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The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. (VGMS)
Rockhound Rambling
May 2010.

Rockhound Rambling Photo of the Month.
This month's photo is by Steve Mulqueen.

Wiley Canyon, Fillmore: Steve suggested a warning that it's snake season to wandering rockhounds after he and David Mautz came across this specimen recently.

The Rambling Picture of the Month is photographed by a VGMS member and provided to the Rockhound Rambling. Images should be accompanied by subject documentation. Selection is at the discretion of the editor. Submit images to lowellfos@yahoo.com.

Table of Contents.

• PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE;
• UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS;
• WEBSITE OF THE MONTH;
• MEMBERSHIP;
• EDITOR'S CORNER;
• THE AMERICAN AGATE - JASPER INDEX;
• MEETING MINUTES;
• DID YOU CATCH THIS;
• PROGRAM REVIEW AND SCHEDULE;
• FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN;
• VGMS BIRTHDAYS;
• SHOW NEWS;
• IN MEMORIAM - ERWIN MAAS;
• THE CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT;
• FEDERATION NEWS;
• EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH;
• And Now a Word from our Sponsor;
• CHIPS AND BOULDERS;
• EDUCATIONAL CORNER;
• VGMS HISTORY;
• Rockhound Rambling - 2010;
• VGMS CONTEST - APRIL;
• NOODLING FOR NODULES IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT -- PART IV;
• LET'S GO TO A SHOW.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

Our Annual Spring Picnic was fun last month, with great food, great friends, and great bargains to be had on the silent auction table, which added nearly $130 to the club coffers. My thanks to all who participated! I'm already looking forward to the Annual Fall Picnic....After the picnic, several of us gathered around Ron Wise, who helped us make tools for napping, and he held a napping class the following weekend, where we learned the proper application of band aids--and made some neat obsidian arrowheads. A thank-you to Ron for sharing a new lapidary skill with us as a follow-up to his presentation at our March meeting. Thank you, too, to Greg Davis and a team of club members he assembled to add some terrific stuff to our club rock pile when a family came calling to remove rocks from a home about to go on the market. I encourage everyone to keep your ears to the ground if similar opportunities should arise and to augment the club rock pile with "extras" you pick up during field trips. My one regret this month? That I'll miss the Second Annual Rockhound Rendezvous due to previously scheduled travel. Here's hoping it goes as well as last year's, and here's thanking Ron for his efforts in organizing this again this year!

The Spring Picnic.

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UPCOMING VGMS EVENTS.

May 22, Saturday, Camp Comfort:
     Cab Class - 9:00-12:00;
     Knap Class - 1:00-3:00.

May 26, Wednesday, Senior Recreation Center:
     Regular Meeting - 7:30 pm.

June 3, Thursday, Brace-Thompson Home:
     Board Meeting - 7:00 pm.

June 18-20, Fri, Sat, & Sunday, See LET'S GO TO A SHOW
for Flyer!
     AFMS/CFMS Annual Show.
(Use your BACK button to return here.)

June 19, Saturday, Camp Comfort:
     Workshop - 9:00 am-12:00 pm.

June 23, Wednesday, Senior Recreation Center:
     Regular Meeting - 7:30 pm.

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WEBSITE OF THE MONTH.

If you go to any of these sites close the new window to return here.

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com.

     With the advent of the internet and the spread of social media outlets, anybody who believes they have useful information now has multiple platforms from which they can preach. Of course, we are interested in rocks, from finding them, identifying them, to polishing them up for display. This month I will present a few of the most, um, well-meaning videos available on YouTube.
     First up is a man who will teach you how to make a tumbler out of a water jug. That he has a wonderful Southern accent and uses parking lot rocks shouldn't keep you from this gem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8uzk681Fco&feature=related.
     Or here's a short 'Alien Abduction' AgatePicker video that makes me want to up and go to Minnesota...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIgOWE93zuQ&feature=related.
     And for you fossil hunters, the world record ammonite find: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHajeNZ-Ux4&feature=related.
     The list goes on. No matter what video you watch, along the right side of the screen another dozen possibly interesting videos appear to tempt you with their titles and freeze-frame photo. Go on - Take a look!

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MEMBERSHIP.

     The new Membership Directories were available at the April meeting. If you were not able to attend, I will be mailing the remainder. If you have any corrections please contact me and I will see that the necessary changes are made.
     Membership total as of May 15th, 2010: 89!
     Any questions about membership can be sent to:
          vgmsmembership@gmail.com.
Changes to directory:
     Steve Mulqueen has a new e-mail address: mulques@roadrunner.com.
               Krishna Juarez.

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EDITOR'S CORNER.

The Harris House.

     Ah, it was fun while it lasted, and it may yet come back, but the Harris house in Santa Paula is presently out of business. I was fortunate to have been there that first morning it opened and saw the piles untouched and spread out across the yard. It was magnificent and glorious and possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity to collect material that is unseen or outrageously expensive now.
     It was also a time to say 'thank you'. Earl Harris has been more than generous in his pricing and his providing access to his father's collection. He has been easy to talk to and accommodating to a horde of rockhounds from across the state. When I am there, I try to remember that what he is selling is not just rocks, but part of his father's memory, and that I am a guest.
     So if we get a chance to go again, tell him how much you appreciate his generosity.

The Above two Photos are of the Harris Yard.

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THE AMERICAN AGATE - JASPER INDEX.

When you click on a link below, it should take you to a screen that shows the image of the specific Index's front. Above it is a blue box that says Download Now. Next to it is a green button that says "DOWNLOAD 4SHARED DESKTOP". This you DON'T click on or download; evidently it has some other function. I haven't touched it, so I'm not sure. You click on the BLUE button that says "Download Now. No Virus Detected". This gets you to a screen that says "Thank you for downloading {Index Name}.pdf." There is short countdown (10 seconds) and then a link comes up that says "Click here to download this file". Hit that and the file downloads.

(If you go to any of the links below close the new window to return here.)

Current files of the Index.

Vol 1: Utah and Colorado (warning 16 MB) - http://www.4shared.com/document/mNXTQALM/Agate_Index_Vol_1__2nd_ed_.html.
Vol 2: Wyoming and Montana - http://www.4shared.com/file/224404408/51585e57/Agate_Index_Vol_2.html.
Vol 3: Idaho and Washington - http://www.4shared.com/file/229956030/cc07189f/Agate_Index_Vol_3.html.
Vol 4: South Dakota, Nebraska, and Oklahoma - http://www.4shared.com/file/242786005/91b2476f/Agate_Index_Vol_4.html.
Vol 5: Texas - http://www.4shared.com/document/oCLei3tU/Agate_Index_Vol_5.html.
Vol 6: The South-Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri - http://www.4shared.com/document/nXCjumab/Agate_Index_Vol_6.html.
Vol 7: Arizona (warning 16 MB) - http://www.4shared.com/document/XplaNpW1/Agate_Index_Vol_7.html.

