62 and light rain

We have seen a few unusual things on our trip, as we usually do. I find things that are quirky and odd when we are out, so let me share.

Mater Truck

The first thing we saw was a “Mater” (TowMater) similar to the 56 Ford that is Mater’s kind. This was a Chevy of about the same time period in Parker. I had to turn around and get a shot of it beside a retro garage.

What the H...?

The weirdest thing we saw was an old school bus that a hippy-type guy had welded a VW bus to the top of it. Now this is by far one of the oddest vehicles I’ve seen.

We took the back roads toward I-8 and were rewarded by seeing the Mesquite Mine in a desert area that looked like a Lunar Landscape. This open pit mine is one of the largest gold mines in the United States. The massive waste piles could be seen off to the side of the roadway.

I post this for my favorite Geologist in training (she knows who she is). This is the field of boulders that seemed as thought they were dropped from the sky.

Glamis sand toy area is another strange geological feature. rolling sand dunes for miles and miles.

After traversing this area we entered a massive sand dune area called Glamis, and advertising as the “Sand Toy Capital of the World”. This appeared to be a place you could easily, on any weekend, go and kill yourself surfing the sand dunes on the sand toy of your choice.

Does this strike anyone else as funny?

We stopped at a McDonalds and the birds seemed to like their playplace.

The dunes were up on a high bluff that drops into the Imperial Valley. Cotton was being harvested as we went through the area and giant rectangular bales were stacked along the road, ready to be hauled to the mill. They were large rectangular bales, like hay bales the size of a truck trailer, and covered with tarps. White stuff was on the ground, but it wasn’t snow.

We spent the night in El Centro and headed to San Diego the next day. We enjoyed seeing the terrain change from flat rich valley farming areas that looked like a giant had dropped boulders in piles. Then came the Cleveland National Forest, which wasn’t a forest like we know, but some shrubby growth, but still way bigger than the weeds scattered among the Giant’s boulders.

In vain we searched for English-speaking radio stations. Our Spanish is not so good. Tejano music is not our top pick. We are old people and old people like Oldies (in ENGLISH).

When we arrived in San Diego our first stop was to buy the last umbrella at Penny’s, because the weather here is a disappointing cloudy, rainy day. Perhaps no blogs until we get to the Tucson Shows, but you never know.

Tyson Wells Flea Market.

Jan 24

Cool 64 degrees, cloudy

We did the PowWow so thoroughly yesterday, we decided to visit some of the “lesser” venues today.

The rarely seen Horseshoe Cactus.

We walked through Tyson Wells and found a lot of stuff that was not rocks. Alaskan seafood, produce, hardware, t-shirts, RV mats and rugs, wax gel, bike repairs, kitchen gadgets, postcards, dates from California, soaps, shopping bags, chairs were some of the varied items we saw. You could buy glue that holds anything together, including car parts. This would be handy for anyone. A couple folks sold some sort of artistic items, such as hearts made our of coat hangers, and dried cactus structures. World famous cinnamon rolls did not even lure me in this year. The closest things to rocks here were the Orthocerus things (an ancient squid-like ancestor), and Himalayan halite lamps.

A stuffed camel guards a fossil water feature-only at Tyson Wells.

Bonnie bought a few beads, just to get her bead-buying “fix”, and I bought some very decorative small pieces of turitella agate from Wyoming.

"Fake" rock at the Tyson Wells Show.

Across the way was a more interesting stop—a pile of slabs. Yeah! Here I found some interesting Picasso marble with nice spooky black/gray patterns and brown for good interest. With bits and pieces of poppy jasper, and a really nice chunk of old Mexican crazy lace, I had a good bag full of stuff for Bonnie to take back to the car!

A couple places at Tyson Wells had good pickings.

How many cabs could you get out of this Pallet sized piece of Mookaite?

We stopped back at the Desert Gardens, and the Australian dealer John Bennett asked us “What are you doing here? The bargains are at the Powwow!” I told him I wanted to get a picture of an even bigger piece of Mookaite than I saw two days ago. I bought a couple of Condor Agates I am eager to cut: pricy but nice.

We stopped at T-Rock and I sorted through a pile of Morrocan Agates, buying a few at their usual great prices.

The afternoon was spent motoring across the undulating desert, sand dunes, and Imperial Valley of California.

Realistic California PETRIFIED wood.

Tonnage of it!!!

We could not help but stop at a rock shop in Palo Verde, California when we saw tonnage of California Petrified Wood. I have seldom seen petrified wood that looks so like real wood.

All you wanted at bargain prices! A buck or two a pound. Your neighbors will think you brought home driftwood. This would be more like sinkwood than driftwood.

This is the final Quartzite Post, BUT, I have a couple humorous blogs in the next few days. You will really like the one tomorrow..I promise.

One of my recent Facebook Posts about Fordite generated some questions about the safety of handling and/or cutting potentially hazardous Rocks and Minerals. Old Fordite contains lead.

This Fordite looks like candy, but don't eat it.

We here in Michigan have been known to “lick” our rocks (don’t say you haven’t done this also). In NW lower Michigan the Calcite Fossils, Quartz’s, and Igneous glacial till is fairly docile and the pattern is much more prominent when moist.

While hunting in Utah with local expert rockhounds, we were told, “Do not lick the rocks here like you do in Michigan”. It was explained that many western rocks contain Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Mercury (Hg), and other things you should not put into your body. A great article I found through a Google is at: http://wildaboutrocks.com/Articles-Show-Reports/Toxic-Minerals

Azurite/Malachite makes beautiful jewelry, but is one of the gemstones we should be cautious cutting.

Those that collect rocks and minerals are exposed to hazardous specimens all the time. Mercury-containing minerals like Cinnabar or Realgar are two that come to mine, but other minerals that we lapidary-types come in contact with are generally fairly docile, but release hazardous materials when cut.

Fordite is paint layers that formed in paint booths from overspray. Much was laid down in the 60’s +/- and contained lead. Years ago we were not as aware of exposure to this mineral, but today we know, and are cognizant of the hazards of exposure to certain minerals.

Malachite, wonderful stuff but contains copper.

In general ANY Mineral that contains the aforementioned Minerals, as well as others can be potentially harmful. Michigan Minerals from the Copper Country are of particular concern. Any copper related mineral like Chrysocolla, Cuprite, or in particular Mohawkite should be cut with caution. Mohawkite is a Silver-Copper-Arsenate found in the mine waste piles in the central Keweenaw. I wait until my saws are ready to be cleaned out before slicing Mohawkite, then dispose of the saw oil in a safe manner.

Whenever I cut one of the minerals containing a hazardous mineral I always use loads of water, mask, and rubber gloves. Malachite is one stone that really concerned me is that many people just cut without any protection. If a tart, metallic taste is detected, or if you can taste any rock dust, be concerned and take action. Every time I see all the cut Malachite in Tucson I think of how many poor, unaware Africans are being poisoned making this stuff.

Mohawkite is a Silver/Copper/Arsenate. After I cut my cabs, I seal them in Industrial Epoxy. I do this so they do not tarnish, but it also seals in anything that may be hazardous.

Most of the hazardous gemstones can safely be worn in jewelry with little or no concern.

The bottom line is; ALWAYS be aware of what you are cutting. Try not to inhale the spray generated in cutting (even Quartz-Silica dust should not be induced into you lungs). Be safe in your shop. The internet is a great place to check on the hazards of rocks and minerals. Check the chemical makeup of the rocks you are working with. If the rock contains any of the minerals I’ve mentioned earlier, be wary.

Tiffany Stone (Betrandite). I named the pendant "X marks the spot".

I haven’t even mentioned the radioactive minerals. In general, we do not use those minerals in jewelry making.( wait; my wife mentioned Tiffany Stone) Tiffany Stone is an Opalite material from Utah that contains the radioactive mineral Beryllium. The percentage of Beryllium in Tiffany Stone is so small it is considered not to be of a concern.

I am going to also post this up for my Facebook friends. This short blog is only a start for this discussion. Feel free to add your comments and suggestions. I know I left things out. I’ve only had one cup of coffee so far.