Rock-hound--Chercheur de cailloux

Malgré le fait que je ressemble a un vagabond en déroute qui ne fait que de dériver d'un village a un autre, durant la saison estivale je tente tant bien que mal de démontrer (du moins pour moi) que je suis autre chose qu'une pauvre épave échoué sur les récifs de l'existence. Je m'improvise donc comme minéralogue amateur quitte a faire preuve d'un minimum de notions de géologie et je part a l'aventure pour découvrir quelconque contrée perdue avec l'aide d'une carte d'anomalies magnétique...

Quand a donner un descriptif précis de mon occupation du temps, je dois préciser que tout en ayant sur moi mon permis pour tâtonner les cailloux (qu'est le permis de prospection ) je semble un peu naïf lorsque vient le temps de décrire le monde minéral .Heureusement que mon manque a gagner au niveau des connaissances est compensé par un guide utilisable sur le terrain en plus de l'ordi portable sur lequel j'ai écrit ces mots. Malgré tout lorsqu'on se trouve au milieu de nul part, le guide de poche devient l'essentiel malgré la promesse d'une technologie de pointe facilitant les choses (incluant le détecteur de métal ) pour y voir plus clair. Faut bien comprendre qu'avec la réalité du téléphone cellulaire on serait tenté de croire qu'avec une connexion ''bluetooth'' je parviendrait par rejoindre la civilisation et ses ressources quasi inépuisables de savoir. Malgré le fait que je me trouve souvent tout près d'une route passante qui dispose d'un tel service, la réalité analogique fait en sorte que je suis dans l'impossibilité d'effectuer des transferts de signaux puisque les réseaux en région éloigné ne se sont pas convertis a la religion des transferts digitaux qui relègue l'analogique vers les l'antiquité. Du moins d'autres solutions sont envisageables notamment l'internet par satellite ! Puisque je n'ai pas de voiture ni les moyens, et a défaut de pouvoir utiliser l'ordi, le guide de poche est ce qu'il faut pour être moins moche.

Pour en revenir aux choses sérieuses; disons que je suis plutôt passionné des grande espaces. Par conséquent le fait de me retrouver en pleine nature est perçu comme une forme d'évasion qui non seulement élimine mes maux de tête mais me permet de respirer un peu plus a mon aise étant plutôt claustrophobe dans une foule . Du moins le fait de regarder des cailloux me donne un prétexte légitime pour partir a la chasse aux espaces perdus et ses images dans une solitude qui force un retour a ses sources...

Lorsqu'il est question de trouver un endroit propice pour faire un peu de chasse aux cailloux, malgré la réalité d'un environnement géologique qui dois se prêter a l'activité en cause (imaginez vous tenter de trouver des roches ignées en terrain sédimentaire...) il est toujours mieux de savoir avec plus de précision ou on s'en va en ce sens que formellement ma raison d'être de ces escapades en pleine nature est de chercher des minéraux et par conséquent je dois identifier au préalable les endroits les plus propices.

A cet égard, une carte d'anomalies magnétiques peut s'avérer comme un outil indispensable sachant que les minéraux sont issue d'un environnement géologique typique dont l'indice qu'est une signature magnétique visible sur carte nous aide a identifier les emplacements les plus propices...Malgré tout , lorsque sur le terrain la minéralisation de surface est ce qu'il faut pour être heureux ! Par contre les durs se plaindront du fait que les affleurements de surface ne concordent pas toujours avec ce qui se trouve en dessous d'ou la raison d'être d'un outil pour y voir plus claire si jamais on est tenté de chercher un trésor caché..et si aucune preuve se trouve en surface.... Malgré tout, rien ne m'empêche de regarder un peu partout !

La carte qui suit donne un aperçu de l'association a découvrir entre les gîtes de minéraux et les anomalies magnétiques. Malgré ce qu'on pourrait croire a priori, de tels hauts magnétiques donnent un aperçu du sous sol sans assurer d'y découvrir des minéraux d'importance économique. Par contre un haut magnétique peut aussi être associé avec une faille qui peut être porteur de minéraux d'importance économique tel pour les failles de Cadillac et de Destor Porcupine ...A cet égard, de gros contrastes très localisés peuvent porter fruit...

La nuit tombe. Seul sur une route isolée a l'est de l'Abitibi mon regard se porte sur des collines qui font figure de douces forteresses mystérieuses dans l'obscurité croissante qui se précipite provoquant un certain effroi me désemparant étant pris par surprise ne pouvant plus distinguer les formes dans un sous bois qui s'éveille par des bruits des plus insolites témoin des créatures qui s'activent a ce moment...

