National Limestone Quarries

Date: 10/29/2022 9:45 AM to 3:00 PM

Location: 3499 Quarry Rd, Middleburg, PA 17842

National Limestone Quarries at Middleburg and Mt Pleasant Mills.     

1st Location - Middleburg Quarry Office – 3499 Quarry Rd.  Middleburg, PA 17842. 

2nd Location (GPS) – Mount Pleasant Mills Quarry – 100 Quarry Rd.  Mount Pleasant Mills, PA  17853.   

FOLLOWED BY BBQ COOKOUT AND GARAGE SPECIMEN COLLECTING AT Jim Van Fleet's RESIDENCE in nearby Mifflinburg, PA ! 

****  unlimited attendance   ****

Meet-Up Time: 9:45 am  SHARP

Meeting Place:  Middleburg Quarry Office – 3499 Quarry Rd.  Middleburg, PA 17842.  Printed directions to 2nd location will be handed out at Office, but strongly advise GPS usage as well.  Address of 2nd location is (for GPS): 100 Quarry Rd.  Mount Pleasant Mills, PA  17853.  Printed directions to Jim Van Fleet's place will be handed out at Office, but strongly advise GPS usage as well. 

Jim Van Fleet's Address:  222 Market St. Mifflinburg, PA 17844

Trip Notes:  CARPOOLING IS ENCOURAGED!!  Collecting at Middleburg Quarry will be approximately 10am to 1pm, at which time we head over to Mount Pleasant Mills Quarry.  We are there till 4pm.  THEN, we head to Jim Van Fleet’s residence for his OUTSTANDING COOKOUT / BBQ and FREE garage specimen collecting, in nearby Mifflinburg PA!!  ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND !!!

 

Bring: WATER, LUNCH / SNACK, rock hammer, chisels, sledgehammer, buckets, newspaper, backpack pry bars, Sunscreen, Shovel, Bug spray

Hard Hats Are Required

Proper safety gear is required on ALL trips (Glasses, sturdy footwear, Gloves).

EVERYONE will be required to sign Hold Harmless Agreement / Attendance Sheet.  

Address of Ard’s Farm Market :  4803 Old Turnpike Rd.  Lewisburg, PA 17837

Post Event Write-Up:

Clubs in attendence:  NoJMS, FM-NJ, PESA, DMS, FM-Pa, Nittany PA Club

Attendees:  "Host Extraordinaire" Jim Van Fleet and Libby; Groundhog Dave, Steve "Pickles" Wien with Gracie; Joe Erard and Nina Kiliszek; "Great" Dane Transue, Mike "the Pie Man" Dunton, Dan "the Photog" and Linda Sackerman; Mikey Wright and Lynn Sian; Rolf Schudel Jr., Jason Marchildon, Dawn Hill, Mark Sloan, Tim "Hitchhiker" and Mark Hollister; Travis Steigerwalt, Artur and Kasia Kowalski; Tommy Greene, Avery Federico, Bill and Kristine Fischer; Ava Mroz and Andrew Paparelli; Twyla, Ed, Bryson and Bowdyn Shaffer; John Van Wagenen; Eric Brosius, Brian Schwab, and others (multi-Club)

We finally had our long awaited return to National Limestone Quarries, twice canceled earlier in the year due to inclement weather.  As always in the past, the 2 NLQ quarries did not disappoint.  We kicked off the trip with a highlight following Eric Stahl's briefing, which was the CLub presentation to Eric of a crystal plaque on behalf of NoJMS and FM-NJ, commemorating many years of Eric's hospitality and professionalism to the NJ Clubs in letting us visit.  It was a great occasion and a long overdue acknowledgement of a great man, and it was received with a standing ovation. 

Collecting was excellent at both quarries, starting with Middleburg and with Eric's advice of recent shots that had not yet been cleared up.  A number of folks including Steve "Pickles" Wien and the Hollisters and Rolf Schudel Jr., found nice medium sized Calcite crystals of varying shapes in vugs and cavities; some up to 1/2 inch or larger.  Folks including John Van Wagenen, Steve Wien, Avery Federico and others, also found nice Fluorite crystal pieces in veins, some larger than others, and in a few cases, tiny (several mm) distinct cubes.  Flowstone was also found in small to medium sized pieces, by some members in attend.  "Great" Dane and a few others pointed out some interesting Chert and Flint - like pieces that were amongst the boulder piles.  At Mt Pleasant Mills Quarry, the collecting was also excellent.  Folks including Steve "Pickles" and Gracie Wien and Travis Steigerwalt, Mikey Wright and Lynn Sian, Bill and Kristine Fischer and others, found similarly medium to larger sized Calcite crystals on the back upper level; and Strontianite masses and crystals were also found there.  Strontianite was much more prevalent up there than down below, where it was more present in past visits.  Joey Erard and Nina Kiliszek, and Steve and Gracie Wien, all were seen carting large football sized rocks with cavities and vugs with good sized and shapely Calcite crystals and noteworthy Strontianite balls and masses.  A number of folks who visited the Wavellite pits, came away with some nice specimens with decent coverage and quality, and for the first time diggers of this, it was terrific collecting !

"Host Extraordinaire" Jim Van Fleet's post-Trip Cookout and Garage Collecting, was outstanding as always.  Jim and Libby had cooked up and prepared for us, Burgers and Dogs, Kielbasa, Veggie patties, Split Pea soup, the famous Van Fleet homemade Chili, Baked beans, Potato salad, Deviled AND Pickled Eggs; Chips n Salsa, and plenty of fixins.  The Dessert round included various Pies and pastries, brownies, cupcakes and other goodies.  Jim offered tours of his collection throughout the night, which never fails to impress!  A number of folks in attend enjoyed the garage collecting and came away with assorted fluorescents and Non-fluorescents.