Lone Pine Gem & Mineral Society Newsletter

May 2008

It's Show Time!

It is show time again. Already. May 2nd, 3rd and 4th 2008. Bishop Fairgrounds. Robinson Building. We will begin setting up Thursday May 1st and dealers will begin setting up on Friday morning. The show will open at 6 pm Friday. We need your help. Especially for setup and take down. Call Jeff Lines and let him know what you can do and when.

Saline Valley Field Trip

A group photo of Saline Valley rockhounds

Ray Ramirez reports on April's field trip

I thought our Saline Valley trip was a success. I think there were 17 of us that made the trip. We had beautiful weather, lots of wildflowers blooming and found lots of small quartz crystals and a few larger ones as well. Since my son and I were the last ones to head home, I didn't get to see everyone's later results. The first location was just a short walk from the parking area and at this location many of us collected handfuls of small jewelry points. I contributed my gatorade bottle full of small crystals to Debbie Walder's Gold Rush Days in Bishop for the fourth grade classes. The upper crystal area was quite steep and difficult to reach and further searching will be required. My son Greg and I did find several quartz seems with larger crystal pockets but will need another trip to get at them. Overall I think everyone would like to return to this area next year for another trip. I certainly look forward to another attempt at those larger crystals.

Lavender Wand Mallow (Ssp. Rosacea)

Roger De Hart insists that we learn at least one new thing on each LPGMS field trip. So, he reports that the plant that those on the field trip were unable to identify is a Lavender Wand Mallow. This plant is a sub-species of the Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua). The stems are slender and spreading but slightly woody at the base; leaves are thinner and less prominently veined than the Apricot Mallow. The flower is lavender or paler. Distribution is locally in canyons cut through limestone in the Inyo Mountains. Altitude ranges from desert scrub up to 6,000 feet. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any pictures.

Upcoming Field Trips

There are two scheduled May field trips in conjunction with he Gem and Mineral show. On Saturday the 3rd, I (Ray) will lead a trip to the Bishop garnet location and probably be leaving from the fairgrounds about 11:00 am. On Sunday Brian Barfield will be leading a trip to the Aeroplane mine for epidote crystals and most likely leave from the fairgrounds earlier in the morning. Specifics and sign up sheets will be posted at the entrance to the Gem and Mineral show. Don't forget June's field trip to Cerro Gordo on Sunday the 22nd. More details to come later. Happy Trails and Happy Hounding !! - Ray Rameriz

Have Fulgurite, Will Travel

Ray Ramirez and Jeff Lines have volunteered to take our displays"Rockhounding Inyo County" and our fulgurite to Ventura for the CFMS show June 27, 28, and 29, 2008. This a big project and your club thanks you for taking it on. See CFMS announcement of this show elsewhere in this newsletter.

If It's Summer, It's Barbecue Time!

Our annual summer barbecue and July meeting will be July 13th, 2008 at 221 W. Bush St in Lone Pine. The silent auction we held last year was such a success that we're going to do it again. If any members have something that they would like to donate for this sale please let Francis know.

Dick Freisen Gem Stone Carving Class

The gem stone carving class is scheduled to be held Sunday August 3rd, 2008. Four members have signed up so we have room for two more. Cost is $100.00 and the classes will be held at 221 W. Bush St. in Lone Pine.

April 8th Shop Night News

Jeanette Nutcher again covers the Shop Night beat.

After salads and burgers at McDonalds (F&F prefer Jack in the Box Salads) C&J, J&J, and F&F headed over to the Rock Shop where they met Tambra waiting there. Cliff cut and polished one side of an interesting piece of epidote with chrysacolla, malachite, and pyrite included. Jeanette wants to use it as a bookend. We all enjoyed getting better acquainted with Tambra as Frances taught Tambra and Jeanette how to do oval shaped cabs with some nice (pink and black) Ballarat marble. Jim did some great supervising while Francee and Jackie did research in lapidary catalogues. A fine time was had by all on a warm evening (no wood stove required) with lots of socializing. The May shop night to be announced as Nutchers will be in Montana.

You Might Be A Rockhound ...

• If you have received a letter from the county informing you a landfill permit is required to put any more rocks on your property.
   
• If you can pronounce the ore “molybdenite” correctly on the first try.
   
• If you think the primary function of road cut is a tourist attraction.

Courtesy of Roger De Hart

The Golden Bear Gem & Mineral Show

The California Federation of Mineralogical Societies (CFMS) is holding its 69th annual tri-state show and convention June 27 - 29, 2008 (10 am - 5 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds (10 W. Harbor, Blvd., Ventura). This is traditionally considered the "Super Bowl" of gem shows within out state. It will include participants from across California, Nevada, and Arizona; over 150 displays showing all aspects of our hobby; as many as 50 superb dealers offering rocks, minerals, fossils, lapidary supplies, and jewelry; 25 demonstrators to provide tips on the varied aspects of lapidary arts; exciting speakers and presentations; display competitions and awards; a banquet; and so on. In addition, a silent a auction for some great rocks, minerals, slabs, geodes and nodules, petrified wood, and fossils, will be held continuously throughout the show, with all proceeds going to the CFMS Endowment Fund.

General admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors (60+), $3 students, and kids under 12 free.

Upcoming events

• Lone Pine Gem & Mineral Show
  • Friday, May 2, 2008 from 6:00 pm until 10:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 3, 2008 from 9:30 am until 4:00pm
  • Sunday, May 4, 2008 from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm

• Club meeting night: May 5, Monday, at Lo-Inyo Elementary School at 6:30 pm. Join us for dinner at the Bonanza at 5:15.
• Shop night: May 6, Tuesday starting at 7:00 pm. Join us at MacDonald's at 6:00 for dinner.
• May field trips: See Upcoming Fields Trips for info.

Contact numbers

• President: Francis Pedneau - 760-876-4319; franceem at qnet.com
• Vice President: Ray Ramirez - 760-872-0624
• Show Chairman: Jeff Lines - 760-872-6579
• Newsletter editor: Linda Jeffries - 760-876-1009; linda at lpgms.org