Lone Pine Gem & Mineral Society Newsletter
November 2010
November Field Trip
Our November field trip will Sunday Nov 21and we're going down by the Haiwee Reservoir just off east of 395.
We leave Lee's Chevron at 9am. Francis will pick up those coming from the south at the Coso Junction rest area at 9:45am
The collecting goal is chalcedony. Chalcedony is a catch all term that includes many well known varieties of cryptocrystalline quartz gemstones. They are found in all 50 States, in many colors and color combinations, and in sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. Chalcedony includes carnelian, sard, plasma, prase, bloodstone, onyx, sardonyx, chrysoprase, thundereggs, agate, flint, chert, jasper, petrified wood, and petrified dinosaur bone just to name a few of the better known varieties.
We'll find bytroidal chelcedony with good shapes .
October Field Trip Report from Francis
When Francee and I set off for Bishop the weather was threatening wherever we looked and it got worse the farther north we went. Our first stop was at the bed and breakfast inn at Benton Hot Springs to pick up our friends, Gary and Judy Gooch, members of the Mariposa Gem and Mineral Club. We then went into Benton to
meet with members and guests of our club. From there we proceeded to our first destination of the day, the salmon jasper collecting area at the north end of Fish Lake Valley, NV. I showed everyone what we were looking for and off we went for the ever quest. ?Treasures.? After 2 hours everyone had found pieces of the high quality material and a tarantula (girl). Steve Mobley moved this little piece of wildlife out of the road so she would not get squished. After lunch we headed for our second stop on the EQ. (ever quest).
Next was the Monte Cristo Mountains for bulls eye rhyolite and blue and yellow rhyolite. When we arrived at the site some of the vehicles were sitting on top of bulls eye rhyolite. Pickins were easy. All were able to collect as much as they wanted. From the parking area it was a short steep hike up a trail to the blue and yellow rhyolite. (hard stuff) Again it was easy to pick up all the material you wanted to carry down the hill. The highlight of the day was seeing two bands of desert big horn sheep just off the road leading to the collecting sites. Out came the binoculars and cameras. Whoopeeeee!!!! The sheep cooperated by just sort of hanging around and posing for pictures. What a sight. From the rhyolite area we moved to the petrified wood location. The terrains and collection were easy. Everyone found a lot of wood, agate and jasper. Not real colorful, but plentiful and agatized. The find of the day was found by Sonja. A full round of petrified wood with bark, 9 to 10 inched in diameter that weighed 32 pounds. Many wild horses were seen on the way home. Maybe 15.
Those attending were: Barbara Leachman, John Beowulf, Jean Habegger, Bruce and Sue Kinney, Carl Zellner, Don and Sonja Warner, Steve and Jessie Mobley, Amy, Brad , Clair and Hanna Henderson, Summer Winkler, Francis and Francee Pedneau and Gary and Judy Gooch. It was a great field trip and thanks to all who attended.
Francis
Holiday Party Dec 12
Our annual holiday party is scheduled for Dec 12. We'll be meeting at either the Lions Club Building or, as a backup, at F&Fs'.
The party is pot luck with the club providing meat and basic drinks. You bring side dishes, desserts and any thing special you'd like to drink.
We'll be doing the gift exchange. Bring a rockhounding gift not exceeding $25 for you and EVERY guest you bring. Don't leave guests out of the fun.
The gifts all go on a table. We use the sign in sheet to determine when we each pick a gift. The next person can either take an unwrapped gift off the table or a previotus gift. If your gift is "pilfered" then you choose a gift off the table. (You can't take back the gift pilfered from you.) The second person who pilferers a gift gets to keep it. No takes!
This is why it's important for every one to have a gift.
