""lake" and "orchard" ?- these are not terms we who live in congested Los Angeles remember.

Actually, the guy who runs our club shop has come up with a unique way of disposing of his leftover rocks. The next time he goes out into the field, no matter where the location, he takes one or two full buckets and dumps them just off the parking area. Imagine the confusion when a group out hunting jasper in the Mojave discovers San Diego pegmatite specimens with schorl, lepidolite and book mica or Palos Verdes barite or Felix Mine fluorite.

Another guy in our club has proposed we get a plot of land out somewhere and haul in a few dump truck loads of tailings from remote areas for closer club "field trip" digs. Since I look forward to actually being away from the city, I have not become a proponent for this plan.

ellen - stuck at work on a Saturday catching up with my billing since I spend too much time during the week checking the WIKI boards!"

"THANKS PAUL,
I GUESS I GET CARRIED AWAY SOMETIMES FOR THAT I'M SORRY. WILL TRY TO DO BETTER! WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ROCKING WITH EVERYBODY SOON I HOPE. MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE SOME OF THE TRIPS SLOWLY,BUT WE WILL BE AT THEM WITH BELLS ON!!!! LOL MAYBE WITH THE BELLS THEY CAN FIND US WHEN WE GET FAR BEHIND AND CAN'T FIND THE DIG!!! LOL THANKS AGAIN SHARON"

"this person obviously did not work very hard...
AND often times the groups at the Himalaya dig are small 10-15 people because they are open 5 days a week. Unlike the other places which prefer chaotic groups of 30-60+ ...obviously there will be less finds per hour with less people..."

"Hi again Rebecca,

Great timing for this post. Next weekend the California Federation of Mineralogical Societies is having a double tourmaline field trip - with 67 people scheduled to go to the Oceanview Mine in Pala on Saturday and 50 to go to the Himalaya Mine dig at the Lake Henshaw Resort on Sunday.

I'm a little worried about how this group of "real rockhounds" will react to these two fairly restrictive pay-to-screen sites. Sometimes, since they pay the $40 or $60 dollar fee, people seem to expect a guarantee to find a piece of gemmy tourmaline worth over $100. I have seen a few people find spectacular pieces of tourmaline or kunzite worth over $200 at both the Himalaya and the Oceanview - but I have been to these two locations well over 2 dozen times and have seen amazing finds only about 4 or 5 times. I don't go to casinos - so I don't know how these odds compare to "winning big" at gambling. On almost every trip, there are at least a few people who find something of worth that makes them happy. And I go mostly for the day in the sun with good people - so I always leave happy.

Do you live down near San Diego?

Ellen"

"i would not go to any place other than the himalaya gem dig. the material itself is better than the competition. people who went else were expressed their regret. (and so did i). "

"Yes, well, this in an interesting post you've done here and I just wanted to set the record straight. I've been both to the Himalaya Mine as well as quite more recently, the Himalaya Mine dig at Lake Henshaw. The only reason Kirsten found that gem was because someone put it there for the promotional value that that stone would bring from the Travel Channel.

With that said, I will say this, I myself have found some very nice stuff, especially at the Mine Site itself. I had good luck at the dig too as I believe I more than covered the $75.00 entrance fee. I understand many people haven't been so lucky, but I think most are happy for the experience and many do find nice stuff.

There are a number of other pay sites around the area and some other old mines that are closed that I've had good luck at too.



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