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Post by snowmom on Jul 22, 2014 10:35:11 GMT -5
Yesterday I spent 5 hours at the Lake (Huron) rock hunting. I think my skills are improving. I realized I do find agates, just not Lakers, many are 'ruins' lake worn specimens, and I find jasper and other really hard rocks which will polish well. I have decided that the thrill of the hunt is probably as important to me as the excitement of running a good tumble... having found and wrested good stuff from the Lake is going to turn out to be one of the most important parts of the tumbling and cabbing process which I am embarking on. Is the thrill of the hunt important to you? I know some people just can't hunt due to location or physical limitations. just sort of a poll here. How important is the hunt in your rock hobby? I suppose even if you hunt on line there is still that satisfaction that comes with finding the perfect raw material for a piece you are thinking about making?
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Post by vegasjames on Jul 22, 2014 11:15:50 GMT -5
Very nice specimens, especially those first ones.
As for your poll I like the hunt. By going in to middle of nowhere rather than picked over Gem Trail sites I have found some of my best stuff.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,666
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 22, 2014 13:29:36 GMT -5
I love the hunt,with many miles under my feet....I like picking up the strange,thrown away rocks and making them something worth keeping... As said,I go deeper in the areas and find the better goodies... Nice finds D....Thumbs up
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 22, 2014 13:31:05 GMT -5
I think I enjoy hunting at least as much as working the rocks later. My son and I are going to camp on Lake Superior in early August and just pick rocks for three days. I also ordered some gold pans to pan the black sand on the beach up there. I'll be happy with one speck of gold and am not expecting much more.
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roundrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Holding on to the Stone of Destiny
Member since June 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by roundrock on Jul 22, 2014 13:36:29 GMT -5
Yep, I love the hunt also. It's always excited me to find something, whether a rock, fossil, or anything outdoors, that I most likely am the first human to ever see it. Soemtimes I believe I was born a century or two late since I seem to be of the hunter/gather mentality.
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Post by drocknut on Jul 22, 2014 14:00:50 GMT -5
I agree the thrill of the hunt is the best part of hounding for me. There's nothing like finding a great rock out in the great outdoors.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 22, 2014 14:20:34 GMT -5
I agree the thrill of the hunt is the best part of hounding for me. There's nothing like finding a great rock out in the great outdoors. There's nothing like ripping the great gem silica rock out of Jim's (@wampidy) hands! Ha ha! You know he is NEVER going to forget or forgive you for that, lol!
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Jul 22, 2014 15:05:05 GMT -5
I'm struggling with whether I want to buy yet another tumbler to facilitate my love of hounding. I need to be doing something with all these rocks to justify the trips! (At least to other people - I'd be happy building my entire property up with rocks I found)
This hobby is a perfect marriage of my interests. I love going to secluded places in the outdoors, and I've always loved collecting things. This gives me an excuse to drive off into the wild like I want to do every time I get in my car. There are so many days I get on the highway and come *this* close to skipping the exit I'm supposed to take and going on an adventure. Sigh. Got to make money too.
I do love the tumbling process so far, but if I had to pick one, my way of life is out in the wild more so than back home.
Edit: By the way, that green (sedimentary?) rock in the bottom of your pic towards the right, what is that? It's in BC too.
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 22, 2014 15:09:31 GMT -5
I'm struggling with whether I want to buy yet another tumbler to facilitate my love of hunting. I need to be doing something with all these rocks to justify the trips! (At least to other people) This hobby is a perfect marriage of my interests. I love going to secluded places in the outdoors, and I've always loved collecting things. This gives me an excuse to drive off into the wild like I want to do every time I get in my car. Why do you need to justify your trips to other people? Just tell them it is something that you very much enjoy doing. Fresh air, exercise, seeing the sights.
I enjoy trips to the desert, and wandering around out there, looking. If I don't bring a single rock home (hasn't happened yet, lol!), I still enjoyed the excursion. There's also something to be said for getting out of Dodge.
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Jul 22, 2014 15:15:54 GMT -5
I'm struggling with whether I want to buy yet another tumbler to facilitate my love of hunting. I need to be doing something with all these rocks to justify the trips! (At least to other people) This hobby is a perfect marriage of my interests. I love going to secluded places in the outdoors, and I've always loved collecting things. This gives me an excuse to drive off into the wild like I want to do every time I get in my car. Why do you need to justify your trips to other people? Just tell them it is something that you very much enjoy doing. Fresh air, exercise, seeing the sights.
I enjoy trips to the desert, and wandering around out there, looking. If I don't bring a single rock home (hasn't happened yet, lol!), I still enjoyed the excursion. There's also something to be said for getting out of Dodge.
