Trip Report by Toby Stewart (October 6, 2016)
This was a trip that we added to the calendar at the last minute as we already had an October trip scheduled for the end of the month. Ray texted me that he had just bulldozed some land for Frank, the landowner and Frank had invited us to come collect jasper before he seeded the land for pasture. With a lot of hustle, brainstorming and team work, it ended up to be one of our most fun field trips.
Wow, this was getting better and better. Now all we needed was to ask participants to bring a side dish. October 6th came with absolutely beautiful weather. Over forty CCGMS members showed up at the meeting place and we caravanned to the farm. When we arrived at the site we were surprised to see not only table and chairs set up, but a wash station, a huge grill, condiments, drinks and even a porta-potty. Not only were Ray and Frank great hosts, they could make a living at catering and setting up outdoor events. Who knew? Participants unloaded great side dishes from their cars from potato and fruit salads to yummy desserts!
Then we were off to hunt for beautiful pieces of jasper which were everywhere! Children from toddler age and up and their parents collected right beside the hard-core Rockhounds. It was fun to see the children’s enthusiasm and delight in collecting jasper in the field! We all found jasper in all colors and mottled patterns.
Bryant probably collected the most jasper, Chris some of the best pieces and Ray’s grandson the biggest piece which he loaded himself onto a borrowed hand truck and proceeded to bring down the hill to go home with him in Ray’s truck! The highlight of the day for many Junior Rockhounds was Frank giving them rides to see the baby calves located in a pasture adjacent to the collecting area. We broke for lunch where Ray displayed another talent; grilling delicious hamburgers and hotdogs for everyone!
The luxury of having tables and chairs gave everyone the chance to relax, eat great food and enjoy each other’s company. We all enjoyed getting to meet new members on the trip as well as the Jr. Rockhounds and their awesome parents. A special thank you to Ray and Frank for all their work and generosity in treating us to this wonderful trip and delicious barbeque. Thank you to Ginger Lessard for quickly organizing all the Junior Rockhounds and their parents for this fun event.
What’s New on the Website
Site Map