aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 27, 2014 0:15:01 GMT -5
The in-laws are rollin' towards Reno and are trying a bit of rock collecting on the way (I try and help find locations for them to visit because trip prizes are always good!!)... My dad-in-law had a map, or saw a map, or talked to a guy in a coffee shop 10 years ago, or somethin' and swears there is a big obsidian flow (aka: trip prize collecting area) "30 miles South of Reno". I'm not finding any obsidian listed in my Gem Trails book, and just general info online. The location map here lists "SPARKS, area draws, washes, fields and land surfacesâŻagate, Garnet, Idocrase, obsidian." but doesn't give any details. And that's East, not South of Reno. Any hints?? I think they plan on visiting this mystery location and then will be heading towards Truckee, CA. Pre-thanks if anyone out there can put me on the right track and help me win MAJOR bonus rock points with the in-laws.
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 382
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Apr 27, 2014 1:38:06 GMT -5
Tell them to be sure and stop at a Basque Family Style restaurant or two in the Sparks area and have the best steak dinner they will ever come across for dirt cheap LOL I know nothing of obsidian collecting down around there, just used to work around the area from time to time and always loved to eat at the Basque places, sorry
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2014 2:41:35 GMT -5
Yeah, everything I know is north: Goose Lake/Davis Creek obsidian on the California side and Badger Creek and Big Springs Reservoir (Apache Tears) up north of the Black Desert. 30 miles south gets you into the Carson City area, and there is a map here that shows Nevada sources. Sutro Springs is the only site I recall anyone collecting and I'm neither sure of the current status for collecting or whether the obsidian turned out to be very gemmy.
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 27, 2014 11:30:05 GMT -5
They're passing by Davis Creek, so I think I'll beg them to stop there. Sutro Springs sounds about right but I'm not finding any good info for collecting. I have a few days before they drive through so just gotta keep researching!!
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owyhee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 105
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Post by owyhee on Apr 27, 2014 13:10:44 GMT -5
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 27, 2014 13:41:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the linky... I stumbled across that site last night in my wanderings but haven't been able to correlate sites on it with good web data on where exactly to go collecting. Maybe I'm clicking on the wrong bit or something. I've got him hooked up with info on Davis, Fernley and the copper ore area 12 miles North of Reno (since they'll be travelling down 395), as well as a few rock shops on the way where he can stop and ask local questions. Hoping the Reno shops will be able to help him identify the mysterious source he got random intel on. They're in an RV too so I can't give them too many off-the-smooth-path destinations. Or I'll be buying new shocks and struts.
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owyhee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 105
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Post by owyhee on Apr 27, 2014 15:43:55 GMT -5
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owyhee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 105
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Post by owyhee on Apr 27, 2014 15:50:40 GMT -5
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 28, 2014 10:32:28 GMT -5
Okay, spent waaay too much time looking at geologic maps last night.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2014 13:42:29 GMT -5
Tell 'em to keep their eyes peeled for sparkly rocks along the road once they get to the general area. They're either going to be broken glass or obsidian.
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owyhee
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2014
Posts: 105
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Post by owyhee on Apr 28, 2014 18:50:47 GMT -5
"Okay, spent waaay too much time looking at geologic maps last night." Sorry, I get into looking for mines. Found some killer stuff and had plenty of eye strain. MJ
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 28, 2014 21:52:23 GMT -5
All I know is that this rock-collecting-chatting and all of the research I've been doing for the in-laws has really got me craving a road trip.
Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip. Road Trip.
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Post by radio on Apr 29, 2014 19:33:54 GMT -5
I don't know of Obsidian near Reno, but if they will be near Fallon, there is a great Wonderstone (rhyolite) collecting site. The wife and I were there several years back and found some really neat material including Bullseye patterns. It is accessible by car (maybe not a Corvette;-) and there are tons of small chunks on the surface, but the larger ones will require some digging I wanna go rockhounding Nevada again sooooo bad!
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Post by rockpickerforever on Apr 29, 2014 19:54:28 GMT -5
Radio, funny that you should say that. I went on a field trip with the Quartzsite Roadrunners during Pow Wow week in Jan 2013. We went south of Q down 95, to an area to collect bird's eye rhyolite. It wasn't real far off the paved road, but someone DID drive a Corvette. They had to leave it at one point, and ride in with someone else...
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Post by radio on Apr 29, 2014 22:54:18 GMT -5
Radio, funny that you should say that. I went on a field trip with the Quartzsite Roadrunners during Pow Wow week in Jan 2013. We went south of Q down 95, to an area to collect bird's eye rhyolite. It wasn't real far off the paved road, but someone DID drive a Corvette. They had to leave it at one point, and ride in with someone else... LOL! What a coincedence When I lived in California I used to go to the Desert a lot on rockhounding trips. I had an old beat up Mitsubishi Monetro, but that thing would go anywhere! I can't tell you how many Jeeps I pulled out of the sand in the Mojave! They would see me coming down the trail and start jumping up and down and waving their arrms to get my attention. I would pull up in front of or behind them, throw them the tow strap and tell them to "Hook 'er up and honk when you want me to stop" Several times I had them dragged to safety before they could even get their rig started and in gear. Limited slip on both ends is a big advantage, but when you DO get stuck, it takes a dozer, a bulldog, three men and all day to get it out
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 30, 2014 8:06:09 GMT -5
Yup, Plum Creek campground up at Davis Creek, Awesome dried prune type high quality obsidian nodules all over the creek bed. Only southern Nevada obsidian I know of is south of Reno by a bunch ( Montgomery Pass) and is not high quality. Also hunted Apache tears over at Fish Lake and the Sump...Mel
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Good Earth
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2010
Posts: 155
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Post by Good Earth on Apr 30, 2014 9:34:58 GMT -5
There is obsidian near Reno. When I was a kid we lived south of Reno on Mt Rose Highway. One day, the neighbor had the road re-graveled. About two miles with pieces of obsidian in the gravels. I collected about a bucket full, the largest being twice fist sized. That must have come from a local pit. One of my very first collecting experiences. I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8...
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on Apr 30, 2014 9:49:56 GMT -5
I'll have to check and see if they're having any luck... I'm hoping they got some good local intel from a rock shop too. But they've been quiet so maybe they're having a grand time!!
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aimeesrockworks
spending too much on rocks
I really do look like my avatar... it kinda freaks me out.
Member since December 2010
Posts: 458
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Post by aimeesrockworks on May 5, 2014 9:52:27 GMT -5
The report came in ... "Hi Aim's, want to come back with us next week to Davis Creek??" (That's a 500+ mile drive one way for us) So I think they really had a good time. I did get a concerned "WE CAN'T FIND ANYTHING" call, did what I could, and didn't hear back for a few days. Apparently they ran into a commercial claim guy who was super helpful. He gave them a better map of Davis, told them where to go, and happily talked 'rock' for quite awhile. They're absolutely stoked. So thanks for the help everyone! Like I said, major in-law-bonus-points.
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Post by mohs on May 7, 2014 1:29:38 GMT -5
you started a really good conversation here aim~ee after all this I hope they find more than just obsidian like that lost Nevada gold
I'm all over the map mostly
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