J'accélère la cadence pour ainsi espérer vaincre l'inévitable. Du moins j'espère tomber sur un abri offrant plus de sécurité que ma tente. Une douce musique jazz diffusé sur Radio Canada me réconforte donnant une touche de nostalgie me faisant revivre un peu de mon enfance vécu dans ces contrées. Soudainement j'entrevois une forme dans l'obscurité.. Quelque chose a du me repérer. La bête semble énorme...Ce court moment d'angoisse me sort de ma torpeur me faisant réaliser a quel point je suis ulnerable .J'observe l'obscurité avec horreur m'attendant a voir quelque chose aller a ma rencontre . Heureusement que la chose semble plus préoccupé par ses menus tâches du quotidien poursuivant son chemin par le bois.

Après un temps qui me semble interminable je prends un certain répit de ce train d'enfer que j'entama plus tôt pour vaincre l'inconnu. Avec un ralentissement de cadence l'occasion se prête de faire un compte rendu de ma courte existence seul a me recueillir sur mes souvenirs les plus vivaces dans l'immensité obscure d'une forêt profonde a observer le ciel a la tombé de la nuit, le moment imposant un destin incertain avec comme seul compagnon une douce musique jazz qui semble déterminer le cours a mes pensées...

L'abitibi c'est ma patrie,le pays de mon enfance que je cherche par redécouvrir chaque fois que l'occasion se présente en parcourant ses chemins de gravier qui vont vers l'immensité de la forêt certains aboutissant dans des collines méconnus tels ceux a découvrir au sud-est de la municipalité de Senneterre. Le moment devient l'occasion de vivre de mystère et de nostalgie redécouvrant la patrie de mes origines...

J'ai fait plusieurs ballades dans les contrées certaines a la tombé de la nuit seul dans la forêt, Occasionellement j'étais a une éternité de la civilisation seul sur une route déserte. Le moment était propice pour des recollections seul en des lieux perdus , faisant le point sur le présent et aussi l'avenir . Quelque fois je suis arrivé a un oasis pour découvrir un microcosme de l'humanité et de la civilisation si minuscule face a l'infinité de l'univers...A cet égard la région de Chapais - Chibougamau offre les souvenirs les plus saisissants de l'humanité perdu dans les profondeurs de la forêt sur une toile céleste d'aurores boréales dont la magie et l'intensité évoque ce que ce monde est face a l'immensité de l'infini...

Lien vers les collines

A la tombé de la nuit le confort incertain de l'isolation dans les profondeurs de la forêt impose un cours a ses pensées qui se laissent emporter par le flot du moment pour aboutir a une rétrospection sur l'existence lorsque par un ciel bleu sans nuage le soleil par un dernier effort riche en couleurs tire sa révérence pour laisser place a des cieux se peignant graduellement d'un teint bleu d'azur ultimement constellé d'une multitude d'étoiles permettant de saisir la grandeur de l'infini...

At the fall of darkness within the depths of the forest the uncertain comfort of total isolation imposes a course to ones thoughts which seem to inevitably flow towards a retrospection on existence when by a a clear blue sky the sun gradually disappears behind the horizon creating a fiery display transforming the heavens to a colorful ecstasy that surrenders its presence to the incessant void of an ever deeper azure blue ultimately culminating with total darkness and it's constellations of stars which give a fleeting glimpse of infinity...

Looking deep within the woods from roadside a feeling of uneasiness gradually imposes itself influencing the course of my thoughts. From the woodlands sounds to be heard within the growing obscurity of the forest seem to draw nearer causing me to press with greater haste. Suddenly from within the void a loud sound reminds me that the ghosts of the forest awake at dusk. A sense of panic overwhelms me for an instant obliging me to press on the pedals with the hopes of finding a woodland sanctuairy that offers greater security than the tent I carry...

L'image qui suit est représentatif de ce qu'une faille associé a la tectonique des plaques produit en terme de conséquences lorsque nous considerons l'environement géologique a proximité immédiate de la limite des plaques océaniques qui produit des intrusions d'origines volcanogénique spécifiquement les puit d'émission sulfureuse d'origine hydrothermale...

I interpreted the following dots as being a series of hydrothermal vents in close proximity to a residual tectonic fault line which in being in the same direction as the lakes implies that the lakes themselves did not result from the passage of glaciers being the consequence of volcanogenic activity in proximity to the fault line thus quite possibly being residual trenches of marine origin at the border of a major plate...

