| Rob Townsend |
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| #1 |
Left for a two week trip a couple of days ago to Cleavland and a couple other spots with no time off to rockhound. The plan was changed without my knowledge before we left. We are not going home for 2 days before leaving for Oregon. I only packed for a two week trip not a two month trip. I don't have any of my gear with me, not even a decent pair of boots to wear out in the field.I didn't even bring my hammer (a cardinal sin in my book) I will have a lots of time off in Oregon this year so if you're in the South Western part of the state and want to do a little collecting I have some good spots and I'm always looking for more (spots and friends) I'll be there some time in the first week of October.
I had planned on bringing a bunch of my local material to friends in Klamath Falls. I know a few of the folks are lurkers here and keep up with my "On the Road Again" series of posts. Sorry but the Petrified Palmwood and Georgetown Flint for knapping is setting in 2 buckets in my yard. I thought I'd be going home to get them before heading to Oregon but now I'm gonna have to mail the goodies to the guys I promised them too.
Oh well this little snafu gives me a great excuse to buy new gear
Keep an eye out for me and I'll see you in the field,creek,river,hill, or anywhere there's a pretty rock
KORS
Rob |
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| Tom K. |
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| #2 |
Hey Rob,
Wow that's a lot of country to cover!
Hope you do well in OR and find lotsa goodies!
Take care,,,
Tom K. |
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| Wayne |
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| #3 |
Hey Rob...
Is that the little Cleveland in Ohio, or the big Cleveland where I live in Tennessee? |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #4 |
Thanks Tom. Wayne it's the one that's hi in the middle and round on both ends.I did pass through Tennessee on the way though. |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #5 |
Anybody in the Chicago area? I'm in Kankakee just south of Chicago and have the morning off. I would have given more of a heads up but we didn't know if we were coming in today or tomorrow.
Kors
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #6 |
Leaving for Wichita Falls Texas tomorrow. Spent a few days here in Coralville Iowa. My hotel is directly across the street from a monster gravel pit. My mouth has been watering non-stop since getting here but this is one of those stops that is all work and no time off  oh well maybe in the spring. looks like I'm gonna have monday the 28th off in Wichita Falls anyone know of anything of interest in the area or want to have a cup of coffee?
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #7 |
BTW I'll be staying in Wichita Kansas tomorrow night (26th)
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #8 |
Finally got my schedule for Oregon. I'm on my way there now. Will get there on the 6th and have the 10th and 11th off in the Medford area.And the 22nd off in Klamath Falls area, and last but not least the 24th and 25th off in Newport. Anyone want to get together and go rockhounding?
Kors
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #9 |
I'm dancing a happy little jig right now! Anyone who's been in the field with me when I find something good knows how silly I look when I do this but I can't help myself.I've just been invited to dig at the Juniper Ridge Opal Mine.I've been wanting to dig there for years. I'll take plenty of pics and write a FTR.
Kors
Rob
ps i still have other days off I'm looking to fill with trips hint, hint  |
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| DWS |
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| #10 |
I can vouch for the jig-dance, I've seen it with my own eyes! Ever gotten a call from someone standing knee-deep in a creek just to brag about the sixty pound petrified palm bulb they just found? Wonder what the splashing noise was? That's just plain cruel to a pet wood lover like me!
Good luck Rob. Maybe I'll be able to get down to Jasper next spring.
DWS |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #11 |
Be good to have you down again Virgil. Don't forget to bring the Mule!
