It was a warm day in the desert for our return field trip from our summer hiatus. Our trip was originally scheduled for the Green Horn Mountains to collect rose quartz, but we had to change our destination due to the Cedar Fire that was burning in the area and kept all the roads closed. So we headed to Field Rd outside Yermo, CA to collect agate, jasper and the ever illusive, petrified palm. Which did prove to remain illusive.
With a train parked in our path, we had no choice but to crawl or climb in between the cars to reach our destination. All part of a rock hounder’s adventure!

Once we were finished, we decided to explore the nearby Alvord Mine, as none of our group had ever been there before. What an interesting, beautiful site that is to see. Not knowing much about the mine, we had all kinds of imaginary tails of how it came to be, what it was used for, how it ended up the way it did. Sometimes, that part is more fun than knowing the actual truth.
By mid afternoon, the temperature reached 100 degrees so it was time to head out for lunch and cold drinks in Barstow. Another great day in the desert.