Fieldtrips

Northern Virginia Mineral Club

Official TWOFER Collecting Trip Announcement

Vulcan Manassas Aggregate Quarry, Manassas, VA

PLUS: The First Annual Luncheon on the Mountain!

Now with Rock Trading!  Families Welcome!  Parking Difficult!

August 20^th, 2011, 7:00 am to Noonish (Subject to the whim of Micky)

OK, fine. I forgot to send this one out. Now, it's late. Dang. Anyway, here is your basic bonafide trip announcement from me, your perpetually late trip coordinator, to you. At 7:00 am sharp on August 20th, 2011 (meeting at the Mine Office) we, the unwashed masses, will meet at the mine office parking lot.

For those of you unfamiliar with said quarry it is a great big empty. Half a mile across, 550 feet deep and essentially right next to the Manassas mall.

Following said dig-a-thon those willing you are invited to My humble abode for grilled foods and not grilled drinks. BRING FOOD TO SHARE - as in, POTLUCK. Bring rocks for trading and trades for rocking!

Minerals Available (at Vulcan):

Actinolite, var: Byssolite, Aegirine, 'Apatite', 'Apophyllite', Aragonite, Babingtonite, Biotite, Bornite, Calcite, 'Chabazite', Chalcopyrite, Clinozoisite, Coffeanddanishite, Cristobalite, Datolite, 'Feldspar Group', Galena, Greenockite, Grossular, Gyrolite, Hematite, var: Specularite, 'Heulandite', Ilmenite, Laumontite, Malachite, Muscovite, Natrolite, Nojokesthistime-ite, Opal, Orthoclase, Pectolite, Prehnite, 'Pumpellyite', Quartz, Rutile, Rootbeerite, Scheelite, Scolecite, Silver, Sphalerite, 'Stilbite', Thaumasite, Titanite, Topaz, 'Tourmaline', Zircon

Food and Drink Available (at Chez Carver): In addition to what you bring for sharing: Burgerbites, Soda-ites, Chip-ites

Who is Invited:

Any and all members in good standing of any eastern federation affiliated club. Roanoke Club members also welcome. All humans under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Non-human higher primates also welcome. If they can dance.

If you are not a member you may go to our website, www.novamineralclub.orgHYPERLINK "http://www.novamineralclub.org/" www.novamineralclub.org, print off the membership form, fill it out and show up at the trip meeting with that and the appropriate of membership dues. You'll be good to go.

Be reminded that the trip coordinator is generally due the deference normally accorded to an Ottoman Plutocrat. Full bowing and dipping of fezes. Fezzi? Fezzes?

Directions (to Vulcan):

From Interstate 66 & Virginia 234 (bypass, not business. The bypass is 3 to 4 miles west of the business exits.)

1. Head west on Exit 44 0.9 mi

2. Merge onto Prince William Pkwy/VA-234 S 2.7 mi

3. Turn left at Wellington Rd 0.5 mi

4. Turn left at Vulcan Ln

The destination will be on the right 0.1 mi

8537 Vulcan Lane, Manassas, VA 20109

Directions (to Chez Carver from Vulcan):

8537 Vulcan Lane, Manassas, VA 20109

1. Head south on Vulcan Ln toward Wellington Rd 0.1 mi

2. Turn right onto Wellington Rd 0.5 mi

3. Turn right onto VA-234 N/Prince William Pkwy 2.5 mi

4. Keep left at the fork, follow signs for I-66 W/Front Royal and merge onto I-66 W 4.5 mi

5. Take exit 40 for US-15 toward Haymarket 0.2 mi

6. Turn right onto US-15 N/James Madison Hwy 5.8 mi

7. Turn left onto Logmill Rd/State Route 701 1.5 mi

8. Turn right onto Mountain Rd/State Route 600 0.9 mi

9. Take the 2nd left onto Ridge Rd 0.6 mi

10. Turn right to stay on Ridge Rd 0.1 mi

11. Turn left to stay on Ridge Rd 0.1 mi

12. Take the 1st right to stay on Ridge Rd 0.2 mi

13. Turn left to stay on Ridge Rd

Destination will be on the right 0.3 mi

1914 Ridge Road, Haymarket, VA 20169

What to Bring:

Steel-toed Boots - a must. Toes are odd appendages but most of us are attached to them.

Safety Helmet - also a must. If you have nothing worth protecting in your head get a cheap one.

Safety Gogles - also a must, too. Blindness is a major drawback to collecting.

Heavy Work Gloves - also a must, too, as well. Like our toes, most of us have a fondness for our fingers.

Other Handy Objects - non-must-ish, but a good idea. Rock Chisels, Small Sledge Hammers, Large Sledge Hammers, Geologists Picks, March Madness Picks, Heavy Plastic Containers (for large specimens), Egg Cartons (for small specimens), First Aid Kits, Snacks, Water, Plastic Sheeting (to protect the interior of your car) and glass beads to trade with the mole people. They also take Visa, MasterCard and Amex.

ALSO!: Bring food to share and rocks to trade!

Special Note:

Due to the severe economy, little blasting has been done at the quarry recently. Therefor, pickins may be slim. See? Full disclosure.

Lastly:

Due to the vagaries of weather, politics and my personal whims, the event may be canceled at any moment. If there is any question as to whether the trip will come off or if you simply want to go on the trip contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 703.754.2050 or 571.344.4958 and enjoy my humorous/deeply annoying answering machine message.