ynot Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 8 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Drooling. Looking forward to more photos. Thanks. I was adding some more pictures when You replied, but I am done now.... for the time being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, ynot said: Thanks. I was adding some more pictures when You replied, but I am done now.... for the time being. Thank you. Veni, vidi, salivaedi? (I came, I saw, I drooled). Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 19 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Thank you. Veni, vidi, salivaedi? (I came, I saw, I drooled). Me too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Day 23. Was a very good day! We continued to follow the lead and by mid-day it had developed into a nice vug. We found several large crystals... We kept pulling nice crystals out all day, and had some good stuff showing when We called it a day after 9.5 hours of fun. Some of the days finds... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 Day 24. We found a few nice crystals during the first few hours of the day. Then they started getting smaller and harder to extract (surrounded with white quartz) The vug ran out and just the remnants and a few outlying sections remained by mid day. We dug until all we could see was bull quartz. Because of the excessive leak on the hydraulic piston and the new one being a week out, We decided to take a week off. Sorry, no pictures today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 23 hours ago, ynot said: Sorry, no pictures today. No need. I've seen blown-out hydraulics before. Parts guy, municipal fleet services garage. Fire ladders, backhoes, snowplows, etc. 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 26, 2019 Author Share Posted August 26, 2019 Just thought I would give a little update for those that have interest in this thread. We finally got the new piston and went up and installed it. Although not real fun, it went smoothly with no real difficulties. Only took about 2 hours. We then sat down for a lunch break. When We got up to do some digging with the newly repaired backhoe noticed that the tire was flat. Took it in for a fix and the tire store just called and said there is a weld on the rim that is breaking and needs to be rewelded. At least We are missing the hottest part of the year (out here). More to follow? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 Hey Tony, pretty cool thread and finds!...didnt notice it till now. Great pics of the operation. Dang equipment...its strange how a series of things just happen like that...makes you shake your head sometimes. Hope you are able to continue the quest soon! Continued success! Regards, Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 28, 2019 Author Share Posted August 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Plantguy said: .its strange how a series of things just happen like that.. The backhoe had been sitting idle for several years (with some minimal use). When We started using it for long periods it caused the weakest part to fail. that stated a chain reaction where the next weakest link failed. Then we fix that for the next one to go and get fixed and on and on. It is a bit of an annoyance, but it has been a long trail to get to this stage at the mine. So to Me it is just a little more irritating than the mosquitos that plague Us up there in the mornings. Just wish there was a canned spray that would get rid of the hydraulic problems. 1 hour ago, Plantguy said: Hey Tony, pretty cool thread and finds!. 1 hour ago, Plantguy said: Hope you are able to continue the quest soon! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digit Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Wow! I don't know how I missed this epic topic hiding down here in the Rocks & Minerals subforum. What a great adventure! You'll soon be up to your necks in quartz crystals and the backhoe will be brand new and shiny (having replaced all of its parts one at a time). This trip report reads like a TFF version of a season of the show Prospectors. You all are working hard for what you are finding and I hope you soon find the vug of your dreams with lots of great eye candy within. I'm really glad that you are remembering to pull out the phone quite often and give us a feel for what it is like to undertake such an operation. Fingers crossed that the setbacks are fewer and further between and the crystals just the opposite. Cheers. -Ken 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Thanks @digit, it has been quite an adventure. Hoping to be back at it this weekend. PS I use a point and click, -- I don't have a portable phone, the govment follows Ya through them things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Well, I got the news today that the rim repair will take 1 to 2 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Sorry to hear about the "technical difficulties." I really do love this thread. 1 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 5 hours ago, Ludwigia said: 5 hours ago, Kane said: Sorry to hear about the "technical difficulties." I really do love this thread. Thanks Guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Well, I told My partners about the delay with getting the rim fixed and Tom went down and got the rim. Then took it to someone else and had it fixed by Tuesday, then He took it to the tire store and it was ready to pick up late in the day. Wednesday We took the tire up and started to dig some more. Day 25 digging with a backhoe. We had left a lead of quartz when We quit the last time digging. After following this into the hill another 6 feet (and pulling a few small crystals out ) We hit a hard wall of rock that would not give up to the assault by the backhoe. So We started filling in the hole. This took the rest of the day and half of the next. (I have a few pictures but have not downloaded them yet, will add them later.) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Day 26 digging with a backhoe. After finishing the backfill of the previous hole, We started a new hole on the downhill side of the last dig (We had discovered the last hole 20 feet below the surface and followed it in the uphill direction.) We hit another seem of crystal that is closer to the surface than what We had been digging on in the previous few days. This is an unusual occurrence from all the other pockets as it is a vertical lead whereas the preceding holes have all been horizontal. We found a fair amount of large crystal, but alas they were all damaged. We did find quite a few very nice crystals and some have a nice chloride phantom. The largest whole crystal was 5 inches long and 2 inches wide. (Again, I have a few pictures but have not downloaded them yet.) For those of You trying to keep track of this... We have found crystals on 22 of the 26 days digging with a backhoe on My claim. Much better results than I expected. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 Hey Y'all, Here are some pictures from the last 2 days digging... Hole 7 before filling. Some crystals from the new diggings Then We had a couple of visitors at the claim. Found this shy guy while filling in the hole, it was hiding in the tailings. We didn't actually see the mountain lion, but the tracks were very fresh. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Glad to see you got the backhoe back up and running again! Too bad about some of the large crystals being damaged, but it sounds like you have been finding quite a bit more than expected. Here’s hoping for many more productive holes/seams! 1 The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 3 hours ago, FossilNerd said: Glad to see you got the backhoe back up and running again! Too bad about some of the large crystals being damaged, but it sounds like you have been finding quite a bit more than expected. Here’s hoping for many more productive holes/seams! Thank You. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Up and running again. Yay! 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 50 minutes ago, Mark Kmiecik said: Up and running again. Yay! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 11, 2019 Author Share Posted September 11, 2019 Day 27 with a backhoe on My claim. Was a very good day (with lots of heartbreakers). We continued to dig in the downhill side of the last hole and found a rather large vug of crystals. there were several very large crystals found, but alas only 2 were whole, the rest were severely damaged- most in fragments or missing the tip. We did find lots of smaller crystals that are in good shape. A picture of the hole. A closer view. Another monster crystal. One of the good monster crystals. And the days take. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted September 11, 2019 Author Share Posted September 11, 2019 Day 28 digging with a backhoe on My claim. We had dug most of the vug on day 27, but there was still a lot of good crystal to be found. The remnants of the vug were in tight between a section of white quartz (bull) and the mica schist that makes up the mountain. We found several more broken large crystals and lots of fist sized and smaller crystals. I even found one that is bent. Is it whole? Alas - no. The hole at the end of the day. Bringing some finds out of the hole. Early days finds. Later in the day finds. And another picture of the hole. When We go back We will have about 6 feet left to dig into the wall of Our hole before We run into the uphill hole We dug last week. Then We will spend the rest of the day filling this hole and returning the ground to it's original slope. After that We are going to move to a lower part of the claim. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Wow... And I was happy to find a little misshapen quartz xl at my local fossil site (which is known for 'herkimers') last week. Of course I didn't put nearly as much effort into it as you have with yours! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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