#Crystals & Mins Vol 3
17 messages in this thread
Hi Guy,
Thought you and others would be interested in this: Jon Gladwell informed me a
couple days ago that Vol. 3 of his Crystals & Minerals guides to NE OR, and SW
WA has been printed. A month ago he told me that what happened was that the
printer messed it up and printed and bound some pages upside down! The delay
has been in trying to get the printer to reprint it, but the printer said it
was Jon's fault, he supplied the artwork that way (my sympathies are with Jon
on this one!). Anyway, this volume will be a finanical loss, so buy several
copies to help him along and maybe there will be a Vol. 4!!!!
Anyway, it was great seeing you at the Micro Mineral meeting last weekend.
Apparently some people did try the field trip on Sunday, but there was snow up
there and it was a bust. You know I skipped out and drove home (in the snow and
rain again). So, winter is here this early (some ski resorts opened last
weekend! Rather early for this area). Thus collecting is done for me, and I am
already thoroughly depressed until about April (or maybe March if I get to go
back to Utah). Fortunately I can write about minerals and do have a few things
to look at, study, a few to clean and trim up, to maintain a little sanity, but
collecting them is more fun and soothing to the soul!
Almost forgot, Jon is not interested in putting his books online. In fact, I
can't seem to get him on e-mail anymore either.
Lanny
Hi, Lanny
Check your address book – I didn't get the "you have N messages waiting" as
the address was 72315,0. Should have been 72315,465. Not to worry – I read 'em
all in this section. 🙂 I've got to send Keith a note too. The FM toasted my
street address. Fortunately, in a town this small, the local PO _knows_ where
I am. 🙂
> …Vol. 3 of his Crystals & Minerals…
> …Anyway, this volume will be a finanical loss, so buy several copies…
OK, I'll buy two and send one to Nathon. (Nathon – are you still at your
Haddon Heights address?) In fact, I can think of at least two other "gift
opportunities" that could be fulfilled.
> Anyway, it was great seeing you at the Micro Mineral meeting last weekend.
Good to see you there too. I enjoyed it, as did John and Keith according to
the write up in the back of the Pacific NW chapter FM newsletter. I was
showing off the little topaz crystal at work today – folks were most
impressed. Thanks! BTW, I bought the quad map that covers the Dog Mountain
area the other day. One of the first things I noticed was a navigational light
named "Crystal"…
Regards, Guy
Guy,
Sorry about the address mistake, not sure how that could happen, I always look
up the address and type in what it is, how it could end up a 0 is a mystery to
me!
The navigational beacon named "Crystal" is curious. Is that the one that is on
the river just SE of Dog Mnt.? or the one across the river? Makes one wonder
how/why it got that name!
BTW, I talked with John Holfert a week ago and he said I need to spend more
time in the Thomas Range in his topaz pit (that isn't actually what he said,
but the way I like to interpret it). Mike and I should have continued digging
down on the zone where we got most of the topaz (we mostly went in and up). The
pocket zone went down, and about 3 feet below where we were digging he found
some very fine topaz crystals, including three which fit in the category of "10
best for the Thomas Range." Good for him. Mike and I quit digging because we
didn't want to "rip off" our hosts, not because we found everything there (also
it had started raining again). It would have been great if John or Steve had
been there then so we could have seen those crystals though!
Lanny
Hi, Lanny
> The navigational beacon named "Crystal" is curious. Is that the one that is
> on the river just SE of Dog Mnt.? or the one across the river? Makes one
> wonder how/why it got that name!
Agreed! Further study of the map has me puzzled. The river navigational
beacons are represented as a small circle with a dot in the middle. Crystal,
Power (1/2 mile west), and Crest (1/4 mile N by NW) are small equilateral
triangles with a dot in the center. Given the placements of these and other
similar symbols, I would assume that they are aircraft beacons. Crystal is
located on a ridgelet between the 280 and 320 contour lines about 1/4 mile
east of Dog Mt. trail. It's on a relatively flat spot at the edge of a cliff
overlooking SR 14. Bear in mind, this description is based on an out of body
exploration experience inspired by the contour lines of the topo. <g>
> … (also it had started raining again).
You're a rain magnet! <G> Have you ever considered a career as a drought
buster? <GD&R>
Regards, Guy
Guy,
We will have to go find them and see if they cemented Crystal into an open
cavity of amethyst or stilbite to anchor it!
At times I think I am a rain magnet. A couple years ago it rained everytime I
went to southern Idaho (and they were in year 6 of a drought)! A few years
before that I reallized by August that we were having a dry, sunny summer, yet
every time I went to the field it rained on me. The last two years it has
rained nearly every time I have gone to Montana (unfortunately I've had people
with me several of those trip so they are really ticked off at me!).
Unfortunately, the farmers have never offered me a dime!
Lanny
Guy,
Forgot to mention this–I have a copy of Gladwell's Vol. 3 of Crystals and
Minerals–it really exists! It is better looking than the first 2, has a
picture, map and description with each location (20 locations).
Lanny
Cool! I'll have to run up to Handley's this weekend. I picked up vol. 2 there
the day it was delivered, and then proceeded to the Gresham show where I met
Jon. Fun way to spend a day!
Guy
Hi Guy,
Nice of you to think of me, and yes, I'm still at the Haddon Heights
address. Do I need to send Jonathan a note to remind him that I plunked down
my money for volume III some time ago?
