Keweenaw - Collecting Copper Included Agates
Another good time in the UP!
Friday, Sept. 19th
Ted and I headed to Minocqua, WI after work. We arrived at Reed's home around 6:30, this was the pit stop for
food, fun, and sleep. Not necessarily in that order. We ate dinner and then quickly cleared the counter to make
room for the little trim saw that I brought a long.
Jan, Mathew and Valerie had some nodules from the mine dumps in the UP that they had collected, that needed
cutting. So we got right to it. This was the first time that I had the little trim saw in a house. I told Jan it was
messy, but she said not to worry. (Sign of a true rock hound, clean the mess later!)
I use water in the little saw and a super thin 4 inch blade, so it cuts clean and fast, and we just flew thru them
nodules. 7 blades, 5 hours and over 100 nodules later, there were quite a few nice agate and even a couple pretty
little copper included ones. There were plenty of oos and aws.
After hours of laughing, cutting, fun, and friends we headed for Kristin's room to fall a sleep under the stars.
Friday, Sept. 19th
Ted and I headed to Minocqua, WI after work. We arrived at Reed's home around 6:30, this was the pit stop for
food, fun, and sleep. Not necessarily in that order. We ate dinner and then quickly cleared the counter to make
room for the little trim saw that I brought a long.
Jan, Mathew and Valerie had some nodules from the mine dumps in the UP that they had collected, that needed
cutting. So we got right to it. This was the first time that I had the little trim saw in a house. I told Jan it was
messy, but she said not to worry. (Sign of a true rock hound, clean the mess later!)
I use water in the little saw and a super thin 4 inch blade, so it cuts clean and fast, and we just flew thru them
nodules. 7 blades, 5 hours and over 100 nodules later, there were quite a few nice agate and even a couple pretty
little copper included ones. There were plenty of oos and aws.
After hours of laughing, cutting, fun, and friends we headed for Kristin's room to fall a sleep under the stars.
Saturday, Sept. 20th
Up at 5:00a.m. We tip toed as not to wake anyone. We had to get an early start, 'cause once we cross that eastern
time zone we loose an hour. We needed to be at the Super 8 parking lot in Houghton, MI at 9:30 am to meet other
rock hounds that were going to participate in the field trip to collect copper included agates. Jan and the kids were
going to drive up late morning to collect with the group. Once at the super 8, we were greeted by Ken and Jane in
the parking lot when we arrived. They had spent a few days prior, collecting rock on the beaches on Lake
Superior. Ken said he thought they had about 200 lbs of rock in the back of the car, and Jane showed me a few of
the rocks they had collected til it was time to leave and head out to the mine dump. We were out on the pile of
basalt by 10:30am, and we wasted no time climbing the pile of basalt and pounding out them little nodules.
It wasn't long until Jan and the kids arrived only to tell us the funny story about how they cooked a 4 star
breakfast for there house guests, (Ted and I) bacon and eggs with all the trimmings. Kristin explains how her and
her mom tried really hard and keep the boys quiet as not wake us til breakfast was ready. I suppose Jan didn't
realize that if Ted would have smelled the bacon, he would have come running with cowbells on. At this point they
hadn't notice that our truck wasn't in the driveway. Jan finished the wonderful breakfast and sent Kristin in to
wake us, and much to her surprise, her bed was made. Kristen went back into the kitchen and told her mom that
we weren't there, and her bed was made. Jan said her and Kristin quickly looked out the kitchen window and
realized that we were gone!
I give them an E for effort, and an A+ for the great breakfast that we didn't get to eat! Jan did however bring along
the fried bacon in a baggie. So Ted got his bacon and ate it too!
There were so many rock hounds out on the pile, that with the ping of the hammers it sounded like we were all
working on a chain gang. There was an occasional thunk and holler. Mine was the first. I managed to bruise my
thumb and index finger in the first 2 swings. The blood blister and throbbing thumb was sacrificed however, and
did not discourage the collecting. We had lunch on the tailgate around noon'ish, and got right back at it. By the end
of the day everyone had collected a good number of nodules. The only thing left to do of course was to go get
dinner and then have a cutting party in the hotel room. Remember, I brought that handy dandy little trim saw. I
figured it worked out ok on Jan's counter top we could use the desk in our hotel room. Don't panic, I went to Wally
World and purchased a plastic table cloth for a buck. I mean where else can you find a dollar table cloth. Oh yeah,
the dollar store has em' too.
Any who, I use a couple of band aides to tape the plastic table cloth to the wall over the desk, and I put the clean
side of the towel down on the chair that we used the night before at Jan's. Oh and by the way Jan, I have your
towel! Well, I started cutting mine first. I wasn't taking cuts to the head of the line. I was the first one to my room.