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MEETING MINUTES.

The following Meeting Minutes were respectfully submitted by Greg Davis, VGMS Recording Secretary.

VGMS Board Meeting;
May 6, 2010:
Present: Present: John & Diane Cook, Ron & Jean Wise, Krishna Juarez, Shirley Layton, Rob & Deb Sankovich and Greg Davis.
     The Ventura Gem & Mineral Society Board Meeting for April 1, 2010 was called to order by Vice President Deb Sankovich at the Cook home at 7:00 pm.
Old business:
     We'll need prospective docents to come forward to be trained for future student tours/school visits and to reap the rewards of this very satisfying role. See Jim if interested.
     Wheeler Gorge event takes place May 15.
New business:
Diane Cook: The Treasurer's report was given. It was m/s/c to accept as written and to pay the ongoing bills. Diane also provided an additional first aid kit for club use.
     Diane reiterated the need for someone to manage the plant sale at next year's show. A thank-you note has been sent to Sal and it was m/s/c to direct money from our picnic silent auction to the machine fund.
Krishna: We have 89 members at this time and no new members to announce.
     Deb announced that entries to the monthly club bulletin should now be directed to lowellfos@yahoo.com and be postmarked by the weekend following each Board meeting and photos are always sought.
     Volunteers are needed on May 22 for the 49ers' day at Camp Comfort. Help could also be used with scout tours of the museum. Contact Jim Brace-Thompson.
Jean Wise: The Federation show will be held in Whittier, June 18-20 and application forms for displays are now being taken.
Ron Wise: Andy and Luther have offered to assist with shop maintenance and training. It was m/s/c to provide Luther with shop keys.
     Field trips include the Rockhound Rendezvous on May 15, held at our Camp Comfort location, cab class on May 22, including a knapping class afterwards and a trip coming up in June for Blue Forest wood in Wyoming.
     The CFMS show in Whittier will include field trips to the Himalayan tourmaline mine, Ant Hill and Lavic Siding.
     June 5, Rob Sankovich will lead a trip for Topanga fossils.
     The next general meeting will be on May 26, 2010 at 420 E. Santa Clara in Ventura and the next board meeting will be on June 3 at the Brace-Thompson home in Ventura.
     There being no further business, Deb adjourned the meeting at 8:20.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

VGMS Regular Meeting;
April 28, 2010:
     The regular monthly meeting of the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society was called to order by President Jim Brace-Thompson at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center.
     Jim introduced visitors and then asked for corrections, if any, to the previously printed board and regular meeting minutes. It was m/s/c to accept the minutes. Members were led in the pledge to the flag.
Old Business:
Jim Brace-Thompson: The "Educator Award" for Rock Box work was presented to Miriam Tetreault. A "Meteorite Award" was bestowed upon Andy Anderson for the terrific job done on our 2010 show and Jim wanted to thank everyone for a terrific club picnic.
     Deb Sankovich next introduced Sal Scarpato who presented a fantastic slide show and discussion on his and his wife's trip to Antarctica. It was extremely well done, especially with Sal's added humor.
     Jim continued the membership meeting with committee reports:
Ron Wise: Upcoming field trips include the Rockhound Rendezvous on May 15, held at our Camp Comfort location, cab class on May 22, including a knapping class afterwards and a trip coming up in June for Blue Forest wood in Wyoming.
Diane & Nancy: The treasurer's report was presented and the club is solvent. Diane also wanted to let people know that a link can be found on our web site for ordering items with our club logo.
Jean Wise: All aregearing up for this year's Federation Show and applications are now being taken for Zzyzx.
     The CFMS is taking suggestions from clubs for the Club Rockhound of the Year award.
Lowell Foster: Bulletin will keep same basic format, photos are always welcomed. Deadline for bulletin submissions will continue to be the weekend following each Board meeting.
Krishna: The new directories have been printed and passed out.
Deb Sankovich: Upcoming programs include David Lynch with a program on the San Andreas Fault, Cynthia Baumgartner with a program on dichroic glass. Steve Mulqueen has contacted Dr. Gray and he may be available for a presentation.
     Jim reminded everyone that the Wheeler Gorge event will take place May 15, 10-2 pm and there will be a tour of the museum on May 22nd for a group of Webelos.
     Refreshments were provided by Sharon Cunningham.
     The next board meeting will be held on May 6, 2010 at the Cook's house and the next monthly membership meeting will be held May 26, at the Ventura Senior Recreation Center, 420 E. Santa Clara.
     There being no further business, Jim adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm.
          Respectfully submitted,
          Greg Davis,
          Recording Secretary.

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DID YOU CATCH THIS?

Megalodon Breeding Area Found!!!

     Next time you take a trip through the Panama Canal or take a dive off one of the Mexican resorts, be glad the fauna of the region has changed.
     Recently researchers from the University of Florida have uncovered what appears to be a 10-million-year-old nursery for the extinct megalodon in Panama. The find was important for several reasons. It provided multiple specimens of the gigantic shark, a large percentage of them smaller than normal, which would be the first evidence that the sharks had their young in a specific region used as a nursery.
     The university's study collected over 400 shark teeth between 2007 and 2009. The analysis of these teeth suggest they came from juveniles that ranged from 6 feet to 35 feet in length.

(If you go to either link below close the new window to return here.)

Please see:
     http://news.discovery.com/animals/megalodon-shark-nursery-found.html,
     http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/ancientnurseryofgiantextinctsharksfound.

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PROGRAM REVIEW AND SCHEDULE.

April Program Review.

Sal Scarpato's April presentation was a great narration of many things you wanted to know about Antarctica. Sal is a long time member of the Conejo Gem & Mineral Club. Antarctica (meaning no bears) was very informative and also featured the following 4 facts:

1. Mt. Vinson is the highest mountain at over 15,918 feet;
2. It is the driest at only 2 inches rainfall per year;
3. It is the coldest - Volstak station registered -128.6° F. Summer weather is average of -17.5° F and winter is average of -76° F;
4. It is also the windiest with average 23 mph. But can get as high as 154 mph per gust.

Sal also presented a featured slide show presenting many different Antarctica topography features, as well as birds, penguins, seals, orca, other whales such as the Minke, and icebergs. There are coal and oil deposits but because of the ice on top no one can get to them.
          Deb Sankovich.

May Program Preview.

