Post by rockpickerforever on Apr 14, 2015 10:26:55 GMT -5
Went out to Potholes Easter weekend, then swung by Indian Pass on the way home. Brought home some agate, pet wood, and fossils.
Headed out on Good Friday around 4 pm, after Bob got off work. Took several days to get the trailer loaded up (I remember simpler times when a cooler loaded with beer and food, a sleeping bag and some toilet paper were the only necessities, lol!), then hooked it up and topped the truck off with gas. It always kills me when I pay $3 a gallon for gas at home, then drive a few hours to Yuma where it's only $2.18!
Anyway, after stopping for gas in Yuma, headed north up 95 towards Quartzsite, then turned back west at the Yuma Proving Grounds, and drove back into California. It was just starting to get dark, but still had plenty of light to navigate. This was only the third time we've been here, but did not have to consult the GPS for directions. Made pretty good time, arrived around 7:45 pm.
Bob had planned to do a little prospecting, so brought the drywasher. Unfortunately, his back was bothering him so he decided to forego that. Never even took the drywashing equipment out of the truck or trailer. Instead, we wandered around and did some plain and simple rockhounding . Okay by me!
It was pretty hazy all weekend, not clear like the last two times out here. Although up every morning to see the sun rise, I didn't take a single sunrise pic - or sunset, for that matter. But I knew y'all would be let down if I didn't take some photos, so here ya go!
Bob's one concession to prospecting - he swung a not-so-good metal detector around for a little while. Lot of glass and metal scraps all over the area. Need to have a discerning metal detector, not a cheap @ss one, lol.
And this is why they call it Potholes, I guess. People have dug potholes everywhere.
Lucy supervising.
Had the place to ourselves all weekend. Who else would be crazy enough to voluntarily be out in 100+ degree heat?
View to the east. The water is the Colorado River, maybe 1/4 mile away. Close enough to provide breeding grounds for mosquitos. Yes, I was bitten half a dozen times in various locations. (Still scratching at them!)
Trailers on ridge to the upper left are at Senator Wash. There was a big crowd there, wrapping up Spring Break week.
On Easter Sunday, we hounded the back side of this rocky outcropping. 105 degrees in the sun, but it was a dry heat. The 25 MPH wing also helped to keep things cool. The camera couldn't quite catch the heat shimmers coming off the ground.
This is the center of the main claim (of our prospecting club). Someone used to live on the property, and at one time there was a house located there. I understand it was torn down several years ago (but still visible on Google maps). They had a rock garden with rocks from all over the area, and then some.
Both the Palo Verde trees and creosote bushed were in full bloom. Missed the Beavertail cactus bloom by a few weeks. Only spent buds on them, so didn't take any pics of them.
Lucy in the shade.
It's hot, mom!
Think I'll just take a nap. Wake me p when it's 20 degrees cooler, please!
This was taken from across the valley when we were hounding behind the rocky outcropping. View back towards camp, trailer just to left of center, and left of the triangular-shaped dark hill. Those dark rocks make it like a furnace just above the ground.
Here's a pic with full zoom.
Heading home now, stopped in Winterhaven to dump the trailer, had seen this sign when we drove past on Friday. Had never seen this sign before. This is a 60 mph shot, so a little overexposed and not the best, sorry about that. But you see, jamesp and snowmom, SOME PEOPLE are interested in granite! This is on the north side of I8, just west of Sidewinder Rd exit. Will have to stop in sometime, see what it's all about!
This was at Indian Pass. Tried a new location out there, found a lot of shiny agate. And this Desert Iguana, a big one!
On to the haul. drocknut, here's the one I was telling you about with the snail shell. It was laying on the ground, face up, plain as day. (It called to me.)
Close up
Another snail.
And another one. I haven't even looked at what Bob picked up yet, may be more of them.
Some cool brecciated stuff.
Interesting swirly stuff.
Some of these will make small cabs, a lot are tumbler fodder. But first, they need the rind ground off. Don't want to waste money on grit and electricity on them. Already have some that have spent two weeks in 80 grit, need some personal attention before tumbling them more. They'll wait.
I believe this is fossilized... something. Three distinct diameters, and colors, of - whatever - in layers. When we find this stuff at Ocotillo Wells, we call it "fish sh!t." Not sure what it really is, but it is NOT oolite, can clearly tell it did not form that way (small concretions). And the objects are not all perfectly round, some are more oblong than others. I have cut some of this before, and remember that it smelled like a fossil. Slabbed it looks like an oolite. This is on my "first to cut" list.
A piece of red pet wood.
Larger chunk of brown pet wood, covered in desert varnish. But just on this side that was facing up.
The end. No, I mean the end of the rock, I'm not done yet!
Looks like a nougat candy. Crunch!
Some moss.
Like how the colored bits float in a clear layer.
Found this orbicular whatever, kind of cool. This was from Potholes. About a fist-sized rock.
This is your brain on agate.
A piece of stromatolite? Looks like a beak. Also covered in desert varnish.
Don't know what it is, but will be cool to slab. (When I get to it, and not before, lol.) Reminds me of the patchwork leather jackets and purses from the 70s. Yeah, I'm that old, what can I say?
Love how the rocks have fractured and are healed with agate.
This one was from Potholes, looks like it could have come from Brenda.
A big yellow and red jasper. This one not real glassy, more of a porcelain texture.
Dark basalt with green spots. Should look cool slabbed. Will have to watch undercutting when cabbing.
Salmon color with pink areas.
And, lastly, a striped blue dumortierite from Indian Pass.
I didn't post ALL the pics of the material, figured this was more than enough. But if you want to see the rest of them, here's a link to the slideshow: link
Hope you enjoyed the trip.