nljulaug2007
The Cochise County Rock
Monthly Newsletter of the Sunsites Gem & Mineral Club
www.cochisecountyrock.org
“Finding and Grinding Rocks in Cochise County, Arizona since 1962”
July/August 2007
This issue edited by Paul McKnight
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Tombstone Mine Tour Sunday July 22
Our mid-summer field trip is going to be a tour of one of the Tombstone mines. The Good Enough Mine has been rehabilitated and opened for tours for the public. It is a 45-minute underground tour in 58 degree temperatures. It normally costs $13 per person. The owner, Andree De Journett, who was the Mayor from 2004 to 2006, is giving club members a special price of $8 per person. His wife Shirley is a geologist.
This couple spent 6 years cleaning trash, dirt, and rocks out of the mine before they opened it on March 15. It is already becoming a nationally recognized tourist attraction. If you have Internet access and want to learn more about the mine, Google:
“good enough mine” Tombstone .
You will find a couple of good articles and several pictures of mineral deposits and old equipment in the mine. This is our chance to see the inside of on of the mines that made Tombstone the biggest city between St. Louis and Los Angeles in the 1880s. And at a discount price.
The mine is at 5th and Toughnut. 5th crosses Highway 80 in Tombstone about where the Bella Union Restaurant building is. Toughnut is one block on the far side of Allen Street, which is the main tourist street. We will meet at the mine entrance at 9:45 am for a 10 am tour.
40th Annual Picnic included Eurofresh Tour
On Saturday, June 16 we toured the Eurofresh hydroponic tomato mine north of Willcox. It was a marvelous demonstration of modern agricultural technology. We thank member Henry Vandenbos, who is a manager in the maintenance department of the plant, for organizing and leading the tour (and for ensuring that we could each take home 2 pounds of those famous tomatoes).
About a week before the picnic, we were informed by the Forest Service that our picnic site at Stockton Pass was going to be in the neighborhood of a controlled burn the week of our proposed picnic. So Hanni and Walter graciously volunteered their ranch for a substitute picnic site. The picnic participants drove over to the ranch after the Eurofresh tour and we had a wonderful picnic featuring bratwurst grilled by Walter and plentiful dishes and desserts provided by members.
No Meetings this Summer
Our next meeting will be Monday, September 10 at 7 pm at the Sunsites Community Center.
Lapidary and Silversmithing
Interested in lapidary? Irvin Pontious will conduct Lapidary sessions during the summer on an as needed basis. Call him at 824-0110.
Club Calendar
July
22 Field Trip to the Good Enough Mine in Tombstone. 9:45 am
August
Agate 2007
30 Board Meeting
September
10 Regular Meeting – Host Ilse-Rose Edgett
15 Field Trip
27 Board Meeting
October
8 Regular Meeting
14 Field Trip
November
1 Board Meeting
12 Regular Meeting
17 Field Trip
29 Board Meeting
December
17 Christmas Party
Upcoming Regional Events
August 25-September 3 Agate 2007, Apache Creek, NM. Yonis Lone Eagle 505-860-2455. rockymountainrockhounds at yahoo dot com or www.chaparralrockhounds.com
October 6-7, 2007 Phelps Dodge Annual Turquoise Hunt, Bisbee Mining and History Museum. 520-432-7071
October 11-13, 2007 21st Annual Quartz Crystal Dig, Mount Ida, Arkansas. 800-867-2723 www.mtidachamber.com
October 13-14, 2007 Huachuca Gem & Mineral Show, Elks Lodge, Sierra Vista.
Club Officers for 2007
President Paul McKnight 520 824-4054
Vice-President Jack Weller 520-826-0625
Secretary Carol Pontious 520 824-0110
Treasurer Walt Sigel 520-826-1009
Delegate at Large Jack Light 520-384-4774
Hospitality Coordinator Hanni Sigel 520-826-1009
A note from the President
The Board decided to take it easy this summer. We are having a combined July/August newsletter. We are having only one field trip – the July 22 tour of the Good Enough Mine in Tombstone. We are encouraging members to attend at least part of the Agate 2007 gathering in Apache Creek beginning August 25.
As I put together this newsletter, I am reflecting on the fact that this club, which we resurrected from an almost certain death about 4 years ago, is a pretty successful organization. This success is due to the efforts of many members who volunteer their time and energy to participate, lead, organize, and contribute. The burden of running the club does not fall upon one or two individuals. It is shared by many. And I would like to publicly thank some of them.