     David Lynch will be the May VGMS speaker with a terrific presentation illustrated with PowerPoint slides on the San Andreas Fault, with info on how and where to visit and see the Fault up close at various places in the state and how to identify landscape features created by the fault.
     David holds a PhD in astronomy from the University of Texas and has held research positions at Cal Tech, Berkeley, and elsewhere and has published over 150 scientific papers and 10 books. One of those books is the "Field Guide to the San Andreas Fault", which he can bring to the talk to sell, either in print form or on a CD.
     Check out his web site: http://www.thulescientific.com. (Close the new window to return here.)
          Deb and Mary.

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FIELD TRIPS ARE FUN.

Tri-Club Field Trips 2010. *

     The field trips listed below are tentative, they might change. All are Tri-Club field trips (exceptions noted) with either Conejo, Oxnard or Ventura leading.

* Please call your field trip leader to confirm that there is a field trip scheduled in the event of changes.

Field trips done.

April 17-18, 2010, CFMS Field Trip to Cady Mtns. North.
     We had good turnout for this field trip. Deb and I arrived Thursday, set up camp. It was our first time in the Cady Mtns. to collect rocks. Friday we drove to the Marble Mtns. near Chambless. We met up with Andy Anderson and his brother. Driving up a small road, Andy and I then walked to the side of the mountain. The dig area was sloped. We dug in the shale and searched the surface material. The shale was dirty and hard to clean when digging. The shale on the surface was clean. I dug and searched the float material. I found several trilobites, not very big or detailed, but still trilobites. I'd like to do this another time and spend more time when it's a little cooler.
     Sat. everyone showed up and we followed Adam Dean, CFMS field trips, to 3 different sites. I collected mostly surface pieces. Angel wing agate, calcite of different sizes, sagenite possible, won't know until I cut it for sure. The 3rd site was for fluorite. I didn't find much, but a few really nice pieces were dug out - Glassy green fluorite.
     That night we had a potluck with lots of great food. Most of the days the weather was nice. Deb and I had fun.

Upcoming Field Trips 2010.

These dates are fixed and are the days we will be going:
     July 31st Sat-Jade Cove - Nephrite Jade. Deb and I will be there July 28th Wed-Aug 1st, Sunday.

The field trips listed below are tentative, they might change.
All are Tri Club field trips with either Conejo, Oxnard or Ventura leading. Each month there will be information in the bulletin, and a flyer/map at the club meeting.
     August - Greenhorn Mtns.-rose quartz, garnets, epidote, tungsten.
     September - Acton-agate, small nodules, geodes.
     October - Independence/Bishop-Ammonites fossil, garnets, other minerals.
     November - Ant Hill-shark teeth fossils.
     November - Wiley's Well-nodules, geodes, agate, petrified wood.

Field Trip General Information.

     Please let us know if you are going to go on the field trip. The weather can change. If we don't know you're going we won't be able to contact you if the field trip is cancelled.
     There will be maps and flyers at the club meetings.
     There are still people who show up for the field trip without notifying Mike or me. You can still be part of the field trip, but it is important that you let us know you're going to attend. Please let us know if you're going to attend - e-mail or call us.
     I have new truck. It's a white Ford F250 four wheel drive, crew cab, if you're looking for me, look for my truck.
Contacts: Robert Sankovich, Conejo/Ventura Clubs, 805-494-7734, rmsorca@adelphia.net; Mike Miller, Conejo Club, 805-498-9586, rockfmdr@att.net; Ron Wise, Ventura/Oxnard Clubs, 805-794-0737, clintwise@hotmail.com.

June 5th, Sat. 9 am, Old Topanga Fossils.
     Our field trip will be to Old Topanga Canyon Road. This is a site near Old Topanga Fossils that still has access. Old Topanga Fossils is closed off on the cliff face, no trespassing. You can still look along the base of the cliff, near the road. Our site is nearby, up a ravine, on a nearby hill.
Fossils to find: Turritella, small ammonites, sharks's teeth, bivalves and other gastropod fossils from the Miocene Epoch 12-15 Millions years. Some fossils are found separate, while others are in concretions with multiple shell fossils embedded. The rock can be hard and sometimes takes some patience to reveal the fossil. Old Topanga Canyon Road is windy, narrow, with traffic, always pay attention when near the road.
     With the hot weather having a close by field trip will be best. Rockhounds of all ages will be able to participate. We did this last year and we found lots of fossils.
Directions: From Conejo Valley head south (towards the San Fernando Valley) on Freeway 101. Exit freeway at Mullholland Drive/Valley Circle Blvd. Make a left (east) onto Calabasas Road, go 100 yards. Make a right (south) onto Mullholland Drive, go 1.6 miles. Make a right (west) onto Mullholland Highway, go 1.7 miles, past Calabasas High School, past a stop sign for Old Topanga Cyn. Rd. North. Go to Old Topanga Cyn. Rd. South, turn left (south), go 1.3 to 1.4 miles to pullouts along road. There are 3 on the right side which will hold 2 cars each. They are about 150 yards past the field trip site. There are more sites to park farther up the road if the pullouts fill.
     Approximate distance from Conejo Valley to Old Topanga Canyon Road Field trip site is 17 miles. Look for Rob's white Ford F-250 Truck with a Conejo Valley Gem & Mineral Club sign on it.
Meeting: Saturday afternoon, June 5th, 2010, 9 am-1 pm. We will meet at the Field Trip site, 150 yards west of the pullouts parking, 1.2 miles from Mullholland Highway. There will be a short briefing of the site. Please remember to sign a release form to participate in the field trip. We will then walk 100 feet up a ravine with a light to moderate climb, through light brush. Always pay attention to where you put your feet. Near the top there are small trees and brush, with rock outcroppings to look for fossils. (There will be a map and flyer at the June meeting.)
Tools: Collecting bags, buckets, day pack, digging tools, rock pick, pry bar, sifter, eye protection, trowels, newspaper, paper bags, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sturdy shoes, towels, drinking water, lunch or snacks.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

VGMS BIRTHDAYS!!!

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SHOW NEWS.

Show Recap Meeting.

     Following the club picnic, we held a show recap meeting to discuss ways to improve next year's show and to solicit committee chairs. It looks like many of the chairpersons will remain the same, but each can use assistance preparing for their parts of the show, so I encourage all club members to connect with committee chairs to see how you can best help out.
     We do still need at least one new chair because Susan Mulqueen wishes to hand off responsibility for Plant Sales, so if you have a green thumb, please step forward and be generous with your time and talents.
     Esther Barshai has volunteered to take on the Kids' Booth, giving Jean Wise a well-earned retirement. Thank you, Susan and Jean for all the great work you've each done with your show stations for so many years!
     Here's a brief recap of a few other things to come out of the meeting. We're planning to put together a training program for security, along with a cheat-sheet detailing what a volunteer security person can and can't legally do, giving advice on deterring would-be shoplifters, providing police and fairground phone numbers, etc. We'll explore more ideas for publicity utilizing on-line resources and avenues, with Angela formally joining me on the publicity team. To help with publicity efforts, we'll try lining up a fluorescent mineral display to highlight in our press releases to catch folks' eyes (figuratively and literally). There's been a Saturday evening dinner traditionally held each year at a local restaurant to which dealers have been invited; we opened that up a bit this year, which was well received, so next year, we'll invite all VGMS members and guest exhibitors who may wish to attend, with a notice in the show welcome packet. And we need to designate a spot in the clubhouse or one of the two outbuildings for Country Store storage over the year. I know we covered a lot more than this, but those were the highlights in my notes. To find out what else we covered, and to learn how you can contribute, we'll see you at the next show planning meeting!
          Jim Brace-Thompson.

