The Saturday, February 19 trip to the local Gold Mine has to be postponed because Randy Stewart, the owner, had emergency major surgery last week.
As a substitute, we will be going on a field trip of the Huachuca Club. Thanks to Bill Jaeger, their President for inviting us. Here is the description of the trip from their newsletter:
“The trip for February is BIG NEWS. The club will be going to the Baker Ranch in New Mexico for the most beautiful geodes. Club members have brought halved and polished Baker Ranch geodes to meetings. They have the most gorgeous reds I have ever seen. Now is your chance to gather some of these babies for yourselves.
“The trip to the Baker Lode Geode Mine will be on February 19, 2005. The meeting places are: 8:15 am at the Chevron Station on Highway 80 coming into Douglas – on the right side of the road, just before the left turn toward Rodeo, NM. The Group will leave Chevron at 8:30. The other meeting place will be at Betty’s Gas and Grill ˝ mile past the junction with route 338 at 9:45, leaving at 10:00.”
Bill says the site is about 2-˝ hours from Douglas. There is an opportunity to make it a whole weekend. Some Huachuca members will be camping overnight and going to other sites Sunday.
Further information: The Baker Ranch is southeast of Hachita, NM. The Huachua group will leave Douglas on Highway 80 then go east on NM highway 9 through Animas and through Hachita to the old corrals which are the turn off for the ranch. Bill didn't know where Betty's Gas & Grille is located.
So our folks have a choice of meeting the Huachuca group in Douglas at 8-8:15 or they can take I-10 to the 49 exit and go south on 148 to be in Hachita at 10:30-11 and proceed from there. Bill plans to be over there ahead of time so he won't be in the Huachuca convoy but he will alert the convoy lead that some of us could be in Hachita waiting for them.
The road appears to be paved until the ranch turnoff southeast of Hachita. However Bill said that we do need high clearance vehicles to cross one wash that is steep "and who knows what it's like after all this rain."
Randy Stewart's silver mine is about 3 miles from the Sunsites Senior Center as the crow flies, or about 7 miles by road. Randy will conduct a tour of the mine.
Meet at the Senior Center Parking lot at 10 am.
Those with passenger cars will be able to leave them at the bottom of the hill and get ferried up by those with high-clearance vehicles and heavy duty tires.
Bring boots for the muddy tunnel floor and a jacket for the cold tunnel air.
We'll be able to pick through the tailings for pyrite and galena, but Randy reserves the right to retain any gold that we find on his claim.
Stuff to bring: