22:49:04 GMT -5
A friendly ghost is an apt description...dang thing looks like he's ready to kiss you.
It's also interesting because if you flip him the other way, you get an unhappy face. Sort of the comedy/tragedy face of theater.
I also say the piece is too unique to cut up. Polish and display is my vote.
Great specimen!
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 19:44:02 GMT -5
To all, Thanks for all the positive feedback! I'll be posting pictures of the other displays later. Steve, Here's a different look at that darker rock you requested. I've found a couple out there that are covered with dendites at varying levels. I've only worked one of them up, but the others are on my pending shelf. Unfortunately, there's a lot of stuff on my pending shelf. Hope all's well, Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 9, 2010 10:55:24 GMT -5
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Oct 5, 2010 2:44:50 GMT -5
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 29, 2010 18:18:30 GMT -5
Now Bob, So basically, aftergiving blood, being light headed, teaching, and driving 140 miles, you are proving that you still are 1000% better at doing cabs than me. Next time strap 5 pound weights to your wrists and see if you can still churn out these excellent, eye catching, stone wonders... I really gotta start practicing... (Awesome stuff - as always...) Can we get an emoticon that is green to show jealousy??? Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 29, 2010 18:12:50 GMT -5
Mel,
Love the stuff! I'm glad you decided to show pictures from your old stomping grounds. I got tired of wishing I could come and hunt in Texas.
I'm actually heading out to the Cady's (if the wife signs my permission slip) for a couple days in mid October. Can't wait.
Thanks for hyping me up again,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 26, 2010 21:11:20 GMT -5
Well, I had a chance to head out to Acton CA (70 mile drive) to hunt agates on a field trip run our field trip coordinator, Rob Sankovich, who's moving up to CFMS field trip south coordinator next year. About 35 people showed. We were there about 2 1/2 hours total. I packed up my daughter, and invited a neighbor and his 10 year old son, and we headed out. It was a beautiful day, a little on the hot side, but in Acton we came across a nice breeze that cut the heat a bit. On the way home it hit 100 degrees. We made two stops in Acton. Both were in locations where the material was scattered float below the hills where the agate formed. The prize was sagenite, but agate nodules up to golf ball sizes were the main findings. I've hunted Acton about 10 times or so before, but never at these two locations and never for sagenite, so I was curious what was going to be there. Normally - at a different location - I hunted nodules and moss agate that resembles Horse Canyon but is usually more porous. Here's the first stop. Just pull over and kick at the ground and agates pop up. I picked up a bagful of nodules, but I found a few pieces that look like they might provide some fun. We then went to another location where the sagenite and nodules were much more plentiful. It was a field a few acres in size. Nodules were scattered across the ground - and though not quite as plentiful - so was the sagenite. The problem is that the sagenite, much of it, hasn't been fully agatized. I don't have a picture of the site - my daughter was taking much of my time trying to keep her interested - but here's what was found overall, and then some individual pieces. Nodules - some with sagenite: To the left is the pile of sagenite hopefuls: Pieces and parts: I've fiddled with one of the stones to see how it works: Hmmmm. I'm hoping some of the stuff is solid. Finally, here's some agates I found at a third location a couple years ago. The group went here later (I skipped to get home and get ready for dinner guests.) Thanks for looking! Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 24, 2010 9:15:49 GMT -5
Thanks Steve and Mel,
It's always great to have your knowledge around!
Somebody else who saw the pieces said the same things as you two.
As I cut more, I'll post the pictures.
Oh - and Mexican nodules $1 a pound?!?!?! Be still my beating heart!!! Whether or not if that rock shop is still there, can you dig where the rocks used to be??? You know how rocks like squirming into the earth if you let them sit long enough. I'm imagining a bedrock of fortification agates underlaying some poor ignorant fool's home in NM who just bought into a new subdivision...
Thanks all who responded,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 21, 2010 22:09:16 GMT -5
I had a few moments yesterday to fiddle with some of the mexican rough I picked up this weekend (see thread in members section.) I face polished a broken piece and took another and worked along its side to open up the bright purple these nodules possess. I think they are Agua Nueva from their colors, but would like the opinion of anybody who is in the know. (By the way, when are they reprinting _The Agates of Northern Mexico_ ?) Here are the two I worked and one broken nodule showing pattern and color. Sorry for the cruddy lighting. Thanks for looking, Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 20, 2010 21:46:52 GMT -5
Always great seeing the awesome material near you!
Thanks for sharing,
Lowell
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elementary
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,077
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Post by elementary on Sept 20, 2010 21:44:59 GMT -5
That's an awesome piece.
I love the bright tropical colors on what looks like a feline tooth.
Great work!
Lowell
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