Since summer is the time to enjoy the weather and undertake activities which have remained in the planning stage the rest of the year, for those of you which thought that I am nothing more than a lost moron adrift from one town to the next on a cheap mountain bike , I'd like to set the record straight despite the appearances to mention the true purpose of such lost escapes leading me towards the very heart of the wilderness. Actually the summer months is the time to confront the woodlands with the hopes of regaining some lost vitality uncovering a bounty of minerals .

While I don't consider myself as an expert rock hound having the memory of a true bird brain despite the obvious once considering the associativity of related objects facilitating their memorization, I can by some miracle of nature make the difference between some rock types and their associated geological environment thus making my quest easier mostly if I have some ready reference such as a mineral identification guide by my side...

Irrespective of what some of you may think, I am seriously inclined in my quest to find prized rocks even if what I bring back most often looks like the same dull stones you tend to find just about everywhere. Actually the samples I do choose are for further analysis despite the cost there is analyzing rocks which can amount to a fortune in a certified laboratory... Although in actuality I tend to forget about it (sending them to the lab) after a couple of days which may cause some to question my sanity (I tend to look a little crazy to start with) since if I lose my time collecting them I should at least try to find out more about them...

To be honest, my time out prospecting for minerals is also a time out to get away from the hectic pace of life seeking inner peace discovering the woods even if most often I'm only a stone throw away from civilization. Although I do have a sense of purpose and a serious interest in minerals. I therefore tend to carry the basics including a metal detector which helps uncover valuable metal sulfide intrusions even if despite the look and the occasional smell some disguised iron may be the big prize...

The map above gives magnetic anomaly reading and thus theoretically may help improve your chances of finding a needle in a haystack. Actually while it may be helpful for those which need to uncover mineral lodes, it may be of limited help to someone as myself which just wants to find the right outcrop that could become a prized collection item (I'd have better luck in mining waste). Despite the results, I tend to take reference from such data since my curiosity begs me to despite formally proclaiming that it may lead towards significant discoveries even if most often I'll be out on a wild goose chase without mention of the reality of lodes far below ground if ever something is to be found once looking for that mythical lode...

To give a crash course on minerals let me just mention that the formation of minerals (including gems) results from activity associated with volcanism without the volcanoes being the culprits since the process of formation involves the action of water which percolates through fissures to end up in hot spots within the mantle. Such superheated water at high pressures (which remains liquid at over 500 degrees centigrade) subsequently escapes supercharged with minerals which subsequently precipitate with a decline in temperature and pressure... While such precipitated minerals could be deposited on the ocean floor through hot vents, they can also be deposited in cavities creating the beautiful geodes which are prized collector items. Either way , most often the proof of such activity is covered by subsequent volcanic flows and tectonic activity to be uncovered through geological processes (such as mountain lifting and folding) and erosion.

I personally ''discovered'' a treasure trove of garnets at roadside further north. Despite the limited value of such semi precious gemstones (which considering their abundance were mostly used as abrasives) , their large sizes, high quality and sheer numbers seemed to make it certain that I'd find somewhere within the rock face and fallen 10 ton boulders a gem worth more than the sand paper dust they are used for.Despite my initial hopes I never did market any...

As suspected, despite the initial high expectations, the fun part with rocks is trying to describe them... Although sometimes there are dazzling discoveries to make ! All it takes is the right amount of luck and first and foremost the right place to go hunting !

Un peu d'exercise aide a me maintenir en vie...

A little exercise keeps me..alive

Being alone and isolated miles from the nearest settlement may seem chilling enough for those in search of the typical tourist trap filled to overcapacity , but the reality remains that once trying to gain a sense of immersion in the quest for a certain level of emotional elatement typically expected once being somewhere remenecent of a vague if not a wild idealism lingering within and revealing itself with a certain brevity once there, it is apparent that going beyond the clichés catering to the masses seems appropriate if only there are the very symbolic inner rewards which follow . Thus I myself, despite usually preferring more pastoral surroundings which tend to please most of us, has these last few years taken a dramatic departure from the culture of mass experience to seek what total isolation may provide in terms of an emotional experience which goes beyond the glitter and appeal expected from places whose specific purpose is to cater to the many.

Despite the qualities the many well travelled routes may offer, it is a welcome change to experience a reality which goes beyond the expectations the tools of mass culture provides in the sense that for all we know we tend to follow prevalent trends which indicate where we should look to get that long sought karma without seeking lesser known places with their own magic appeal. I for one despite acknowledging the sense of discovery and henseforth enjoyment there is visiting well travelled routes such as what the typical tourist traps offer has instead put emphasis on the unacknowledged . In other words, once trying to come to terms with the exhilaration of discovery including scenic beauty, there are scores of lesser known places which reveal themselves as preferred candidates to the known ones.