It pays to throw the party. That was short lived though, by the time I was on my fourth nodule, Jan showed up. So
I started cutting the ones that she collected. We cut a couple dozen of hers, then Joan showed up. Joan said," she
just wanted to watch, but I told her she had to bring nodules to the party. She said," she only had 4 in her pocket
the rest were in the bottom of the bucket. So we cut those four. The first 2 were humdingers, Joan was thrilled and
Jan was jealous. By the time Ken and Jane arrived we were down to the last blade. Jane handed me a nodule and
said," this ones Ken's. I knew it had some copper cause it would occasionally want to bounce in the saw. Jane
waited patiently, while Ken and Ted were talking rock and stuff in the back ground and the rest of us were
gathered around the saw is suspense. Jane was hoping she and Ken had found at least one agate. As I finished
cutting her first nodule, I took a quick peek. I just could believe it. I started to laugh and said, " Jane its amazing!
She said," did I get an agate? I said," its more than just an agate, and handed it to her. This nodule was an amazing
copper included agate. Its what we all wish we have collected, and if that wasn't enough. We cut Jane's next nodule
and it was even better! Hello! There was a copper eye and an eye agate. We all were jealous!!!! and
drooling!!!!!!!!!Ken and Ted took a look and Ken said "I guess were gonna go back tomorrow." (they were going to
collect on the beach) All of us couldn't wait to get back on the rock pile in the morning.
Up at 5:00a.m. We tip toed as not to wake anyone. We had to get an early start, 'cause once we cross that eastern
time zone we loose an hour. We needed to be at the Super 8 parking lot in Houghton, MI at 9:30 am to meet other
rock hounds that were going to participate in the field trip to collect copper included agates. Jan and the kids were
going to drive up late morning to collect with the group. Once at the super 8, we were greeted by Ken and Jane in
the parking lot when we arrived. They had spent a few days prior, collecting rock on the beaches on Lake
Superior. Ken said he thought they had about 200 lbs of rock in the back of the car, and Jane showed me a few of
the rocks they had collected til it was time to leave and head out to the mine dump. We were out on the pile of
basalt by 10:30am, and we wasted no time climbing the pile of basalt and pounding out them little nodules.
It wasn't long until Jan and the kids arrived only to tell us the funny story about how they cooked a 4 star
breakfast for there house guests, (Ted and I) bacon and eggs with all the trimmings. Kristin explains how her and
her mom tried really hard and keep the boys quiet as not wake us til breakfast was ready. I suppose Jan didn't
realize that if Ted would have smelled the bacon, he would have come running with cowbells on. At this point they
hadn't notice that our truck wasn't in the driveway. Jan finished the wonderful breakfast and sent Kristin in to
wake us, and much to her surprise, her bed was made. Kristen went back into the kitchen and told her mom that
we weren't there, and her bed was made. Jan said her and Kristin quickly looked out the kitchen window and
realized that we were gone!
I give them an E for effort, and an A+ for the great breakfast that we didn't get to eat! Jan did however bring along
the fried bacon in a baggie. So Ted got his bacon and ate it too!
There were so many rock hounds out on the pile, that with the ping of the hammers it sounded like we were all
working on a chain gang. There was an occasional thunk and holler. Mine was the first. I managed to bruise my
thumb and index finger in the first 2 swings. The blood blister and throbbing thumb was sacrificed however, and
did not discourage the collecting. We had lunch on the tailgate around noon'ish, and got right back at it. By the end
of the day everyone had collected a good number of nodules. The only thing left to do of course was to go get
dinner and then have a cutting party in the hotel room. Remember, I brought that handy dandy little trim saw. I
figured it worked out ok on Jan's counter top we could use the desk in our hotel room. Don't panic, I went to Wally
World and purchased a plastic table cloth for a buck. I mean where else can you find a dollar table cloth. Oh yeah,
the dollar store has em' too.
Any who, I use a couple of band aides to tape the plastic table cloth to the wall over the desk, and I put the clean
side of the towel down on the chair that we used the night before at Jan's. Oh and by the way Jan, I have your
towel! Well, I started cutting mine first. I wasn't taking cuts to the head of the line. I was the first one to my room.
It pays to throw the party. That was short lived though, by the time I was on my fourth nodule, Jan showed up. So
I started cutting the ones that she collected. We cut a couple dozen of hers, then Joan showed up. Joan said," she
just wanted to watch, but I told her she had to bring nodules to the party. She said," she only had 4 in her pocket
the rest were in the bottom of the bucket. So we cut those four. The first 2 were humdingers, Joan was thrilled and
Jan was jealous. By the time Ken and Jane arrived we were down to the last blade. Jane handed me a nodule and
said," this ones Ken's. I knew it had some copper cause it would occasionally want to bounce in the saw. Jane
waited patiently, while Ken and Ted were talking rock and stuff in the back ground and the rest of us were
gathered around the saw is suspense. Jane was hoping she and Ken had found at least one agate. As I finished
cutting her first nodule, I took a quick peek. I just could believe it. I started to laugh and said, " Jane its amazing!
