After the crazy busy summer that completely wore me out, my friend, Sharon Smith, asked me to go with her and her boyfriend to South Dakota to go rock hunting. She, also, has had challenges as of late and needed to get away. We were going to go later in October, but the SD weather … Continue reading "Rockhounding and Adventure Trips – South Dakota, October 2020"
I have been lucky enough to go on major Grand Canyon hikes 17 times. Three times in the past I hiked to Supai, the only village located within the Grand Canyon. The first time I showed up at Hilltop Parking to meet a friend. He did not show up. I waited an extra day and … Continue reading "Rockhounding and Adventure Trips – Supai, AZ Grand Canyon May 2019"
A decade ago, the staff at Muskallonge Lake State Park decided to organize a small agate show. In the first few years, the show was quite small and very quaint. As the years went by, the show grew in popularity until it exceeded the ability of the state park to handle the show’s large size. … Continue reading "Rockhounding and Adventure Trips – Grand Marais Rock-On Festival September 2019"
In the past most years I drove or flew out to one of the large gem shows such as Tucson, Quartzite, or Denver. These days I typically go every three years, given the time and expense of these trips. This adventure involved 6,125 miles of driving over 26 days. The main two reasons for the … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Colorado – March 2017"
Late last year I received an invitation to go to Hawaii — again. As some of you know, I was fortunate to be able to go to Hawaii a few years ago (thanks to the generosity of friends and frequent flyer miles). However, during that first visit to Hawaii I was not able to go … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Hawaii – June 2015"
Last year I did not drive out west because I was working on the online rockhounding classes. So this year I decided that I had to make the drive – all 6,285 miles of it. Thanks to friend, Helen Riley, for flying out to Arizona to share the adventure, which included hiking the Grand Canyon … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Arizona – 2014"
Since my friends knew I was driving out to the Tucson Gem Show, three asked whether I was going to again hike the Grand Canyon. I love sharing the canyon with friends, so a year ago I made the necessary reservations. I hiked with friends Wendy, Helen, and Phylster. We stayed at Bright Angel Lodge … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Grand Canyon – 2011"
In April during spring break, friends Gerald and Jill Phillips and I drove down to Irvine, Kentucky to go agate hunting. We teamed up with Scott and Melinda Hardy to learn the tricks of the hunt. I must admit it is totally different than looking for Lake Superior agates. First of all, you need a … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Kentucky Agate Hunting – April 2010"
I attended Moose Lake Agate Days, located around an hour south of Duluth, for the fifth year in a row, second with a booth. Since the event was mentioned on the Travel Channel’s Cash and Treasures show, the number of people in attendance was almost out of control. On Saturday, there were definitely too many … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Moose Lake Agate Days – Summer 2009"
It has been three years since I drove out west to attend the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. Of course, in 2005 and 2006 I lived in New Mexico all winter and sold my mineral art as a member of a co-op gallery. Thus, during these years the drive to Tucson was a lot shorter! … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: New Mexico – February 2009"
NOTE: The following information was taken from the Michigan Karst Conservancy web page. Contact information is at the end of this article. Karst is a term that was first applied to a plateau region of the Dinaric Alps in Yugoslavia. It is now used to describe similar regions throughout the world that have features formed largely … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Michigan Karst Cave Information – January 2009"
Dear Web Page Visitors: This information was sent to me via an email. I have reproduced it here for those of you who would like to preserve the ability for people to continue rockhounding and are willing to get involved to protect this right. The habitat of the rockhound is diminishing at an astounding rate. … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: September 2008"
Wonderful World of Agates, Weis Earth Science Museum, University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, Menasha, WI July 10-13, 2008 A dedicated group of people have been planning this agate show for a couple of years. The purpose of the event was to celebrate agates and other forms of microcrystaline quartz. Everyone who attended agrees that they were … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Menasha, WI – Summer 2008"
Since former museum intern, Nick Rudell, is now working at Circuit City in Grand Rapids and former intern, Candace Prill, was not sure of the timing of her return from Ecuador, where she has been teaching this winter, there will be a new face behind the counter this summer. Fellow artist, Kim Amthor, will be … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Gravel Pits – May 2008"
For the past 21 years, a group of us women have gone on a weekend retreat away from husbands, kids, and work responsibilities. For the second year in a row, we have traveled to Mackinac Island. It is a real trip to go this time of year before other tourists arrive. With only around 350 … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Mackinac Island – April 2008"
For the second time in a month, I was fortunate to travel to Minnesota to agate hunt. The main reason for travel this time, was to attend the Moose Lake Agate Days. Thanks to my friends, Gerald and Jill Phillips, I again shared their camp site at the city park, which is located next to … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Moose Lake Agate Days – July 2007"
I have not had the chance to go on a summer vacation since 1993. Between owning the brewpub (1994-2001), and being busy with the museum after that, I just have not been able to get away in June, July, or August. Even though I probably should have stayed home to make more agate products, I … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Minnesota Agate Hunting Trip – June 2007"
In February, I made the annual trek out to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. For the first time, one of my friends, Kim Amthor, requested to come along. Since she had never been to the Grand Canyon, we of course had to visit. Last year was the first time in many years that I … Continue reading "ROCKHOUNDING AND ADVENTURE TRIPS: Tucson Gem and Mineral Show – February 2007"