It is always dangerous to start naming names when passing out praise. This is because it is easy to leave out someone who deserves praise and thereby cause disgruntlement. So I apologize in advance if I leave you out. My feeble old brain is not infallible. And newsletter space is limited.
I want to thank Bob and Barbara Fenner for their leadership in the area of field trips. Also Barbara launched our monthly rock raffle, which has been enormously successful in raising the fees we pay for our meeting hall.
I want to thank Walter Sigel for stepping up to the job of Treasurer. It is nice to know that our finances are in the hands of a professional. Hanni Sigel became our hospitality coordinator this year and has excelled in that crucial area, organizing our annual picnic and arranging the tomato tour.
Don Hammer has played a very important role in the leadership of the club and has been an excellent editor of the newsletter during his snowbird months.
Carol Pontious has done an outstanding job as Secretary and Irvin has assumed lapidary responsibility.
Our two Jacks (Weller and Light) have made important contributions as Board members.
My apologies to all I have not mentioned.
Remember as fall approaches and election time rolls around: This club appreciates people who step forward and assume responsibility. I encourage all members to consider running for office and / or volunteering for leadership roles.
We’re head’en to
“AGATE 2007”
The “Chaparral Rockhounds” of Roswell, NM, and the “Rocky Mountain Rockhounds” would like to cordially invite all Rockhounds to “AGATE 2007”, our annual ten-day, nine-night fieldtrip campout through the Labor Day weekend at Apache Creek, New Mexico, from August 25th to September 3rd, 2007.
We have very adventurous and interesting fieldtrips every day from 50 to 200 miles roundtrip from our base camp. Each day we leave at 8:30 AM with a picnic lunch to different areas in the region to collect a very wide variety of rocks, minerals and/or crystals that can include: Agate, Banded Agate, Blood Stone, Bytownite, Calcite, Chalcedony, Crystaline, Fire Agate, Geodes, Golden Luna Agate, Halite, Hematite, Hypersthene, Jasper, Labradorite, Lava’s, Luna Blue Agate, Obsidian, Perlite, Plume Agate, Quartz Crystals, Spotted Agate and Thunder Eggs just to name only a few. A couple of our fieldtrips might be into the eastern portion Arizona along the state line. Several of the areas that we travel into, one will need a high-clearance or 4WD type vehicle. If you do not have this type of vehicle, don’t worry, someone would be happy to carpool with a little “$$$$” help for gas.
The very small town of Apache Creek is located in the central-western part of the state about 117 miles west of Socorro, NM, on NM-12 southwest of the small town of Datil, NM. Apache Creek campground, used as our base camp, is a beautiful and tranquil camping area with tall majestic pine trees towering over the entire camp area for plenty of cool shade during the warm days of August. The area is large and spacious enough for the largest of RV’s to the smallest of pup tents and everything in between. Being a rustic camp area, there are no facilities, water or electricity, just one coed chemical toilet, so you must come prepared. There is no cost or camping fees at Apache Creek campground. The town of Apache Creek has one main structure in town, a convenient store where one can buy the “very basics” and is where we get our spring water. The small town of Reserve is eleven miles to the southwest and has a grocery store, bank/ATM, garage/gas station and two small motels for anyone who does not want to campout. The majority of the time, Mother Nature cooperates. The weather in August has warm days in the upper 70’s to 80’s and cool nights in the 50’s with some possible 40’s and even 30’s. Occasionally, late summer thundershowers may wonder through the area to put a damper on things, so come prepared for the unexpected. The elevation of our base camp is about 6400 feet with day outings that can be up to 8500 to 9000 feet.
Every afternoon about 4:30 or 5:00 PM, most of the rockhounds get together and have a happy hour to socialize and talk about the day’s findings. Then everyone has supper on their own around 6:00 PM. Afterwards, we sit around the campfire and tell TALL stories of old mining, prospecting and Rockhounding glory days. If anyone can play a musical instrument, (I.E. guitar, fiddle, banjo, harmonica, etc.) be sure to bring it along to entertain everyone. The nighttime skies at Apache Creek are breathtaking. With no light pollution, one can see millions of stars. So, if you have a good pare of binoculars or a telescope, be sure to bring them too for some spectacular stargazing. On both Saturday afternoons after returning from our outing, we all get together for our traditional “Apache Creek Group Photo” at 5:30 PM. On the first and last Saturday afternoons, we all get ready for our traditional potluck supper at 6:00 PM. Everyone makes their favorite camp dish and we share them while telling more stories around the campfire. On each Sunday at 8:30 AM, we have a Rollin’ Rock Club meeting.