Supporting our Neighboring Clubs:
Fun Times at the Conejo Show.

At last month's Conejo Gem & Mineral Club Show, I saw neat displays by Ron and Jean Wise, John and Diane Cook, Rob Sankovich, as well as Nancy's and my own displays. The Conejo club had some worries with their new date (the show has traditionally been held in May), but those worries dissolved with the crowds they got through the doors. And it looked like they had more dealers this year, with some new ones I hadn't seen at their show before, so my wallet has been suitably lightened. The next local club show on the horizon is the Oxnard show in November, and I encourage everyone to enter displays and participate. The better our neighboring clubs do in getting word out to the local community about the rockhounding hobby via these shows, the better we all do. Let's show our support!
     Jim Brace-Thompson.

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IN MEMORIAM
-
ERWIN MAAS.

Erwin Maas passed away on April 21, 2010. Some of you may remember Erwin as one of the mineral dealers at our VGMS shows in the 1990s and early 2000s. With his wife, Kathy, they managed one of our dealer spaces which often had a great variety of mineral material for sale. Erwin retired in the 1980s from the Trona Railway Company where he worked for much of his career in Trona, California. Please remember Erwin in your thoughts.
     Steve Mulqueen.

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THE CALIFORNIA DESERT PROTECTION ACT.

Update and Information Sources.

(If you go to any of the links below close the new window to return here.)

Follow the progress of S.2921. This website allows you access to all the pending legislation. It allows you to register and then voice your support or opposition to the bill in question. In addition, there is a place to contact your senators regarding your opinion and plenty of peripheral information is available - http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s2921/show.

On May 20th, there is a Senate hearing on the California Desert Act. Read the overview from the California Wilderness Coalition here - http://calwild.org/ftp/ftp/alerts/Senate_Hearing_2_2010.htm.

Map of the proposed new wilderness areas (may not be completely current) - http://faultline.org/files/CDPA2010maps/FeinsteinDesertOverview_21DEC09.pdf.

According to Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, in a move that disappointed them, certain concessions have been made. These include the creation of five Off Highways Vehicle Areas and the withdrawal of the wilderness designation of the Cady Mountains WSA. See - http://lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/TheLomaPrietan.asp?q=2010050102.

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FEDERATION NEWS.

Land Claims Seminar Overview.

From June 2010 CFMS Newsletter by Dick Pankey.
     The CFMS Field Trips - North Land Claims Seminar was held at the Community Center in Empire, CA on Saturday, April 24th.
     This special event was hosted by the Mother Lode Mineral Society and let me say "They did a bang up job!" A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU to Bud McMillin, all of the members who showed up and helped, and the entire Mother Lode Mineral Society! Also, a Special Thank You to Fred Ott for video taping the seminar. He plans to transfer the tapes to a DVD and provide copies to the CFMS Slide and Video Library.
     There were 35 people from 13 CFMS societies and one unaffiliated person. The purpose of this seminar is to encourage CFMS societies to establish and share claims and to provide them with the information to do so. Filing land claims on our threatened and historic collecting sites is one way to protect them and to assure access and our collecting rights.
     I started the seminar with a welcome and a presentation of background and need for the seminar. Bud McMillin, CFMS Insurance Chairman, then talked about the need and procedures to obtain Liability Insurance for society claims. Then Gregg Wilkerson, BLM Mineral Examiner and Mining Law Administration Specialist, presented an overview of the claim process - history, how to file a claim, where and how to get information on the claim's process, claims and claimed land and answers to our questions. Bud and Gregg had good handouts for the group. There were 5 plus hours of presentation, questions and discussion. We don't have enough room in this newsletter to tell you every detail. I will try to cover the highlights and important details.
     In my presentation I discussed the threats to access and to our collecting rights from the Wilderness acts, the proposed "Hard Rock Mining and Reclamation Act," the new/proposed "Desert Conservation and Recreation Act," new/proposed National Monuments and from new/changes to BLM/FS Resource Management Plans. But the biggest threat to our rights and ability to use and collect on our Public Lands is complacency - is to do nothing!
     Bud McMillin explained the reasons that societies should have liability insurance on society claims.
     Before starting on his Claim presentation Gregg talked about participating in the regulatory process. Government affects you and you can affect government, in this case BLM and FS by participating in the Land Use Planning process. Gregg recommends that we inventory our collecting sites and areas; including access roads and camping sites. Share this information with BLM/FS. For cost purposes there is a big push to eliminate roads. If they don't know that we use roads and a site/area, they have no reason not to close off an area. Next Gregg gave us an explanation of claims process and procedures to file a claim. A claim is a property right and can't be removed without due process. It gives the claimant the right to use and the right to exclude others from using (no trespassing). It also provides for right of access.
     This was a great informative and productive seminar. We learned why and how to use the claim process to protect access and our right to collect on Public Lands. And we were introduced to the "Other Option" - working with the BLM and FS to maintain access and collecting rights. Looks like we have the basis for our next seminar.

This article was edited for space considerations. Please go to http://www.cfmsinc.org/ to read the full review. (Close the new window to return here.)

Get Ready for the Big Show!

     This is it! The last opportunity! As I've noted for awhile now, a unique opportunity is rapidly approaching, namely, the AFMS/CFMS combined regional and national show June 17-20 in Whittier and La Habra.
     Seven regional federations, like our own California Federation, make up the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Each year, the national show cycles through each of the regionals. Thus, we won't have another national show here in California until 2017.
     That's a long time to wait! So I encourage one and all to both attend and participate this year. Consider entering either a competitive or noncompetitive display, but if doing so, you need to get your application in fast. Deadlines are June 1 for competitive exhibits and May 18 for noncompetitive. I've been putting show packets on our take-one table during our monthly meetings. You can also obtain info from the CFMS web site, www.cfmsinc.org; click on "AFMS/CFMS Show & Convention - 2010" on the opening page. (Close the new window to return here.) I encourage everyone to compete in this rare opportunity for national recognition!
     Jim Brace-Thompson.

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EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH.

