10/09/09
What can you say about rocks? You step on them, you sit on them when you’re tired, kids climb on them, you skip them across water, you build walls with them, and line your garden with them, but have you ever really looked at rocks close up. I'm not talking about your run of the mill, gray jagged edged, boring rocks. I'm talking about interesting rocks! You know, the red ones, the spotted ones, the green smooth rocks, rocks with white stripes, heart shaped rocks, round smooth river rocks, rocks that wash up on the beach, etc.
I've been picking up rocks for almost fifteen years now, I have boxes of them. Rocks from Wyoming, Montana, Washington, British Columbia, the Yukon, Niagara Falls, Michigan, the beaches of Maine, Connecticut, Alaska and Ireland.
There was one beautiful rock on the North shore of Lake Superior, that was so large, I couldn’t lift it. I worked for hours, sweating profusely, rolling it, prying it with a large branch and finally, managed to get it back to the camper. Try as I might, and much to my chagrin, and after extensive contemplation, I came to the conclusion that there was no way I could possibly lift or maneuver that boulder into the truck or camper, .....I sadly, had to leave it behind.
There were three rocks, from the tailings of Crazy Horse that were so heavy, I thought my arms would come out of their sockets on the long walk carrying them back to my truck on the far side of the parking lot. I was hoping for some help, but all I received were some really strange stares.
While traveling across country with my sister and her husband, we stopped in a Rock Shop in South Dakota. There were shelves of crystals, pyrite, fossils and gemstones. It was great fun to browse, lots of eye candy everywhere. We asked the man behind the counter if he could identify some of the rocks that we found in a river along the way. We thought they were chunks of Turquoise.....we never did get a straight answer. On one of the shelves there was a large Citrine quartz crystal, about twice the size of a softball, it caught my eye and every few minutes would go back to look at it again. It was $40.00, too much for my budget, besides, who in their right mind would pay for a rock! We walked around and around, finally got back in the truck and just as we were about to pull out of the driveway I said, WAIT, I have to go get that rock! I can’t believe I “PAID” for a rock but it was calling me, and so, it sits on my night-stand at my sisters house and was worth every penny.
Thank goodness for the Post Office and their “Flat Rate” boxes. I’ve mailed home about one hundred twenty pounds of rocks over the past few years. I hope they don’t change their policy and put a limit on the weight of those boxes. Two years ago, I was in Fairbanks, getting ready to put my camper in storage for the winter and was packing up all my belongings. Everywhere I looked in the camper and the truck, there were rocks.
I gathered the smaller ones into a couple of milk crates until they were overflowing, I thought, wow, that’s a lot, of rocks, and quite a heavy load. No wonder my gas milage is so poor! From under the mattress, I took three $12.95 flat rate boxes that I always keep on hand and began to fill them. As I crammed a few of the smaller rocks into the edges, I thought, yikes, I don’t know if the Post Office will accept this or not?
I sealed all the corners with packing tape, addressed it to my sisters house and went on to the next box. Yup, filled all three boxes and still had enough rocks to fill six more!
Off to the Post Office I went. I could only carry one box at a time. I figured they weighed between twenty-five to thirty pounds each. I had to wait in line........yes, as you know, there’s always a line at the Post Office. I placed the first box on the side counter and headed back out to the truck to retrieve the other two boxes. I wasn’t worried about anyone taking them, no one could lift them, or want to! After thirty minutes or so, and some interesting conversations while waiting, it was my turn at the window. One by one, I hefted the boxes onto the counter and was asked the usual question......Anything liquid, fragile, perishable, or hazardous? No, not in my boxes! The clerk slid the box onto the scale,(I think for her own curiosity) and with a sullen look on her face, she peered at me over the top of her glasses and said, “You’re really getting your moneys worth, aren’t you?” I thought my plan was doomed! I just smiled and said, yes.
She asked if I would like to insure the boxes......I hesitated, they were irreplaceable.......but I said no. I finally whispered to her, (why the whisper, I don’t know), that the boxes were filled with my treasure of rocks. She lit up like a Christmas Tree and said she loved rocks! That her husband threatened if she brought any more rocks home, she would have to find a new place to live.......and take her rocks with her! With a wry smile, I told her in, no uncertain terms, if the rocks didn’t arrive safely back to the East coast, I’d know where to start looking!
My rock collecting has gotten to the point of absurdity! I don’t have a place to put them. I live in my camper, or stay with family. What in the world am I to do with all these rocks? For now, they are all safe in storage, in Maine, boxes and boxes of them and there are more than a few boxes in my sisters closet.
Now that I’m back in Alaska, I’ve begun to gather again, surprise, surprise! Taking the dogs for long walks three or four times a day, gives me the opportunity to peruse the landscape, and I’m in a prime spot. This area was covered in glaciers not to long ago and it is a virtual mine field of possibilities. I wonder how these rocks were formed, how far have they traveled, and wonder, where will they end up and how many can I carry?
I remember being in the middle of no where, on a trail in the Alaska Range and seeing a rock up on a bluff, about the size of a baseball that was forced apart with quartz strands. It was the most interesting rock I think I’ve ever seen. At the time, I thought I had collected enough rocks and just took a photo of it and walked on. That night, I could not get that rock out of my head, I could not sleep and decided, first thing in the morning, I would go back and find it. I spent three days, looking for it! I even gave a picture of the rock to two teenage girls I had met, gave them the best directions I could as to where I thought it was, and offered a twenty dollar reward if they brought it back to me, it was never found.
The poor dogs I’m sitting for, get dragged up hills and down the rock slides. I’ve been good and haven’t worn my back pack, I only fill my vest or jacket pockets. I make cairns with the rocks I can’t take with me and then return later with my camera. I can do a whole photo exhibit with my rock photos!
I’m trying my darnedest to be selective, but many of those rocks are just to beautiful to leave behind............
Hmmm, I’ve just left a note in the mail box and asked the Post man to leave a couple of “Large” flat rate boxes the next time he delivers the mail!
