Rock Hounds? Metal Detectorists? Geocachers?

[Hamb7]

Are there any rock hounds or people who like to metal detect or Geocaching here on the forums? I have a young family and these are our hobbies. We are looking for ways to incoorporate airstreaming with these hobbies. If you share some of these hobbies what sort of trips have you taken?

We live in NE Ohio and considering a trip to Middleville NY to search for Herkimer Diamonds (really Crystals) Herkimer Diamonds at the Ace of Diamonds Mine and Campground

If you have no clue what Geocaching is check this out
Geocaching FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions About Geocaching This is sooo much fun for adults and kids! It is a modern day treasure hunt. We have great family memories of our hunts! If you go to the geocaching web site put your zip code in Geocaching - Hide and Seek a Cache and see how many are hidden in your area you may be surprised. This is a great way to get out and get exercise and see the world around you.

Let me know your adventures.
Heather

[Wabbiteer]

A thousand miles & sixteen hours from you is Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas - nearby also is a lot of quartz crystal mines that are set up for young families to wash buckets of red clay in search of crystals. The State Park has a nice campground with private campgrounds nearby, a lot of room but I always went during the heat of the summer so check ahead for reservations during cooler months.

600 miles and ten hours away from you is Franklin, NC and the Cowee Valley Ruby & Garnet mines - it's touristy but geared for youngins too.

Metal detecting - aside from coin shooting every campground you stop at there is always nugget hunting in gold country but the rules of detector use are many so careful; there is always the east coast beaches...

[Goin camping]

I live in So Cal. which means I am 30 Minutes from the Great Mojave Desert which is a metaldetectors dream.

Abondoned mines, homesites and towns abound. For a boondocker with a metal detector it does not get any better.

Valuable treasures found: Nada

Neat junk and old stuff: Lots and lots including a '36 Pontiac woody frame and cowel w/data plates. I look and leave what I find.

Fun had: Tons.

[Boondocker]

So far I have avoided the temptation to start collecting. The space and weight are two big issues. But I have to admit that some evenings I think about buying a small rock hammer and something to store samples in.....

[Hamb7]

We've been to Franklin NC. Sheffield Mine We had a great time I found a 75 Carret Ruby it wasn't gem quality but I had a decent Cab made out of it. We didn't have the airstream then.

My best find Metal detecting was a 1940's Porcelain US tires sign. It was four feet long ...it took a lot of digging lol.

I would love to metal detect for gold nuggets. Do you have to have any special equipment for your detector?

Wabbiteer- did you have much luck in Arkansas?
Heather

[Hamb7]

Originally Posted by Goin camping

I live in So Cal. which means I am 30 Minutes from the Great Mojave Desert which is a metaldetectors dream.

Abondoned mines, homesites and towns abound. For a boondocker with a metal detector it does not get any better.

Fun had: Tons.

I am SOOOOOO Jealous!

[enduroryda]

This pic was taken at the NEU Chilly Man Rendevous. I brought my metal detector in hopes of finding treasure on the beaches at Salisbury...the beaches were clean..not a penny to be found. We had fun taking turns hunting. Here rgesch searches for pull tabs for our unit collection.

[Goin camping]

Originally Posted by Hamb7

I am SOOOOOO Jealous!

Don't be! Just give them my name at the border and they'll let you in.

You can do the same thing in Texas, N Mexico, Az, Nev. All the desert states are loaded with neat places on government land for you to enjoy.

Here's a fast way to find places.

Pick the nearest desert state and follow the railroad tracks on google earth. You can't hide ground disturbance in the desert. They last for centuries. You also can't hide the tail piles from mines.

Good luck.

[Wabbiteer]

Here are some little 10 pointers - the screen bottom white one was found 3+ years after my last visit when I opened a pre-searched Gatorade bottle of condensed gravels on my back porch... Notice the smeared shape on all and burned appearances on some; the eruption was extremely violent to deform crystals into oblongs but not sustained enough to get the crystals to a cool & correct pressure zone to keep some from decomposing into burnt popcorn looking gems...

I estimate it took 300+ 5-gallon buckets of gumball clay silt washed and screened to find these over a period of seven years. Remember the silt and gravel you search through has been gleaned clean by commercial mines, otherwise gems would be locked in bedrock at less than one carat per ton!

When my Overlander is back on the road I expect to be re-visiting the State Park...

[Rhonda]

i have been considering letterboxing since it seems to be a low cost way to have an adventure with the kids. If I had a GPS unit I would consider geocaching but for now I think I will go low tech with letterboxing. I was just doing some research online and mayve we will search for our first box this weekend.

[Hamb7]

Originally Posted by Rhonda

i have been considering letterboxing since it seems to be a low cost way to have an adventure with the kids. If I had a GPS unit I would consider geocaching but for now I think I will go low tech with letterboxing. I was just doing some research online and mayve we will search for our first box this weekend.

This sounds really neat where did you first hear about letterboxing? I looked up a website about it cause I had no idea what it was.

[Fyrzowt]

I have 2 GPS units, have heard about and considered geocaching, but don't really know how to break into it. I'm open to any hints or direction.
There was recently a geocaching location blown up by the bomb squad - someone found a suspicious package at the local cemetary. Oops.
Dave

[yukionna]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

So far I have avoided the temptation to start collecting. The space and weight are two big issues. But I have to admit that some evenings I think about buying a small rock hammer and something to store samples in.....

Just curious...what is the "trick" to avoiding the temptation to start collecting? I have been collecting "stuff" including rocks, since I was a youngster. I currently have plenty of room to house my collections but have thought of downsizing recently.

I don't have any special spots I go to for rock hunting but whereever I am, I find myself looking at rocks.