Rob
Kors |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #12 |
Had a good day in the creek today.I didn't find as much material as I'm used to in this area but the stuff I did find was outstanding. The weather was great with temperature in the 70's and a bluebird sky. I think one of the reasons I didn't find as much material this time was due to a little thing the local fly fishermen refer to as "Rock Snot"  (sounds like a name for a rock band) Rock snot is a slimy coating of algae that is as slick as snot hence the name. I stumbled around and kept my eyes open for any hint of color or translucence and was finding stuff within sight of the drop in point including on of two top finds of the day: Every pet wood hunters dream "Full Round!!!!!" and full of agate it is 10-12 inches long and several inches in diameter. I have found a good bit of pet wood in this creek but usually it's stuff that I would leave behind back home. I never dreamed I'd find a highly agatized full round up here. It was setting at the waters edge where any rockhound should have seen it. The only reason I can think of to account for it still being there is that there is a trail that leads upstream to the larger more productive gravel bars and all the hounds before me passed up this particular spot to get there. I wear hip waders and get in the water directly under the bridge. I have found several fantastic agates in this spot so I never pass it up. I ended up with about thirty pounds or so of colorful jasper and a little agate but no moss agate this time. I usually find several pieces of the moss here and was a little disappointed not to have found and this time but I did find a large chunk of very colorful jasper/agate that should cut and polish nicely. I'll be headed back to the creek tomorrow to search downstream and hopefully find some of the great moss this creek has given to me in the past.Tune in tomorrow for an update.
Kors
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #13 |
Ok folks this is a double update with a trip report to follow as soon as I can get the pics processed.
My second day of agate hunting in Butte creek was almost a carbon copy of the fist. I found another chunk of agatized wood almost as big as the first only it wasn't a whole round. I did manage to find a few pieces of moss agate with one being big enough to cut. It showed a little red coloring on the surface and I had high hopes for it, but when my friend here in Klamath falls took a couple of cuts from it the moss was so dense it was barely discernible. Found a good bit of colorful agate and jasper for the tumbler and to pass out as gifts. The creek empties out into the Rogue River just above a dam that was removed less than 48 hours before my trip. The dam was removed to allow coho salmon access to the gravel bars for spawning. What a surprise to be wading around knee deep on a gravel bar looking for pretty rocks when all of a sudden the water erupt all around me with monster fish. I almost dropped my bucket and I'm sure I scorched the ears of the surrounding wild life with some of the language that filled the air. On the way out I took the easy hikers path back to the truck and was met by a pair of women on horseback. They stopped to look at the pretty rocks I had collected and one of the horses was sure there was food in the bucket and kept sticking his head in to take a look. I remembered I had a couple of apples in my pack and soon had the thanks of both horses and riders.All said and done it was a good day in the creek.
Yesterday was a long day. It started in Cedaredge Colorado at four am watching shooting stars and listening to the songs of the local coyotes. I had to catch a plane back to Oregon after spending the weekend with my long lost first love, we rekindled the flame into a roaring fire, but that's another story. On the first leg of the journey the man setting next to me was hoping to get a little nap before changing planes in Salt Lake. He made the mistake of letting me know he was a geologist. Needless to say he didn't get his nap and we had a great talk on the short flight. As soon as I landed in Oregon I hooked up the trailer and headed to Klamath falls. I met friends here and showed them my goodies we cut a few and decided to polish a large jasper/agate. On of the owners of the Juniper Ridge Opal mine showed up for the visit and we made plans to go out to the mine the next morning. I was up at 4 am again and excited to get to the mine. Ken and his son Chuck picked me up around 6 and we headed out. It was a little wet and cool this morning but that only made the hard rock mining a little easier on me and four hours after jumping into the pit I had a five gallon bucket of fire opal a huge grin and a sore back. Ken and Chuck enjoyed watching me dance a jig and dig at the same time. We took lots of pics and I'll write up a formal FTR as soon as possible. All I can say now is never miss a chance to dig at this spot. The owners are a joy to be around and are great rockhounds.
Kors
Rob |
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| Rob Townsend |
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| #14 |
Made it out to Newport, Oregon. Got a few days off and the newest copy of Gem Trails shows a couple of spots I didn't know about to search for beach agates,jaspers,and fossils. Anyone want to join me out here?
Kors
Rob |
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| Herb |
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| #15 |
Any other time, and I'd head over. I'm showing Bonseki at the Clackamette Rock Show in Canby this weekend.Will you be there after the weekend? |
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