 
Rocks, Gems, Minerals and More |
Avery County
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A Rockhounding Guide to North By Michael Streeter NC Professional Geologist, Photographer & Rockhound April 1, 2003
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 Click here for details about Mike's articles in Rock & Gem Magazine |
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Countless Blessings By Mike Streeter May 25, 2006 A rockhounding field trip involves much more than collecting rocks and minerals. For my wife Chrissy and myself,
finding a specimen worth keeping is just a bonus to any day spent in the field
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with like-minded rockhounds. Most of our friends were met on rockhounding excursions and getting together with them to swap stories, jokes and life
events is far more valuable to us than any rock could ever be. While finding
a decent specimen is never a certainty, laughter and good will are usually guaranteed. Beyond the friendship and camaraderie, the simple act of spending
time in the great outdoors has its own unique rewards. Hiking a forest trail
and enjoying a spring explosion of wildflowers or coming upon a mother deer with fawns can almost make us forget about the collecting location that we had started out to find. And as if all this wasn't enough, there still exists the chance to uncover a breathtaking rock or mineral. Even at locations where we have collected many times, we never know when we will turn over just the right rock to uncover the gem of a lifetime. But even when this doesn't happen, we are able to enjoy the countless other blessings that come with a day spent rockhounding with friends.
