The field trip is led by David Springer with VGMS (805 -450-5025 or coastallapidary@gmail.com).

We will be meeting at Avila Beach at 10:00 AM on Saturday June 10, 2023. Meeting place is on the beach walk at Front Street and San Luis cross street in front of the steps to the beach. There is a convenience store and bathrooms nearby. Parking is available along Front St, or a half block in towards San Luis off other streets. Try to arrive a little early, this is a popular resort town in the summer and parking spaces are precious! A map showing the meetup location is provided below, look for the pin drop.

At 10 AM, we will gather for quick instructions, collect forms, and as a group use the steps to access the beach and walk to the left (southwest) about 1/3 mile during a declining tide (10:30 AM minus tide) and walk around a rock jutting towards the ocean to access the collecting area where DeeDeeite can be found. We will spend about 90 minutes looking for this variety of brecciated rhyolite by climbing over rocks so please bring close toed shoes! We can also find beach shells, agates and jasper. We will return to the steps by no later than 12:30 PM to end the first phase of the trip.

Phase 2 is to drive another 45 minutes towards Cambria and up Highway 46 to a road cut to search for the Central Coast's own thunderegg called a Biconoid. We will get there by taking highway 1 to Cambria and then highway 46 toward Paso Robles. There are no bathrooms at this second location, so plan accordingly. We will park off the Highway onto a large shoulder to access the road cut, a total of maybe 6 cars will have room to park. This is a steep but short hike on an incline so use sure footed shoes and do not overweight yourself. I will show everyone the easiest and safest pathway up to the collecting area. We'll spend about 1 hour mining biconoids along with orbicular rhyolite on the road cut, before ending the trip and retuning home. For those who'd like another opportunity, on the way home, I like to stop by Rockhound Wes Lingerfelt's home in Nipomo, and look over his rocks which he offers for sale at $0.25/pound.

Bring drinks and snacks, and in June things can warm up so also bring layers of clothing, a hat, sunscreen, a rock hammer and a chisel, protective glasses, a bucket, backpack, or collecting bag. Four wheel drive or high clearance vehicles are not required on this trip.

(Click to see who else is coming

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Event location   MAP
Avila Beach meeting place
Intersection of Front St and San Luis St at the steps to the beach
Avila Beach, CA 93424

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