My best rock hunting find ever happened yesterday

[vance71975]

Apr 28, 2022 12:16:54 GMT -5 jamesp said:

OK, it may not be such a big deal to you guys but for me it was huge.
Atlanta Georgia is home to crappy rocks. Granite and fractured quartz for the most part.
Am used to the gruel of travelling to Texas and Florida to go REAL collecting.

The chert zone starts a long 3 hours away. Decent finds there like fossil coral and ok cherts.

History and day's events:

After 7 three hour round trip visits to a much closer south Alabama zone involving physically difficult samplings of many creeks I finally found (my) mother load. Yesterday about 4pm and ready to call it a day.

Water worn pet wood crumbs are in a large creek down there as if coming from an upstream source. T
The amount and quality of the wood kept increasing moving into the smaller upland tributaries. Upland ? Go figure, a surprise... Desolate location, perfect. One of the creeks was bold and cut deep into the forest floor cutting into an odd clay, it was narrow and with high velocity flow.

But the fun began when I broke into the big chunk. Unlike many silicifications found at the coastal plain that have pulpy interiors this chunk was beautiful(IMO) on the inside and had formed harder more colorful rock toward the center. Yes, well silicified AND it had better colors. I started working my way up the creek and started pling 2 to 10 pound chunks on the gravel bar. EUREKA !
Not only that there was colors all over the chart. And I have about 4 miles of this creek to collect on legally. Not as single hammered rock, no signs of ANY rock hunters ! No on site photos, don't want to take chances geo locating my secret spot(greedy eh).

Here is some samples taken on site from larger chunks at the last hours of yesterday. TONS OF ROUGH and saw size chunks. Color all over the chart. May not be pretty to some but I'm in love. Actually many more in the general area.
The SE US is not known for a source of gemmy pet wood but IMO this stuff is close enough. Big big find for me and I love pet wood.

Going back tomorrow with a rested body, excited. It has some weird organic colors and textures. And a bit translucent. The black chunk chipped out of what seemed to be a foot long 3 inch limb with deep red clouds in it. Plus there are artifacts in the creek !

Sick Find Man! Still Looking for my Honey hole in rock hell Ohio lol. 

[jamesp]

Sept 14, 2022 13:13:55 GMT -5 rickb said:

jamesp Good luck on your adventure. If you had to guess, who would get the "dirty digger award" when mucking/mudlarking a site like that - you or Denise?

Denise would have but she has retired to less demanding adventures Rick. However if she is finding arrowheads she will run over you.

[jamesp]

Sept 16, 2022 10:57:18 GMT -5 vance71975 said:

Apr 28, 2022 12:16:54 GMT -5 jamesp said:

OK, it may not be such a big deal to you guys but for me it was huge.
Atlanta Georgia is home to crappy rocks. Granite and fractured quartz for the most part.
Am used to the gruel of travelling to Texas and Florida to go REAL collecting.

The chert zone starts a long 3 hours away. Decent finds there like fossil coral and ok cherts.

History and day's events:

After 7 three hour round trip visits to a much closer south Alabama zone involving physically difficult samplings of many creeks I finally found (my) mother load. Yesterday about 4pm and ready to call it a day.

Water worn pet wood crumbs are in a large creek down there as if coming from an upstream source. T
The amount and quality of the wood kept increasing moving into the smaller upland tributaries. Upland ? Go figure, a surprise... Desolate location, perfect. One of the creeks was bold and cut deep into the forest floor cutting into an odd clay, it was narrow and with high velocity flow.

But the fun began when I broke into the big chunk. Unlike many silicifications found at the coastal plain that have pulpy interiors this chunk was beautiful(IMO) on the inside and had formed harder more colorful rock toward the center. Yes, well silicified AND it had better colors. I started working my way up the creek and started pling 2 to 10 pound chunks on the gravel bar. EUREKA !
Not only that there was colors all over the chart. And I have about 4 miles of this creek to collect on legally. Not as single hammered rock, no signs of ANY rock hunters ! No on site photos, don't want to take chances geo locating my secret spot(greedy eh).

Thanks Vance, yea the rock resources are not so common on this side of the Mississippi. A shame.

Here is some samples taken on site from larger chunks at the last hours of yesterday. TONS OF ROUGH and saw size chunks. Color all over the chart. May not be pretty to some but I'm in love. Actually many more in the general area.
The SE US is not known for a source of gemmy pet wood but IMO this stuff is close enough. Big big find for me and I love pet wood.

Going back tomorrow with a rested body, excited. It has some weird organic colors and textures. And a bit translucent. The black chunk chipped out of what seemed to be a foot long 3 inch limb with deep red clouds in it. Plus there are artifacts in the creek !

Sick Find Man! Still Looking for my Honey hole in rock hell Ohio lol. 

Us easterners don't have near as many rock resources Vance. A shame.

[jamesp]

Sept 15, 2022 18:08:06 GMT -5 pebblesky said:

This thread is as marvelous as educational. I enjoy the reading very much. Thanks for sharing with us your eye-opening journey(s)!

The location is untouched and remote. The wood covers a large area. It's a fine location to hang out at.

[vance71975]

Sept 24, 2022 9:18:35 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Sept 16, 2022 10:57:18 GMT -5 vance71975 said:

Sick Find Man! Still Looking for my Honey hole in rock hell Ohio lol. 

Us easterners don't have near as many rock resources Vance. A shame.

Its true we dont. I got excited when I found Green Basalt and Green Quartzite lol

[jamesp]

Sept 24, 2022 11:34:14 GMT -5 vance71975 said:

Sept 24, 2022 9:18:35 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Us easterners don't have near as many rock resources Vance. A shame.

Its true we dont. I got excited when I found Green Basalt and Green Quartzite lol

The closest eastern western rocks I could find was in south Texas. Was that even comprehensible ?
We do have beautiful quartzites. Hey, the biggest rock show in the country is named Quartzite !

[vance71975]

Sept 24, 2022 12:34:52 GMT -5 jamesp said:

Sept 24, 2022 11:34:14 GMT -5 vance71975 said:

Its true we dont. I got excited when I found Green Basalt and Green Quartzite lol

The closest eastern western rocks I could find was in south Texas. Was that even comprehensible ?
We do have beautiful quartzites. Hey, the biggest rock show in the country is named Quartzite !

Oh My Green Basalt that is tumbling right now looks AWESOME, it has a Bright jade like green when wet so hopefully once its done I will get that wet look shine on it. Oh ya I have lots of Awesome Quartzite in colors ranging from red to honey to green. I just wish I could find Jaspers and Agates and stuff. But, I do have a Possible plan to go to flint ridge and nethers farm next year in late spring or early summer.

[jamesp]

You should make a trip to Flint Ridge vance71975. Amazing material.

[vance71975]

Oct 1, 2022 22:31:28 GMT -5 jamesp said:

You should make a trip to Flint Ridge vance71975 . Amazing material.

My girl and I are talking about doing that come late next spring or early next summer and aiming for collecting about 400-500 lbs of flint and whatever else we find that looks cool lol