Post by elementary on Sept 26, 2010 21:11:20 GMT -5
Well, I had a chance to head out to Acton CA (70 mile drive) to hunt agates on a field trip run our field trip coordinator, Rob Sankovich, who's moving up to CFMS field trip south coordinator next year. About 35 people showed. We were there about 2 1/2 hours total.
I packed up my daughter, and invited a neighbor and his 10 year old son, and we headed out. It was a beautiful day, a little on the hot side, but in Acton we came across a nice breeze that cut the heat a bit. On the way home it hit 100 degrees.
We made two stops in Acton. Both were in locations where the material was scattered float below the hills where the agate formed. The prize was sagenite, but agate nodules up to golf ball sizes were the main findings. I've hunted Acton about 10 times or so before, but never at these two locations and never for sagenite, so I was curious what was going to be there. Normally - at a different location - I hunted nodules and moss agate that resembles Horse Canyon but is usually more porous.
Here's the first stop. Just pull over and kick at the ground and agates pop up.
I picked up a bagful of nodules, but I found a few pieces that look like they might provide some fun.
We then went to another location where the sagenite and nodules were much more plentiful. It was a field a few acres in size. Nodules were scattered across the ground - and though not quite as plentiful - so was the sagenite. The problem is that the sagenite, much of it, hasn't been fully agatized.
I don't have a picture of the site - my daughter was taking much of my time trying to keep her interested - but here's what was found overall, and then some individual pieces.
Nodules - some with sagenite:
To the left is the pile of sagenite hopefuls:
Pieces and parts:
I've fiddled with one of the stones to see how it works:
Hmmmm. I'm hoping some of the stuff is solid.
Finally, here's some agates I found at a third location a couple years ago. The group went here later (I skipped to get home and get ready for dinner guests.)
Thanks for looking!
Lowell
I packed up my daughter, and invited a neighbor and his 10 year old son, and we headed out. It was a beautiful day, a little on the hot side, but in Acton we came across a nice breeze that cut the heat a bit. On the way home it hit 100 degrees.
We made two stops in Acton. Both were in locations where the material was scattered float below the hills where the agate formed. The prize was sagenite, but agate nodules up to golf ball sizes were the main findings. I've hunted Acton about 10 times or so before, but never at these two locations and never for sagenite, so I was curious what was going to be there. Normally - at a different location - I hunted nodules and moss agate that resembles Horse Canyon but is usually more porous.
Here's the first stop. Just pull over and kick at the ground and agates pop up.
I picked up a bagful of nodules, but I found a few pieces that look like they might provide some fun.
We then went to another location where the sagenite and nodules were much more plentiful. It was a field a few acres in size. Nodules were scattered across the ground - and though not quite as plentiful - so was the sagenite. The problem is that the sagenite, much of it, hasn't been fully agatized.
I don't have a picture of the site - my daughter was taking much of my time trying to keep her interested - but here's what was found overall, and then some individual pieces.
Nodules - some with sagenite:
To the left is the pile of sagenite hopefuls:
Pieces and parts:
I've fiddled with one of the stones to see how it works:
Hmmmm. I'm hoping some of the stuff is solid.
Finally, here's some agates I found at a third location a couple years ago. The group went here later (I skipped to get home and get ready for dinner guests.)
Thanks for looking!
Lowell