At the invitation of the Stephens family, Andy Anderson and Jim Brace-Thompson had a great time April 3rd, giving a rockhounding presentation to the Ojai Valley Grange at their monthly meeting. With some show-and-tell specimens and a poster showing field trip photos, we went through the many facets of our hobby, highlighting field trips, rock, mineral, and fossil collecting, meteorites, and lapidary arts and telling about our educational efforts and our annual show. A highlight for the audience was the traditional licking of the coprolite to determine if it was fresh or fossilized and unveiling a skull cast of the state fossil, the saber-toothed cat. At the end, kids received a Rockhound sticker and got to pick out tumbled stones to keep from our VGMS Treasure Chest, and Andy left behind a geode that the Grange will raffle at a future meeting. The company and the potluck dinner were excellent, and we thank our good hosts, Donna and Carl Stephens for inviting us.

A number of other Community Outreach events are scheduled for May:

• Rob Sankovich, along with Luther and Angela, will represent our club & the rockhounding hobby at the Wheeler Gorge Open House, Sat., May 15 (10 AM - 2 PM).
• On Fri., May 21, starting 8:00 AM, 120 Ojai fourth graders will be trooping through Camp Comfort for a 49ers' Day, where VGMS will have a table with our state Rockhound symbols & local rocks & fossil. Call me to volunteer your help!
• Then on Sat., May 22, at 10 AM, we'll help some Webelos Scouts earn badges at the club museum. Again, anyone who'd like to come help and learn the ropes for giving scout presentations is welcomed!

With more and more requests coming in to give presentations to classes and scouts, we need more folks to help. Please talk to me at our next meeting or give me a call (805-659-3577) to volunteer. We have all the specimens you need to give a great talk stocked in our club museum.
     Jim Brace-Thompson.

Educational.

Tri-Club Education Committee - Steve Mulqueen has joined the Tri-Club Educational Committee at the request of Larry and Donna Knapton. The committee prepares rock boxes for use as educational tools and donates the exhibits to schools throughout Ventura County. The committee also purchases and donates books related to the Earth Sciences to school libraries within the county. Funding for these projects is made available from various grants. The effort involved in making boxes, labels, gathering rock specimens and delivering the items to schools is all volunteer work.
     Steve Mulqueen.

VGMS Exhibit at the California Oil Museum.

Steve and Susan Mulqueen changed out the VGMS exhibit at the California Oil Museum in April. The new exhibit features carbide lamps and details the chemistry of the calcium carbide fuel used in the lamps. Carbide lamps were employed extensively in the early mining industry to provide reliable and portable illumination for underground miners.
     Steve Mulqueen.

VGMS Exhibit at the California Oil Museum.

3rd Grade Fossil Talk.

I had a chance to go into a 3rd grade classroom at Marina West and talk fossils with 22 students. I gave each of them a piece of petrified wood from St. Joseph, Arizona and a fossil shell from Kerrville, Texas. We had a session of question and answer and then made trace fossils in clay. They enjoyed it greatly and I received a stack of thank you notes. Also, I've been asked back for to do a mineral talk in a couple weeks.
     Lowell Foster.

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And Now a Word from our Sponsor.

VGMS continues to have Club T-Shirts for sale. They are priced to all VGMS members at $12.00 and any club member associated with CFMS - $13.00. Sizes S-M-L-XL-2X-3X. All profits go directly to the VGMS.
     To order contact Diane Cook at johndianedaisy@yahoo.com or go to the VGMS Gift Shop on CafePress!

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CHIPS AND BOULDERS.

Knapping and Cabbing Classes Offered.

Rockhounds: VGMS will sponsor a cabochon class from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Camp Comfort Club house on Saturday, May 22. There will be a Knapping class from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. If you are interested in either class contact Ron Wise at 805-647-4393. Greg and I already know how to polish stones, so this class is for you to learn how to use the equipment. If no one calls I will not be at the club house on May 22.
     Ron Wise.

Two views of Ron Wise's knapping class - band aids excluded.

Recent Donations Received by VGMS.

Two former CFMS officers, Charlie & Betty Leach, have passed away in recent years, and their house was recently put on the market. But before doing so, the estate executor invited me up on April 4 to haul away "yard rocks." Thus, we have a small pile of interesting material (petrified wood, copper minerals, etc.) that will be added to our 2011 Show Silent Auction, along with some old geology books and assorted knick-knacks for the Country Store.

American Land Access Association (ALAA) Annual Meeting.

     The American Land Access Association will hold its annual meeting at the CFMS/AFMS convention at La Habra, CA on Sunday, from 11:30 to 2:00 at the Anaheim Park Hotel, 222 W. Houston Ave., Fullerton, CA (host hotel). This is the business meeting for ALAA where we will elect our directors and officers, have officer and committee reports, and approve our budget. The work of ALAA takes place throughout the year by our officers, directors, committees, at regional Federation conventions and the actions of our members.
     We will have a special guest speaker, Del Albright, from the Blue Ribbon Coalition, the National Organization who is fighting to keep roads open on Federal Lands.
     At our annual meeting in June we will be electing 2 Directors and the 4 officers. The one-year term directors were Jon Spunaugle and Evan Day. As president I hope to continue on for another term and I hope the other 3 officers and Jon Spunaugle and Evan Day continue on for another term. We have had a great 2009. Our membership is growing, and we have started some good programs with great promise. I believe that ALAA has a strong leadership team and that we should continue and build on our strengths. I hope that all officers and all directors will continue to serve.
     I hope that all of you or as many as possible will be able to attend the AFMS/CFMS show and meetings in La Habra, CA on June 16 to 20. I look forward to seeing you there.
          Dick Pankey,
          President.

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EDUCATIONAL CORNER.

Definition of the Month.

Pay; pay dirt; pay rock - Terms common to the early mining industry in the Western States to depict earth, soil, stream gravels or solid rock which can yield a profit to the miner or prospector. A general term applied to metallic ores that can be extracted for their monetary value and sold for financial gain.

Pay gravel - A term applied to placer mining in reference to a strip, ledge or lens of gold-bearing stream deposit.

Pay ore; pay shoot; pay streak - Those parts of an ore body found in a natural outcrop or exposed in a mine which are both rich enough and large enough to be extracted at a profit.

Note: The value of any ore and its ability to generate "pay" is dependent upon favorable assay results determined from chemical analysis of samples taken from the deposit. With favorable analysis, the ore is then sold for profit.

Source: Fay, Albert, A Glossary of the Mining and Mineral Industry, Department of Interior, Bureau of Mines, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1920.

Written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society, May 2010. The Definition of the Month features words related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history.

Illustration of the Month.

An illustration by Edward Sanborn from the book
"The Great California Deserts", written by W. Storrs Lee,
published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1963, page 117.

