Fieldtrip report:
Little Pine Garnet Mine
January 1st, 2005
New Years Day Dig!official fieldtrip of:
Mountain Area Gem and Mineral Association
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What a fantastic way to start the New Year, out in the field, collecting with old friends, meeting new friends and new club members. We met at the Silver Armadillo Rockshop at 10:00 this morning.
Beth, Jim, Troy and Steve (Dougpic)
The weather, as last year was unseasonably warm which made it perfect for rockhounding. Doug and Beth came up from Charlotte, our Dirtyrockhounds founder Craig (Yepp) and his wife Laurie were in town from Virginia, it was great to finally get to meet Craig after almost two years coresponding on the web. We were joined by Troy and Jim Ellis on his first M.A.G.M.A. trip,
Jim Ellis.
Kim Robinson on her first club trip, Steve P., and John D., at the mine we met up with Cindi P. and her friend along with Maitri and her two rockpups.
Two rockpups.
Our Dirtyrockhound founder, Yepp (Craig) and Mrs. Yepp, (Laurie) 8^).
Craig and his wife are staying in Greer S.C. visiting family and drove to Asheville to meet us.
Once at the mine everyone spread out in different directions to collect, many of the members worked the creek for garnets.
New member Kim, Doug, Beth and Rockpup.
Cindi and friend.
Cindi did pretty good, here are some of her crystals:
Craig and Laurie.
Kim.
Others went into the mine to do some hardrock collecting, Troy found a nice crystal about the size of a baseball, I found a nice triple, Doug found this monster in the mine!
I told him to leave it as it was but he had to wash it in the creek and it shrunk !
Craig, Kim, Laurie, Rick (Dougpic)
Rick and Doug in mine entrance (Bethpic)
Doug and Beth, ready for a rock'n new year!
Doug may not have found any super big pieces but he did have a great Christmas, here he is with one of his new toys!
I must admit, I was a victim of camera envy, thats the biggest digital i've ever seen!
John D. went up the hill towards the old mine works, after some persistence he came out with the biggest crystal of the day.
John D's crystals.
Beth had a beautiful pendant on that Doug had made for her, he cut the stone and did the silver work, I think he said it is a topaz crystal, very nice,
Tree (Dougpic)
A perfect day of collecting, while at the mine, we met a man collecting inside, by the end of the day he was a member of our club. By afternoon everyone was packing up and heading their seperate ways.
Some of us headed over to Weaverville for dinner and rocktalk and to plan more upcoming events for the club, we have decided that this will be the best year yet!
see ya soon 8^)
