Shain Mayer

Most of the good Druzy, Pink Lace, Gray Lace, Black Lace agates, and Orbicular jaspers are up and out of the wash areas. One most hike into the maze like canyon lands above the main Willow Springs wash tor eally find siutable cutting/collecting materials.  This hike was done about 5 weeks ago after the nice winter snow on Fourpeaks, so there was allot of water and moss growth in these back canyons.  We kiked over a small saddle were you can collect nice druzy, and down into a backside canyon to Willow Springs Wash. We found allot of semi large viens of agate, mostly whiteish, some pinks and grays as well. I brought some home and have one piece that might have plumes in it, and is rather clear agate.
 The last shot was at the bottom looking back up from were were came down. Just more as a mental marker for myself the next time i go over that same saddle.

Now this is total bush waking country folks, its always best to wear pants in this area no matter the time of year due to allot of brush and catclaw.  This whole wash was loaded with catclaw and a real pain in the but.  But for a rockhound in the Goldfields, its no problem and part of the going about.

I also found this nice druzy examples this trip which is also the main reason to sahring this site and going back years over years. There is allot of Quartz Druzy plates in mostly white color everywere. Sometimes Grey, sometimes rare Pink like this piece here. These make killer cabochons!

Other roughs i brough out on this trip have yet to be cut and proven, but i will share in time and if they are worth sharing.




Ok, so this last week i got back up there with a friend from the bakery and went a whole new way around to explore and find more rock hunting prospects.  This next group of photos is from that trip. It was started at the same parking lot, but we headed south and around a large butte with a goal on the backside called the IQ Arch. This first photo is looking east at the top of the saddle, towards Weavers Needle and the frist water area of the Suppersititions.

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Labels: Agate, Apache Junction, Goldfield Mountains, Hiking, Lace Agate, Rockhounding, Superstition Mountains, Willow

....and chaos is among us. No matter were i look, or what i do, there is that early feeling of the season in which i hounstly dont like as much as summer. Just tonight on my way home from the bakery, i say a car up a head, the driver managed to make a thrid uturn by the time i passed him. WTF? drunkin snowbird season, yes its true, though im sure they are still mostly male like this uturn driver. And as hard as i try, i keep having problems with one guy at the bakery in which Chaos follows, and problely will till the end of the earth. Poor kid trys so hard, and things still bite him in the ass no matter what. He had two court dates this week, and both simply went into continuance because of prosecutor no shows. Or he just bullshitting me and im the dumbass.
The bakery has really picked up and we got some good press a couple weeks ago. The new shift at the bakery is working really well too, i have a better control on everyones hours, the batch order or mix order, and sweets. We have also been able to develop a better procedure for our Ciabatta which has been coming out top notch.
I have fallen behind this past month on the blog, but I am just trying to transition into the season, my new shift and management responsibilities as best as i can.
I am also working on remixing we are Searchers recordings and posting them to my reverb page. So keep a look out for anything music related i post.
Lastly, on anything rock related, please let me know if you want to come out and dig for rocks in my overstocks. Normally $25, Winterbird speical-$15 per 5 gallon bucket, you dig and haul your own. But you must mention the website in order to get the discount.

Labels: chaos, holiday season, Lapidary, Rockhounding, snowbirds, winter

I found a small, under 1 pound size piece of rough Orbicular Rhyolite the last time i was out in the Willowsprings area here in the Goldfields. These are the only two slabs i really got from the piece.

From Cabochon contest

It undercuts badly, but there is potential in design and use of the harder agate zones. It has nice contrast and stands out well in patterns.

From Cabochon contest

There is a darker Rhyolite area with hues of red and purple almost. This is the hardest areas of the cabochon. This second cabochon has less hard areas, which are the large open eye white/gray orbs. I am sure there is more to be found out there.

From Cabochon contest

http://shainmayer.blogspot.com/2010/08/rockhounding-hiking-willow-creek-area.html

Labels: Goldfield Mountains, Rhyolite, Rockhounding, Superstition Mountains, Willow Springs

These are photos from a hike a couple weeks ago up through Meridian Trailhead on the east side of Pass Mtn.

Labels: Arizona Monsoon, Goldfield Mountains, Hiking, Rockhounding