The Twenty Mule Team and Borax Wagons. The Twenty Mule Team became famous for its work in shipping refined borax out of Death Valley as early as 1883. At the time, the teams and wagons were the most efficient means of transporting heavy loads of freight and ore. The Twenty Mule Team wagons were first designed in the 1870s for hauling loads to and from remote mining camps in California, Nevada and Arizona. Remi Nadeau was an early freight hauler who applied this technology beginning in the early 1870s. In 1873, John Searles was the first to employ these teams and wagons for hauling refined borax out of what was later called Searles Valley. By 1883, William T. Coleman, operator of the Harmony Borax Works in Death Valley, ordered his own wagons which were built by craftsmen in Mojave, California. Later that year, Coleman's teamsters began hauling refined borax with the Twenty Mule Team wagons out of Death Valley to the Southern Pacific Railhead in Mojave. The term "Twenty Mule Team" actually consisted of 18 mules and 2 horses. However, the configuration of "the team" depended upon the availability of mules and horses, but usually consisted of a total of twenty draft animals.

Source: "Borax" Smith and the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. See the website www.ttrr.org. (Close the new window to return here.)

Written by Steve Mulqueen for the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society in May 2010. The Illustration of the Month features images related to geology, paleontology, mining and desert history. This illustration was chosen by the author for its educational content.

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VGMS HISTORY.

The Rockhound Rambling used to carry blurbs and excerpts of trips that members took for rockhounds, family visits, and anything else that got them out of the house for a few days. This example is from the April 1959 issue of Rockhound Rambling and shows how the column used to be written. If you have taken a trip, send me an email with bits and pieces of your trip and I'll print it.

Rockhound Rambling.

     It seems not so long ago, Myrle Kirk was asked for directions to "Possum Track" and in doing so, "accidently" gave a left turn instead of a right turn, thereby throwing Sybil Turner off the track. Now she wonders what Sybil did to "confuse the cows" at Agoura so a car full of female rockhounds were denied permission to hunt wood. Between the "confuse the cows" and the "no trespassing" signs, it was decided the Malibu area has not a welcome sign out.
     Bertie Rains found out the hard way that Sir Kegian's Gem Beds are only open on Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays. But the trip was saved by Howlite.
     Wonder if Jean Morton has caught her breath yet after a wild ride from Ludlow to Barstow with her youngest son on her lap? We are sorry to have a nice week-end marred by an accident but glad it wasn't worse. Also wonder if Newell ever got all the tacos off his seat, etc., after he got into the act? Ask Clyde Morton how many minutes it is from camp at Ludlow to hospital at Barstow, not how many miles!
     Oh, yes, Bertie Raines does not consider a trailer (new this trip) blowing off the jacks in the middle of the night a "thrill". Ches said she went straight up in the air when it happened. We were all rocked to sleep, or rather tried to sleep. Wind blew all night.

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SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

Rockhound Rambling - 2010.

Andy, Lowell, Ron, and Brian found time to go back into the North Cady's for a good ol' fashioned rock hunt. They made only one stop, but, boy, what a stop it turned out to be. Sagenite (see photo), virgin nodule field, and plume agate - oh my!

Ron's fine find at Basin Road.

     Seems that wasn't enough for Lowell as he went out again with a neighbor to hunt fossils on the Sespe. Came back with a seal (?) vertebrae, a large snail, oyster shell, and what may be worm casings.
     Meanwhile Luther's been hording whale bone from local beaches. I've seen the pile. He's making his own skeleton in the backyard!
     And Steve and David have been battling rattlers for bones in the hills above Fillmore!
     So what have you been up to lately?

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VGMS CONTEST - APRIL.

Uh, nobody submitted an answer to the challenge last month, so I figure interest was limited at best, so if you really want an answer to the question for last month, email me. Otherwise you may live your life in happy ignorance...

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NOODLING FOR NODULES IN THE CALIFORNIA DESERT
--
PART IV.

Noodling for Nodules in the California Desert
By Lowell Foster.

noodling: v. Australian term for amateur gemstone hunting; i.e. rockhounding Down Under-style. Often used for opal searching. See fossicking.

Part 1 of this article appeared in the May 2009 issue of Rockhound Rambling.
It began the story of a rockhunting trip to the California Desert.
Part II detailed the drive into the desert to begin the hunt.
Part III described our hunt at Chuckwalla Springs

Part IV - Second Destination.

               "Every exit is an entry somewhere else." - Tom Stoppard.

