Day 15: Tourmaline Bearing Pegmatites at Chucketer's Mini Golf course in Hookset NH

 

Morning Paddle

The morning, I accompany my brother and his swim buddies in a kayak as they practice and train on the lake.  I get no pics, because I am hoping to avoid getting the camera wet.  Indeed when I am here I find myself focusing on taking in the experience / presence.  It's been a long time since I've seen much of my family and while talking is a wonderful thing, there is much to be communicated by presence and actions.  It's not what I blog about, but it is where my mind is.

Worlds longest mini-golf hole and Pegmatites

So our other activity of record was to visit Chuckster's mini golf in Hookset NH.  Now I don't know about other regions, but New Englanders take their putt putt very seriously and every town of a certain size has at least one course, especially along highways frequented by tourists.  Some are in epic disrepair.   

Chuckster's in Hookset is considered one of the best, boasting the Longest mini golf hole, now in 2 different towns.  While I could talk about the game (which I lost), what really caught me was the amount of pegmatite used in the local landscaping here.  Seriously large Muscovite crystals, black tourmaline, and feldspars.  I assume this is all quarried locally and so thus represents the roots of ancient volcanic systems, but WOW!

I try to discuss the rocks and their unique properties to my Brother and  sister in law, but they are occupied with the game.  Anita too is doing well and scores the 1st hole in one, and will be around later to hear me talk glowingly of the rocks here.  WHat you're looking at is several stages of mountain building.  Below we see a highly metamorphosed migmatite formed during a collision 100's of millions of years ago, likely Acadian and the injection of magmas into that arc system . . . all little pieces that lead to the buildup of North America,   Now as weathering takes hold we see the deep reactions revealed in beautiful fashion.