Thank you. Truly, I don't need to justify my trips, very much a solo kind of guy. But I've had surprising criticism from people about my interest. Rocks are seen as a waste of time to most people around here.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 22, 2014 16:26:17 GMT -5
bcrockhound, that is what is so great about this forum... you truly are among your own kind here! I will never forget the day I told the lady at the post office that I was sending Rocks to New Mexico and that my friend was going to send rocks back to me. "rocks! Rocks!!!!" She sputtered and went speechless for a moment. then: " You mean to tell me this is a box full of ROCKS?" She seemed outraged and didn't make eye contact with me again during the transaction. I am sure she thought I was loopy.... and I am, but I have found a place where they understand me. Welcome Home!
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bcrockhound
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2014
Posts: 418
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Post by bcrockhound on Jul 22, 2014 16:53:04 GMT -5
bcrockhound, that is what is so great about this forum... you truly are among your own kind here! I will never forget the day I told the lady at the post office that I was sending Rocks to New Mexico and that my friend was going to send rocks back to me. "rocks! Rocks!!!!" She sputtered and went speechless for a moment. then: " You mean to tell me this is a box full of ROCKS?" She seemed outraged and didn't make eye contact with me again during the transaction. I am sure she thought I was loopy.... and I am, but I have found a place where they understand me. Welcome Home! Wow. That's pretty bad customer service! At least you're in the US and don't have to deal with Canada Post. I'm glad to find others who like rocks. I always liked polished stones and crystals when I saw them in gift stores but thought they were too girly for me to buy without shame. Then I got a girlfriend who likes rocks and made it legitimate for me to buy some for her, and the addiction took off. Now we are rockhounding together, great way to spend the summer. In some way, it's nice few people care about rocks because it means plenty of great ones are still out there to pick up. Thanks for the welcome.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 22, 2014 17:05:20 GMT -5
BCRockhound, forgot to answer you question. I think that semi-translucent green stuff is probably soapstone. It scratches easily with a steel knife blade.. pretty soft, but nice color.
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Post by Jugglerguy on Jul 22, 2014 19:48:50 GMT -5
Snowmom, that just not be the woman who always takes my rocks. She know me by now, and says "rocks?" when I walk in. She never seems annoyed at all. I would have thought I'd had them broken in by now.
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Thunder69
Cave Dweller
Thunder 2000-2015
Member since January 2009
Posts: 3,101
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Post by Thunder69 on Jul 22, 2014 20:17:30 GMT -5
The thrill of the hunt is The best...Finding the spectacular stone is the tops...When you give a kid a special stone and their expression just lights up a room is unmatched..Priceless....John
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,334
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Post by quartz on Jul 23, 2014 0:04:41 GMT -5
The quest is what it's all about. My wife put it well: "It gives places to go, lots to do when we get there, and the souvenirs are free." For us, it isn't just all rocks, there's a whole world of things to see, enjoy, and remember. And, too, there are those who are certain we're nuts.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 23, 2014 5:31:15 GMT -5
john/thunder69 I had that feeling x 30 the other day hunting at a local light house beach. There were about 30 kids at summer day camp there visiting the light house and they went swimming while I was in the middle of my hunt. One little girl asked what I was doing and I showed her my stones. She said she sure wished she could have one, especially that one... well, she got the one she wanted and when she went and showed it to the other kids, they came to see, and in the end I gave away almost all of the rocks I had collected. Found 2 pudding stones that day right after the kids left and ended up giving them to hounds from the other side of the state to share with their club. I am so blessed to live here and be able to pick from the lake whenever I want. That day with the kids will live in my memory forever, I hear their laughter and see their excitement. I have already forgotten what the rocks looked like. I agree, some things are priceless. Maybe we will spark a little geologist or paleontologist or another hound by feeding that curiousity. Fun to do!
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Post by snowmom on Jul 23, 2014 5:32:22 GMT -5
quartz, nope, we just have rocks in our heads.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,666
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 23, 2014 9:35:33 GMT -5
I've been to places where the people roll their eyes,but also know that I will never give up the hounding...Heck I've had people follow me and start looking for rocks too(did it in a graveled parking lot in Cooke City,MT)..They got excited!!! LOL My brother works around an area full of fossils,he picks them up for me and gives them to me.. I've gotten three sister in laws into rocks now... All my grandkids so far,plus my wife is starting to enjoy it too...... The farthest I carried a rock,was off a mountain in Montana and it was a 5 mile walk,carrying this dang heavy rock..My nephews chipped in and helped me carry it down too..I still have it-LOL
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Post by drocknut on Jul 24, 2014 13:06:21 GMT -5
I agree the thrill of the hunt is the best part of hounding for me. There's nothing like finding a great rock out in the great outdoors. There's nothing like ripping the great gem silica rock out of Jim's (@wampidy) hands! Ha ha! You know he is NEVER going to forget or forgive you for that, lol! Now come on be fair it was on the ground when I picked it up, geez you are making me out to be an evil rock thief. Seems like you're never going to forget it either
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