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Junior Field Trip

January 17, 2009

10 A.M.  -  Tellus Museum

Location: Just off the interstate I-75, exit 293

47 miles north of Atlanta

It is time for us to explore the new Tellus Museum.  The museumʼs cost is $8 for kids and $12 for adults.  Jose SantaMaria might have some time to spend with us while we are there.  The museum is divided up into four main galleries.  We will see the Weinman Mineral gallery and the Fossil gallery, along with the Science In Motion and My Big Backyard galleries.

We will meet at the entrance at 10 to begin exploring this great new museum.  If you would like to call me to confirm, just call 678-491-0489.

Roxanne Lopez

1711 Donna Lynn Dr

Smyrna, GA 30080

Cell 678-491-0489

Home 770-436-0387

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Junior Field Trips

Cloudland State Park

Saturday, November 15, 2009

12 noon at Check-In gate

MARSQUEST: EXPLORING THE RED PLANET

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September 20, 2008
Saturday 3:00 p.m.

Fernbank Science Center
156 Heaton Park Drive N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30307

678-874-7100

We have had a cultural and scientific fascination with Mars for centuries. In this three-act presentation, the Fernbank chronicles the history of Mars, observe the planet in the night sky and with robotic explorers, and guess at the future – perhaps humans living on Mars. Narrated by Patrick Stewart.  This program is for all ages.  We have to remember that other planets can help us understand our own. ADMISSION FOR PLANETARIUM PROGRAMS* Adults $4.00 Students $3.00
Seniors $3.00. Please call me if you plan to attend.

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Junior Field Trip

July 19, 2008
Helen, GA

Tubing down the Chattahoochee, Meet us at Cool River Tubing in Helen, GA at 11 am.
Every other year, we must make our way down this beautiful part of the Chattahoochee. Tubing is $5 per person (children 5 and under are free) and the water slide is an additional $5 per person. Check out the website for the location.

http://www.coolrivertubing.com/main.asp

We will discuss erosion and other related geological features of the area.

Luke, Keith, Bill, his granddaughter, Alex and Roxanne Lopez

It was a beautiful day. The sky was clear and the weather was warm when we started out.  The water level was low, so we made the short run (that took 2 hours).  Even though our goal was to learn about the rocks and eroison, fun overtook us.  It is amazing what you can learn floating down a lazy river.

Geology Hike
Sunday, May 20, 2007;  1:00 pm -3:00 pm
Sweetwater Creek State Park - Lithia Springs

 There are fun things to do every weekend in our state parks.  I would like to encourage any juniors and their families to join me on the Geology hike at Sweetwater Creek State Park.  Call me if you are coming.  Roxanne – 678-491-0489. Geologist and Friends of Sweetwater Creek State Park member, John Johnston, will lead a moderate 2-mile hike identifying rock types and explaining how and when they formed. There will also be a short visit inside the impressive ruins of the Civil War era New Manchester mill alongside the beautiful rapids of Sweetwater Creek. $1-$2 plus $3 parking. 770-732-5871 to contact the park ranger.

  I have also listed a great outing in June.  It is to Providence Canyon State Park.  It is one of my favorite places in Georgia to take kids. I will be in Spain from June 6 to July 25 so I will not be able to attend this one.  The next outing I will be attending will be August 4. 

Geology and Art
Thursday, June 7, 2007;  1:00 pm -2:00 pm
Providence Canyon State Park - Lumpkin
Eastern Connecticut State University's Earth Science and Art professors will show visitors the geologic formations of our canyons, the different samples of soil that have been removed from beneath the canyon floor, and techniques to capture these beautiful wonders in art. $3 parking. 229-838-6202

 Gold Fever
Saturday, August , 20074;  9:00 am -11:00 am
Smithgall Woods Conservation Area and Lodge - Helen
Gold mining is a fascinating part of the history of Smithgall Woods. Hear more about the history of local gold mining, the geology of the area, see specimens of nuggets, and watch a panning demonstration. Register in advance. $3 parking. 706-878-3087.  Call the park ranger for reservation on this outing. 