She said," did I get an agate? I said," its more than just an agate, and handed it to her. This nodule was an amazing
copper included agate. Its what we all wish we have collected, and if that wasn't enough. We cut Jane's next nodule
and it was even better! Hello! There was a copper eye and an eye agate. We all were jealous!!!! and
drooling!!!!!!!!!Ken and Ted took a look and Ken said "I guess were gonna go back tomorrow." (they were going to
collect on the beach) All of us couldn't wait to get back on the rock pile in the morning.
Sunday
All of us but Katie was on the pile this morning. Katie left around 2 ish' on Saturday. She was going to head for
home in Stevens Point, WI. She had collected many nice calcite specimens of and many nodules that she is going
to cut and polish at the first rock room workshop. The weather was again super for collecting. The hammers
sang all morning long. It was right at noon, and Ted found me on the pile to see how many nodules I had and to
show me his finds. He had a several pretty pieces that you could see some quartz or calcite with copper that
glistened in the sun. They looked like they had potential. We both climbed down off the pile and joined Jan and
the kids by the van. After almost an hour of discussing all the different ways to collect an agate, (that sorta'
sounds like it could be a song) we decided we were going to head for home. Jan said her and the kids were going
to be heading out soon too. Just as we were ready to say our goodbyes, I noticed Ted had the camera hanging off
his shoulder and quickly realized we had not taken any pictures of the agates that had been cut. We just couldn't
leave without snapping a few shots for the field trip report. So we call Jane and Ken off the pile and told them to
bring over those 2 humdingers. They did, and we did..........take a few pictures. I was in the shade which didn't
help hand holding the camera with a close-up filter attached. The pictures do not do them justice! They are so
pretty in person. When they come to the rock room workshop in Nov. to polish them, I will set up the copy stand
and take some really nice photos to replace these bad ones. But for now they will give you an good idea of what a
Copper Included Agate should look like. Dan came driving in during our goodbyes, so Jane and Ken showed him
there 2 Copper Included Agates and Dan was impressed to say the least!!!
Jan asked Dan how much he thought they were worth and with Dan's reply? Lets just say it paid for there
trip!!!!!!! Very Way Cool!!!
All of us but Katie was on the pile this morning. Katie left around 2 ish' on Saturday. She was going to head for
home in Stevens Point, WI. She had collected many nice calcite specimens of and many nodules that she is going
to cut and polish at the first rock room workshop. The weather was again super for collecting. The hammers
sang all morning long. It was right at noon, and Ted found me on the pile to see how many nodules I had and to
show me his finds. He had a several pretty pieces that you could see some quartz or calcite with copper that
glistened in the sun. They looked like they had potential. We both climbed down off the pile and joined Jan and
the kids by the van. After almost an hour of discussing all the different ways to collect an agate, (that sorta'
sounds like it could be a song) we decided we were going to head for home. Jan said her and the kids were going
to be heading out soon too. Just as we were ready to say our goodbyes, I noticed Ted had the camera hanging off
his shoulder and quickly realized we had not taken any pictures of the agates that had been cut. We just couldn't
leave without snapping a few shots for the field trip report. So we call Jane and Ken off the pile and told them to
bring over those 2 humdingers. They did, and we did..........take a few pictures. I was in the shade which didn't
help hand holding the camera with a close-up filter attached. The pictures do not do them justice! They are so
pretty in person. When they come to the rock room workshop in Nov. to polish them, I will set up the copy stand
and take some really nice photos to replace these bad ones. But for now they will give you an good idea of what a
Copper Included Agate should look like. Dan came driving in during our goodbyes, so Jane and Ken showed him
there 2 Copper Included Agates and Dan was impressed to say the least!!!
Jan asked Dan how much he thought they were worth and with Dan's reply? Lets just say it paid for there
trip!!!!!!! Very Way Cool!!!
| #1 #2 #3 Ken and Jane's humdingers!!! (About the size of a nickel for reference) |
Taking a break
Jan & Brandon Ted & Brandon
| Jan's collection of her favorites |
| Looking down at Ken from the top of the rock pile |
| The fall colors on the way home were beautiful, so I couldn't resist taking a few pictures. |
Jan's collection
and the 3
singles are Jane
and Ken's
and the 3
singles are Jane
and Ken's
| The scenery from the top of the rock pile |
Brandon
Joan
Jake
Jane and Ken
Ted
Busy Rock Hounds
Dan
Ken & Jane
Katie
Jan & Jane Kristin Maddie & Jan
| Kristin Ted & Maddie |
Katie sent this photo to me. She
caught Ted taking a nap, or is he?
caught Ted taking a nap, or is he?