# Mojave desert



## ajohn (Dec 31, 2011)

Took my wife and daughter on a quick trip to the Mojave desert to a place I found piece of a tooled point.Didn't find any points, but we got a lot of obsidian.We stopped at Randsburg for a drive through.Really strange people,so we didn't stop.During the week these people like their privacy and they stare as we drive by.Even when we waved they all just stared....Really weird! This is their church


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## ajohn (Dec 31, 2011)

The cafe.Lots of history in there


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## ajohn (Dec 31, 2011)

another building


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## ajohn (Dec 31, 2011)

one more on the outskirts


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## RedGinger (Dec 31, 2011)

Neat place, AJohn.  I love the arrowhead you found.  Thank you so much.  I will try to get a picture of it up, soon.  It's the coolest one I've seen.  We don't have any made from Obsidian around here, as far as I know.


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## AntiqueMeds (Dec 31, 2011)

> they stare as we drive by.Even when we waved they all just stared....Really weird!


 
 strange , maybe they are a cult?[]  I guess digging privys would be tough there.


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## ajohn (Dec 31, 2011)

Digging anywhere around here would get you shot! This is an old gold mining town.
 This is some of the obsidian Kim and Delaney made me lug back.If I left it up to them they'd have brought back the whole desert[]


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## surfaceone (Dec 31, 2011)

New Year's Eve howdies to you Anthony John,

 I think things are far more convivial in Panamint Springs.


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## JOETHECROW (Dec 31, 2011)

ajohn...Cool pics,..I pretty sure my dad crossed the Mojave back in 1927, driving a Maxwell car with canvas water bags on the running boards! He had a job chauffering a wealthy lady... Thanks for sharing, and Happy New Year!


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## AntiqueMeds (Dec 31, 2011)

> This is some of the obsidian


 
 What's the difference between obsidian and "Apache tears"?  Is it the same?


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## surfaceone (Jan 1, 2012)

> What's the difference between obsidian and "Apache tears"? Is it the same?


 
 Happy New Year, Matt,

 Same, same. "Apache tears are rounded nodules of obsidian (volcanic black glass) with diameter from about 0.5 to 5 cm. An Apache tear looks opaque by reflected light, but translucent when held up to light[1][2]. Apache tears are usually black, but can range from black to red to brown. They are often found embedded in a greyish-white perlite matrix[1][2].


 An Apache tear
 The name "Apache tear" comes from a legend of the Apache tribe: about 75 Apaches and the US Cavalry fought on a mountain overlooking what is now Superior, Arizona in the 1870s. Facing defeat, the outnumbered Apache warriors rode their horses off the mountain to their deaths rather than be killed. The wives and families of the warriors cried when they heard of the tragedy; their tears turned into stone upon hitting the ground.
 American singer songwriter Johnny Cash wrote lyrics entitled Apache Tears for his album Bitter Tears (Ballads Of The American Indian).
 On the Mohs scale, Apache tears fall between 5 and 5.5." From.

 Me, I like the Obsidian needles.


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## ajohn (Jan 1, 2012)

> ORIGINAL:  surfaceone
> 
> New Year's Eve howdies to you Anthony John,
> 
> I think things are far more convivial in Panamint Springs.


 Back at ya surf! Looks like a good crew there.


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