Saturday, November 03, 2007
Providence Canyon State Park
Lumpkin, GA  31815

There will be another opportunity to see Providence Canyon this fall with an expert.  There will be no Junior meeting in September or October.  I will be attending the November outing and will have handouts for all who attend.  Erosion in a grand scale is shown here.  I would encourage all family to make the journey to visit this spectacular park. Providence Canyon is one of the great geographic wonders of the eastern United States. Join Professor Rich McWilliams of Thomas University in Thomasville, Ga. for a closeup view of this most unusual state park. $3 parking. 229-838-6202. Drive time to this park about 40 miles south of Columbus, GA is about 3 hours.  If you would like to carpool or follow me down to the park, please give me a call.

Junior Section Field Trip Reports:
September 1, 2007

 At the field trip to the Blue Ridge area near the old Hackney farms on September 1, we had a number of juniors.  The mountain (or hill) near the area is now named Staourite Mountain and the gates going into the new subdivision has a staourite on them.  Check out the group picture of some of the juniors with the gate behind them.  The juniors were able to find a good number of pieces without much digging.

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Junior Outing Report for August:

August 4, 2007
Saturday, 9 AM
Helen, GA
Gold Fever

Smithgall’s Gold Fever

 For last month’s junior outing we went to the Smithgall State Park near Helen, GA.  They were presenting a Gold Fever morning at the Martin Mine area.  The Rangers and a local resident provided slides of the local area in the 1800’s and discussed the methods of gold mining that was done in the time.  Then we all piled into one of their vans and they took us to the Martin Mine.  It is very nice that the state park system provides these type of activities free to visitors.  We only had to pay $3 for parking.  I do commend checking out the park website for further activities. 

Roxanne Lopez
Junior Chair

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February 24, 2007

Consolidated Gold Mines
http://www.consolidatedgoldmine.com/aboutus.asp?ID=8
185 Consolidated Gold Mine Rd
Dahlonega, GA 30533
706-864-8473

 
Consolidated Gold Mines offer underground tours of a hardrock gold mine and gold panning.  It is $11 per adult and $7 per junior.  The tours of the mine as it appeared at the “turn of the century” include:

• Displays and discussion of the actual equipment being used at the turn of the century.
• Introduction to the geology of the gold belt including the quartz and pyrite formation which early miners were working at the turn of the century.
• Walk through the massive tunnel network, complete with the original track system.
• Discussion of engineering and mining techniques utilized by the early miners.
• FREE Sampler Pan included with each paid tour admission!

Angela Atrchin, Alex Lopez, Chris Watson, and Dontae Russo in front of the mine.


Walk through the massive tunnel network.

Panning for gold with a tour guide – Alex Lopez and Dontae Russo

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September 24, 2006
Sunday  -  2 PM
Stone Mountain Confederate Hall Parking Lot

On September 24, all juniors and parents who would like to see the new exhibit on the Geology of Stone Mountain should meet Julian Gray and me at the Stone Mountain Confederate Hall Parking Lot  at the base of the walkup trail at 2 pm (rain or sunshine).  The exhibit has been up for about a year and is a very nice exhibit.  I will have handouts for the juniors to build their own three-dimensional mountain.  If the weather is good, Julian will lead us up the mountain pointing out features of this unusual monolith. 

 Last month, Julian Gray led the juniors up Stone Mountain part of the way and pointed out many features.  We were able to see the new Geology Exhibit at Confederate Hall.  The daisies were in full bloom.  We had even luck with the weather.  The rain poured before we met and after we left. Here are a couple of pictures of our outing in September.  Please join us in November if you can.

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Rafting on the Upper Chattahoochee


An unidentified visitor, Bill Waggener, Alex Lopez and
Chris Lopez at the rafting headquarters in Helen, GA.
(photo courtesy of Roxanne Lopez)

August, 2005
Junior Section Field Trip to Helen, GA and Rafting on the Upper Chattahoochee.  The group of intrepid explorers went several times down the Chattahoochee River in Helen, GA, at the last Junior’s field trip on August 14, 2005. This guide managed the trip only once, the last time.  We observed first-hand metamorphic rocks in situ and wet and shiny. The group also felt them in the rafts as we floated down-river. (They are harder than the human derriere.) All in all, the trip was small and successful.

Please join us for the next Junior Section Field Trip.

Bill Waggener, Field Trip Guide

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Feb 2005,    Walking Geology Tour of Downtown Atlanta

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"Crystal Field Trip"

Harry Vasdias (center, on his knees) showing our Junior GMS members how to find clear quartz crystals south of Atlanta, GA on July 10, 2004.  (Photograph by RoxanneLopez)

Katie Boyer, Alex Lopez, Kyle Boyer, and Brinson Prince.

Alex Lopez