A Bucket Full of Memories

A Bucket Full of Memories - Rockhounding on the Road 
Funny thing about rocks, you can find them just about anywhere. From mountain streams to the seashore, rocks have been revealed and eroded by wind and water, blasted out of the Earth by volcanoes, pushed from the ground by unseen forces, and exposed by construction and mining. You might assume that since rocks are so common, they must not be very interesting, right? Well, that depends on your perspective.

We initially began collecting rocks because one of the kids received a rock polisher for Christmas a few years back. It was cheap and didn't last long (Santa didn't know how to shop for a good quality rock tumbler, but that's another story).

Coincidentally, it was around the same time that we visited James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park, a place with an abundance of collectible rocks and fossils. Quite by accident, while hiking to the park's abandoned marble mine, we found some very unusual rocks. After some research, we discovered they were agate, and they polished beautifully. On that same trip, we also found rose quartz, pink marble, and a few fossils. It was this trip to Sloppy Floyd State Park that inspired the purchase of a camper, and the rest is history.

What do we love about rockhounding? Our list is pretty long, so I'll try to be brief.

1- Rocks are everywhere, so no matter where you go or what you do, rocks can't be too far away. It's a relatively easy and inexpensive activity, at least until you start polishing the rocks.

2- Searching for rocks, minerals, fossils, and artifacts keeps kids entertained (distracted) on those long hikes resulting in fewer complaints about boredom or sore legs and feet. The twins were just three when we went on that hike to the marble mine at Sloppy Floyd, about a 2 mile round trip.

3- Searching for rocks (colors, shapes) encourages kids to keep their eyes on the ground so they can watch their their step (and watch for snakes).

4- It's educational. Every rock, fossil,  is a lesson in history, science, and mathematics. Learning how the various types of rocks and minerals are formed and why they are shaped or patterned the way they are is very interesting when you can hold the evidence in your hand. We let the kids take some of the rocks to school when they are covering Earth and geology. They are always a big hit.

5- Rockhounding can take you places you wouldn't have otherwise discovered. We have visited several really neat towns and remote areas based on research for rockhounding. Geocaching is also a great activity for finding new places.

6- Rocks you find at various locations will always remind you of that place and the things you did while there. It's kind of  like a souvenir without the gift shop. I call our rocks a "bucket full of memories".

7- Rocks are beautiful. We have found some of the most astonishingly beautiful rocks in some of the most unlikely places. Semi precious gemstones are great, but some of the prettiest rocks in our collection are more or less worthless. That's ok, their value is much greater than any amount of money.

8- Commercial gem grubbing mines typically provide some pretty good inexpensive and not so clean fun. Give the kid a bucket of dirt and tell them to go play in the water. You won't get much argument. We spent two full days at Gold n Gem Grubbin in Cleveland, Georgia, Panning for gold in the creek and grubbing for Gems at the (nice place to camp too!).

9- Using the rocks and special wrapping wire, you can also learn to make jewelry. The pendant shown here, I made with square silver wire and a shaped and polished agate I found in Summerville, Georgia near Sloppy Floyd State Park.

10- The act of looking for and collecting minerals, rocks, and fossils, and gem grubbing and gold panning gives each and every family member something in common with their siblings and parents. The kids have learned about different types of crystals and rocks, and it gives them something to talk about. I can't tell you how many times I have had one of the kids come running up shouting Daddy, look at this rock I found. The kids will compare their rocks and brag about who found the best one.

One of my favorite benefits of collecting and polishing rocks is the uncanny way they can bring back memories. Sometimes we pull the bucket out and spread the finely polished agate, quartz crystals, amethyst, chert nodules, garnet, and various other rocks and minerals out on a towel covered table. We'll turn the lights up and go through them one by one talking about where we found them and what we did while we were there..

So there you have it, 10, no 11 reasons we rock hound. We're making memories, and I'd be willing to bet the kids will fight over the collection when Mommy and Daddy are gone. 
Proofed and Edited by Lee Thomas Richardson

For more stories and pictures from our adventures in the Southeastern US, visit our website  -  http://PBandJAdventures.com

Fort Mountain State Park - A wonderful place for an adventure.

