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Post by engineersteve on Apr 9, 2010 10:48:59 GMT -5
Hello all,
I'm from Seattle, WA, and I recently joined MAGMA because I'm going to be close enough on an upcoming business trip to attend the Diamond Hill Event on May 1st and 2nd. I'm also a member of a few clubs here in Washington as well.
A few years ago, my 8 year old daughter (then 5 or 6) started picking up rocks and started getting me interested. Between now and then, I have become addicted. Below are my confessions:
1) I sold my very fast and fun sports car for a 4-wheel drive truck, just to access the logging roads in my area.
2) I bought a new suitcase that is exactly tall enough to pack my large Estwing Paleo Pick. I even brought it to the luggage store to make sure.
3) I had one small 3 lb. tumbler, now I have two 12-lb and three 3-lb, a 14-inch saw, and other polishing equiptment.
4) I used to be able to park my truck in my garage.
5) I bought a permit to private forest area because there are some digging sites there. The permits are really for hunting.
6) I have more new books, maps and tools than I can count.
7) When I went on my first rockhounding trip, my daughter had collected about 6 pounds. Now we have about 6 tons.
I'm realistic, and I know that someday my 8 year old daughter is going to care more about the color of her hair and the sparkles on her clothes than the color and shimmer of the rocks. But right now, it usually only takes a McDonalds lunch for her to spend an entire day with her Dad, and time just can't go slow enough.
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Post by stevebarr on Apr 9, 2010 12:43:56 GMT -5
Hey EngineerSteve,
Welcome to the board, and to the club! Although we all probably have been through a lot of the same changes you have, don't kid yourself about your daughter. Although in her teenage years she might tend to drift away from collecting rocks for a while, I bet she comes back to it after that.
Rockhounding is a lifelong addiction for most people. Once they get hooked, they can't kick the habit. And, as Nancy S. always likes to say, "Ladies like their BLING!"
There's no better way to get "bling" than to go and find it yourself.
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Post by earthnhands on Apr 9, 2010 13:23:06 GMT -5
Welcome! All good, rational & pragmatic choices! I am on the verge of selling my VW Thing for a faceter. But the Thing can carry lots of rocks and go anywhere.... Rebecca
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Post by botanyme on Apr 9, 2010 20:24:51 GMT -5
Welcome to the board, Steve!! You've come to a fabulous place and will be good to meet and dig with you at DH! You need to hook up with Basketweaver on this site as she and her husband are in your area and go to some great sites out that way. becky
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Post by Basketweaverz on Apr 9, 2010 20:31:07 GMT -5
Welcome!! We belong to the Marysville Club and live in Skagit County. We went back to the Roundup a couple of years ago and this is a bunch of great people!! They will gladly show you how to dig for their material. You are lucky to get to dig at Diamond Hill, we didn't but fell in love with Crabtree. Tomorrow (Saturday) is a Mineral Council field trip to Racehorse Creek above Deming. We will dig for fossils in the Chuckanut Formation (providing the snow is not too low!!). Can you believe it is up into April and snowing day after day? All are welcome on these trips. If you come, introduce yourself. We will either be in a Chev Silverado, bluegrey or in a Geo Tracker, red. Probably 2 dogs, one black and one is an Aussie. Again, welcome.
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Post by stevebarr on Apr 9, 2010 21:18:42 GMT -5
Definitely take Basketweaverz up on her offer to dig with her club! Everyone I know who has spent time collecting with her raves about their experience.
And, we'll all look forward to meeting you at Diamond Hill. You won't be able to help having a great time there. It's an extremely prolific site. Get ready to have to ship a bunch of stuff home if you're flying, because the plane might have trouble getting off the ground if you load all of your rocks in your luggage.
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