[Rockhounds] Promoting Rockhounding - A Trip Report

[VevaBailey at aol.com]

Thanks Kreigh, for relating about your meeting. 
I only wish that I had someone years ago who would have been a mentor to me  
before I went to high school and college. 
I love rocks and my father was a collector while he was alive but neither  of 
us knew what to do with them other than look at them. 
After my Father died, I had a opportunity to become a silversmith  apprentice 
and took the hobby, career, love whole heartedly. 
After my Mentor died in Oct. 1998, I took classes at Modesto Jr. College  for 
4 years from volunteer instructors from Motherlode Mineral Society.
I am trying to be a Mentor to any and all people who show an interest in  
rocks. 
I myself read all the books I can get my hands on about geology. 
My Mentor and I used to drive up into the mountains above Oakdale, CA and  he 
would give me lessons on rock formations, strata and how to find gold. 
Those were fun times for me, so I try to pass this love onto others.
If fact right now my Sister and Brother both are rockhounders now and of  
course when someone asks me what I want as a gift I say....ROCKS!!!  They  don't 
have to buy them, just pick them up on the beach and rock piles.LOL.
I almost have my lapidary shop set up so I will be cutting and polishing  
rocks pretty soon. 
 
Veva
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/7/2008 7:29:49 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
Kreigh at tomaszewski.net writes:

About  two weeks ago I got an invitation via our club president to a 
potluck  party being hosted by Dr. Kevin Cole, head of the Geology 
Department at  Grand Valley State University. He was gathering the 
geology faculty,  students, some other area professors, and the 
membership of the two local  area rock clubs, for an informal afternoon 
of food and  fellowship.

So early this afternoon I loaded up a grape salad, a thank  you specimen 
for Dr. Cole (to make up for my late RSVP), my google map to  his house, 
and headed off to the next county. I found the house without  problems 
and was made welcome. I'm glad I went.

It was a lot of fun  meeting the local geology community. We shared our 
summer field  experiences (and some folks were literally taking notes). 
Rockhounds,  faculty, and students all had something to contribute. 
There were probably  75 rockhound adults present, and I heard stories 
from over half of the  states in the USA. The volleyball included the 
kids, and was great  entertainment; family friendly parties are always 
fun.

Most stories  were about field collecting, either as a hobby, or for 
geology field  studies. But there were exceptions. One student spent his 
summer  monitoring the drilling of wells for a geothermal plant in Utah 
that was  pumping up 143 degree water, generating electricity with it, 
and injecting  it back underground. Another student had done studies 
every 50 meters  along the pathway of a proposed oil pipeline for a 
federal permit. A  professor was collaborating with researchers on three 
other continents  about a book on shoreline geology. One fellow had been 
studying sand  grains to identify the precursor rocks from a 
pre-cambrian  mountain.

I was not the only one to bring along a specimen. They were  passed 
around and commented on. I sensed there was some surprise on both  sides 
about how much rockhounds and geologists had in common. I was  surprised 
at the lack of surprise when a student pulled two chisels out of  her 
purse to discuss the merits of the two types of tips (first time I  have 
seen a chisel come out of a purse in a social  setting).

Several professors and students expressed an interest in  joining one of 
the local rock clubs. At least one rockhound received a  tentative 
invitation from a professor to speak to a class. We found we all  had an 
interest in promoting geology awareness in the elementary grades.  It 
may not have been a typical field trip, and I didn't bring home any  
rocks, but it was as satisfying as any day in the field.

If you  club is not already connected to your local geology/education 
community I  can only recommend you find ways to reach out and get 
connected. I think  you will find it worthwhile.

Kreigh

P.S., In case you are  wondering, I gave Kevin a specimen of Sillimanite 
that I collected with  list member Pete Modreski a few weeks ago in the 
Denver area. It was well  received and generated a lot of interest.


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