Burma Road Adventure

- The Hills Of Burma, Road That Is

Hey folks! Feeling a bit cooped up, I’ve got a serious case of cabin fever. The weather has been lousy for weeks—consistently wet and cold—putting a damper on my plans for another outdoor adventure. Checking the weather radar, I see a storm stalled just a dozen miles west, with another major storm dumping on every other local area I’d love to explore. That leaves me with just a few hours and a window of opportunity to do some night collecting in a place that’s conveniently just 10 minutes away—Burma Road.

Burma Road was a natural area I used to bike to as a child. Sitting about 400 feet above the surrounding landscape, it straddled two irrigated farming districts, with no one calling it home. Most of it was public land, left untouched except for the occasional discarded appliance or defunct car. It was my playground, where I roamed the flat plateau on my trusty bicycle, enjoying the gravity-propelled ride home after a day of adventures.

As a kid, I stumbled upon the occasional piece of petrified wood, agate, or chalcedony left behind in the terrace gravels. But I hadn’t thought of collecting there since leaving that bicycle behind.

- Typical Chalcedony Historically Found Near Burma Road Under Natural Light And Long Wave

Not much to excite, but let’s go! A quick scan of Google Maps reveals that much has changed since my biking days. The once-vacant land is now inhabited, but there’s still one accessible public area. Bingo, I’m off!

With all the storms and clouds, it’s a very dark night. I get turned around a few times but eventually find myself at the edge of the plateau near some steep gullies. I don’t have much hope for finding anything on the plateau—maybe just a small piece of amber-glowing chalcedony, a common childhood find. However, I’m hoping the higher rate of erosion near the edge will expose some new material.

The beautifully black, stormy night is only illuminated by occasional distant lightning flashes. A couple of coyotes are working the gullies as well; they let me know I’m interfering, then skedaddle. I am all alone.

My long-wave lamp lights up the abundant, bright, and ubiquitous pumpkin-to-peach orange fluorescent caliche, the rare bright blue desert plant, and the occasional red-to-orange lichen. Then, there it is! Recently exposed by erosion, right at the edge where I expected. It’s a palm-sized piece of yellow chalcedony. Instead of the typical amber-to-white glow, it’s the brightest piece of long-wave green-glowing chalcedony I’ve ever seen! Amazing!

- The New Chalcedony Under Natural Light And Long Wave

It’s only been a little over an hour, but what a night! What a hike! And oh, so close and accessible. Yet, I feel such a sense of privacy and solitude. Other than the farm dogs a mile away, who know and try to tell others I’m here, I am alone. And I am free. The air is ultra-charged and ultra-fresh.

Revived, I wonder where that chalcedony came from. It’s so unlike any of the local stuff. Maybe some overlooked nearby places have good collecting potential. Perhaps they could even point toward the long-lost opal pie location I’ve been searching for forever.

Beyond the experience and the mysterious chalcedony, I find only a couple of very poor orange-glowing pieces of petrified wood and a dull brown-glowing jasper—certainly more than I expected! 👧

Cheers,
D 🪨🔥