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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 28, 2015 15:49:54 GMT -5
I have never got around to posting about it before but my vacation property backs up to a large area of state land and we are able to ride the 4-wheelers and motorcycles through the woods and right into a very large dolomite quarry. The dolomite is crushed and used for driveway gravel and it is also used in steel production. Pretty much the entire island has solid dolomite just below the surface so it is mostly hard rocky terrain. There is no value in collecting any dolomite but the 5 mile road that goes all around the top has some good pudding stones around it. When I put my private road in and had the power company put the poles in they had to use dynamite on all six pole holes. It was amazing how far chunks of dolomite traveled into the woods from that project. well drilling is high dollar too. Here's a couple pictures of the island and where my place is compared to the quarry Whole island is about 88,000 acres and has 30 inland lakes and over 40 smaller islands surrounding it. The island is also still 60% state land with 100 miles of snowmobile trails and 60 miles of ORV trails. my little piece of paradise. my closest 8 neighbors are all family. My dads place is right next door And here are some shots I took from a walk to the quarry last summer. Normally me and the boys ride in there but we all walked as a family this day. playing on a little loader. Too bad the dump trucks are kept at the crusher. those are monsters that were assembled on site. heading back to the woods
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 28, 2015 16:18:33 GMT -5
Those are great pictures, Chuck. I had no idea there was such a large quarry on the island. They must ship it away. Where do they load it?
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 28, 2015 16:22:02 GMT -5
I just answered my own question. I went to Google maps and saw the giant road that goes to the other quarry.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 28, 2015 16:44:35 GMT -5
I just answered my own question. I went to Google maps and saw the giant road that goes to the other quarry. That road is as wide as six car lanes and is groomed really nice in the winter as part of the state snowmobile trail. That's where we do all of our racing. Fastest I ever had my sled was 109 mph on that section of road. Sled would go faster but I was done. I was one of the slower ones in our group at that speed. They run water trucks to wet the road during work hours but there is still a thick coating of dolomite dust covering everything near it. Chuck
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Post by Jugglerguy on May 28, 2015 17:29:28 GMT -5
I don't think looking down at the speedometer at that speed is a good idea.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 28, 2015 17:38:06 GMT -5
I don't think looking down at the speedometer at that speed is a good idea. Nope that's what GPS is for. Some of the new sleds are digital readouts that track all that info for you. I am not a speed nut though. I would rather be cruising through the woods on a winding trail any day. Chuck
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 28, 2015 19:33:23 GMT -5
Heres a couple more quarry pics for you jamespThis is the size of the rocks they are moving with the equipment My drive way is all covered in crushed dolomite now. And here is my buddy moving a piece of raw dolomite from the back of my cabin and using it for landscaping around the 5th wheel trailer (redneck guest house) He gave my kid some lessons on how to grab stuff with the claw too. Man do I love having my boys up there where they can do stuff like that. His day job is driving that huge loader shown above. Heck of an operator. Chuck
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on May 28, 2015 19:45:20 GMT -5
I love quarries. They are supernatural. That is the most organized and neat quarry I have ever seen. Looks like it would blind you on a bright day. And sun burn your arm pits on a bright day.
Even such a massive hole and it still looks 6-10 stories deep. Lots of dolomite, lots.
Place is a paradise. You are fortunate.
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Post by Drummond Island Rocks on May 28, 2015 20:39:34 GMT -5
Work hard play hard jamesp. I know you understand That. It would be darn near perfect if it weren't 325 miles away. Tough trip to make without at least a three day weekend. Chuck
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,154
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Post by jamesp on Jun 2, 2015 19:08:24 GMT -5
Work hard play hard jamesp. I know you understand That. It would be darn near perfect if it weren't 325 miles away. Tough trip to make without at least a three day weekend. Chuck Looks like the trip is well worth the trouble. A rock haven too. win win
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