Rock Swap #2

The nursery is at the intersection of Bond or Big Valley Road and the freeway that goes around the back of Pousbo to Bainbridge Island. Valley Nursery. We used to race our horses on that freeway before they paved it.

Those Oregon Thunder eggs are really nice looking, I only have one small one (below) but the one in Jmorth's picture is awesome. I googled the names of those ranches and came up with a page of real Beauties many of which are from Oregon: http://rayerminerals.homestead.com/USA_agaten.html

I'm wondering if those areas are open for people to get to? I think I'll have to find some real Oregon rock hounds and see if I can get more details on actual locations to check out.

We live closer to the coast here in Oregon and so far I have only collected rocks on the ocean beaches, I think the desert areas have the more beautiful Thunder eggs. Will have to start researching...

Well, there you are Creekside. : )
Been getting enough rain lately? I know I have. I think I'm getting cabin fever. : (

Yes, loads of rain! The pond is full and the creek is raging. When the dogs come in from outside, they are dripping, I have to towel dry them.

Good Day to stay inside and Dream About Rocks.... Agates, Thundereggs, Sunstones....Oh my.....

I'm about ready to join the local Gem & Mineral Society...

Years ago, visited family near Stayton ,Oregon. Took a trip west-over the HooDoo (?) mountains to dry plateaus to look for thunder eggs on ranches that allow that. If you find one to keep, you paid by the pound. I think that they would break them for you and had other specimens on sale. I did't get any..being young and uneducated..but that kind of thing may still be available.
I am looking into possible Arizona red rocks, but not too many favors to call in for that kind of stuff. I will see later on.
No looking now at what I have. Was 9 out today with windchills of -20 tonight.
PS Anyone coming to Madison WI---don't miss Burnies Rock shop..gems, geodes, rocks, maybe arrow heads, jewlery etc/

Steve Wynn is a Casino Owner in Las Vegas. He built the Belliago, the Mirage, the Wynn., Encore, etc. He just left his wife of many years and is "in Love" with a young Austrian divorcee. Has mega bucks. Now his ex-wife has half. And she is still on the board. He and Donald Trump are fierce rivals.

Hurray for the ex-wife!

Here is a little info on finding rocks in Eastern Oregon.
Sorry, I forgot to put the link. : (
http://www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/orsites.html
The next link has info in second half of page that is helpful to hunting rocks.
http://www.amfed.org/nfms/articles2.htm

This message was edited Jan 2, 2010 9:17 PM

This message was edited Jan 2, 2010 9:26 PM

Wow, that sounds great and with trout in the stream we could have fresh trout for lunch. Nothing better than trout right out of the stream into the frying pan or grill basket.

Healthy eating while we are having fun!!!!!

I have a tote container full of all my camping gear. I'll bring it along and my fishing poles and tackle box.

Lynn, Thanks for that Link...

Agatized Thundereggs - Wow, what a term. Doesn't get more exciting than that!

Madras, OR - Here we come!

I got some muck boots and as long as they don't get full of water I can go fishing.
This is going to be great!

Okay, lets plan on everyone coming to my house, plenty of parking, bring your tents, we'll have to share the bathroom. Plenty of room for cooking (indoors/outdoors). We should go before it gets to hot, June? Big fire pit for evening and early morning fires with coffee/hot chocolate/tea? We've had family gatherings with 85 present in tents & trailers. I will have to rent portapotties, but we can share the shower. : ) Or we even have a camping shower. : ) I can hear the singing now, 'Rock A Bye Rock Hounds'. Oh the fun to be had.

We will pool funds so we all can rent port a potties and a couple outdoor showers. Actually we could go on line and learn how to make the showers. I am going to Google and see where we are going.

I am getting so excited. I will get printed material from the BLM on exactly where we can rock hunt free. I will also contact the farms that charge a small fee, they use heavy equipment to expose the good stuff. : )

I have a SUV. With twin air mattresses would sleep two. I am not that far from Oregon.

I have an Aunt that lives in Las Vegas and one that lives in Pahrump. : ) I was there last year visiting them. Took my Mom on a road trip. Doesn't take long to get here from there. : )

We went to Portland and Gresham every year until I was 18 because that was where all our relatives were and are currently.

Wow, what a small world. Come on up Sharon. : )

Here's the scoop on where to get rocks in Oregon...

If you want Petrified Wood, you go to McDermitt, OR

If you want Thundereggs, you go to the Richardson Ranch in OR

If you want Picture Jasper, you go to Rocky Butte, in OR

This is what I read from stories posted by "professional Rock Hounds"

Now I just got to look at a map and locate those places...

You all are neighbors. The world is small.
Hubby says it is a three day trip from here to Oregon.
What a road trip !!!!! and rocks too.. Heavenly.

Everyone mark your calendars for June!!! All the fun things in one event. Camping, rock hunting, plants. We can even set up a tour of some of our really great Nurseries for all of you, and we do have some great ones.
Good info hunting Creekside. : ) The BLM has maps for rock hunting on their lands. The really great hunting is on private land for a fee, but most of them use heavy equipment to expose big veins of the great stuff. : )
More info to come.

