My parents were rockounds and my first experience was panning for gold in northern California on a family vacation when I was about 4 years old. It has never stopped since then. The first piece in my collection was a small piece of Rose Quartz my mom gave me that she had got in the Black Hills when she was about 7 and I still have it. I still love and dig Rose Quartz in the Black Hills of South Dakota. I grew up in southern California and focused on gold and then found the gem mines in San Diego County. I've explored most of the mines in the pegmatite areas in So Cal. I've collected just about all types of minerals but have always leaned towards gems and lapidary materials. We had our own opal mines in Nevada for many years. I currently live in South Dakota and still collect San Diego County Pegmatite gem crystals and minerals (emphasis on Pala and Hiriart Mtn), and Black Hills South Dakota minerals & gold specimens. I also collect American Mining Law books and references dating back to the 1860's with a focus on mining claim law. Currently involved in mineral exploration with experience in Mining Claim location and mining claim history research.