Overview - The Tribe's Favorite Park
Fort Mountain State Park is located near Chatsworth, Georgia on the Southwestern edge of the Cohutta Wilderness. This park is the Richardson Tribe's #1 favorite place to visit and camp, Why? Where do I start?

1- Accessible- Fort Mountain (Cohutta to the Native Americans) is perhaps the most easily accessed mountain in North Georgia. It's about 1.5 hours from Atlanta and just a little over an hour from Chattanooga. All but the last eight miles is flat freeway and highway travel. The final segment is curvy, steep, and scenic. There are several picturesque pull-offs that should be observed on the way. 

As you wind your way up the mountain, roll your windows down so you can enjoy the gradual temperature and humidity change. Typically, from the base of the mountain to the park, there can be as much as a 10-12 degree change. The dramatic temperature change can affect the weather on Fort Mountain, often making it totally different from the mountain's base (as in rain, snow, or lack thereof).

2- Campgrounds- Georgia's standards for its state parks are high, especially when it comes to campgrounds. Fort Mountain State Park has two campgrounds. One is located adjacent the lake, the other is just across the road. The sites are level, extremely large, clean, and furnished with fire ring/grill units and sturdy picnic tables. If we can't get a site on the lake, we usually go over to campground 2 and use the very large pull-through sites. The ONLY negative I can think of is the lack of full hookup (as in sewer), but that's pretty standard for state park (with very few exceptions). They have cable there, but channels are few and picture quality is sub-par. It doesn't matter, you should be outside enjoying the fresh clean air anyway.

3- Amenities- Fort Mountain State Park seems to have all the right stuff. There is a lake with a very nice (sometimes crowded) beach, row boats, pedal boats, and some good fishing. Near the beach's snack bar and picnic shelters is a miniature golf course and a very nice playground. The park features 14 miles of hiking and 27 miles of mountain biking within the park. and the Cohutta Wilderness is directly accessible as is the Pinhoti Trail making hiking and biking almost unlimited. For a fee, you can rent a horse at Fort Mountain Stables (a private business).

4- Wildlife - You can find just about every type of animal native to this part of the country at Fort Mountain including bear, turkey, bobcat, and even (according to some) cougar.

5- History, Mystery, and Legend- Fort Mountain State Park is the home of much history, mystery, and legend. For example:

- The wall- Located at Fort Mountain's peak are the remains of an 855 ft wall. Though there are many speculations as to its origins and its purpose, it is unlikely it was built as a fortification. While it would help to fend-off enemy attacks, there is no water source. All the enemy would have to do is sit and wait. It's more likely the wall was somehow a part of a ceremonial ground, which is consistent with other sites such as Old Stone Fort State Park in Manchester Tennessee. Some speculated the wall was built by Desoto's men, and some think it was built by Welsh Prince Madoc's men. The fact is, no one knows for sure, although the estimate the wall's construction to be around 500ad.

- Cherokee Gold - There are legends related to a secret Cheroke gold mine on "Cohutta", the Native American word for the mountain. Stories about the local Cherokee wearing gold jewelry, and settlers trying to find the source have been handed down for years. One has to consider the wealth of some of the local Cherokee such as Joseph Vann. Vann's father accumulated massive wealth while living near the foot of the mountain. They say his father made the money from taverns and various other enterprises, but when his son was forced to move from this area to Tennessee, he deposited over $200,000 worth of gold in a bank. That's $200,000 in the 1830s, think about it.

 - Cohutta Gold Mine - Apparently, placer gold had been successfully panned from the creeks on Fort Mountain for many years before the Cohutta Mine opened around 1905. According to the United States Geological Survey, a large vein of gold had been discovered and was being worked when they visited in 1906. In fact, the owners had ordered additional equipment and were stepping-up production. Mysteriously, four years later when the same surveyors visited the site, the mine was shut-down. In 1926 the property was purchased by wealthy businessman (and later Atlanta Mayor) Ivan Allen, then donated to the state of Georgia as a state park. So, the mystery of the Cohutta Mine exists today. Where was it? Why was it shut down? Is there still gold to be panned? I believe there is.