Sunny 67
This morning I went exploring without Bonnie. I blasted into town down the freeway (The speed limit is 75mph here) and made Tucson in short order. Our daughter lives about 19 miles from city center. Anywhere you go here is measured by the time it takes to get there and not usually by the miles. I parked in my favorite lot ($5) and walked north on the west side of I-10 on the frontage road.
There are always giant quartz crystals in front of the Riverpark Inn. How did they get this thing out of the ground?
You'd have to have a whole room to hold this lighted beauty.
There are several shows at the hotels along the freeway, and the gem show attendees call this section “the strip”. I like to walk to the far end show and work my way back to the car. This way my canvas satchel is empty when I start, and possibly filled with rocks when I get back to the parking lot.
These shows have vendors in every room as well as in the courtyards, and in tents set up on the premises. I find these shows have many surprises hidden in the nooks and crannies. I spent about four hours looking and talking to vendors and fellow rock lovers. I wore my “I Dig Rocks” shirt with a little miner wearing a miner’s helmet with his head just peaking out of a hole in the ground. People liked it.
The Globe-X Show at the Days Inn was my first stop. The variety was good, I took a few pictures, and walked to the Rapa River Show. I saw my friend Jeff Anderson selling agates of all sorts. He said the show had been slow, but was hoping for a good day today. I asked him if he had seen any Blue Lace Agate, and he advised he had not.
A common site here.
Apparently Blue Lace is at a premium, especially the old dark blue we used to get. I have a major project that requires Blue Lace cabachons. I just missed being able to buy some at the G&LW show, but someone had come in a bought out the one vendor that had any. I think this was around 600 cabs. OK, NOW I have a goal today; find that Blue Lace.
I discovered a meteorite dealer that had some wonderful Muonionalusta pieces at a fair price. Muonionalusta is, in my opinion, the best patterned of all meteorites, and I love it for jewelry. Still no Blue Lace to be found.
Courtyard at the River Park.
The next show is the Pueblo Gem & Mineral Show at the Riverpark Inn. There are always huge crystals on display, and for sale, in front of the Inn. They are always worth a look and a picture. I saw a few small Blue Lace slabs, but nothing of quality.
At Riverpark-The best carving I saw. I do not know the stone.
I left the area and drove to shows at the Kino Sports Complex (we always called this Electric Park). This show is now called the Rock Show. The RV (Rock) show is interesting as the dealers just park their motor homes and sell their goods on tables outside their individual motor homes. This show is always interesting to me as I can find lots of rough rocks, slabs, and cabs. Guess what? I found some Blue Lace rough (WHOOPEE). One vendor had seven small pieces and I bought all he had. The price was right, and now I can get my project done.
Who would need a 435# crystal skull?
The RV Show at Electric Park.
Electric Park Show.
How was so much non-rock imported junk allowed in this show?
Bonnie met up with me at Electric Park and we drank some real cowboy root beer (sasparilla). The Electric Park Show has many non-rock related things going on as well as an eclectic variety of rough rock, jewels, cabs, jewelry, and a host of other unusual items you would not expect at a rock show. This show along with the RV(Rock) Show covers about 20 acres with over 250 vendors. I just covered the surface of this show, but was able to find a new ring saw at Diamond Pacific I need. I shopped and they will ship.
Bonnie wants this rock for her Quality Thyme Garden Club's garden.
I left both hungry and tired, but a good Tucson Burrito hit the spot.
Until tomorrow-where we will be, who knows.