Furthermore it is interesting to note that despite the advantages there are of rapid travel, I for one realised that there are many missed photo opportunities travelling by car. The sense of immersion isn't as complete as it revealed itself to be travelling by a most basic means of transportation which is the bicycle. I thus embarked on an adventure of discovery travelling by mountain bike, choosing the lesser travelled roads to get there. One of my most recent escapades brought me within the depths of the wilderness in north central Quebec specifically along the rail line (which was the transcontinental) with the hopes of discovering some vestiges of civilisation which sprung up once the rail line was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. Some non descript but representative places did provide a sense of communion with history which was in this instance greatly facilitated by reading a work of fiction from the french author Bernard Clavel which is titled Harricana.

Once I did embark on a long a tiresome treck which had the benefit of freeing me of the impression of being compartimentalised within a large town , the long sought goals did not materialse fully as expected since while I did expect a certain level of exhilaration contemplating lesser known scenery namely the hills north east of the Verendrye park which despite being hills did look intriguing once viewed with satellite imagery, my travel plans were somewhat altered once it became apparent that the long sought road into the hills was further south than anticipated . But despite a certain deception, I did enjoy travelling on seldom journeyed gravel roads which took me to the heart of a woodland with its own little delights namely the unconspicuous lakes with beaches that inspire the dreams of escapement into an exotic realm light years beyond mass entertainment.

Once trying to attain my chosen goal within the wilderness, the transit within the Verendrye park revealed itself as a subtil revelation despite the caravans of campers at beach side in close proximity to a main road passing through the series of interconnecting lakes that offer virtually endless mileage for those willing to tackle the unconspicuous seas of the region. I for one felt amused by the road side signs announcing the Ottawa river which is familiarly acknowledged as flowing further south west . But these are the headwaters which lead towards such lakes within the park themselves fed by other rivers and streams whose point of origin lies within the void of the north central and western wilderness of Quebec. It can even be supposed that there is a virtual confluence of the Harricana (flowing so many miles to the arctic) with the headwaters of a tributairy of the Ottawa river (which is the Kinojevi river) further north in Abitibi whereby at such a point part of the meagre flow of headwaters goes south while most heads north along a lazy stream (which is the Harricana) which despite looking like a stream for most of its length is one of the longest navigatable rivers in Canada. The Voyageurs and other initial explorers were deemed as using such a route not only in search of pelts but also to engage in militairy action destroying the small trading posts deemed as infringing on the trading territory of the other early settler in the region. It is hard to come to grips with the fact that the early settlers took the time and went through certain risk to find an unconspicuous trading post in the middle of nowhere when the very elusive objective was so far away . Apparently such a reality during the moments soon after the first settlers arrived further south is best understood once taking knowledge of the actions of the famed explorer Radisson who despite the french name in working for the Hudson's bay company would help lead a military party to some obscure places within the unknown far beyond the reach of civilisation by using such river systems.

Such a quest which had me pass through such a wilderness being the Verendrye park had me experience a sense of isolation I had rarely felt travelling on seldom used gravel roads to attain certain havens of peace within the wilderness.

Some more written bull shit !

One day I'll try to write something a little more professional........................

Check EXIF data ...

Within the depths of the forest on a gravel road a sinister rumbling is to be heard rapidly intensifying. Far ahead within the green obscurity a heavy smoke rises from the void. A form gradually takes shape as the beast on the roadway advances. The thundering noise rapidly intensifies to the point of generating a sudden and intense fear as the beast crosses my path obliging me to seek roadside shelter knowing that the beast is too big to immediately change its course and also rapidly stop.

Occasionally once crossing the one lane bridges without guard-rails such a beast is seen arriving from a distance at high speed crossing the forbidding obstacle without so much as a sigh from the engine...

Strange to realise that writing this crap may become a liability for my personal safety...Furthermore I'd gain more respect from my peers if I were not portrayed as a casualty of existence surviving from social assistance which risks suffering an imminent fate of the like described in the song titled "Supper's ready" by the group "Genesis"...

Il est cocasse de remarquer que ces petits commentaires peuvent produire des conséquences néfastes pour ma propre sécurité... A être plus compétant j'aurais écrit quelque chose de plus élaboré même si certain croient par ce compte rendu de mauvaise qualité que la gloire des uns est le malheur des autres...