     There are few things that are as dramatic as morning in the desert. The light is stark against the barren landscape, and the mountains are highlighted in cold detail. Shadows are thrown into elongated shapes, and the air is fresher than anything found in a city. Every detail is made extreme by the deep contrasts thrown by the dawn light. It's a wonder to behold.
     Too bad we three rockhunters were clustered around an age-old table at Denny's eating hastily prepared fare instead of standing outside marveling at nature. Still, the scattering of browning maps and wrinkled papers on the tabletop possessed a fascination of their own.
     Our goal for the day was a place in the Turtle Mountains called Agate Hill. Mary Strong provided pictures and a detailed map in the April 1966 issue of Gems and Minerals. One of the pictures, a close up of the ground, showed a plethora of nodules. She states: "The problem is selection, not finding." Yes, I know it had been 43 years since the article had been published, but my partial success in the past at this site and discovery of her maps had fired my imagination. Besides, the site had been absorbed into a wilderness area for over 15 years. Something had to have weathered out of the ground in the intervening years.
     I think I have something in common with that optimistic boy hoping to find a pony in a room piled with manure.
     Our travel would be up route 95, which shoots north out of Blythe along the Colorado River. It hits Vidal Junction after 28 miles, and continues like an arrow onwards to Needles. Our turn off was 23 miles north of Vidal - Turtle Mountain Road.
     But this wouldn't be our first stop.
     Fifteen miles north of Blythe, scratched into the desert pavement, are several giant figures which the locals call Intaglios. These Intaglios include the images of three large human figures and a large catlike animal. The largest human reaches 171 feet in length, the smallest a mere 91. First noted from the air in 1931 by George Palmer, their true age is unknown. The experts have postulated their creation as being anytime between 200 and 2000 years ago. They have been subjected to neglect and vandalism over the years, and in 1957 local high school students repaired the figures using aerial photos. It took years of effort, but in 1975 these ancient pieces of art were added to the National Register of Historic Places.
     We arrived at the site not knowing what to expect. We pulled off the highway onto a jumbled dirt road that snaked its way up an incline to reach the terrace above the river valley. Here, built to keep vehicles away from the figures, stout wood pole fences bordered the driveway for several hundred yards. To the right we saw the chain link fences that had been built around the ancient figures to protect them from careless visitors.
     Only two other cars were parked here when we arrived. We drove to the far side of the site, turned around and came back to stop at the nearest figure, which sat about 200 feet from the road. The path down to where the oversized stick-figure lay on the ground was well-worn, and as I approached the ancient man, I wondered how many people stopped here each year, and if in olden times, did the Native Americans make hikes up to this place above the river to gaze at their handiwork.
     Looking through the chain-link fence, I felt a mixture of awe and disappointment. Obviously easier to see from the air (Erich Von Daniken of Chariots of the Gods fame mentions them in one of his prehistoric alien contact books as signposts for UFOs), the perspective from the ground is skewed and didn't provide the vantage point needed to truly appreciate the magnitude of the figures. Still, there is a feeling of being next to something incredible, something more enduring than a man's life or buildings or roadways. The only other experience I've had remotely like this was when I viewed Stonehenge several years ago. That site, though, dwarfed the impact I was feeling here in the California desert.
     We stayed for 5 or 10 minutes before heading back to the car. Soon we were on the road again, the hillsides flashing by on one side, access roads to river docks and campgrounds flitting by on the other. During this stretch I noticed my dad driving slower than normal. This was made evident by the fact that a pickup towing a horse trailer passed us fairly easily. I mentioned the slower pace to my dad (normally I would say that he had a 'lead foot' when it came to driving) and he shrugged it off saying he was trying to slow down a bit. Part of me said "Yay," quietly to myself, as I have worried in the past, but now, with the Turtles ahead, I really wanted his foot to gain a bit of weight and press down on the accelerator harder. A little later another trailer passed us, but I remained silent.
     After ten more minutes we arrived at Vidal Junction with its agricultural checkpoint to the east, and shuttered diner to the north, train - tracks to the south, and an old gas station adorned with skeletal buggies and other old vehicles right in the middle. We drove through and my dad noticed the speed limit - 65 mph - was a full ten mph higher than what he had been doing. He immediately picked up the pace and sheepishly admitted he misread the last speed limit sign, and added he understood why I thought his driving had been uncharacteristic of him. I told him I just thought he had been enjoying the scenery.
     We drove on.
     To the right rose the Whipple Mountains, to the left Mopah Peak (also known as Moabi Peak but I'll let this naming controversy go) in the southern Turtle Mountains. Both places were famous for their multitudes of desert roses, remote location, and beauty.
     About two miles short of the road leading to Lake Havasu, we turned off onto Turtle Mountain Road and drove the ten miles to Essex Road, crossing the wide Chemehuevi Wash and rumbling over some very uneven terrain. If followed, Essex road ultimately degenerates into a jeep trail that reaches, surprisingly, Essex to the west. We weren't going that far.
     The first thing we noticed were the butterflies. They were everywhere, in the hundreds, frail flittering things in whites and oranges and reds, fluttering across the road in bunches and sailing over our car - or crashing into its grill. Then as we followed the road towards distant Essex, the wildflowers caught our attention. The desert was alive with them. We had hit the desert in the middle of its springtime bloom, and it was wonderful. We were going to be hunting desert roses while being surrounded by flowers of a more fragile type.
     The gem fields in the Turtles have been known for a long time. Desert Magazine first published an article regarding semiprecious gem sites in 1940. Others followed. Mary Strong published an article of the most famous sites in Gem and Minerals in the December 1960 issue, then followed it up six years later with several more articles detailing additional gem locations. In 1975, Rockhound Magazine published an article by Sam Bloom that essentially recopied all of Mary Strong's information - including her map! The California Gem Trails Books have included these sites since 1973, and although Mitchell does an adequate job listing mileages and providing some maps, Mary Strong's work and maps are by far the most accurate and the best to follow, though Norton Allen's maps in Desert are also very good.
     As we drove, we looked up at the different peaks that acted as guide markers for these mountains. There was Hat Peak, which looked like a hat, and Mohawk Peak, which looked like, well, you can guess. Farther back there are said to be natural arches. One of these, the Lost Arch, overlooks the region that 50 years ago held large quantities of moss agate and desert roses. The Lost Arch also leant its name to the home of one of the most famous prospectors, Charles Brown, who built his home at the base of the Turtles. His home, the Lost Arch Inn, still stands, though is no longer is occupied as far as I know.
     We turned onto Mine Shack Road and stopped a mile or so down its length. To our west lay Agate Hill, a teepee like spire that was reportedly covered on the back side with roses and nodules. I had been here twice before but had always ended my hike prematurely, always walking away with a bag of small nodules and fragments of jasper, but in paltry amounts if the Mary Strong article was to be believed. That one had to hike a mile or so into the wilderness area to a very remote locale is a great deterrent to many collectors. During the summer, the temperature soars to 120 degrees. During monsoon season, flash floods can make the long drive back to the highway impassible for days as the desert takes time to dry out. We, though, were here in the spring, and the day was perfect. The hunt was on!

A skeletal buggy at Vidal Junction waits in vain for one last rider...

Few places in the desert match the beauty of the Turtle Mountains.

Photos by Joe Monica.

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LET'S GO TO A SHOW.

2010 CFMS SHOWS.
(If you go to a web site close the new window to return here.)

Editor's Request: Please let me know if you attend any of these shows this year. I'd like to add notes regarding your opinion of these shows in later issues - Lowell Foster.

