Night Visit

So, last night was all about a spontaneous visit to my garden-turned-treasure outcrop.

Let me tell you, it was a mix of oopsies and “aha” moments that turned a quick 2-hour visit into an all-nighter. Buckle up for the ride!

The Oopsies (aka The Bad)

• First up, I forgot to throw on my boots during peak tick season—yikes!
• No flashlight? Nada. I used my trusty cell phone instead—not the brightest idea.
• The most promising outcrop turned out to be the least fluorescent—go figure!
• I dropped a lamp while fumbling with the cell phone flashlight—classic me move.
• Lost my cell phone at the third outcrop—cue mini heart attack!
• A few field photos mysteriously didn’t turn out.
• What was meant to be a quick visit turned into an unintentional all-nighter.

The Wins (aka The Good)

• Those promising rocks I gathered during the day were only slightly fluorescent—surprise!
• The dropped lamp survived, a bit dirty but intact—phew!
• After an exhaustive search with the UV lamp, I found my cell phone at the last outcrop—talk about luck!
• I got home fashionably late but with everything intact.
• Not a single tick managed to hitch a ride, despite feeling phantom crawlers on the way home.

And the cherry on top? I stumbled upon some really cool fluorescent specimens! I piled them up and managed to capture a few decent photos that actually turned out—score!

- Natural Light Rock Pile

Now, in natural light, these rocks may look a bit drab, but as a geologist, I see intriguing textures and structures that tell a fascinating story.

- Meet This Drab But Interesting Natural Light Specimen

These rocks weathered out of Oligocene volcanic ash, and they’re brecciated and highly altered.

- Another Cool Specimen in the Mix

Chalcedony, opal, and caliche are the primary fluorescent minerals, and it’s the alteration and interaction that make these rocks so darn interesting.

- Check Out the Fluorescent Rock Pile Under Long and Short Wave Ultraviolet Light

Now, my short-wave lamp was a tad too small, the specimens too large, and the camera too far away to capture all the fluorescent details. But hey, this one photo will do for now. Trust me, the whole pile glows just as beautifully as this hand-sized piece.

- And There You Have It, Fluorescing Under Short Wave. These Colors Are the Real Deal, No Reflections Here!

Lessons Learned

Not all spur-of-the-moment adventures turn out like my invigorating Black Mountain escapade. This time felt more like a tipsy stumble in the dark—forgetting, dropping, and losing things left and right. It’s a miracle I even found those outcrops!

But you know what? It was still a blast. Next time, though, I might take a solid 10 minutes to think things through before diving into the nighttime unknown. Lesson learned, and adventure embraced! ✨

Cheers,
D 🪨🔥