Nathan
Hi, Nathon
> Do I need to send Jonathan a note to remind him that I plunked down my money
> for volume III some time ago?
Our messages crossed paths – see my reply to your previous message to Lanny…
Regards, Guy
Lanny,
Thanks for the word about volume three of Crystals and Minerals. I had
almost given up hope. Will Jon now send them out to those who paid up a year
ago? I don't want interest, just the book.
Nathan
Nathan,
I expect that is his plan, apparently he doesn't have time to take another trip
to Rio with the remainder of the money. <g> He didn't really say, but he was
awfully tired of the whole thing so I expect he is going to take care of it
soon and try to save at least a little "face".
Lanny
Hi, Nathon
> Will Jon now send them out to those who paid up a year ago?
A funny thing happened to me today. As Jon had returned the money I had paid
for the book I didn't expect to receive a copy. I was on my way to buy a copy
at a local lapidary shop this morning and decided to check my mailbox. There
it was! Way to go Jon! You should get your copy any day now. If you don't let
me know and I'll go pester him some more on your behalf. <g> Lanny, some of
those collecting locations in the book look rather familiar. <G>
Regards, Guy
Guy,
Yeah, a few do look familiar. You didn't happen to notice if we had a shadow
that day in May did you?
Unfortunately, I see he is still putting in localities that may not actually be
accessible: Gold Creek South for instance: "There is a gate with a No
Trespassing sign; better do your homework on this one before going in." So, is
the rockhound supposed to go to the county records office, find out who the
land owner is, call and get permission first? I shall have to talk to Jon about
his choice of localities.
I think the Blaney Creek Quarry is that big one we camped in. If so, it hardly
seems like a logical place to send rockhounds–not much there.
Hi, Lanny
> You didn't happen to notice if we had a shadow that day in May did you?
No, and I looked. <g> I didn't see a soul from the time we left SR 4 until we
came out in Pe Ell. Besides, Jon sent the book to the printer months before we
went up there.
> Unfortunately, I see he is still putting in localities that may not actually
> be accessible:
That and locations like the Altoona curved quartz, look to me like with the
exposure of the book, will likely be barren very soon. I wish that overhang
would go ahead and fall before I go back there.
> I think the Blaney Creek Quarry is that big one we camped in. If so, it
> hardly seems like a logical place to send rockhounds–not much there.
Depends on what the rockhound is after. Remember, thats where I broke out the
bucket and collected a lifetime supply (for me anyway) of porcelain white
quartz cabbing rough. one of those chunks had a small cavity with some nice
crystals in it. <Later…> Waitaminute! didn't we cross those two bridges
_before_ we camped? Jon's map shows two sites. I don't think we stopped at the
one south of the county line that he labeled "quarry". I think we camped at
the one past road 7050. Blaney Creek _is_ closer to the place we camped
though. Time to hit Arnold's and get some Quads.
Cheers, Guy
Guy,
I am not really sure. His maps really are difficult to figure out. The quarry
after the county line is the right mileage to the one where you picked up the
lifetime supply of super high quality fabulous cabbing grade white quartz
(although I thought the acess road was more of a mirror image of what his map
shows). Also, his description of it is the same as the one we were in. His maps
aren't very good; this one shows two quarries and neither is labeled. Also, I
find having the mileage broken down to every side road, bridge, gate, and three
legged dog difficult to follow (I've go to quit being sarcastic (or is that
facetious?)).
You will want to go out to Mill Creek quarry (p. 34). That is the one with the
orange stilbite in odd narrow cavities that run vertically (contrary to his
book saying horizontal). The rock looks really strange when broken with for or
five nearlly parallel vertical orange tubes showing (each tube around 1 inch
diam and 3-4 inches long). This is one of the oddest formations of gas cavities
I've seen in basalt. When you get to the quarry, work the zone on the eastern
side upper middle where there should be a lot of rock broken. A good zone will
have quartz on the stilbite; stilbite is short–a coarse druse, but very
orange. The quartz forms 1/4-3/8 inch diameter spiky hemispheres and sometimes
skinny crystals to 1/2 inch or so and sometimes very nice radical scepters. I
am sending one as a gif file to the library. Hope it looks good when you see
it, better than his b&w in the book. The rock is moderately easy to move, 4
pounder hammer or larger with a couple chisels and a bar are good. If I lived
out there I would be there tomorrow!
Lanny
Hi, Lanny
> You will want to go out to Mill Creek quarry (p. 34).
Thanks for the tip. I'll have to check that one out. I'll print your message
and tuck it away in the book.
> If I lived out there I would be there tomorrow!
Let see here – it's about 1/2 hour to Hwy 99, 'nouther 1/2 hour to Hwy 18, 1/2
to 1 hour to find the road and 45 minutes to find the site. If I get up at
the crack of noon, I should be there just as the rains hit! <G> I think I'll
wait for a better weather report – maybe get the quad for the area first.
BTW, If anyone on this section needs quadrangle maps for OR or WA, I'd be more
than happy to pick them up and ship them to you at cost. There's a shop that
stocks all of OR and southern WA in both 7.5 and 15 minute formats only 2
blocks from my daily work route.
Cheers, Guy
Guy,
Good luck, if you can fit it in between rain showers. On the other hand, all I
have to do is fit my trips in between icy highways and snowstorms for the next
five months. Not to mention that the nearest collecitng site of any interest is
more than 5 hours away.
Have fun.
Lanny