Back From Vacation

[Grant]

Have you ever watched the program "Cash and Treasures" on TV? I saw one show that featured a sunstone mine in southeastern Oregon, so I went online to get the information and we drove up.

We were on washboard dirt road about ten miles from the mine when we rounded a blind curve and encountered another vehicle in the middle of the road. To miss them we veered right, hit soft shoulder and a ditch and rolled over out into the sage brush. Luckily, we were both in seatbelts and ended up dangling upside down inside the cab. One window broke out, so we were able to get out, and there was no gas leak. I must have cut my elbow when the glass broke, but otherwise there were no injuries.

We were in isolated country where our cell phone would not work, but several cars did happen along so that we were able to send messages both on to the mine and back to town. A car soon arrived from the mine with an EMT, and not too much later both local sherrif's deputies and a BLM ranger showed up. They arranged for a tow on the truck and we were able to take our gear and proceed on out to the mine. They fed us and put us up in our own trailer, and we were able to mine for five days, finding some very nice sunstones.

Sunstones are a variety of labradorite feldspar. In this case it was formed deep in the earth and then came to the surface within basalt lava that flowed many millions of years ago and is now found randomly in layers of flows many feet deep.

The mine has heavy equipment to open trenches in the basalt. The miners then go in with small jackhammers and hammers and chisels to break out the basalt and find the sunstone crystals.

This particular labradorite is mostly clear, but some is in the pink and red range, with less a rootbeer or a greyish green color. The very best stones are a bright red similar to rubies. The next best are pink stones with "Schiller", an optical effect typical of labradorite wherein color moves across the face of an otherwise clear stone as it is rotated in the light. These stones are faceted and sell for tens to hundreds of dollars per carat. We came home with over two kilos of cuttable stone, but only about 3000 carats of the higher end stuff.

No buses run up in that area and rental vehicles are a rare commodity. It turned out our only rental choice they would let us bring back to California was a 26 foot U-Haul for $600. But we found a used-car lot, and after much dickering were able to buy a ten year old skylark for a thousand, cash money. It needs new cable to make the power windows work, but is otherwise in great shape. It passed smog this morning on the first go. The opperator checked the Kelley Blue Book and says it will sell for over $3500 once the doors are fixed!

So, we were saddened to lose our old Suburban, a friend of many trips, but, all in all, we were very lucky. No serious injuries and we are probably somewhat ahead of breaking even.

It's good to be back home, giving thanks where they are due.....

[Ina Baxar]

Couldn't read it all , but welcome back oday!

[foolxume2005]

Only white folks will do sh!t like that for fun, no ofense Grant.

[*Arabman]

Welcome back, Grant. I think I can use a vacation. I'm off to vacation in a few minutes, and will be back after a while, God willing.

[The-Screw]

lol@foolxume, dude that sounds like fun, Yo Grant, send me an invite next time, i'll bring my camera.