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Post by Toad on Apr 1, 2006 22:41:10 GMT -5
I can't buy anymore rocks for the rest of the year.
My wife just told me that I get to go to the Tucson Gem show next year. So I have to save every penny between now and February. I'm already drooling.
Can't believe I'm going to freaking Tucson!
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Rockygibraltar
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2006
Posts: 1,404
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Post by Rockygibraltar on Apr 1, 2006 22:44:46 GMT -5
It's definately a worthy goal. You will find that there are rock shows all over Tucson. Not just the main one.
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Post by NM Stone Supply on Apr 1, 2006 22:49:55 GMT -5
Sounds worth it to me.
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Post by Cher on Apr 1, 2006 22:51:49 GMT -5
Wow Toad, you lucky dog you!! You'll have to just go out and collect local stuff to play with while you're saving the pennies up for the big stuff. You'd best keep enough to take your Mrs. out to dinner for that one.
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Post by Toad on Apr 1, 2006 23:00:50 GMT -5
She gets to go to Seattle to see her brother this year. That's the trade.
A week with your sibling, or a week with every rock imaginable? Who got the better end of that deal?
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Post by rockyraccoon on Apr 1, 2006 23:08:54 GMT -5
if you buy a rock between now and then do you lose your trip? yikes! i'd never make it.
kim
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Post by joe on Apr 1, 2006 23:13:02 GMT -5
I felt bad for you when I read the title of the thread, now I can congratulate you!!
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Post by Toad on Apr 1, 2006 23:36:06 GMT -5
if you buy a rock between now and then do you lose your trip? yikes! i'd never make it. kim No, I don't lose the trip, but its that much less money to spend in Tucson - totally self-imposed restriciton. I have enough rock in my garage to keep me going until February. Just need to keep buying grit to keep the tumbler going.
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Post by rockds on Apr 1, 2006 23:52:00 GMT -5
Would love to go to the big show but that is a long time to go w/o buying a rock - good luck on your will power
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Post by Toad on Apr 2, 2006 7:45:58 GMT -5
So far I've made it 3 days without withdrawl symptoms...
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Post by NM Stone Supply on Apr 2, 2006 9:35:08 GMT -5
Toad, Well if you run out I am sure we can all get together and send you a rock to work on. Jason
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Post by gemkoi on Apr 2, 2006 13:03:32 GMT -5
Toad, Before you go, make sure you get a show guide. Tucson can be extremely overwhelming for folks who haven’t been there. There are roughly 2 dozen shows that takes place within 5 days. And each one has different vendors. These shows are spread out all over the city. www.tucsonshowguide.com/tsg/A couple things to pay attention about; Tucson will have it all, but it can be a very trendy market. So most often, prices are higher than at the Quartzsite show. But you can still find deals and get ripped off like at any show. Tucson is a great place to buy finished stuff, and Mineral Specimens. Rough from my experience over the years, comes and goes at Tucson, unless you into faceting or top of the carat rough. (the Blue Amber people set up there each year and I love looking at the stuff, but can rarely justify buying a piece because its so expensive) Certain dealers online like the gemshop will have "tucson speicals" But for the prices, i find rarely anything to go home with outside of finished stuff. Faceted gems, beads, findings, cabochons in the millions, and fine mineral specimens is what Tucson is worth visiting for(in a buyer since). Visiting to just visit and see displays are worth it in my opinion if you never been. But you will find allot of dealers that will sell you the table they have of stuff for sale, rather then sell you a single piece. Its a wholesale market, that is open to the public, outside of a few shows in which you must register as a wholesale buyer in order to enter. Quartzsite is the place for rough in my opinion. Many more rough vendors(most of which end up in Tucson after Quartzsite because that’s how the dates work. And there are many Western state miners/vendors who set up at Quartzsite and that’s it. AS Tucson’s is the main international vendor crowd, with Quartzsite and Laughlin as the Western states vendor crowd. IN either case, end of the shows are the time to find the best deals, just because many vendors dont want to have to repack the inventory and haul it back to Timbuktu. So no matter were you choose to go, plan you dates as best as you can. Quartzsite is a several month deal, with the main shows taking place in the month of January, and the frist week of Feb. Tucson is only a 5 day show, and takes place the frist week of February, or starts the frist weekend, and goes into the second week. That link i gave talks more about the dates. Quartzsite is roughly a 3-4 hour drive from Tucson. Planning is the way to go with Tucson, Quartzsite is not a problem on a whim. Unless you go to it on the weekend. Traffic jams and to many people. Go during the week when it comes to Quartzsite.
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WarrenA
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2003
Posts: 1,530
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Post by WarrenA on Apr 2, 2006 13:20:33 GMT -5
are you going to fly or drive?
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Post by Toad on Apr 2, 2006 17:11:13 GMT -5
Thanks, gemkoi. Real good info. I'll look into quartzite as well.
Warren, don't know if I'm driving or flying. Flying seems to make more sense unless I can find at least one other person to go.
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Post by Cher on Apr 2, 2006 19:59:39 GMT -5
So far I've made it 3 days without withdrawl symptoms... Ummmm and how many days until the shows?
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
Posts: 2,731
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Post by earthdog on Apr 2, 2006 21:19:24 GMT -5
I'm in, with ya Toad, we can take the Jag, so we can get there quick. I'll even buy a luggage rack for the roof, so we can bring more home. I'll only bring 1 change of clothes to save on space, for rocks.
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Post by Toad on Apr 2, 2006 21:25:09 GMT -5
How's the suspension on the Jag. Have a feeling that we could turn it into a low rider.
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turnedstone
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since January 2006
Posts: 766
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Post by turnedstone on Apr 2, 2006 23:13:55 GMT -5
One thing i would like to clear up is that Tuscon runs two weeks not one. Toad i go every year or at least try to. I go for 3 or 4 weeks its to far of a drive to do less. So if i go and you fly we could meet up and i maybe can hall some rocks back for you if i don't get tooo loaded which has almost happened once. You are near Chicago right thats do able for me. we have alto of time before then so its something to think about. George Show dates this year ran Jan. 29 to the 13 of Feb.
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Post by LCARS on Apr 3, 2006 0:29:07 GMT -5
Compromises compromises...
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Post by Toad on Apr 3, 2006 5:47:32 GMT -5
I couldn't take that long off work. So i'll proably take you up on your offer, turnedstone.
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