| South Dakota Agate Collecting - May 2009 |
Well another year has come and gone, and what fun we had!
This year we had 12 club members head out west for our annual rock collecting field trip to South Dakota. We would
start our week with the Fairburn rock swap in Rapid Ciyt, then collecting in the Grassland, and then onto the Black Hills
for TeePee Canyon Agate. However this year would be a very different one for me.
I would normally be a tag along grateful to be a sponge (input) like #9 in Short Circuit, and would be hangin' with the 3
D's and company (Doug, Don, and Dave.) They knew what they were doing, and knew where they were going. They
were what I call seasoned collectors. They have been rockhounds for many, many years, and have been collecting in
South Dakota many times leading the pack with us newbee's sort a speak. I would ride to South Dakota with Dave, or
Dave would ride with me, and I played follow the leaders. Dave and I never ran out of things to talk about, and the 11
hour drive just flew by.
This year 2 D's (Doug and Don), would not be able to make the trip out to South Dakota because of prior
commitments. So it was only going to be Dave and I taking new club members out for the first time. This would be
Dave's gazillion, and my 5th year out. So needless to say, I was excite.
Dave has been a rockhound for most of his life, and is a retire engineer for Bowing. But just a few days before our
departure out west, my best friend Dave had a myocardial infarction. Not to worry, he's fine now, but he scared the
crap out of all of us!!! With the divine intervention from the good man upstairs, Judy's (Dave's wife) quick thinking, he
is still with us, and almost as good as new, with an occasionally nap.
As for me, I quickly realized that I was going to be the only club member going that has been collecting in South
Dakota, and knows how to get to all our favorite collecting sites (At least I hoped I could!)
Just a little bit of pressure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now on with our journey~
This year we had 12 club members head out west for our annual rock collecting field trip to South Dakota. We would
start our week with the Fairburn rock swap in Rapid Ciyt, then collecting in the Grassland, and then onto the Black Hills
for TeePee Canyon Agate. However this year would be a very different one for me.
I would normally be a tag along grateful to be a sponge (input) like #9 in Short Circuit, and would be hangin' with the 3
D's and company (Doug, Don, and Dave.) They knew what they were doing, and knew where they were going. They
were what I call seasoned collectors. They have been rockhounds for many, many years, and have been collecting in
South Dakota many times leading the pack with us newbee's sort a speak. I would ride to South Dakota with Dave, or
Dave would ride with me, and I played follow the leaders. Dave and I never ran out of things to talk about, and the 11
hour drive just flew by.
This year 2 D's (Doug and Don), would not be able to make the trip out to South Dakota because of prior
commitments. So it was only going to be Dave and I taking new club members out for the first time. This would be
Dave's gazillion, and my 5th year out. So needless to say, I was excite.
Dave has been a rockhound for most of his life, and is a retire engineer for Bowing. But just a few days before our
departure out west, my best friend Dave had a myocardial infarction. Not to worry, he's fine now, but he scared the
crap out of all of us!!! With the divine intervention from the good man upstairs, Judy's (Dave's wife) quick thinking, he
is still with us, and almost as good as new, with an occasionally nap.
As for me, I quickly realized that I was going to be the only club member going that has been collecting in South
Dakota, and knows how to get to all our favorite collecting sites (At least I hoped I could!)
Just a little bit of pressure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now on with our journey~
May 15th, Friday
We are on the road by 8am. Cindy and Sue was riding with Ted and I, and we were to
meet up with Jalyne and Peter in Babcock, and they would follow us to Wall. However 7
miles before Babcock, (we were no more than 40 miles from home) a roaring tire made a
loud ca-boom! Thank goodness Ted was paying attention as the steering wheel wanted
to go kiddie wam-pus, not to mention we were going about 65 mph. With quick thinking
and a heavy foot on the brake, we came to a screeming halt!
O My Goodness, was my first thought. Not!
We are on the road by 8am. Cindy and Sue was riding with Ted and I, and we were to
meet up with Jalyne and Peter in Babcock, and they would follow us to Wall. However 7
miles before Babcock, (we were no more than 40 miles from home) a roaring tire made a
loud ca-boom! Thank goodness Ted was paying attention as the steering wheel wanted
to go kiddie wam-pus, not to mention we were going about 65 mph. With quick thinking
and a heavy foot on the brake, we came to a screeming halt!
O My Goodness, was my first thought. Not!