I'll mark my calender, but will have to wait and see. Depends on finances. And if I'm free to make the trip. May be in Ventura, Calif to visit my grandson and son.

I looked on a map and McDermitt, OR is right on the Oregon / Nevada border.

Sharon Winter, you're in luck! You'll be driving right past it on your way here!

If we decide we all want petrified wood maybe we could meet up there and caravan north through Oregon.

I'm thinking the petrified wood looks good in big chunks in our gardens. The Thundereggs are small grey plain looking rocks on the outside. They have to be cut and polished to show what is on the inside. So they would be more like rock collection cabinet specimens.

I'm not sure about the picture Jasper. I'll have to check out some photos of it as it is found in the wild. Not sure if it looks good on the outside, or if it has to be cut and polished.

Another type of rock that looks good on the outside are the tumbled ones you find on the Ocean beaches. I picked up some nice ones last summer on the beach in Brookings, OR (right on the OR/CA border). There were many beautiful colors. I should bring them up and take a picture to post....

I used to have some picture rock from Wyoming. I made a belt buckle with a really nice piece. Problem is it's in my stuff at my sons and I can't get to it til I can afford to ship my stuff.

RRM & marti, you two can gather rocks on your tip across the states. : ) Marti, it will take you a day to drive up from Ventura. My old stomping grounds. I grew up in Pico Riveria.
Remember, no hotel or motel rooms to pay for. Just camping & good old camp cooking. Unless you do better with a motel room? We do have a nice motel here in Dallas. It takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to get to the Prineville area from here.
Day one, home base here, camping and camp cooking.
Day two, Prineville for one or two nights (more?), and back to home base here in Dallas. Camp fires, meals, sharing.
Day ?, Takes about 45 minutes to get to the Pacific Ocean for here.
Let me and Creekside know if you have a particular nursery you would like to visit in the Willamette Valley.
Squaw Mountain (semps & sedums)
Dancing Oaks
Oregon Gardens (fee to get in)
And many more very interesting places. Search gardens & nurseries of Williamette,
Oregon.
Any ideas or suggestions?
Who up for the camp trip of a lifetime? : )
Lynn

I don't mind camping out. Just need someone to help me get up off the ground. With both knees bad and a bad back I don't do the ground sleeping any more. The seats in my car lean back and that's how I slept on the trip from Calif to Kentucky. If I get back to Calif to see my son and grandson, my son is going to have me fly out. That means no car or I have to see if I can rent a car to get to Oregon. I'm working on it.

We will have to get campbeds. I can't see sleeping on ground, to many aches and pains. It sure sounds like fun and I bet we could manage somehow. You know what they say-- where there is a will, there is a way. You can get these little bed with legs on them.
I already have chairs from going camping with horses (mules) so that is no added expense. Got a coffee pot and Tea kettle , Instant coffee and tea. goodness gracious, I think I'm ready....may have to get two sticks to rub together...☺

marti, you can bunk with me. I don't do ground either. We have a pickup. I'm sure we will have enough vehicles that you won't need to rent one. Just need to get yourself here. : )
Army cots are great in a tent. : )
Starting tomorrow I am going to start walking every day and do some leg strenghtening exercises to get in shape for our big event. : )
My DH wants to come along, he is a great camper/cook and general all around helper. Great sense of humour. He will even play his flutes for us. : )

That sound great. I'll keep working on things from my side.

Oh, I forgot to tell all of you, we have all the cooking equipement. My husband was an avid hunter. Would be gone for weeks at a time (set up a base camp). We used to pack everything in on horses. Needless to say we don't do that anymore. : ) We have several tents (big enough for 2 to 4 people per tent). We don't have extra air mattresses or cots to put them on as we used to sleep on the ground in sleeping bags.
RRM I'm sure there are plenty of sticks for rubbing together, but that would take away time for hunting rocks. Good old propane. : )

I'd rather bring those little Firesticks that already have the propane in them. Just got to figure out what to hold down so you can use them. Love these child-proof things. I use them for candles all the time, Multi-purpose lighter is what it is called. Very handy.
We will manage We were raised to learn to be self dependant, Just got soft from all the necesseties at hand.

Marti001, if you are in Ventura, I could pick you up on the way. A little bit out of the way but the scenery is prettier.

I think this sounds fabulous.

I do believe things are starting to gel. : )
Great idea Sharon, picking up marti.
I already have a house & doggie sitter for when we are gone. I will have to start thinking of what I can make starts of in the way of plants to send home with each of you. : )
Look up my zip code report and see if there is anything special you would like. : )
My trade list isn't showing very much at this time. Maybe I should go back and enable all of it. There are still things not posted on either zip or trade lists.

Here are my little piles of rocks that have been gathered in Oregon:

These are from the Beach in Depot Bay:

Here is my little pile of Petrified Wood:

Here is some Obsidian that I picked up, It looks better in the sun, and it's usually broken open like this, so it would look good for Garden Decor. It is also naturally shiny

This is my favorite Oregon Beach for collecting rocks, they are not all oval and smooth like they are on the beaches up north, they are random shapes and sizes and in a rainbow of colors. These are from the beach in Brookings, OR