June 4-6, Woodland Hills, CA - Rockatomics Gem and Mineral Society, Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills. Hours: 9-5. Gary Levitt, (818) 993-3802, Email: Show@Rockatomics.org, Website: Rockatomics.org.
June 5-6, Glendora, CA - Glendora Gems, Goddard Middle School, 859 East Sierra Madre. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Bonnie Bidwell, (626) 963-4638. Email: Ybidwell2@aol.com.
June 18-20, Whittier, CA - AFMS/CFMS Show and Convention, Hosted by North Orange County Gem and Mineral Society, So. CA University of Health Sciences Campus, 16200 E. Amber Valley Rd., Whittier CA. Hours: 10-5 daily. Don Warthen, (626) 330-8974, Email: odwarthen@verizon.net, Website: www.nocgms.com.
June 19-20, Cayucos, CA - San Luis Obispo Gem & Mineral Club, Cayucos Vets' Hall (next to Cayucos Pier), 10 Cayucos Drive. Hours: 9-5 Daily. Mike Lyons (805) 610-0757, Email: jadestar@charter.net, Website: http://www.slogem.org/.
July 10-11 & 19-20, Culver City, CA - Culver City Rock & Mineral Club, Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, 4117 Overland Ave. (Overland & Culver). Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Robert Thirlaway, (310) 213-7677, Email: thirlawr@earthlink.net, Website: http://www.CulverCityRocks.org.
August 6, 7 & 8, Nipomo, CA - Orcutt Mineral Society, St. Joseph's Church, 298 S. Thompson Ave. Hours: 9-5 daily. Wes Lingerfelt, (805) 929-3788, Email: Rocks4u@prodigy.net, Website: www.omsinc.org.
August 7 & 8, San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Gem & Mineral Society, San Francisco Co. Fair Bldg. (Hall of Flowers), 9th Ave. & Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Carleen Mont-Eton, (415) 564-4230, Email: publicity@show.sfgms.org, Website: www.sfgms.org.
August 21-22, Orangevale, CA - Treasure Trove of Gems, Orangevale Community Center, 6826 Hazel Ave. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Admission: $4 per day or $6 for weekend, Children under 12 yrs. Free with adult. John Moulder, (916) 290-3193, Email: info@treasuretroveofgems.com, Website: www.treasuretroveofgems.com.
September 3-6, Fort Bragg, CA - Mendocino Coast Gem & Mineral Society, Town Hall, Corner of Main & Laurel. Hours: Fri-Sun 10-6, Mon 10-4. Don McDonell, (707) 964-3116, Email: ejwebb@mcn.org.
September 11-12, Downey, CA - Delvers Gem & Mineral Society, Woman's Club of Downey, 9813 Paramount Blvd. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-4. Nancy Bird, (562) 697-0636, Email: nancyjbird@verizon.net.
September 18-19, Redwood City, CA - Sequoia Gem & Mineral Society, Community Activities Building, 1400 Roosevelt Ave. Carol Corden, (650) 248-7155, Email: ccorden@comcast.net, Website: http://sgms.driftmine.com.
September 18-19, Paso Robles, CA - Santa Lucia Rockhounds, Pioneer Park, 2010 Riverside Drive. Hours: 10-5 Daily. Kim Patrick Noyes, (805) 610-0603, Email: kimnoyes@gmail.com, Website: http://slrockounds.org. Webmaster's Note: This web address doesn't seem to work. I found an address that actually got a web site but it's trying to sell the domain name that I used.
September 25-26, Monterey, CA - Carmel Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Monterey Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road. Hours: Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Susie Harlow, Email: Susie@tghcpa.com, Website: http://www.cvgms.org.
October 2-3, Oroville, CA - Feather River Lapidary & Mineral Society, Oroville Municipal Auditorium, 1200 Meyers Street. Hours: 10-4. Mary Fong-Walker, (760) 728-1130, Email: ikonmiming@gmail.com, Website: http://www.Orovillerocks.com.
October 3, Fallbrook, CA - Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society, Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Facility, 123 West Alvarado Street. Hours: 10-5 Daily. Connie Rossetto, 530) 589-1840, Email: crossetto@aol.com.
October 9-10, Trona, CA - Searles Lake Gem & Mineral Society, Searles Gem & Mineral Show Building, 13337 Main Street. Hours: Sat. 7:30-5, Sun. 7:30-4. Jim & Bonnie Fairchild, (760) 372-5356, Email: slgms@iwvisp.com, Website: www1.iwvisp.com/tronagemclub.
October 9-10, Vista, CA - Vista Gem & Mineral Society, Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, 2040 N. Santa Fe Avenue. Hours: Sat. 10-5, Sun. 10-4. Fred Wilson, (760) 433-8446, Lois Harr, (760) 724-0395.
October 16-17, Cayucos, CA - San Luis Obispo Gem & Mineral Club, Cayucos Vets' Hall (next to Cayucos Pier), 100 Placerville Drive. Hours: 9-5 daily. Mike Lyons, (805)610-0757, Email: jadestar@charter.net, Website: http://www.slogem.org.
October 16-17, Placerville, CA - El Dorado County Gem & Mineral Society, El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive. Hours: 10-5 daily. Karen Newlin, (530) 676-1643, Website: http://www.rockandgemshow.org.
October 16-17, Santa Rosa, CA - Santa Rosa Gem & Mineral Society, Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, 1351 Maple Ave. Hours: Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5. Debbie Granat, (707) 542-1651, Cell (707) 887-7028, Email: Erica Tanner, santarosarockshow@hotmail.com.
October 23-24, Los Altos, CA - Peninsula Gem & Geology Society, Los Altos Youth Center, 1 North San Antonio Road. Hours: 10-5 both days. Website: http://pggs.org/.
October 30-31, Lakeside, CA - El Cajon Valley Gem & Mineral Society, Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, 12584 Mapleview Street. Hours: 10-4 both days. Carolyn Boland, (619) 561-7498, Email: carolynboland@juno.com, Website: ecvgms.com.
November 6-7, Concord, CA - Contra Costa Mineral & Gem Society, Centre Concord (in Clayton Fair Shopping Center), 5298 Clayton Rd. (near Ygnacio Valley Rd.). Hours: 10-5 both days. Harry Nichandos, (925) 289-0454, Email: show9@ccmgs.org, Website: www.ccmgs.org.
November 6-7, Lancaster, CA - Palmdale Gem & Mineral Society, Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 West Ave. H & Hwy 14. Hours: 9-5 both days. Susan Chaisson-Walblom, (661) 406-0143, Email: sichaisson@yahoo.com, Website: www.palmdalegemandmineral.com.
November 6-7, Ridgecrest, CA - Indian Wells Gem & Mineral Society, Desert Empire Fairgrounds, 520 South Richmond Road. Hours: 9-5 both days. John DeRosa, (760) 375-7905.
November 12, 13, 14, Sacramento, CA - Sacramento Mineral Society, Scottish Rite Center, 6151 H Street. Hours: Fri & Sat 10-6, Sun 10-5. Bob Johnson, (916) 339-7007, Website: http://www.Sacramentomineralsociety.org.
November 13-14, Yuba City, CA - Sutter Buttes Gem & Mineral Society, Yuba-Sutter Fairgrounds (Franklin Hall), 442 Franklin Ave. Hours: Sat 9-5, Sun 9-4. Erik Anspaugh, (916) 567-9750, Email: inez_brg@yahoo.com.
November 20-21, Oxnard, CA - Oxnard Gem & Mineral Society, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way. Hours: Sat. 9-5, Sun. 10-5. Frank Boulch, (805) 271-0538, Email: show_info@oxnardgem.com, Website: www.oxnardgem.com.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

2010 AFMS/CFMS SHOWS.
(If you go to a web site close the new window to return here.)

AFMS/CFMS Show and Convention,
Hosted by North Orange County Gem and Mineral Society,
Southern California University of Health Sciences Campus,
16200 E. Amber Valley Rd., Whittier, CA.
Hours: 10-5 daily.
Don Warthen (626) 330-8974,
Email: odwarthen@verizon.net,
Website: www.nocgms.com.
See also the AFMS/CFMS Show Page.

Source: http://cfmsinc.org/.

  Table of Contents.

SUPPORT AND PRACTICE
THE AFMS CODE OF ETHICS.

Return to the Rockhound Rambling Center.
You may also go to the VGMS Home Page.