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Maricopa County Arizona
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| This field
trip was to be a two part event out at the Lake Pleasant area. We
first were to visit the geode location and then travel beyone the lake
to a site to collect shattuckite and common opal.
[2006] 
Lake Pleasant, Arizona.
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[2006]
 We are shown here waiting for the trip
leaders to determine where we are located in relation to the geode
site. After much discussion about the directions, we turned
around and headed back down the road to where we had passed the correct
parking area for the geodes.
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[2006]
 Before we departed for the geode site, I snapped a picture of the great senery! |
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 We are all parked off the highway
in several flat, dirt, parking areas. The road into the geode
site was determined to be too hazardous to attempt after a scout truck
was sent to investigate. You can see a portion of this road
traversing the center of the above picture. Since the exact
location of the geode site was not known, most in the group were
satisfied with just surface collecting the area around our vehicles.
Several of us decided to explore down the old dirt road to try to find
the geode area. Larry Landry took off like a bullet (his usual
habit) and disappeared into the distance down the road. I joined
Russ and Dorthy Pease for a more leisurely pace of looking around.
After about 3/4 of a mile, we started to find very small geodes
on both sides of the road. At another hours worth of looking, Larry
reappeared with a bunch of large geodes - just what we were looking
for! Now we had a problem; either stay and collect geodes or
go back to the trucks and travel to the other location. I decided
to stay (assured of finding geodes) and everyone else decided to go to
the other site. Mine was the better choice as the others traveled 25
miles down a dirt road to arrive at a "no trespassing - Private
Property" gate across the road. Evidently, a newly erected
gate!
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[2006]
 The geode location near Lake Pleasant. Notice the rock exposure on the side of the hill on the left. This is the landmark to look for! |
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[2006]
 Geode collecting area. |
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[2006]
 The ground is covered with all different sizes of geodes! |
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 Some
example of the Geodes from this location. Notice the "nobbie"
surface and the chalcedony and common opal protruding
from some of the openings.
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 Common opal inside this geode. |