We pulled into Wall about 10 pm., and did a head count. We were the last rockhounds to arrive.
The plan was to go to the Fairburn rock swap on Saturday after breakfast. Then head out to Quinn after lunch.
The plan was to go to the Fairburn rock swap on Saturday after breakfast. Then head out to Quinn after lunch.
New tire was tired
This is not the kind of delay that I would have expected. About a month ago, concerned that the tires on the truck was
a bit warn. Ted took the truck down and had 4 new tires put on so I wouldn't have any problems on our yearly trek out
west. After all, I had put 100,000.00 + miles on the truck in the last 3 years. This gives a new meaning to being
prepared. Ted had the tire changed in about 10 mins., and we were again on our way. We did make a detour thru
Winona, MN to get a replacement tire at Fleet Farm. So in a couple extra hours we had a spare and was back on the
road.
a bit warn. Ted took the truck down and had 4 new tires put on so I wouldn't have any problems on our yearly trek out
west. After all, I had put 100,000.00 + miles on the truck in the last 3 years. This gives a new meaning to being
prepared. Ted had the tire changed in about 10 mins., and we were again on our way. We did make a detour thru
Winona, MN to get a replacement tire at Fleet Farm. So in a couple extra hours we had a spare and was back on the
road.
| Ted changing the tired tire. |
May 16th, Saturday
Up and at em', and to the rock swap by 9 am., thanks to the GPS my son got me for Mothers Day. A cool neat toy!
We met up with Roger Clark. He had drove out Thursday alone. Mary Jane had back surgery on Wednesday and
wasn't able to travel. This week was the debut of his new Fairburn Agate book, the new and enhanced as he called it.
I also ran into Glen and he invited us out to his place later this evening. There were many vendors and the Fairburns
were amazing. I went to the truck and grabbed the camera to snapped a few photo's.
Up and at em', and to the rock swap by 9 am., thanks to the GPS my son got me for Mothers Day. A cool neat toy!
We met up with Roger Clark. He had drove out Thursday alone. Mary Jane had back surgery on Wednesday and
wasn't able to travel. This week was the debut of his new Fairburn Agate book, the new and enhanced as he called it.
I also ran into Glen and he invited us out to his place later this evening. There were many vendors and the Fairburns
were amazing. I went to the truck and grabbed the camera to snapped a few photo's.
| Cindy and Sue Shopping |
| Woo I don't like that one |
| Sue, Ted, Roger and Sue |
I was about noon and we wanted to get some collecting in today in the Quinn area. So after a couple hours, we
gathered up the troops. As we headed back to our vehicles, there was a couple standing by my truck. They were
hoping that they would run into our group at the rock swap. Terri and Bill were from LaCross, WI. and they had
googled TeePee Canyon Agate a couple months back and our website came up. Terri said,"They alone had added
about 50+ hits to the counter on the website. She said, they had paged thru the stories and club news a number of
times, and knew we would be out at the rock swap this particular Saturday. Terri figured if they hung around the
vehicles with Wisconsin licence plates long enough, there was a good chance they would run into us. Well they did,
and we stood around and gabbed awhile. They were hoping they could tag along with us to the hills in hopes to collect
some TeePee Canyon Agate. I told Bill and Terri we planed to be in the hill's Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday
and no we didn't mind them tagging along. So we exchanged our cell numbers and Terri would give a call Monday
evening as to were they would meet us. So that was pretty way cool.
gathered up the troops. As we headed back to our vehicles, there was a couple standing by my truck. They were
hoping that they would run into our group at the rock swap. Terri and Bill were from LaCross, WI. and they had
googled TeePee Canyon Agate a couple months back and our website came up. Terri said,"They alone had added
about 50+ hits to the counter on the website. She said, they had paged thru the stories and club news a number of
times, and knew we would be out at the rock swap this particular Saturday. Terri figured if they hung around the
vehicles with Wisconsin licence plates long enough, there was a good chance they would run into us. Well they did,
and we stood around and gabbed awhile. They were hoping they could tag along with us to the hills in hopes to collect
some TeePee Canyon Agate. I told Bill and Terri we planed to be in the hill's Monday afternoon and all day Tuesday
and no we didn't mind them tagging along. So we exchanged our cell numbers and Terri would give a call Monday
evening as to were they would meet us. So that was pretty way cool.
Anywho! .......Feeling very confident that I knew where I was going, we headed to Quinn. Once thru Quinn, I began
looking for the little dirt road out to the site. Making a right turn heading south, a few miles down I ran into Hwy 90.
Well, I didn't remember passing Hwy 90 the last time I was on this road. So I kept going, knowing I was to far. Finally
with a train of cars following me around like I knew where I was going? I turned around and proceeded to going up and
down that road a few more times. Consulting my grassland map and conversing with Ken on where I thought I was. I
gave up and I pulled in the grassland area just north of Hwy 90 by some bluffs. Apologizing profusely for not getting
us to the correct Quinn and feeling not to much like a leader, I proceeded to explain what type of material you might
find in the area. Everyone gathered up there spray bottles and buckets and head out down to the bluffs. Still confused
to my where abouts, I was frustrated that we were at the fake Quinn, but none of my tribe really cared, they were just
happy to be collecting.
looking for the little dirt road out to the site. Making a right turn heading south, a few miles down I ran into Hwy 90.
Well, I didn't remember passing Hwy 90 the last time I was on this road. So I kept going, knowing I was to far. Finally
with a train of cars following me around like I knew where I was going? I turned around and proceeded to going up and
down that road a few more times. Consulting my grassland map and conversing with Ken on where I thought I was. I
gave up and I pulled in the grassland area just north of Hwy 90 by some bluffs. Apologizing profusely for not getting
us to the correct Quinn and feeling not to much like a leader, I proceeded to explain what type of material you might
find in the area. Everyone gathered up there spray bottles and buckets and head out down to the bluffs. Still confused
to my where abouts, I was frustrated that we were at the fake Quinn, but none of my tribe really cared, they were just
happy to be collecting.
I gathered my walking stick and spray bottle and headed down the bluffs too.
Ted Lyons one of our new club members, brought a few pieces of jasper and
prairie agate over for me to take a look see. Jane came over as well. While
explaining to Jane what to look for, I picked up a piece of jasper by my foot to
give her a visual. As I rubbed off the silt, Jane and I realized at the same time it
was a Fairburn, and a pretty little one at that. I gave Ted a hard time cause he
walked right by it.
Just about 10 minutes later, Cindy has a pretty. I was also a Fairburn! So I
decided this wasn't a bad site after all. So problem solved !
Ted Lyons one of our new club members, brought a few pieces of jasper and
prairie agate over for me to take a look see. Jane came over as well. While
explaining to Jane what to look for, I picked up a piece of jasper by my foot to
give her a visual. As I rubbed off the silt, Jane and I realized at the same time it
was a Fairburn, and a pretty little one at that. I gave Ted a hard time cause he
walked right by it.
Just about 10 minutes later, Cindy has a pretty. I was also a Fairburn! So I
decided this wasn't a bad site after all. So problem solved !
| Ted Lyons |
| Dan and Kim |
| Jane |
| Sue |
| Wide view of bluffs |
| Sandy and Cindy's Fairburns |
| Sandy and Cindy |
| The bluffs are blooming |
| Maggie and Ted |
| A few things that I picked up. Notice the little bubble gum on the left of the Fairburn |
| My little Fairburn |
| Jane's finds for the day |
| Jane's pretty little Jasper |
| My husband Ted found an Indian face Rock |
| Ken and Jane |
| See that same little bubble gum that was next to my Fairburn, Cindy found one too! We named these two, Little Boobs and Big Butt |
We called it day about 5 pm. Everyone had found a few rocks they couldn't live with out. So we headed back to Wall
to get a bite to eat at the Red Rock Cafe, and then over to Glen and Marti's house at 7.
Glen had found 4 unbelievable Fairburns in Wall last fall. He had had shoulder surgery and wasn't able to hunt most
of last summer. So when some local retailers had rock brought in for landscaping he took his rollie chair down town
Wall and went Fairburn hunting. Man they are awesome! They are as big as a baseball!
to get a bite to eat at the Red Rock Cafe, and then over to Glen and Marti's house at 7.
Glen had found 4 unbelievable Fairburns in Wall last fall. He had had shoulder surgery and wasn't able to hunt most
of last summer. So when some local retailers had rock brought in for landscaping he took his rollie chair down town
Wall and went Fairburn hunting. Man they are awesome! They are as big as a baseball!
| Kim and Glen |
| Some of Glen's big bubble gums |
| Pretty tumbled prairie agate |
| Marti's Fairburn |
| A few pictures of Glen's 4 he found last fall |
Which way
do I go!
do I go!
| They are humdingers! |