Rockhounds that show up can camp-out anywhere from a couple of nights to the entire campout. Some just come for the last weekend to visit and see old friends. Some Rockhounds camp out for over two weeks. Everyone that comes always has a great time with all the camaraderie and collecting, and everyone ALWAYS goes home several pounds heavier. Each year, it only gets better. We really hope that your club members can join us this year to make some new friends and really have some good old “Rockhounding Fun and Adventure.” For the last 9 years, we have averaged about 35 Rockhounds that have attended the campout from at least half a dozen states. Just the right size for a Rockhound get together. In addition, if you have a CB Radio, bring it along. We use CB Channel 15 on all our fieldtrips. And for local music and news, tune into Reserve's local radio station, KNMA at 104.5 FM. When you arrive, just look for the “White Framed Canopy”, that’s our HQ.
Saturday and Sunday on the last weekend are open days. For those not interested in going out rock collecting, there are several other things to see and do in the area:
New Mexico Bureau of Mines Mineral Museum is located in Socorro, NM on the campus of the New Mexico Bureau of Mines. The museum is one of the “Top Five Mineral Museums” in all of North America and well worth the trip.
Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Astronomy Telescope is where the movie “Contact” with Jodie Foster was filmed. If you are interested in Astronomy, you defiantly want to check this place out. They have a very interesting, informative and education Visitors Center.
Apache Creek South Mesa has some unique 600-year-old Petroglyphs located on the south side of the mesa. The site is only a two-mile roundtrip hike from the campground.
Reserve, NM is the place to be on the first weekend of the campout. On 25 August, the town will be having their County Fair with a Livestock Show, Arts & Crafts and a Rodeo.
Mogollon, NM is an old historic and famous ghost town in the Mogollon Mountains, Gila National Forest. There are Antique Shops, three interesting Museums, the “Mogollon Rock Shop”, the Old Theater and have lunch in the Old Town Café. On Saturday the 1st of September, the town of Mogollon will be hosting the “Old Time Miners Reunion”. Old miners who worked the mines around the town will be they’re telling some great old stories from Mogollon’s Glory Days.
The Catwalk is a very beautiful, tranquil and scenic canyon for hiking. Therefore, if you love hiking, the Catwalk is for you. In addition, there are numerous places to go hiking throughout the Gila and Apache National Forests.
Silver City Gem and Mineral Show in Silver City, NM. The local club will be having their 24th annual 3-day show during the Labor Day weekend. It is only a two-hour drive south and the very beautiful and scenic landscape will make the trip a memorable one.
Lodging: For those folks who do not wish to camp out, or need electricity and water for their RV, there are the following alternatives. Be sure to make any reservations as early as possible due to Bow Hunting season for Elk, which starts on Monday the 28th. The rooms and RV spaces fill up fast.
The Bunk House Bed & Breakfast in Apache Creek is 505-533-6949.
Apache Creek RV located near by is 505-533-6166
Rode Inn Motel on Main Street in Reserve is 505-533-6661. They have Cable TV, Direct Dial Phones, Queen Beds and a Laundromat.
Village Motel & RV Spaces on South Main in Reserve is 505-533-6600
Elk Country Café & Motel in Reserve is 505-533-6615
Dining: For those folks who wish to have a change of diet from camp food, there are the following alternatives.
Antonia's Casita Café in Reserve
Carmen's Restaurant in Reserve
Ella's Café in Reserve
The Chaparral Rockhounds and the Rocky Mountain Rockhounds host AGATE 2007. If you are planning on coming to AGATE 2007, please try to RSVP by mid August. For any additional information about Apache Creek or the camp out, please contact Yonis Lone Eagle, RMFMS New Mexico/Texas State Director at 505-860-2455 or via e-mail at: rockymountainrockhounds at yahoo dot com. All rockhounds that attend Agate 2007 will abide by the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies “Code of Conduct”.
The Chaparral Rockhounds
Roswell, New Mexico
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